PhotoHunt; Broken

Broken as in 'ruin'.

The Greek amphitheater in Taormina, Sicily. Amid the Roman ruins of the island, this ruin certainly harks back to the Hellenistic period and demonstrates the Greek influence on this southern area of the Italian peninsula/island. In its day used as an amphitheater for oratory and by gladiators as a sport. Mount Etna can be viewed from here as much of Taormina is overshadowed by this active volcano.

PhotoHunt: High

High on the top floor of the university in Rome (a perk of working for a university), I was treated to Rome at twilight. It was a special treat to see the domes of Rome from this vantage point.

PhotoHunt; Waiting

While in Chicago to celebrate my son's birthday, we took in the architectural tour via Chicago's Fair Lady on the Chicago River. Our day began, waiting for the train.

Fortunately, the air show was going on that same weekend so we waited to catch a glimpse of the Blue Angels and their supersonic stints. There were many 'missed' opportunity as well as many blue sky (only) shots. But here are a few that made the wait worthwhile.

PhotoHunt: Covered

This photo was taken in San Gimignano. The twins were playing tag and one ran under cover of the doorway arch. When the other tagged her, the door opened unexpectedly and the one twin stopped the other from tumbling into the house.

We enlarged this and have it framed in our house. It was one of those times when the camera was 'ready' and the spontaneity was so evident.These two girls were precious!

Woods Hole, Massachusetts

Woods Hole - part of Falmouth on Cape Cod but really it's an entity all of its own.

Woods Hole, home of the world-reknown Oceanographic Institute.

To athletes, it's the start of the Falmouth Road Race, a qualifier for marathons.

To those vacationing to Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket, it's the spot one races to secure a place on the ferry over to the islands. This ferry is oversubscribed in much the same way as the road race is each summer.

To locals, out of season, Woods Hole is a step back in time and a breath waiting to exhale. The main street runs through this miniscule section of Falmouth and is sometimes interrupted by the draw bridge that allows the sailboat masts to pass from the harbor into the Sound. It's home to Pie in the Sky, a casually disguised gourmet eatery, where you order much like a sandwich shop and await your order in the heat of the screened entrance or step out and hosey a table near the street.

PhotoHunt: Yellow

This sunset was taken in Kauai last April (ah, seems soooo very long ago) at Barking Sands Beach, a remote and privately held land. We were fortunate to know someone in the Navy and there was an open cabin for the day. We were treated to this wonderful and lifetime memory. Nature in her all her glory.

Barking Sands is a beach on the island of Kauaʻi in the US state of Hawaiʻi. It is the location of Pacific Missile Range Facility, a rocket launch site and also an official Missile Defense Testing Area, both controlled by the United States Navy. It is no longer an actively used site for missile launches although there is a high degree of privacy on that stretch of beach. Why is it that the military owns some of the most beautiful scenery in the Hawaiian Islands and restricts access to the public! (Rhetorical question)

Salada Tea

This month I have taken Friday's off - which is a usual day off for Ty - and we have decided to make this a 'day trip' day, and get us out of the house's renovations. We were suppose to visit Portsmouth NH but due to phone calls and morning delays - well, we didn't want to make the trek of over an hour to reach our destination. Having remembered seeing enormous bronze doors from the now defunct Salada Tea Company on one of our evening jaunts a year or so back (when I was sans camera), we decided to venture off to see these mammoth masterpieces. So, with thoughts of seeing these doors up close and personal, we made our way to downtown Boston.

Upon our arrival we were met with construction men and hats. Even trying to conjole the construction workers to admit us into us into a hard hat zone, we unfortunately found this sign. Disappointed we moved on to our Plan B - the Museum of Fine Arts (another post for another day!).

I did manage to find some photos from the net which might give you an idea (albeit these photos do not do justice to the massive glory of these bronzes) of these hidden gems in Boston.

"The Salada Tea Company’s original U.S. headquarters and manufacturing plant, built on Stuart Street in 1917, incorporated ornate and enormous doors designed by British sculptor Henry Wilson in 1927. Twelve feet tall, weighing in at two tons, the doors depict the cultivation of tea in Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka."