Call me Cathy. I am a nomad, a pilgrim, a vagabond, a wanderer. I am crazy for books (mostly fiction) and I delight in writing and photography. I am addicted to textiles – the more exotic the better – as well as home decor, architecture, art, and unique clothing. I love sampling cuisines from every culture. I love the feel of the wind in my hair, cool crisp air, and mountains. I love urban hiking and nature hiking. I love riding a motorbike or a bicycle, taking a slow cruise down a river, riding a decrepit taxi or a tuk-tuk through chaotic cities. I love being transported to another time, another world. And I hope to inspire travelers to linger, to observe, to create. :-)
Here is my art journal spread from my “Road Trip to Nowhere” trip on September 11, 2019; on this day, I traveled from Jamestown, North Dakota to Bottineau, North Dakota, with a stop at the International Peace Garden on the border of the U.S. and Canada.
International Peace Garden
Jamestown to Bottineau, ND
The next journal spread is from September 12, when I traveled from Bottineau, North Dakota to Bismarck, the capital of North Dakota. It was pouring rain the entire day. 😦
Thursday, September 12: Bottineau to Bismarck, North Dakota
Thursday, September 12: Bottineau to Bismarck, North Dakota
Thursday, September 12: Bottineau to Bismarck, North Dakota
The Joslyn Art Museum opened in 1931 in Omaha, Nebraska as a gift to the city by Sarah Joslyn in memory of her late husband George. It is dedicated to excellence and celebrates art in all its variety. The original Memorial Building is considered one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the U.S.
Joslyn Art Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
As it was after lunchtime, my first order of business was to find food. I came upon the Café Durham, where I ordered a delicious Summer Grilled Salad (grilled zucchini, portobello, green onion, grape tomatoes, garbanzos, avocado, corn, feta, yellow beets, mixed greens and Cilantro Green Goddess dressing) and creamy asparagus soup. I sat in the airy and pleasant atrium to enjoy it.
salad and asparagus soup at Café Durham
mural near the atrium
Dale Chihuly piece
Storz Fountain Court
Storz Fountain Court
Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau was an American academic and salon painter, who was born in New Hampshire and lived in Paris from 1864-1922. Along with Mary Cassatt, she was one of the first American women to exhibit at the Paris Salon. In 1887 she became the only American woman to be awarded a medal for her work. By the Seashore (~1912) plays on the theme of the Virgin and Child.
By the Seashore (~1912) by Elizabeth Jane Gardner Bouguereau
In the Drew Gallery, I found an exhibit on Impressionism. In 1874, a group of painters including Claude Monet, Edgar Degas, and Camille Pissaro boldly mounted an exhibition of their work independent of the official, state-sponsored Paris Salon. These artists became known as Impressionists, and they painted the modern world in experimental new ways. Working directly from nature, they painted en plein air, or outdoors, in an attempt to capture the fleeting effects of light and atmosphere.
Small Country Farm at Bordighera, 1884, by Claude Monet
Haymakers, Evening, Eragny, 1893 by Camille Pissarro
Joslyn Art Museum
Untitled, 1910-13, by František Kupka
Fantasia, ~1910, by Odilon Redon
Roman Ruins in Southern Italy, 1848, by Daniel Huntington
In the Lauritzen Gallery, I found Art of the American West/19th Century. Meriwether Lewis and William Clark ascended the Missouri River in 1804, reaching the Pacific Ocean in November of the following year. Dispatched by President Thomas Jefferson to study the geography, natural history, and resources acquired in the Louisiana Purchase and to find an easily navigable route across the continent, they were followed by bands of fur trappers, traders and explorers, as well as artists.
In 1832, the painter George Catlin was aboard the American Fur Company steamboat Yellow Stone as it made its way up the Missouri River past Council Bluffs, becoming the first artist to create an extensive record of the Upper Missouri. I wrote previously about George Catlin and the american bison at saam.
A Prairie Picnic Disturbed by a Rushing Herd of Buffalo, 1854, by George Catlin
Buffalo Hunt, Upper Missouri, ca. 1832-35, by George Catlin
Catlin was soon followed by Karl Bodmer and Alfred Jacob Miller, and their work remains a vital record of the region at the moment before industrialization changed the West forever.
The landscape was inhabited by Indian nations throughout the Plains and Rocky Mountains. Catlin, Bodmer and Miller were witnesses to a way of life that would be almost completely transformed within the coming decades, as tribes were removed from their homelands and suffered attrition from disease and other forces.
The main reason I sought out the Joslyn Museum was because it is home to the largest collection of watercolors, drawings and prints of Swiss artist Karl Bodmer. He was hired in 1832 by the German explorer and naturalist Prince Maximilian of Wied-Neuwied to document his expedition to the American West. Setting out from St. Louis in April of 1833, Bodmer and Maximilian began a 2,500-mile journey by steam- and keelboat up the Missouri River, traveling as far as Fort McKenzie in present day Montana. Wintering at Fort Clark near the Mandan villages, they continued downriver the following spring, having spent a year on the Upper Missouri. Bodmer captured the challenging and dramatic landscape and his portraits were the first accurate portrayals of western Indians in their homelands. Bodmer’s work today remains one of the most compelling visual accounts of the American interior.
Sadly, the museum had embarked on a multi-year project to conserve its collection of watercolors and drawings by Karl Bodmer , so I was only able to see some prints made after Bodmer’s originals.
Little did I know that I would encounter Karl Bodmer multiple times on my “Road Trip to Nowhere.”
Ponca Camp, 1833, by Karl Bodmer
Steamer Yellow-Stone on the 19th April 1833, 1840, engraving after Karl Bodmer
Fort Union on the MIssiouri, 1841, engraving after Karl Bodmer
Route of Karl Bodmer and Prince Maximilian of Wiel in blue
Joslyn Art Museum
Joslyn Art Museum
Jim Bridger with Sir William Drummond Stewart, 1872, by William de la Montagne Cary
Sioux Indians, 1850, by Seth Eastman
Native American clothing
A few short years after Karl Bodmer and Prince Maximilian’s voyage, another artist was making his way across the West with his European patron, Scottish nobleman William Drummond Stewart. Alfred Jacob Miller was born in Baltimore in 1810 and trained in Paris before returning home to establish a studio in New Orleans.
Miller and Stewart left St. Louis in April of 1837, arriving at the annual fur traders’ rendezvous in the Green River valley in present-day Wyoming. The rendezvous was a commercial and social gathering of trappers, traders, mountain men and Indians. Miller was the only artist to have witnessed this event first hand. Their party traveled north to the Wind River mountains before returning to St. Louis in the autumn. Miller wasn’t much interested in natural history or ethnography, so he offered a more romantic narrative than did Bodmer.
The Trapper’s Bride, 1850, by Alfred Jacob Miller
The Surround, ca. 1839, by Alfed Jacob Miller
While Catlin, Bodmer and Miller worked in the field sketching, hundreds of Plains Indians had already visited formal portrait studios in Washington, D.C. Charles Bird King and others were commissioned to paint portraits of visiting dignitaries.
Shaumonekusse (L’letan), an Oto Half Chief, ca. 1821, by Charles Bird King
Indian Barbers, Saharanpore, ca. 1895, Edwin Lord Weeks
John Singer Sargent (1856-1925) came from one of the oldest colonial families in America; his family left their homeland and became expatriates in Europe. The artist made his first trip to the United States in May, 1876, but he returned to Europe to visit Spain, Holland and Venice. He won praise for portraits and genre pictures, but portraits increasingly defined his reputation. Though he settled permanently in England in 1886, he flourished as a portrait painter for businessmen and their families, artists and performers of the English aristocracy and American high society.
Mrs. Abbott Lawrence Rotch, 1903, by John Singer Sargent
The evening gown in the above portrait belonged to Margaret Randolph Rotch (1867-1941), a descendant of Thomas Jefferson. In 1893, she married Abbott Lawrence Rotch, the son of a patrician Boston family and a distinguished meteorologist who founded the Blue Hill Observatory. Mrs. Rotch posed for John Singer Sargent, like many women of New England society.
The dress was made by Callot Soeurs, one of the great couture houses of the Belle Époque.
Callot Soeurs dress of Margaret Randolph Rotch
Sunlight and Shadow, 1884, by William Merritt Chase
The Romantic Horizon
The Trappers, Lake Tahoe, ca. 1870s, by Albert Bierstadt
Port Manec, Brittany, 1897, by Childe Hassam
Couple at Maxims by Guy Pène Du Bois
The Letter, 1911, by Daniel Ridgway Knight
Woman with Black Necklace, 1928, by Walk Kuhn
Pioneer Trail into Council Bluffs, 1954, by Eugene Kingman
The Hailstorm, 1940, by Thomas Hart Benton
Stone City, Iowa, 1930, by Grant Wood
The exhibits at the Joslyn were diverse. Another was “Virgins and Saints: Conversion through Images.” As part of Spain’s conquest and rule of Latin America from the late 15th through the 19th centuries, the Catholic Church came to dictate artistic development in the Spanish settlements. Visual imagery was a vital form of communication between the Spanish and the indigenous population, so religious icons became a fundamental means of conversion. Paintings of Virgins and Saints were popular in the Americas due to their innate human quality.
Virgin of the Rosary, late 18th century, Bolivian – artist unknown
The Virgin of the Milk; Flight into Egypt; Holy Family, 19th century, Artist Unknown – Bolivian
detail: The Virgin of the Milk; Flight into Egypt; Holy Family, 19th century, Artist Unknown – Bolivian
The American Indian Art gallery highlighted historical objects alongside works by contemporary Indian artists. Their work celebrates their heritage while also addressing the challenges that face Native communities today and their relationship with Euro-American society.
American Indian gallery
New Horse Power in 1913, 1994, Arthur Amiotte (Oglala Lakota – Sioux)
Old Medicine Sage, 2001, by Kevin Red Star, Crow
Mother Earth of a Mumbres Woman, by Doug Hyde
bags covered in small glass “seed beads”
Visor, Artist Unknown (Yupik)
The Arts of Asia are objects drawn from a broad area including China, Japan, India and Southeast Asia.
Two Peacocks and Flowers, mid 19th century, by Nishiyama Hôen
The Art of James E. Ransome was displayed in a gallery about Everyday People. The artist has illustrated over 60 children’s picture books, covering a wide range of subjects. This exhibition depicts celebrations of the simplest and most joyful moments of our lives.
children’s books illustrated by James E. Ransome
James E. Ransome
James E. Ransome
Living in the segregated South of the 1920s, Uncle Jed had to travel all over the country to cut his customers’ hair. He lived for the day when he could open his own barbershop, but he encountered many setbacks along the way.
Uncle Jed’s Barbershop by James E. Ransome
Sweet Clara and the Freedom Quilt
I found the art shown below in one of the many Joslyn galleries, but I don’t remember which one it was.
Trova, 2016, by El Anatasui
detail: Trova, 2016, by El Anatasui
Three Girls in a Wood, 2018, by Kehinde Wiley
Nogaro, 1982, by Frank Stella
After I finished exploring the Joslyn Art Museum, I headed for the Old Market, where I would wind up my last day in Omaha.
Information about the artwork is taken from plaques at the Joslyn Art Museum.
The scent of intrigue and wine, the pull of antiquity, the allure of the countryside — all were calling us away from Florence. We were finished with the biggest of cities on our itinerary and were beckoned by olive groves, stone farmhouses, and imposing stone castles in the rolling hills of Tuscany. On this day, we would make our way from Florence to San Gimignano, stopping in several Chianti towns along the way. This region produces the grapes used in Chianti and Chianti Classico, world-famous red wines.
We had everything ready to go at our Florence Airbnb by 9:00, and we handed over the keys to Paula, Niccolò’s mother. We always leave our rental places in tip-top shape, so of course she returned our security deposit. She gave us suggestions of places to stop on our way to San Gimignano, along with a postcard advertising apartments she had available to rent near Florence.
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
“Terrace with a View” apartment in Florence
As we bid Paula “Addio,” she encouraged us to drive to the top of a hill near the apartment for a panoramic view over the city.
view of Florence from a hillside near our apartment
One of the places Paula suggested we stop was the tiny hilltop hamlet of Montefioralle, about 2km west of Greve in Chianti. It is the ancestral home of Amerigo Vespucci (1454-1512), the merchant, explorer, and navigator from whose name the term “America” is derived.
Tradition associates the image of Venus in Sandro Botticelli’s painting, Birth of Venus, painted sometime in the 1480s, with the famous beauty Simonetta Cattaneo Vespucci, an Italian noblewoman from Genoa, the wife of Marco Vespucci of Florence and the cousin-in-law of Amerigo Vespucci. She was known as the greatest beauty of her age in Italy.
We stopped for a walk around the quiet, nearly deserted little town.
Montefioralle
irises outside of Montefioralle
Montefioralle
Montefioralle
Montefioralle
Mike with our car in Montefioralle
Montefioralle
Our next stop was Greve in Chianti, the hub of the local wine industry. If there is a capital of Chianti, apparently Greve is it. Here, an arcade with cafes, enoteche (wine bars), and craft shops cluster around the Piazza Matteotti, the gently sloping and asymmetrical central plaza. In the center is a statue of Giovanni da Verrazzano (1480-1527), the discoverer of New York Harbor.
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
We stopped at a butcher shop, where we were almost frightened off by the stuffed boars outside, Macelleria Falorni. We also browsed in a bike shop, where Mike bought a new biking shirt.
Macelleria Falorni
Macelleria Falorni
Macelleria Falorni
Macelleria Falorni
Macelleria Falorni
bike shop
We stopped for a coffee and pastry at a Pizzeria.
Greve in Chianti
Greve in Chianti
We strolled around the little town, poking into shops here and there, and simply enjoyed the small-town ambiance.
After leaving to Galleria dell’Accademia, we headed for Florence’s giant iron-and-glass covered central market. On our way, we stopped at an Italian men’s shoe store; Mike bought a pair of nice leather shoes, which he had to lug around the rest of the day.
We went directly to the upstairs portion of Mercato Centrale to its sprawling food court with trendy little stands and restaurants. The market had an aura of Florentine elegance, with its bountiful Tuscan cuisine. I took some photos of the cute toilets and the butchery shop for my son, who was at that time working for a butchery.
Mercato Centrale
Mercato Centrale
bathroom at Mercato Centrale
bathroom at Mercato Centrale
Mercato Centrale
We got a small snack to begin our grazing for the day at Selezione Formaggi di Qualità Dal: prosciutto, bread, cheese and olives.
prosciutto, bread, cheese and olives at Mercato Centrale
Outside, the San Lorenzo market lined the streets, with mostly leather goods, scarves and trinkets. I accidentally stepped on a painting some guys had laid on the ground. Oops!
We stopped by the Basilica di San Lorenzo and went into its pretty cloister, but we didn’t go inside the church. Filippo Brunelleschi designed the basilica in 1425 for Cosimo the Elder, but he never lived to see it finished. This was the burial site of the ruling Medici family, who made their money in textiles and banking.
San Lorenzo Basilica
cloister at San Lorenzo Basilica
cloister at San Lorenzo Basilica
cloister at San Lorenzo Basilica
Mike at the cloister
me at the cloister
streets of Florence
We then strolled over to Basilica di Santa Maria Novella which was by the train station and not much to look at. The lower half of this Dominican church was completed mostly in the 14th century and its pointed arch niches and marble patterns reflect Gothic design. About 100 years later, yet another architectural style was added.
Santa Maria Novella
We were tempted by a gelato shop but managed to control our appetites. We paused again briefly at the Duomo.
gelato
the Duomo
the Duomo
At another little sidewalk cafe, we had a tomato and mozzarella sandwich, a bowl of Tuscan soup (tomato with lots of bread) and a Limone Schweppes. It was fun to eat and watch people walking by. We saw two couples divided by gender: the men frowned over a large unfolded map trying to decipher it; I imagined speech bubbles floating over their heads – “Thought is life” – while their wives stood obliviously chatting, relying on their husbands to figure it all out.
Chinese tour groups sallied past, led by guides waving yellow flags. A young man walked by dressed as if from 1920: linen shirt, vest, fancy shortish pants, bow tie, straw hat. It seemed as if he came from another century or like someone from right out of The Music Man; maybe he was a poet or writer. Another man walked past decked out in plaid blue pants, a blue shirt, a flowered blue scarf and a blue puffy jacket.
After lunch, we poked our heads in briefly to Bartolucci Florence, a shop dedicated to to wooden toys, and in particular, Pinocchio.
tomato and mozzarella sandwich
Tuscan soup
me as Pinocchio 🙂
Down the road from the cafe, I saw the Pandolfino sign, so I dragged Mike down to look at a shop I’d seen earlier that had been closed. It was still closed and a sign said it opened after 3:30.
The Basilica di Santa Croce beckoned at the end of a big square. The 14th century Franciscan church holds the tombs of great Florentines: Michelangelo Buonarroti, Galileo Galilei, Niccolò Machiavelli, and composer Gioacchino Rossini. It has a busy 19th century Victorian neo-Gothic facade and faces a huge square ringed with tempting shops. We didn’t go inside, sadly missing the frescoes by Giotto in the chapels right of the altar.
Santa Croce Church
Santa Croce Church
postcards in Florence
We found the little scarf shop I’d seen on the first day, Massimo Ravinale, with silk Italian scarves, and I bought two – one for $75 and one for $36. Both were exquisite. The prim and dapper salesman insisted on wrapping them in cellophane and wanted to put them properly in a fancy box, but when I refused, he insisted on a lovely bag. He was obviously frustrated, but I had to carry them all day and I didn’t want the additional burden of a box. He probably shook his head after I left: “Americana…”
We rambled our way to the Arno River and debated whether to cross and climb to the Piazzale Michelangelo, with its bronze statue of David. We decided finally to go for it; we crossed the Ponte Alle Grazie, the bridge east of Ponte Vecchio, and climbed ever upward for views over Florence from the famous Piazzale.
From the lookout, we had marvelous views of Florence and its surrounding hills.
view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
view of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo
Mike at Piazzale Michelangelo
Mike with a Fiat at Piazzale Michelangelo
After enjoying the views, I walked uphill while Mike sat on a bench. I took a couple of photos of San Miniato al Monte, another beautiful church whose green-and-white marble facade is crowned with a 12th century mosaic topped by a gilt bronze eagle. The church is a fine example of Romanesque architecture and, dating from the 11th century, is one of the oldest churches in Florence.
San Miniato
We sauntered downhill, stopping at a rose garden, Giardino delle Rose, and an iris garden, Giardino dell’Iris. We enjoyed the collection of more than 350 kinds of roses and 2,500 varieties of irises along with a magnificent panoramic view. Within the garden was also a refined Japanese garden.
Giardino delle Rose
Giardino delle Rose
Giardino delle Rose
Giardino delle Rose
Giardino delle Rose
Giardino delle Rose
Giardino delle Rose
Giardino delle Rose
I wanted to go back to the shop near Pandolfino, but we were all turned around and getting irritable with each other. Finally we sat down near the Bargello Museum and found the street on the map. We went to the shop and it was still closed, despite the posted hours that said it should be open. Maybe it was closed because of the Labor Day holiday. It was so frustrating.
Exhausted, we started our long walk back to the apartment. We passed a crazy looking man wearing a furry coat below his knees, grimy fur cuffs around his ankles, and a bunch of stuff jangling around his waist. A girl with dreadlocks wearing dappled leggings that matched her dog climbed on a bus, carrying the dog.
streets of Florence
streets of Florence
We walked past the Jewish Sinagogue with a Moorish design, which housed the Jewish Museum of Florence, but we didn’t go in.
Sinagogue & Jewish Museum of Florence
We continued the long slog back to the apartment, stopping for a beer and two little sandwiches (one spinach mozzarella and one with smoked salmon and greens), and a bathroom break.
We sat on our terrace and had wine and crackers with cheese and prosciutto and enjoyed the warmth and sunlight. Mike make an excellent dinner of Tagliatelle and green beans and pesto. We had a side dish of cooked prepared spinach.
Mike on our “Terrace with a View”
Mike went out to get us gelato at Badiani, opened in 1932 by Idilio Badiani as a dairy and gelateria. The Pomposi family took over in 1993, renovating and expanding the space into a Florentine artisanal gelateria. Mike got himself a cup of strawberry and chocolate mousse and me a hazelnut stracciatella, a gelato variety with chocolate flakes. A perfect treat for our last night in Florence.
Windows opened onto
orange trees in
half-ruined buildings,
built to repel the world.
Desert flamingos,
a color of dark mustard,
stood at one end.
The air was filled with the smell,
of kif, dried fruits and fig jam.
Sand was blowing about
and they sat, listening to
precarious voices.
They had no idea what to say.
The world was close and far off
and the guitar fell silent.
They looked for the moon
and didn’t find it.
The facts were stifling them.
Found poem, from Lawrence Osborne’s The Forgiven. New York: Hogarth, 2012, 2013. Print
Orange tree in El Khorbatruins in Tinghir, Morocco
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“POETRY” Invitation: I invite you to write a poem of any poetic form on your own blog about a particular travel destination. Or you can write about travel in general. Concentrate on any intention you set for your poetry.
During this time of isolation and social distancing, please feel free to write poetry about any subject, whether travel-related or not. I’d love to read and share them here!
One intention for my trip to Morocco was to write a Cento, or Patchwork, poem, using either a poem by a Moroccan poet or a book I read to prepare for my Morocco trip. Unite lines from that author’s work. The new poem must find a new meaning that is not similar to the original poem.
The Cento can also come from a passage of prose, where you keep the lines in the same order or rearrange them; it’s important to make your own rules and then not break them. Centos can be rhymed or unrhymed, short or long. The poem should be casually cited, but not in a traditional way. Example: Found poem from Elizabeth Bishop’s “Sestina.”
Here, I used phrases from a scene in Lawrence Osborne’s The Forgiven, which takes place in Morocco. I set a rule for myself to use phrases in the order in which they appeared in the text, without rearranging them. Another rule is that I shouldn’t change the words of the phrases, by making present into past tense, changing singular to plural, etc.
You can either set your own poetic intentions, or use one of the prompts I’ve listed on this page: writing prompts: poetry. (This page is a work in process). You can also include photos, of course.
Include the link in the comments below by Thursday, July 2 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Friday, July 3, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation, on the first Friday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
After visiting Boys Town in Omaha, Nebraska, I dropped in to El Museo Latino, which was quite shabby and hardly worth the $3.50 admission. No photography was allowed, which seemed ridiculous. I saw black and white photos of Latino people who came to Omaha and you could listen to their stories about why they made Omaha their home, but I didn’t take the time to listen to them. I enjoyed the beautiful Huipil, ceremonial clothes, or traditional garments worn by indigenous women from Central Mexico to Central America. The loose-fitting tunics were woven by Guatemalan women and were vibrant and lovely. I was disappointed I couldn’t take photos. The other exhibits were yarn weavings.
The surrounding neighborhood seemed to be a Latino neighborhood. I was in and out quickly.
I then went to the Gerald R. Fort Birthsite and Gardens, dedicated in 1976, and expanded in 1980 to include the Betty Ford Rose Garden. Former First Lady Betty Ford and Former President Ford visited Omaha July 14, 1980, for the Betty Ford Rose Garden Dedication, which took place on Gerald Ford’s 67th birthday.
There was just a garden here as the house burned down in 1971. No one was at the site (visits were by appointment only), but I could walk around the garden which was quite pretty.
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Jr. (July 14, 1913 – December 26, 2006) served as the 38th president of the United States from August 1974 to January 1977. Before his accession to the presidency, Ford served as the 40th Vice President from December 1973 to August 1974. Ford is the only person to have served as both vice president and president without being elected to either office by the Electoral College.
President Gerald R. Ford
In December 1973, two months after V.P. Spiro Agnew resigned, Ford became the first person appointed to the vice presidency under the terms of the 25th Amendment (which deals with issues related to presidential succession and disability) by President Richard Nixon. After the subsequent resignation of President Nixon in August 1974, Ford immediately assumed the presidency. His 895 day-long presidency is the shortest in U.S. history for any president who did not die in office.
As president, Ford signed the Helsinki Accords, which marked a move toward the easing of strained relations in the Cold War. With the collapse of South Vietnam nine months into his presidency, U.S. involvement in Vietnam essentially ended.
Domestically, Ford confronted many of the same challenges faced by other Presidents. The country was in a severe recession with high unemployment and inflation rates, plus energy shortages and high gasoline prices. Many citizens felt angry and forgotten. Ford declared inflation “public enemy No. 1” and vetoed more than 50 spending bills. He also announced his inflation fighting program which he called WIN – for “Whip Inflation Now.”
In one of his most controversial acts, he granted a presidential pardon to President Richard Nixon for his role in the Watergate scandal.
Birthsite of Gerald R. Ford, 38th President of the United States
In the Republican presidential primary campaign of 1976, Ford defeated former California Governor Ronald Reagan for the Republican nomination. He narrowly lost the presidential election to the Democratic challenger, former Georgia Governor Jimmy Carter. Though remaining active in the Republican party, he was at odds with conservatives due to his moderate views on social issues. In the end, he became close friends with Jimmy Carter, and after experiencing health problems, he died at home on December 26, 2006 (Wikipedia: Gerald Ford).
President Gerald R. Fort
Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford’s birth home
One of the presidential debates in 1976 was held October 22 at the College of William & Mary, with questions from moderator Barbara Walters of ABC. I was a student at William and Mary at the time, and I stood with a crowd of people on Duke of Gloucester Street where I was able to shake hands with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter before the debate that night at Phi Beta Kappa Hall. I didn’t see Gerald Ford there.
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Gerald R. Ford Birthsite & Conservation Center
Also at the site was a sealing plate where documents, mementos and artifacts are stored. They depict the way of life in Omaha and the U.S. in 1976. The documents were sealed in the bicentennial year. The seal is to be broken in 2076.
preserved documents from 1976
After visiting here, I went to visit the Joslyn Art Museum.
*Wednesday, September 4, 2019*
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“PHOTOGRAPHY” INVITATION: I invite you to create a photography intention and then create a blog post for a place you have visited. Alternately, you can post a thematic post about a place, photos of whatever you discovered that set your heart afire. You can also do a thematic post of something you have found throughout all your travels: churches, doors, people reading, people hiking, mountains, patterns, all black & white, whatever!
You probably have your own ideas about this, but in case you’d like some ideas, you can visit my page: photography inspiration.
I challenge you to post no more than 20-25 photos and to write less than 1,500 words about any travel-related photography intention you set for yourself. Include the link in the comments below by Wednesday, June 10 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Thursday, June 11, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation, every first, second, and third (& 5th, if there is one) Thursday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
I wrapped up my trip to Morocco on Tuesday, April 23, 2019, and then headed immediately to Italy. I originally decided to go on a G Adventures tour because it covered a lot of ground and all the logistics were worked out. I figured I would love Morocco so much that I would return another time and focus only on the places that spoke to me. However, by the time I left the country, I had decided it was unlikely I would ever return.
Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca
Casablanca
We didn’t stay long enough Tangier or Fez to know if I would love it or not.
Tangier
wedding in Tangier
Tangier
tanneries of Fez
I loved a couple of places, especially the blue city of Chefchaouen and the fishing village of Essaouira.
Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen
Chefchaouen
Essaouira
me in Essaouira
Essaouira
blue boats of Essaouira
Essaouira
I enjoyed the markets of Marrakech for the fabulous medina and its exotic and enticing goods. I have often dreamed of having a store in the U.S. where I sell exotic items from abroad, but I doubt that will ever happen at this point in my life.
Marrakech
Marrakech
Other places I loved include Aït Ben Haddou and Volubilis, but one visit was plenty for both of those places. I also loved the desert in Merzouga, but I have spent a lot of time in deserts and I don’t have a huge urge to go back.
Volubilis
Merzouga
near Aït Ben Haddou
Aït Ben Haddou
Most of all I loved the photography opportunities. Everything in Morocco was colorful, and as one who loves color, I was captivated by the vibrancy.
As for food, the tajines were good, but only to a point; they got a bit boring after a while.
The worst thing for me was being on a tour. I met some interesting individuals and actually liked all of them one-on-one. But I hate group dynamics. Group travel has never been appealing to me, and it wasn’t enjoyable this time. I must be diligent in the future to avoid these kinds of trips.
I wrote a number of posts about my trip to Morocco. My favorite posts were about Chefchaouen and Essaouira. I also loved writing my two poetic journeys and my photography posts about the blues of Morocco and the enticing markets. I still have one more poem to write, and that will follow shortly.
“ON RETURNING HOME” INVITATION: I invite you to write a post on your own blog about returning home from one particular destination or, alternately, from a long journey encompassing many stops. How do you linger over your wanderings and create something from them? How have you changed? Did the place live up to its hype, or was it disappointing? Feel free to address any aspect of your journey and how it influences you upon your return. If you don’t have a blog, I invite you to write in the comments.
For some ideas on this, you can check out the original post about this subject: on returning home.
Include the link in the comments below by Sunday, July 5 at 1:00 p.m. EST. When I write my post in response to this challenge on Monday, July 6, I’ll include your links in that post.
This will be an ongoing invitation on the first Monday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time.
After a breakfast of blueberry yogurt, granola and raspberries in our apartment, we went out in hopes of catching the #11 bus into the historic part of Florence. Because it was Labor Day, buses weren’t running on a normal schedule so we had to walk the long haul after all. We stopped at a cafe for croissants and coffee.
the long haul walk into historic Florence
pretty tree
the long haul walk into historic Florence
equestrian statue of Cosimo I
We had 10:15-10:30 tickets to Galleria dell’Accademia (Accademia Gallery) and we were able to get in right after arriving. Luckily it wasn’t too crowded. The gallery has a collection of Florentine paintings dating from the 13th to the 18th century. They were beautiful, but honestly, they all seemed to blend together.
The museum houses Michelangelo’s David, the statue of the biblical shepherd boy ready to take on Goliath (or after he’d already taken him on). In 1501, Michelangelo Buonarroti, a 26-year-old Florentine, was commissioned to carve the large-scale David from a single block of marble.
In the Bible story, the Israelites were surrounded by barbarian warriors led by the giant Goliath. The young shepherd boy David stepped out to fight him, armed with a slingshot. He defeats Goliath. Seventeen feet all, he is the symbol of divine victory over evil, a new Renaissance outlook.
Scholars debate whether this representation of David is before or after his victory over Goliath. His sling is barely visible as though to emphasize that he owed his victory not to brute force, but to his intellect and innocence.
Michelangelo’s David
Other unfinished works were nearby, including statues giving support to the crippled tied in a rope in the Gipsoteca Bartolini gallery.
statues giving support to the crippled tied in a rope in the Gipsoteca Bartolini gallery
In the Nineteenth Century Hall, we found the Gallery of Plaster Casts by Bartolini and Pampaloni. The gallery presents the various types of celebratory, private, or monumental sculpture. The portraits (busts and medallions) belong to a fundamentally private dimension, which Bartolini explored with psychological sensitivity.
casts for sculptures at Accademia
casts for sculptures at Accademia
casts for sculptures at Accademia
casts for sculptures at Accademia
There are many religious paintings in the Gallery. Crucifixion with Four Angels, the Virgin, and Saint John the Evangelist was done by Jacopo di Cione. This is one of the rare works with a blue background instead of a gilded one. The background is still abstract and symbolic (blue was the color of divinity) and is still far from the naturalism of skies in Renaissance painting.
Crucifixion with Four Angels, the Virgin, and Saint John the Evangelist by Jacopo di Cione
Massacre of the Innocents, Adoration of the Magi, Flight into Egypt was done by Bottega Di Jacopo Di Cione. The panel depicts three episodes from Christ’s childhood. The intent was to present the holy stories to the faithful with clarity and simplicity.
Massacre of the Innocents, Adoration of the Magi, Flight into Egypt by Bottega Di Jacopo di Cione
Virgin of Humility and an Angel was done by Don Silvestro dei Gherarducci (1360-1365). The title portrays the Virgin seated on the ground, often on a cushion, instead of on a throne as in a Maestà. The Virgin is almost always depicted holding the Christ Child, offering him her breast. The painter was a Camaldolite monk at a monastery in Florence, where he also painted illuminated manuscripts.
Virgin of Humility and an Angel
paintings at Accademia
paintings at Accademia
paintings at Accademia
paintings at Accademia
paintings at Accademia
paintings at Accademia
Coronation of the Virgin with Angels and Saints is a polyptych, a painting made of multiple panels united in a single complex by the frame. When divided into three parts, it is usually called a triptych. This one is from the Santa Mari di Le Campora monastery in Florence.
Coronation of the Virgin with Angels and Saints
Coronation of the Virgin with Angels and Saints – detail
This piece bears the name of Jacopo Cambi, the embroiderer who stitched it. This decorated the front of the main altar in Santa Maria Novella church in Florence.
Accademia
Saint Yves administering Justice (1405-1410) by Maestro di Sant’ivo depicts Saint Yves of Brittany as he administers justice to the poor, the orphans and the widows. The saint gives all his attention to the poor, ignoring the flattery of the rich. Canonized in 1366, Saint Yves is portrayed in jurist’s robes, which recall his activity as an ecclesiastic judge, and his commitment to protecting the rights of the weakest.
by Rossello di Jacopo Franchi (1377-1456)
Accademia
Incredulity of Saint Thomas with Prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah, by Giovanni di Francesco Toscani (1419-1420), illustrates a page from the Gospel where Saint Thomas meets the resurrected Christ, not recognizing him until he places his hand into the wounds.
Incredulity of Saint Thomas with Prophets Jeremiah and Isaiah, by Giovanni di Francesco Toscani (1419-1420)
Accademia
Accademia
Accademia
Finally, we saw musical instruments in the Collection of Grand Prince Ferdinando de’ Medici (1665-1713), son of Cosimo III. He combined a passion for art with a passion for music, collecting one of the most extraordinary collections of musical instruments in Europe over only a few years. These pieces are exhibited alongside 17th-century paintings depicting musical life at the court of Ferdinando.
musical instruments at Accademia
musical instruments at Accademia
musical instruments at Accademia
We left Accademia at 11:30, where we were released into the fresh air of Florence.
Here we are, another week of stay-at-home orders, the last Saturday in May. Welcome to my ninth cocktail hour, a virtual world where we STAY HOME and enjoy a beverage. I offer you Cheers! À votre santé! 乾杯/ Kanpai! Saúde! Salud! May we all remain healthy, safe, financially afloat, and hopeful despite the barrage of bad news.
Here’s my Covid-19 diary for the last week. I’m still doing my project for May, which is to take a different walk every day, draw a map and write my thoughts for the day. I’ll now have a resource for when I want a new place to walk. 🙂
Saturday, May 23: I finished reading a collection of short stories by Alicia Erian, The Brutal Language of Love. I’m reading a lot more short stories this year; I bought them many years ago when I was writing a lot of stories myself.
Tonight, after listening to the sad WTF podcast by Marc Maron about the death of his girlfriend, Lynn Shelton, we searched for one of the deceased filmmaker’s movies, the 2011 Your Sister’s Sister, and enjoyed watching it after having Mike’s famous fish tacos on our screened porch. Finally, we had a sunny and warm day!
Saturday, May 23
Lake Newport
Lake Newport
irises
Free Library in Reston
roses are red…
Lake Anne
foxglove
azaleas
pretty pinklets
Sunday, May 24: We listened to the Seventh Sunday of Easter church service from Holy Comforter in Vienna. I found Jackie Thompson’s sermon calming and hopeful. She talked about the “in-between place” we find ourselves, much like the experience of the disciples in the time between Christ ascended and Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to them. She said there were three things we could do during this “in-between time” in our lives: 1) Pray, even if you don’t feel like it, even if you think you have nothing to pray about. Pray in communion, even if only on Zoom. Pray for guidance, for patience, for thanksgiving for the front line workers and helpers. 2) Strip down our lives and look at what we really value. 3) Live in hope, in expectation, that better times will come.
We took a long walk around Burke Lake. So many people were out and about, even with the cool and gloomy weather. I found myself getting annoyed by people who obliviously walked two or three abreast in large groups, pushing us off the path if we wanted to maintain social distancing. I find many Americans are incredibly selfish; many just don’t care about other people. Sometimes I wish we could afford to get an apartment in Europe or somewhere just to escape what our country is becoming.
Sunday, May 24
Burke Lake
Burke Lake
Burke Lake
Burke Lake
Monday, May 25: Today is Memorial Day, observed on the last Monday of May. It honors the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It was another gloomy day in northern Virginia. It didn’t feel at all like the normal kick-off for summer.
Monday, May 25 – Memorial Day
Dunn Loring Woods
Stonewall Manor
Dunn Loring Woods pool
Tuesday, May 26: I was finally able to set up a Zoom appointment with an Ear Nose and Throat specialist for Friday morning. They insisted on the video appointment even though I told them I already tested negative for COVID-19. I think it’s a waste of time to see another doctor over Zoom as they can’t take blood tests or do a proper exam.
Tuesday, May 26
flowers near Lake Newport
International Children’s Garden
Aldrin Elementary School
Buzz Aldrin Elementary School
Brown’s Chapel
empty tennis courts
Wednesday, May 27: Today, we had our regular Spanish class by Zoom. It was finally warm enough that I was able to sit outside on my screened porch. For dinner, we got Mexican takeout from Anita’s. They had refunded the amount they charged us for our botched order on Cinco de Mayo, so we felt confident in trying them again.
Since the one ENT doctor would only see me by Zoom, I called another allergist to see if I could make a face-to-face appointment with a doctor. I was informed the doctor is still staying home, but I could see a nurse practitioner. I need to know if I do in fact have allergies, and if so, what am I allergic to? I want to find a treatment that will work, because no treatments so far have done anything to relieve my symptoms. If I don’t in fact have allergies, I will still need to see the ENT about other possible underlying issues.
Today we passed 100,000 deaths in the U.S., higher than any other country. The country is not united in mourning; in fact our divisions are greater than ever. I blame our high number of deaths and our divided country on Trump and his Republican cohorts, who are doing an excellent job of Making America the Worst.
Wednesday, May 27
the gravel trail
ferns along the gravel trail
The gravel trail
St. Helena Drive
dogwoods in bloom
Little Difficult Run
Thursday, May 28: Today, as The Washington Post reported the U.S. now has 100,000 dead in four months, a front page article said there was a good chance the coronavirus will never go away, even after a vaccine is discovered. Experts say embracing that reality is crucial to the next phase of America’s pandemic response. The articles mentions there are already four endemic coronaviruses that circulate continuously, causing the common cold. Many experts see this being the fifth – “its effects growing milder as immunity spreads and our bodies adapt to it over time.”
Today, I finally was able to see a Nurse Practitioner at an Allergist’s office. After doing about 20 tests for allergens, all that came up were: cat dander (I knew about that), grass and dust mites. She prescribed a steroid nasal spray: ipratopium bromide nasal spray to add to my XYZAL and Flonase. I’m skeptical because grass allergies wouldn’t have started in early March, and I know the allergy meds I’m currently taking aren’t doing anything. But I’ll give it a try until I see her again on June 9.
Thursday, May 28
Fox Mill Estates
Pinecrest Swim and Tennis Club
Friday, May 29: Our country is unraveling. Since the police killing of an unarmed black man, Ahmaud Arbery, in Georgia and, later this month, of George Floyd in Minneapolis, protests are erupting all over the country. Many are turning violent. Adding fuel to the fire is not only the systemic racial injustice that is built into the fiber of our society, but the out-of-control coronavirus pandemic accompanied by devastating unemployment, both of which disproportionately hurt people of color. In the White House, the criminal man-child tasked with leading our country shows zero leadership qualities, an utter lack of empathy, and a propensity to blatantly lie and spin things to cast himself in a positive light. Not only that, but for the last three and a half years, he has worked tirelessly to divide our country and to tout white supremacy. I lay all blame at the feet of this so-called president, and to all the minions and sycophants who continue to support him. If he is elected again, I will no longer want to be a citizen of this country.
On another note, this morning on a Zoom call, I saw an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. I told him everything I’ve been through. He said he’d have me come in for a Nasal endoscopy, a procedure to look at the nasal and sinus passages, on June 8. He honestly doesn’t think my problems are related to allergies because of the early onset. He told me not to bother to take the nasal spray but instead to take an acid reflux medicine because constant congestion can be caused by that. Again, I’m skeptical, because I haven’t had acid reflux since I was in my third trimester of pregnancy, and that was 27 years ago! He said it was possible to have the symptoms I have without having other symptoms of heartburn. I’m still holding hope that the endoscopy will reveal something.
As of today, Virginia will begin the first phase to reopen businesses and houses of worship. This phase eases previous restrictions on restaurants, fitness facilities, barbers and beauty salons, other retail businesses and houses and worship. Movie theaters, concert halls, bowling alleys and other indoor entertainment businesses remain closed. Restaurants, breweries, distilleries and wineries may serve dine-in customers at tables outside, at 50% of their normal indoor capacity. Tables must be spaced 6′ apart and no more than 10 people may sit at a table. A restaurant’s indoor bar area must remain closed. Disposable menus are required and servers must wear cloth face coverings. Fitness facilities can be open for outdoor activities only, and people and equipment must be spaced 10′ apart. Exercise classes are limited to 10 people.
Beauty salons, barbers, spas, massage centers, etc. are limited to 50% of normal capacity and customers must make appointments to come in. Customers and employees are required to wear face coverings. Businesses must keep a record of all clients served, including name, contact information, date and time of service.
Other retail businesses may open at 50% capacity and employees must wear face coverings.
Houses of worship may hold services at 50% of normal capacity. Congregants must sit six feet apart – except for families – and should strongly consider wearing face coverings. There are more details regarding every business reopening.
I’ve already made an appointment for next Monday, June 1 to have my hair straightened as it is chaotically wild and out of control. I also have scheduled a haircut for next Thursday. I’ll be so happy to feel human again!
I was finally able to walk at Meadowlark Gardens today as they are now open, except the Visitor Center and restrooms. It was nice to be able to walk there again.
Friday, May 29
Meadowlark Gardens
irises
Meadowlark Gardens
gazebo at Meadowlark
Meadowlark Gardens
Meadowlark Gardens
iris
iris
irises
Meadowlark Gardens
Meadowlark Gardens
ducks
Meadowlark Gardens
gazebo
water lilies
peonies
peonies
peonies
a glass frog
liriope
The Korean Garden
Meadowlark Gardens
The Korean Garden
The Korean Garden
The Korean Garden
The Korean Garden
The Korean Garden
Meadowlark Gardens
Meadowlark Gardens
Meadowlark Gardens
As of May 30, the U.S. has 1,747,087 COVID-19 cases and 102,810 deaths. Virginia has 42,533 cases and 1,358 deaths. Worldwide cases number 5,952,145 and there have been 365,437 deaths.
For June, I hope to do a daily practice (and I emphasize PRACTICE) of small watercolors. If there are any worth sharing, I’ll share them at the end of June. I also hope to add a bike ride each week into my exercise routine. 🙂
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I love this song, “Range Life” by Pavement. It plays in the final episode of the TV series, Flaked with Will Arnett.
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In the midst of all this, what can we do to make the most of our stay-at-home orders? I’ve created a page where I’ll share different ideas I’ve come across of ways to cope during the coronavirus. It is here: how to make the most of a staycation... or how to cope during the coronavirus #Stayathome orders. If you have any positive ways to get through this, I invite you to share: bits of humor, projects, what we can do to help others, how to keep our sanity, TV shows or movies to watch, books to read, exercises to do, etc. Please feel free to express your emotions during this trying time as well. I’m sure we can all relate to any and all emotions you are feeling.
I wish you all the best during this crisis. Stay at home, and stay safe, healthy and always hopeful.
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I’m going to write a cocktail hour/diary about this challenging time, but I’m only going to write one during the month of June, on Saturday, June 27. I invite you to share your own experiences with what we’re going through right now, either in the comments below, or in your own blog post, which I invite you to link below. I’ll try to keep writing this as long as we are suffering through this together. I hope that we will get through it unscathed, sooner rather than later.
I would never have thought of visiting Ethiopia. As a matter of fact, I specifically said on my bucket list that I would go to Lebanon from Oman, where I was living and working, over Eid al Adha in 2012. However. With the refugees that were pouring into Lebanon from Syria, the U.S. State Department had advised travelers to stay away:
THREATS TO SAFETY AND SECURITY:The current Department of State Travel Warning advises U.S. citizens against travel to Lebanon. U.S. citizens who visit or reside in Lebanon despite the Travel Warning should be aware that there are a number of serious security concerns, and should consult the Travel Warning for up-to-date information.
U.S. citizens traveling to Lebanon should also be aware that personnel from the U.S. Embassy are not able to travel in all areas of Lebanon. In the case of an emergency involving a U.S. citizen in areas where it is unsafe for Embassy personnel to travel, the Embassy may not be able to render assistance.
In the event that the security climate in the country worsens, U.S. citizens will be responsible for arranging their own travel out of Lebanon. U.S. citizens with special medical or other needs should be aware of the risks of remaining given their condition and should be prepared to seek treatment in Lebanon if they cannot arrange for travel out of the country.
SO. I was in a dilemma. I debated whether I should go to Prague, which would be expensive following on the heels of my September trip to Greece, or to Zanzibar or Sri Lanka, the destination of choice for many of my colleagues in Oman.
Ethiopia, near Lalibela
Finally, my long-time friend, who worked at the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa, suggested I come to Ethiopia and stay with him. He would be my travel companion and guide. He had been in Ethiopia for a year, so I was lucky to have someone who knew the country.
Lalibela, Ethiopia
That was that. I promptly bought my ticket, which would depart Muscat, Oman early the morning of October 25 (happy birthday to me!). I would stay in the country for 8 days and depart Addis late on Thursday, November 1, arriving back in Muscat early in the morning of Friday, November 2. This was the Eid Al-Adha holiday in Oman; the same holiday during which I went to Jordan in 2011.
Lake Langano, Ethiopia
*Friday, October 5, 2012*
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“THE CALL TO PLACE” INVITATION: I invite you to write a post on your own blog about what enticed you to choose a particular destination. If you don’t have a blog, I invite you to write in the comments. If your destination is a place you love and keep returning to, feel free to write about that. If you want to see the original post about the subject, you can check it out here: imaginings: the call to place.
Include the link in the comments below by Wednesday, June 24 at 1:00 p.m. EST. My next “call to place” post is scheduled to post on Thursday, June 25.
If you’d like, you can use the hashtag #wanderessence.
This will be an ongoing invitation, on the fourth Thursday of each month. Feel free to jump in at any time. 🙂
I hope you’ll join in our community. I look forward to reading your posts!
the ~ wander.essence ~ community
I invite you all to settle in and read a few posts from our wandering community. I promise, you’ll be inspired!
Indra, of TravTrails, writes about two places she’s called to return to: the magical Bay of Fundy and Sikkim.
My path less traveled. Rediscovering self after surviving the abuse that almost sunk me. Goal of strengthening and thriving on my adult legs. 👣🙏🏻 #recovery #forgiveness
This blog is for those who wish to be creative, authors, people in the healing professions, business people, freelancers, journalists, poets, and teachers. You will learn about how to write well, and about getting published. Both beginning and experienced writers will profit from this blog and gain new creative perspectives. Become inspired from global writers, and find healing through the written word.
Explore, discover and experience the world through Meery's Eye. Off the beat budget traveler. Explore places, cultural and heritage. Sustainable trotter.
shareable tales of Meery is Meeryable
~ wander.essence ~ 
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