Beautiful day for our first day camping at the lake.
Beautiful day for our first day camping at the lake.
My family was large and our summer vacations generally involved camping at a lake in Minnesota. Over the years, our favorite spot changed; when I was in high school, we started going to Big Man Trap Lake, in Hubbard County, Minnesota. It is part of the Paul Bunyan State Forest. No way is it glamping. It is not fancy. No electricity. No flush toilets. Water from a well. But it is a true Minnesota camp ground. Park Rapids and Itasca State Park are within easy driving distance. I haven’t been “to the lake” since 2008, when we had a sizable gathering including five of my siblings and their kids at least for part of the time. One of my sister’s and our extra sister have gone to Mantrap for a week in August for decades. After my niece’s wedding (the one with the gladiolai) at the end of July, I will spend a week at camping with a couple of my sisters, assorted nieces and nephews, and close family friends. I am looking forward to it. A few shots from trip. (P.S. No one in my family or anyone I ever grew up with called it car camping, which seems filtered into American media and blogging.
A few other favorite shots from an earlier trip in 1981.
Dad, Fishing 1981
Mom, carving loon,1981
Campsite 1981
Glazed tiles (Azulejos), Sintra, Portugal
Azulejos, tin-glazed ceramic tiles, were introduced to present-day Spain and Portugal by the invading Moors as early as the 13th century. During the 16th and 17th centuries, their use in Portuguese art and architecture became common. Earlier geometric patterns were replaced with elaborate decorative scenes and ornate elements. Azulejos were used to tell stories, especially in churches (where large blank walls in earlier Gothic buildings were covered with elaborate panels), palaces, schools, and other public building. Today Azulejos are still used in Portuguese architecture on both the interior and exterior of building. Efforts are being made to protect historic Azulejos. Beginning in 2013, Lisbon made it illegal to demolish buildings with tile covered facades. Lisbon’s Banco do Azulejo stores over 30,000 tiles from demolished or renovated buildings. Aviero, Porto and Ovar have similar programs. Since August 2017, a national law prevents the demolition or renovation of buildings that would mean the removal of tiles.
Walls of the 14th century cloister of Porto’s cathedral were covered with tiles in the 18th century. While many scenes are religious, they also include scenes from the Metamorphoses, an epic poem by the Roman writer Ovid.
Exotic subjects or elements often depicted in scenes from Portugal’s global empire. This 18th century panel is in the National Palace of Queluz.
A house in Aveiro, Portugal.
For more pictures and information see my earlier posts on Obidos , Aveiro, and Lisbon.
Join Nancy’s A Photo A Week: Quintessential
Le Petit Pont, bar and brasserie in the Latin Quarter; across the Seine from Notre Dame, Paris, France
Join Jennifer’s Color Your World 2018: 120 Days of Crayolahttps://tourmalinenow.com/2018/04/22/this-weeks-challenges-april-22-28-owpc-ww-cyw/, a 4 month (January 1, 2018 to April 30, 2018) blogging challenge event. Each day has a new color theme based on a past or current crayon color in Crayola’s box of 120 crayons.
Carousel, the Place de l’Horloge, Avignon, France
When I need to breathe, I like to run with the horses, metaphorically. Every larger city in France seems to have at least one carousel. Unfortunately, some of them are definitely only child-sized. This wonderful adult-sized carousel is in the Place de l’Horloge, Avignon’s main square. I ran with the horses, in a sedate shell carriage.
Le Carousel de Cèzenne, Aix-en-Provence
The wonderful Le Carousel de Cèzanne near Cours Mirabeau in Aix-de-Provence was not really built for adults, but I was allowed to ride.
Children’s carousel, Christmas Market, Saint-Denis, France
Many carousels appear to be seasonal, such as this petite carousel. It was not meant for me but it was lovely to watch it go round. At the Christmas market in Saint-Denis, a northern suburb of Paris, France.
Join Frank’s Tuesday Photo Challenge: Breathe
Aperol Spritz and munchies, Venice, Italy
An afternoon refresher at an upscale yet old fashioned cafe on Piazza San Marco, Venice, Italy. The Aperol Spritz aperitif is a Venetian ritual that has spread throughout Italy. Sitting at at outdoor section of a cafe in Venice you pay for the location but it is worth it to watch the people walk by and the sunset on the cathedral. And the snacks were included.
Join Jennifer’s Color Your World 2018: 120 Days of Crayola, a 4 month (January 1, 2018 to April 30, 2018) blogging challenge event. Each day has a new color theme based on a past or current crayon color in Crayola’s box of 120 crayons.
The New 3 Rs: Retire, Recharge, Reconnect 