Number 5 | Day 8 of 365 days of stories

September 19, 2010

Cats of Bobobli, No. 5
Cats of Boboli, No. 5

Cat Number 5, as I lovingly refer to him, is one of my favorite cats from Boboli Garden. Some might ask why, since he’s only showing me his behind, but it’s more about the feeling of the photograph than the actual subject (sorry Number 5).

This photo reminds me very much of Dutch paintings in the 1600s. Partly it’s Number 5’s position. He looks as if he has cornered something, and it brings to mind the metaphors of the paintings. The lighting also is a bit reminiscent of the Dutch paintings. While we don’t get into the full-blown black of the Dutch pieces, there’s definitely shadow and light playing together in the image, with the warm overtones from the fading sunshine and the dark wood.

So, of all the cats in the Cats of Boboli series, that’s why Number 5 is my favorite. Behind and all!

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from the Ponte Vecchio | Day 4 of 365 days of stories

August 26, 2010

from the Ponte Vecchio
from the Ponte Vecchio, Florence

It had been a jam-packed day in Florence. We had walked the city, been to the Museo Galileo, stood by the River Arno watching the rain fall, debating on whether or not to continue on. The clouds parted, and we started across the Ponte Vecchio, over to Boboli Gardens, where I was enchanted by cats, enamored with landscapes, and in love with every last architectural detail I could find there. We had arrived a little out of sorts, due to the rain, but left happy, smily, go lucky.

We ducked into a small courtyard, and had a bite to eat, and more than a sip to drink. It started to sprinkle, but our bellies were full, so we walked arm in arm back toward the hotel. As we neared the center of the Ponte Vecchio, we stopped, breathtaken by the lights shimmering on the river and the wet night. That’s when I knew I had to get this picture.

No tripod in hand (but really, when do I ever have one of those around), I sat my camera down on the edge of the bridge, straps wrapped tightly around my wrist, for fear of knocking it over the side. Snap once. Snap twice. Third time’s a charm!

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Back to Domestic Goddess, or maybe just Dreaming Domestic Couch Potato

September 9, 2009

This picture posted on Flickr inspired me for the outdoor dining space. Of course, I don’t have enough room for all of those beautiful umbrellas, and Raju might kill me if I paint the side of the house (ala one of those HGTV shows we watched once upon a time, of course, she also cut away part of the deck; damn did her hubby need that margarita maker they won when he came home). So I’m paring down a bit and going with what seems to be leaning more toward a French feel with the red and blue and the Tolix chairs. Either way, it will be better than what it is today.


what it is today: clean slate or barren waste land? cup half full or half empty?

Of course, we’ll need more plants, and brighter colored planters than are in the mock above. Shortcuts – I just wanted some greenery in the picture.

The current plan is to put in the tall, skinny evergreens, similar to the ones in this photo from Florence (center of the pic) in a row down the fence. That should give us some privacy and kill some of the ambient road noise. So I guess we’re bringing a little Italy back in. Maybe I can call this “Euroblend”?

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Sunshine filters through the leaves…

February 10, 2008


Walkway, Boboli Gardens, Florence | Essences of Italy series

As I walk beneath the trees.

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You must have a good camera!

January 31, 2008

I just love it when people look at my work and that is the first (or second) line out of their mouth. As if my camera jumped out of my hand, ran back down the street, centered the scene perfectly, focused and snapped the shot, noting that it didn’t need a flash to get the best lighting.

My hubbie once said this about a friend, but after some thought (I said nothing, neither did his friend) he came to the conclusion that maybe there has to be a smidgen of talent at least to get the camera to produce a nice picture.

And for the record, I do have a nice camera 🙂 I also have some others that might not be qualified as nice, but will produce some fantastic results if it’s the effect you’re looking for. Because in the end, the camera is just a tool that the entire world has access to, just like paint, pastels, pens, and clay.

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