Shutters in Sienna

The windows all have shutters. Not the decorative sort on many homes in my neighborhood. These are wooden, heavy, maintained and used. Sienna is a steep city on a hilltop. It is subjected to more wind and weather than others. Although the city abounds with modern amenities, shutters remain.

During balmy daytime they are thrown open and clasped to the outside wall with hooks resembling strong men. The clasp is pulled down to unhook shutters and the figure changes to a buxom female, to hang against the wall while families are safe inside from the dark or the storm.

I suspect that in narrow medieval streets, good shutters make for good neighbors, as good fences do in suburbia.

Hold the velvet rope

When tired from walking and walking, and over-dazzled with the large scale works of history and skill, we entered a cool, dusky chapel to pray the Angeles. After a few moments of spiritual and physical refreshment I opened my eyes to find this fellow standing guard. I was charmed. Mundane but remarkable. How had I missed him on the way in? A dignified elder parrot fashioned to hold velvet ropes.
Where ever humanity is, art is. In the farthest reaches of his history or an isolated tribe in a distant rain forest or in glutted cities. We take our gifts for granted, including this; whether grandiose or droll we do recognize beauty.

Ancient Art day to day

Even magnificance has the daily grind to endure.

I've been to misery's kitchen and licked the kettles clean.
I've been to the peaky mountaintop wrapped in rainbows
with a harp and a sword in my hand.
I'm ragged but tight;
Patchy, but bright;
Stringy, but I'll hang on.

May not be a perfect rendition of the poem by Maya Angelou.

Rome Animals

Saint Peter's after early morning Mass. It's acres of treasure to explore:

http://saintpetersbasilica.org/Monuments/ClementXIII/ClementXIII.htm

First animals of the day.

The sleeping lion and the watching lion at Pope Clement XIII monument. I'm so hungry. Time to find breakfast.