Early 20th-century children's toys, La Pedrera, Barcelona, Spain.
I have been outside playing in the sunshine: trying out a new Carl Zeiss wide-angle zoom lens, while taking photos of the Pyramid at the Louvre. I also stopped off at WH Smith to buy a copy of the last issue of Country Home magazine, which is folding after 31 years. Strange that their website hasn't been updated to reflect the sad reality.
Along the way, I passed legions of tourists and locals, out for a Saturday stroll. Rue de Rivoli was filled with nouveau riche Russians, with the women wearing their blonde hair in ponytails; too much makeup; their jeans and sweaters (with fur collars) skin-tight and high-heeled boots. Their companions typically had bad haircuts and ill-fitting clothes. At Angelina's, there was a line literally out the door of people waiting to sample their famous hot chocolate. As usual, Gucci-clad Japanese tourists were snapping away with their pocket-sized cameras or filming video in the Jardin des Tuileries.
My husband is in Brazil for a speaking engagement, so I have a few days all to myself. On Tuesday my friend Di Mackey is arriving from Antwerp. I expect we'll have a photo safari of sorts around Paris. Maybe I can persuade her to explain some of the fancy bells and whistles on my camera.
Thank you all for the kind comments and messages this week. Just today I had email entitled "Hello from the Hindu Kush" and "The cry of the Dead Sea." I realise I am lucky, lucky, lucky to have so many good friends scattered around the globe. I'm happy to report that after much angst, the family situation has been resolved, more or less. So I'm feeling more hopeful and light-hearted. Hope you're having a wonderful weekend, wherever you may be in the world!
P.S. Results from today's photo session soon.
oh Tara, you crack me up with your description of the Russian nouveaux riches!
as you know they're thriving too in Marbella..without fur coat though but yes plenty of make up...
:-)
re the folding od Country Home, this is sad indeed..
Posted by: my castle in spain | 04 March 2009 at 21:46
Ditto the sentiments of so many other visitors, Tara. Sad to see the Rocky Mtn. News go, too, but sites like yours make me very hopeful for the future of internet journalism, from the personal to the analytical. Politico.com is one of my newest favorites. Hugs, K.
Posted by: Karen Carter | 03 March 2009 at 21:38
oohhhh. So THAT's the camera that captured those stunning Louvre photos... Perfect!
It's sad that so many print magazines are folding.
I'm very thankful for your web presence.
Posted by: Chris | 03 March 2009 at 17:19
This is a wonderfully, interesting picture. So happy to hear your words. I will so miss this magazine.
Love to you!
Posted by: Christina | 02 March 2009 at 03:59
A new toy!!! No wonder those Louvre photos look so amazing, I think you're figuring out those bells and whistles!!
x..x
s
Posted by: stephanie | 02 March 2009 at 03:55
Beautiful Photo Tara.
It's cool what you achieved in this photo.
I did not know about Country Home.
It is sad and a bit scary what is happening.
Thinking of YOU dear one!
xox
Constance
Posted by: Rochambeau | 02 March 2009 at 00:52
Yay for the new lens! Exciting, isn't it!! So happy for you, new toys are such fun.
Yay for the husband being away on business! A few days of solitude, and free reign in meal-making is so liberating. Sometimes, we just need our space.
Glad you are feeling lighter of heart now. Heavy hearts are huge burdens.
xo
Posted by: Gillian daSilva | 02 March 2009 at 00:10
Lovely photo - and playing with a new toy is so much fun. What is this about a 'family situation'? I'm sorry to hear you've apparently had some clouds on your horizon - and so glad that they seem to be drifting away, and the sun is shining again!~XOXO
Posted by: tinker | 01 March 2009 at 21:36
So glad that things are better for you now. Yes, you do have lots of caring friends here in cyberspace who look forward to your posts and your creativity.
That is a stunning photgraph!
So many magazines and newspapers are going out here, it is hard to keep up. Sadly, my paid subscriptions to some magazines are not being honored. The magazines don't even mention going out as they take the money for subscriptions.
There is a move to charge for reading online newspapers, but my guess is that won't fly in these awful economic times.
Have fun with your friend when she visits and I hope that you have photos to share.
Posted by: Helen | 01 March 2009 at 18:52
Lovely to hear a song in your voice Tara. Enjoy your week.
Posted by: Di Overton | 01 March 2009 at 12:03
So glad a sense of peace about your family situation has replaced the anxiety! It's wonderful that you can spend these days with your friend without a heaviness weighing you down. Don has decided we need to visit Spain. He generally prefers visiting the U.S. Southwest rather than Europe, but Spain has caught his fancy, and he's in a planning mode. I called him in to see your picture. "It's a sign," he said. Funny how, when you want to do something, signs are abundant that point to your desired course. I think it would be wonderful!
Posted by: Rebekah | 01 March 2009 at 05:24
Just consider yourself cyber hugged my sweet Tara. I am glad the universe is aligning for you.
Posted by: Yoli | 01 March 2009 at 03:50