ABC Wednesday: N is for...

N is for Nicknames...that's Miss Ninja to you.

When my younger daughter was 11, we were filling out an information form for school. The form had a place for given name, middle name, surname...and a place for "known as" (or some such wording.) My daughter asked what that was about. I explained that it was for people who normally go by something other than their given name. "Ohhhh," she said, "can I put Miss Ninja??" Trying to hold back great gasping guffaws of laughter so as not to offend her because she asked her question in all earnestness, I replied no, it wasn't actually for pretend names, it was for people who go by a nickname, like Bob instead of Robert, or are usually called by their middle name instead of their first name.

I still giggle with love when I remember this conversation...so adorable!! Here are some pics from that period of her life...some taken at home, some taken in Florence, Venice and England (we took a family trip that year). I chose ones that I think particularly reflect the spirit of Miss Ninja!

Now go enjoy more New posts on Mrs. Nesbitt's ABCW page!

Saturday Photohunt: Sturdy

Hmm...sturdy. What to do with this theme, I wonder? How about something that is roughly 4,500 years old? To be still standing after four millenia, methinks Stonehenge qualifies as sturdy! There are older phases dating back to ca 3000 BCE, but the stones that remain standing today are from ca 2500 BCE. (Or so says wikipedia!) My daughters, my father and I were privileged to visit Stonehenge in 2007, on a Stone Circle Access tour through the English Heritage Trust Society. (Which means that we got to walk among the stones, instead of simply walking around the perimeter as is normally the case nowadays. Very cool - highly recommend this tour if you can book it.)

I cannot explain in words, but Stonehenge felt like a place of power...standing alone in the centre was amazing. As everyone else began drifting back to the parking lot, I realized I was all alone, so lingered for a moment to soak in this powerful experience.

Check out more sturdy posts on Saturday Photohunt!

ABC Wednesday: M is for...

MEADOW :)

Meadows fill my soul with contentment and a feeling of belonging to the land...I want to run through them with wild abandon like I did as a child...fling myself down and roll around...breath deeply the scent of the ground...listen to the rustle of the breeze across the grass and the buzzy drone of insects...feel the sun on my body...sing thanks to God that I have the privilege and blessing to enjoy these wonderful corners of the earth.

Meander on over to the ABCW website and see where others have gone with the letter M!

Saturday Photohunt: Awesome!

Is there anything more AWESOME than a RAINBOW?

Here are a few  of the rainbows I've been blessed to witness...

You'll find lots more AWESOME photos on Sandi's Saturday Photohunt page!

ABC Wednesday: L is for...

I thought about posting L is for LOVE and showing you more wedding photos, but...nah, that's too obvious! Instead...

L is for LALIQUE...

Mom and I saw this Lalique crystal ware display in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan. Wowzers, that stuff is WAY outta my price range!! In case you cannot make it out, the little clock in the middle was priced at 660 euro...

I loved these teeny brightly coloured fish!! So much fun. I didn't buy one though...at 95 euro each, these are for the shelves of people far wealthier than me!

This is the Galleria (long building on the right) from atop the Duomo (spires on the left), to give you a sense of its size...

The Oh! so massive arched entrance to the Galleria. I was standing in the huge piazza in front of the Duomo, we had just emerged from the underground Metro into the blindingly bright sunlight...blink, blink...

Here we are inside, it is amazing and very strange...feels like you are both indoors and outdoors! Everywhere you turn are shop doors emblazoned with famous names...Prada, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and so on.

The architecture and decor was very ornate and grandly beautiful. We loved the paintings in the arches high above the shops.

And finally...here is the Galleria at night. It loses the outdoor feel at night with all the lights, but still spectacular.

Hope you enjoyed this little tour of Milan's Galleria and the LALIQUE display.

Look for more L themed posts on ABCW!!