Geralyn and I visited the Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi. The basilica, which was begun in 1228, is built into the side of a hill and comprises two churches (known as the Upper Church and the Lower Church) and a crypt, where the remains of the saint are interred.
I have been enjoying the out of doors for most of the day and I truly do need another cup of coffee. Flowers are blooming more and more all over the yard plus the rose bushes. What a breathtaking site to see. I so do enjoy all the four seasons and all of its beauty.
We visited Fattoria il Poggio, a farmhouse in Montecarlo in the province of Lucca in Tuscany. The farm, rooted in Tuscany and managed by the Rossi family since 1963, welcomes visitors from all over the world. The farm produces wine and extra virgin olive oil. Inside the farm is a restaurant open for lunch and dinner and welcomes you with the best dishes, obviously accompanied by their wine and their oil!
Geralyn took this video as we traveled through the canals of Venice on a gondola! Geralyn normally doesn't do the videos but she wanted to capture me and the view of the canals from her perspective.
Geralyn and I were fascinated by the skill of this glass artist. And, he was a very nice fellow! So, if you are interested in the designing of glass art, you'll enjoy watching this video from Murano, Italy.
Venetian glass is thought to have been made for over 1,500 years, and production has been concentrated on the Venetian island of Murano since the 13th century. Today Murano is known for its art glass, but it has a long history of innovations in glass-making in addition to its artistic fame—and was Europe's first major glass-making center.
Geralyn and I returned from Italy late last night. I will add additional pictures and videos from time to time. We had a great time but it is also nice to be back home.
Was 95 or better today - along with loads of sun and humidity. Hope you are well and get a kick outta this graphic. I know I did - so true! Hugs, Wendy
Hi Mona - haven't visited you in a while, and I'm taking the time tonite to say hello and ask how you have been? I hope where you are, the winter is over and spring has sprung. It has here as it's been in the 70s and 80's for weeks now and things have bloomed and the pollen has been very heavy. I don't suffer with allergies, so it never bothers me, but it is a shock to see my black car yellow!! Picked up a couple hanging baskeets of geraniums for the front porch and fininsed planting the petunias in pots. Now all I have to do is make humming bird food - I'm late doing it this year, but think about it and then get doing something else and so it goes day after day.
Be well Mona, stay safe and be careful. Have a good nite and a great spring. Hugs, Wendy
Such a pleasant spring day we are having along with a few drops of rain to freshen the air. Hope your day has been pleasant also as one does the duties of the day. Smiles Gloria
It is a beautiful, warm, low 80 F (28 C), morning in southwest Louisiana. It has been perfect for Geralyn and I to sit on our patio and enjoy the flowers, the butterflies, and the birds. We actually have a wood thrush nesting in our holly hedges but I am reluctant to take a picture of the nest. It also appears that our cardinals are in the process of building a nest nearby. A few minutes ago we had a visit from one of our hummingbirds and I was able to snap a quick picture and video. My front lawn needs cutting so I will start doing that chore soon before the temperature (and humidity) climb to a projected high of 90 F (32 C). After today rain is forecast locally for several days so today must be lawn day!!
This morning, Ger and I found our last butterfly had eclosed. We left the male butterfly in the mesh enclosure for about four hours before releasing him. He was very energetic and first flew to our holly hedges before flying off to rest high in my neighbor's tree. It was exciting to have three caterpillars emerge at the end of their metamorphosis into three healthy butterflies. We released one female and two males.
