Kat Eye Studio

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Alive


“I like living. I have sometimes been wildly despairingly, acutely miserable, racked with sorrow, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing.” – Agatha Christie

I read this quote this morning and it struck me as so true! I wanted to share the quote and chose this picture, a sort of self portrait of me in the mirror behind an Egyptian statue at the museum in Torino. One of the interesting things about ancient Egypt is their fascination and preparation for death. In one exhibit, they showed a tomb of a common man. This guy labored all day building the tombs of the mighty and powerful and then in his free time labored to build his own tomb. His life spent preparing for death.

I think I would rather spend my time alive in living, no matter how messy it might be.

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Happy Monday

This picture just exudes optimism to me. It is beautiful morning in Venice. The sun is shining, the reflections are beautiful and the photo just seems to say, “It’s going to be a great day.”

This morning I was reading about optimism as a habit. Like being happy, optimism can be a learned behavior. Of course, some of us have a natural bent toward the glass being half full, but that doesn’t mean if you don’t that you can’t see things that way. Because being an optimist means that you are open possibilities and solutions that are out there, instead of shutting yourself into a box with no way out. Today I’m choosing optimism. It’s going to be a great day!

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Holiday Reflections

The window displays are gorgeous here in Italy! I loved this creative and beautiful display in one of the shop windows in Torino. I don’t even remember what they were selling, but the display was memorable. Things are all decked out for the holidays here, extra colorful and glittery and festive. A bright spot in the dark and cold of winter.

We got a good snowstorm yesterday afternoon and evening, causing all sorts of problems trying to get home but we made it safe and sound. I need to get out today and get into the snow for some new pics while it lasts, it’s supposed to turn to rain later this week. I asked for snow, and I got it!

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Classic Italian

I love these classic little Fiats, you see them here or there. This one was in Pavia, and I liked the old-fashioned license plate. None of that EU stuff here! I just got lucky with the reflection of the buildings. A happy coincidence that makes this photo say “Italy” – the car, the license plate, the buildings, the street – classic Italian!

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Quiet Night

This photo is one of my favorites from our first trip to Venice. A quiet evening along the canal, the day wrapping up. The boat is parked and the family is all snug inside the house. The light is welcoming, the reflections bring a sense of calm and peace to the evening.

This evening shot appeals to me at the moment, with its inviting warmth. I would love to curl up and go to sleep under a lovely warm comforter with a purring cat, but it’s 9:30am and I have a normal day ahead of me. The adjustment back to Italy time has been rough this trip, I think it’s more difficult going this direction. Either that or I just don’t have as much craziness to keep me going all day long. But, about 12 hours from now, that comforter has my name written all over it…

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Windows on the World

I love window shots. I especially love window shots here in Italy. Just look at this window. Imagine it without the flowers and plants – it’s just a barred window at the back of a building, by a parking lot with all of the electrical boxes. Ugh. But add a couple of window boxes (creatively made of wine boxes, no less!), some draping vines and you have a beautiful little garden scene. Still at the back of the building, still with a parking lot right next to it, but you don’t notice that! Window art, for sure.