Lago Maggiore and Ascona

The small town of Ascona is just south of the larger and better known Locarno in the very southern part of Switzerland.  Lago Maggiore seen below.  More info at link.

A papal college was built in Ascona around 1600 and it is still functioning as a school.

Monte Verita

Monte Verita is a retreat above Ascona Switzerland that was founded in the early 1900's on idealistic principals of socialism, vegetarianism, nudity, free living, art and design.

Many famous and not so famous people have come through.

Read more:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Verità

Snake paving in the front lawn invites meditative walking.





One of the original buildings below.

Tea Garden to left with tea plants from the Himalayas.

Hike in Foothills of Friulian Dolomites

The Alps in Friulia region of northeastern Italy are called the Dolomites.
These photos are from a short hike in the foothills in October 2014.
I got lost and ended up in Mezzomonte.

 Grove of hazelnuts.

Hayfield and country road showing the eponymous dolomite rock.

Wild crocus above and cyclamen below.

Pordenone Giornate 2014

Pordenone is a medium size city in northeastern Italy.
Every year for 33 years there has been a festival of silent movies in October:  Le Giornate del Cinema Muto. 
Link:
Great opportunity to enjoy the area and also learn about old movies - with great live music.

The church of St Peter and St Paul at dusk and in the moonlight.




Below, a corso with cafes and no traffic.

The movie "Beau Brummel" starring John Barrymore and Mary Astor.  Intertitle of dialogue:  "But the Lady Hester?"

Plant Doings

 This Team from Chestnut Hill Friends Meeting has just cleared the rocks shown to the right of weeds and debris; they are quite happy with the work.

 

Two successful plantings, left of Banana and Honeybush and below of cactus succulents.

Cool Outfits at Fashion Week in NY

The coolest Outfits were not the professionals but People who had made their own and showed up for the gathering on Lincoln Plaza, of shoes, photographers and more.

Fashion Week Feet

Sometimes shoes are the outfit...

Sometimes shoes just add to the Outfit.

Fashion Week Fotos

 Lots of photo ops, posing and shooting, by professionals and amateurs.

Bard Performing Arts Center and Landcaping

 Bard College is north of New York City near the Hudson River.  The Performing Arts Center, above, was designed by Frank Gehry.  

Landscaping includes magnificent old oaks and sculpture, like the 'Stargon' by Robert Perless from 1986.  http://inside.bard.edu/arboretum/

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The Parliament of Reality

 The Parliament of Reality is a large landscape sculpture at Bard College, made in 2009 by Olafur Eliasson.
http://www.bard.edu/ccs/exhibitions/olafur-eliasson-parliament-of-reality/

The Prime Minister of Reality, above.