Contemplating Winter

Winter Contemplation
by Mauverneen


Snowy Lonesome

 

There is quiet beauty in the starkness of a winter landscape

Just the basics; the bones, as it were - like the bareness of an open soulIn unadorned simplicity

Lacking nature’s accessories of leaves, flowers, color

And on the snow, a splash of red in a lingering leaf or a bird at the feeder

Shades of gray fade to color once more when the sun returns, vibrant and nurturing

Meantime stay inside, stay warm, refresh

Drink soup and tea and hot cocoa and dream your dreams




Long and Lonely Highway





The backyard



Prairie Barn

A splash of  Red

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint. However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!
Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com
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visit my website: http://mauverneen.com



POSITIVELY (AUTO) SHOW TIME

by Mauverneen


Welcome to the Auto Show

 Americans and their cars! The annual Auto Show is big news when it comes to Chicago but, truth be told, until this year, I had never been to it. It is one huge, glitzy showroom!

POSITIVELY... A Good Week

by Mauverneen

What are YOU celebrating this week? The Year of the Snake? Mardi Gras? Ash Wednesday? Valentine’s Day? (which is, coincidentally, international condom day). Pick one or pick them all. If you pick them all you’re going to be pretty tired by the end of the week but at least the menu won’t get boring.

Sunday – sweet and sour something, fried rice, fortune cookies;
Tuesday – jambalaya, gumbo, bread pudding and hurricanes;
Wednesday – fish;
Thursday – a quiet, romantic dinner of prime rib, steak or maybe some upscale Italian or other fine dining experience with a glass or two of wine;
Friday – more fish.

So Many Castles, So Little Time

by Mauverneen


Americans are fascinated by castles. Probably because we don’t have any. While there may be a few structures that might qualify, for the most part castles are not an American thing.



View of Neuschwanstein Castle, Germany

Driving through Europe it seems there are castles, or the ruins of castles, every few miles. For someone like me, who wants to stop at every bend in the road and take pictures, it makes it hard to get anywhere. Although I can't begin to name all the castles and all the countries that have these treasures, Germany has it's Nekar Valley and it's Burgenstraße (castle road), which starts in Mannheim and goes all the way to Prague, in the Czech Republic. France  has the Loire Valley. Of course the UK has it's share, with tiny Wales having more castles per square mile than any other country.