Friday Evening Images from Lucca

I am walking around Lucca later the same day, during the evening hour with Joe. This time not just to photograph and so my attention was divided, but I find it hard to resist some of the beautiful things that catch my eye...! 

The window displays are gorgeous, this one especially if you sew.

Young woman very intent on her smart phone in front of a church.

Anything with books is fair game!

Sunset stroll on the wall.

Minimalism from the wall looking down.

The wall again, endless visuals.

From the top of the wall, looking down on the green area surrounding it.

Joe approached these young man to help them take a group portrait of themselves, and after he did, they wanted one with him in it. Friendly bunch!

Right off of Piazza Napoleon, a nice glow from an ancient time.

Le Jardin des Tuileries in Paris on a Saturday in March

A lovely spring day and everyone is out and about at the Jardin des Tuileries in Paris, a very popular park. Joe and I were one of many taking advantage of such a beautiful day in Paris!

 Here we are enjoying Paris, there's a good reason it's one of the most popular destinations in the world! We met a nice couple who caught me taking their photo from afar. He asked if I'd take their photo again, for real :-) and then he took this of us. You're a good photographer, Daniel! 

 The Place de la Concord is the area next to the gardens. Great spot for a sunset with the Eiffel tower in the distance!

 I spotted 2 wedding photo shoots here today.

 Paris is for lovers...

 Daniel and his friend.

 Taken with Daniel's permission, and later sent to him.

Just lookin'  

Smart phones dominated the photography scene. 

 Sunset on another really fun day...

Gorgeous Sunset Last Night on Plymouth Beach!

Last minute yesterday after dinner Ian said, "Want to drive down to Plymouth Beach and see the birds and sunset?"  What a great idea that turned out to be! The birds Ian was looking for turned out to be just out of of optic reach, but we were treated to baby Piping Plovers and other beauties, including this sunset.

I only had my iPhone with me, but the photos turned out Ok with a little Snapseed app applied.

As to where Ian is, it's wonderful having him home with us in Plymouth after he was working for 7 weeks in Alaska on a Shorebird Research project with Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences and the US Fish and Wildlife Service in the Canning River Delta. He'll be heading back to college over Labor Day weekend for his junior year. 

After helping with our move and painting a lot of rooms in our new home :-)

Joe sent me a link to these insightful words by a judge, thought you might enjoy the perspective, I did.

http://currents.michaelsampson.net/2012/02/gohome.html

Wise Words from a Judge in New Zealand - for Young People and Adults

I shake my head in disbelief at some of the things judges say ... but this hit the mark:

"Northland College (NZ) principal John Tapene has offered the following words from a judge who regularly deals with youth.

"Always we hear the cry from teenagers 'What can we do, where can we go?'
... My answer is, "Go home, mow the lawn, wash the windows, learn to cook, build a raft, get a job, visit the sick, study your lessons, and after you've finished, read a book."

"Your town does not owe you recreational facilities and your parents do not owe you fun. The world does not owe you a living, you owe the world something. You owe it your time, energy and talent so that no one will be at war, in poverty or sick and lonely again."

"In other words, grow up, stop being a cry baby, get out of your dream world and develop a backbone, not a wishbone. Start behaving like a responsible person. You are important and you are needed. It's too late to sit around and wait for somebody to do something someday. Someday is now and that somebody is you...""

You need to change some of the wording a bit, but this does apply to adults, too.