Happy Holidays

Been absent far too long and will be again as I am preparing to leave for the holidays and be back the second week of January. Wishing all of you a gentle and meaningful conclusion to the old year. Give yourself time to count your blessings before planning for an even more meaningful 2010. Yes, you can you simply need to want to. And you all do, don't you?

I'll leave you with this bit of wisdom that sums things up rather eloquently.

Theme Day: Doorways

This must be my favorite topic - doors/doorways! Enjoy November Theme Day and be sure to visit the interpretations of other photographers --> Click here to view thumbnails for all participants Thank you for stopping by.

Theme Day: Contrasts

Because yesterday would have been an "If It's Wednesday, It Must be Doors" day, I chose this magnificent door as the contrast photo (the black and white) for theme day. The location is a pedestrian street in downtown Budapest.

Enjoy Theme Day by viewing as many entries as you can to appreciate the varied interpretations of all participants. Have a wonderful day. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Farewell to Matyi

A little over two weeks-ago my favorite of the cats had to be put to sleep. She drastically lost lots of weight and showed up one day from the attic and was not strong enough anymore to even walk.

Spent the day cradling her, praying and crying. By the end of the day her limbs were cold and eyes dilated so when the vet opened I've taken her in to be relieved of further suffering.

According to the vet it is an untreatable disease that attacks the immune system and is very contagious. Now I'm watching the other cats to see what will happen. Gigi spends too much time laying around day and night and merely licks the juices off the food, so I'm bracing myself.

So the photo on the right of the screen is now minus one furry friend, the black beauty who had the most rambunctious personality of the three.

History is Preserved in the Countryside

This is the only butcher shop in the Town of Bajna. The young man laboring behind the counter is the grandson of the fellow we used to buy meat from before leaving Hungary in 1963. The sign on the wall is probably also from that era when there were no glass cases for the meat and the butcher did the fondling of the meats on both sides of the counter. Oh, yes - grandpa had quite a reputation in the village.

Each time I go in there I try to persuade the man to sell me the sign but he rather enjoys it and allows people to photograph it.

Theme Day: Shadows

National Guard helicopters out on exercise provide an ideal shot to be offered for May's Theme Day. Photograph is courtesy of my brother J. Molnar.

Please be sure to visit the other participants in this theme day by clicking on the link provided. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants Enjoy!

Blessed Easter

May you and your loved ones find the peace and promise of Easter.

If It's Wednesday...It Must be Doors

This is not a traditional doorway that you've become used to seeing here - but it is a doorway. Before and beyond it are visual delights as well as those for the palate. Can you guess where you are?

Considering that it is Wednesday, I wanted to stay with the 'door theme' - but because today is also April Fool's Day I've taken the liberty and confused your senses by presenting a photo from Harrod's department store in London. Yes, on my way to the US I took a short detour.

Andrassy Blvd Villas

A walk down Andrassy Blvd had provided me with some lovely images of old villas that are now used as embassy, businesses or residences. Don't know anything about the buildings that appear here, there are presented solely for their aesthetic value.

Melody from Hungary

It had been far too long that I've written and pretty much lost for words still, but there is music that speaks to the heart. This is one of my favorite Hungarian entertainers and this particular song appears here with a particular person in mind whose blue eyes and beautiful smile is so much missing from my life.

Theme Day - Paths and Passages

Margaret Island in the middle of the Danube in Budapest is one of my favorite spots. You are in the city yet so far. This photo was taken on one of the peaceful paths by the fish pond.

Be sure to visit the blogs of other Theme Day participants. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

If It's Wednesday, It Must be Doors

Another beautiful Italian doorway for your visual pleasure.

Liszt Ferenc Ter

Last week during my visit to the city I walked through Liszt Ferenc Ter with a camera in my hand. It was icy and chilled and the statue of the poet Attila Jozsef seemed to reflect this well. Here he is, judge for yourselves.

If It's Wednesday, It Must be Doors

This is still in Rome from our visit last year. The door was on one of the monuments rather than an actual door in daily use. Still spectacular, don't you think?