Red Hot...

These beautiful peppers and garlic are putting me in the mood to make some chili.  I'm getting tired of leftover turkey!

Original photos taken at a street market in Vienna.

"Jute" texture added to both photos.

Linking to:

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

This little piggy...

This little piggy is flying in to wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

My dear friend, Betty, gave me this darling ornament - she knows I have a thing for flying pigs!

Linking to:

Inspire Me Monday

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

A single rose...

While walking around Vienna, I came across this lovely little rose placed on a fence.  It appeared almost shrine like...I wonder what the backstory is...

Linking to:

Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

fashionistas...

It is always interesting to see what young people are wearing these days.

Original photos taken in Vienna.

 I know it's popular to let bra straps show, but this seems a bit much to me.  What say you?

I like her sense of style.

Several textures and filters added to my original photos.

Linking to:

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

Love is in the air...

One my favorite things to do is make journals and altered books.  I've been invited to exhibit my mixed media and fiber work at Pamela Larkin Caruso's studio/gallery in February.  Pamela's work is bold, humorous - fantastic!  We're thinking hearts.  It's going to be lots of fun.

A sample of my "love" journals which will be offered for sale in February.

Linking to:

Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday

Weekly Top Shot

Seek and Ye Shall Find...

I finally found a box of Christmas decorations - moving makes it hard to remember where in the heck I put stuff!

Linking to:

Friday My Town Shoot Out
Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday

Weekly Top Shot

Let it Snow...

Living in SW Florida, this is the closest I will come to snow this year.

Several textures and overlay added to my original photo.

Linking to:

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

Friday My Town Shoot Out
Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

All in a Row

My fascination with public transportation continues.  I love these red street cars lined up in a row somewhere in Vienna.

Several layers of texture added to my original photo.

Linking to:

Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

Weekly Top Shot

silence

Simple wall sconces found in a church in Vienna.  The church was very peaceful.  We sat quietly for a while thinking about how grateful we are for all that we have.

Text, texture, brushes added to my original photo.

Textures "sonnet2" and "the ladder" courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to:
Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Hail that Taxi!

So many of the taxi cabs in Vienna are Mercedes - such a luxury ride!  I admit we never rode in one.  Public transportation in Vienna is quite safe and inexpensive.

Several filters added to my original photos.

Linking to:

Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

Weekly Top Shot

Vienna Flower Market

These beautiful blooms were on display early one morning in a Viennese flower market.

Several filters and a layer of texture added to original photo.

Linking to:

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Yellow Trolley...

When we travel abroad, I love to take pictures of public transportation.  Where I live, we have bus service only - no trains, trolleys, els...

The yellow trolley in Budapest took us on an interesting ride going through many different neighborhoods on the Pest side.  The addition of digital paper, assorted brushes and filters give this photo an old world look.

Linking to:

Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

Weekly Top Shot

Ash of Roses

I have no idea what kind of rose this is.  We were on our way to be seated for lunch at a table along the river in Prague when I saw it.  I thought it was beautiful despite the fact some of the blooms were fading away rather quickly.

My original photo with addition of a grungy texture.

Mouse Over to see Original Linking to: Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Remains of the Day...

Richard's 80 birthday celebration has come and gone.  However, we still have plenty of cake left over!

Print Module layout created in Lightroom5.  Top photo taken with i-phone; bottom photo with Nikon D7100.

Linking to:

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

Weekly Top Shot

Brownies...

From time to time, my husband suffers from vertigo.  It happened again this weekend.  He's feeling better - but I thought brownies would be the perfect comfort food (not only for him BUT me too!)

Linking to:

Inspire Me Monday

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

Reflections...

I noticed the reflection of an old church in the windows of this modern building in Vienna.  I love the contrast of the wavy lines in the reflection against the straight lines of the building.

Linking to:

Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

Weekly Top Shot

An apple a day...

I love apples.  I have one as my lunch almost every day.

"Sonnet" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to:

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

Ice Cream...

Is there a child in the world who doesn't love ice cream - I think not!  This adorable little boy and his grandma sat at the table next to ours in a sidewalk cafe in Vienna - I couldn't resist snapping this photo.

Linking to:

Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

Weekly Top Shot

The Mad Hatter...

We were watching some folk singers perform in Budapest and along came this woman.   I watched her for quite a while. She looked like she was trying to make up her mind - should she stay and watch the entertainment or not?  Where would she sit?    She did stay - sat a few seats away from us.  I took a lot of photos of her.  I love her hat and sense of style.  I could never pull this outfit off in a million years.

Texture added over top of my original photo.  Mouse Over to see original.

Linking to:

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

Keeping It Simple

It's amazing how something as simple as a brown paper bag can make a photo look special!

Some gourds and a pumpkin from our local market.  I made my own bokeh brush in PSE and added it to the photo.

Flowers in a water glass placed inside the paper bag and tied with baker's string.  Two versions of the same bag shot in different light.

Linking to:

Katherine's Corner
Little Things Thursday

Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

Weekly Top Shot

Here's looking at you kid...

My husband and I drove out to Koreshan State Historic Site in Estero FL this afternoon.  We found this gopher tortoise peeking out of his hidy hole.

"Happy Heart" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to:

Inspire Me Monday

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Here Comes the Bride...

Saturdays are wedding days at St. Stephen's Basilica in Budapest.  We saw quite a few happy brides making the rounds in the square.

Since it was a an overcast day, I added a Naples, FL sky to brighten things up a little.

"Dive" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen added overtop of bride's photo.

Linking to:

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

The blue chair...

Isn't this a cool chair?  I found it at a sidewalk cafe in Budapest.

My own texture and overlay added to original photo.

Linking to:

Friday My Town Shoot Out
Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

Weekly Top Shot

Budding Artist in Budapest

As I walked through the book fair being held in the square near St. Matthias Church in Budapest, I saw this sweet little girl who was totally engrossed in her artwork.

"Frame It" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to:

Inspire Me Monday

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Dried and True...

These lovely dried flowers were hanging in a doorway in Budapest.

Linking to:
Friday My Town Shoot Out
Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

Weekly Top Shot

These Shoes Were Meant for Walking?

I have a fascination with other people's footwear choices.  I love spike heels, clogs, tennis shoes - on other people.  For myself, I go for comfort more than style.

This young woman sported high tops.  She was a fellow tourist on our walking tour in Budapest.

"Magic 0916" texture courtesy of Kim Klassen.

Linking to:

Texture Tuesday
Sweet Shot Tuesday
Our World Tuesday
Tuesday Texture Twist
Wordless Wednesday on Tuesday
Wordless Wednesday Bloggers

Hoodie

I came across this hooded falcon in Budapest.  I've never seen one this close up before.  Evidently, a hood is used in the manning process (acclimatizing to humans and the human world) and to keep the raptor in a calm state.  Often it also sports strips of strong leather called jesses on both legs.  Quite stylish, don't you agree?

Linking to:
Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday 

Weekly Top Shot

Bittersweet

We've had a fabulous trip, but all good things must come to an end.

We were blessed with a beautiful day - no rain!  We were on a mission to see as much as we could pack into our last day.

We watched these happy brides and grooms line up in front of the Astronomical Clock to get their pictures taken.


Over to the Prague Municipal Library to view the sculpture "Idiom" created by Slovakian artist, Matej Kren made of numerous books.


We had a hard time finding "Slight Uncertainty," dozens of cement people dangling from umbrellas, by Czech artist, Michal Trpak.  We knew the street name and the building name - but not the address.  It took a lot of back and forth asking questions of passerby's to finally locate the work - an even hard time conveying to the doorman we wanted to see and photograph it too - it all worked out happily in the end.

I had heard of the "Lennon Wall" (think the Beatles) and quite by chance we came upon it after lunch in the Castle District .

We took our first Metro ride to find David Cerny's "crawling babies" on the Zizkov Television Tower.  I think there were 10 babies.  We took the elevator to the top of the tower for some magnificent views of Prague.

Long flight home tomorrow and back to reality.

Street Art

It rained off and on most of the day.  The temperature is mild.  The rain was little more than a drizzle - not enough to dampen our spirits.

We spent the day looking for unusual street art.  We saw so much it is impossible to post it all here.

I have no idea who the artist is - but I love this piece.  At first I thought it was for recycling - but the holes go straight through to the ground...

"In Utero" by David Černý

Franz Kafka monument by Jaroslav Rona

When you gotta go, you gotta go.  (This sign is not exactly art, but I was looking for it more often than I care to say. )  We always make sure to have coins in our pockets while out and about here.  The old adage "you get what you pay for" is so true!!

Street Scenes - Prague

One of the best things about travel is just roaming around the city - taking in the flavor of the place.  We started out towards The Charles Bridge rather early this morning.

It was quiet on the street.  Everyone sleeping in after a fun-filled Friday night?  That changed - by mid afternoon, the streets were mobbed.

 View of the Vltava River from the Castle District side.

One never knows what sights will be found on the streets.

The weather forecast called for rain - but not a drop dampened our day.  The cloudy skies made it more comfortable to spend the day outside walking up and down cobblestone streets.

Beautiful Prague...

After 5+ hours on the train from Vienna to Prague, we were happy to depart the train.  It rained the whole way.  We walked to our hotel (in the rain) which was about 5 or 6 blocks away.  Once we were settled in, the rain stopped.  Oh joy!

We're in the Old Town - not far from the Astronomical Clock Tower which we climbed and took these our first pictures of Prague.

View of rooftops...

Belfries of the Church of Our Lady Before Tyn

Everyone we met on this trip has told us how beautiful Prague is.  We are believers - it is magical.

A straight line...

We visited the Hundertwasser House here in Vienna.  Architect/Artist Friedensreich Hundertwasser.  I love this guy!  He says "The straight line is alien to mankind."  We couldn't actually tour the inside of the house since it is now divided up into residential apartments.  The outside decor is amazing.  Across the street is Hundertwasser Village - which is basically a tourist trap filled with the usual things you would expect to find there.  The WC was an experience - so colorful.  I love the fact that he created art everywhere inside and out - it just makes me happy.

We also visited Belvedere Palace- filled with totally different art - but I'll save that story for another day.

Linking to:

Friday My Town Shoot Out
Friday Finds
Friday Photo Journal

Photo Story Friday