Laine's Blog, Thinking Out Loud

What Comes Next...

 

 

Collectively it is time that we imagine a better world.

No matter what happens in the next months or years,

it is time to put our minds on better things.

 Call it the power of positive thinking,

of visualizing,

of collective prayer -

it all works and can change the world.

 

Psychopathic leaders of politics and industry - be warned -

it is time for the Human takeover of our world.

Time to imagine a world where we live harmoniously with the earth,

harmoniously with each other - near and far,

harmoniously with all creatures -great and small.

A world in partnership.

A world of compassion and love and generosity.

 

If it fits in your mind,

it fits in your world.

 

We are more than what we can imagine.

 

Collectively it's time to imagine

what comes after -

to dream big and have faith in the human heart,

in the human desire for connection.

 

 

 

 

Photo of Park in Godollo Hungary, outside Budapest.

Reprinted from Laine's Blog, October 2020

©LaineQuinn2022

Any Road...

 

IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU'RE GOING, ANY ROAD WILL TAKE YOU THERE

 

 

Any road!

 

 

 

 

 

The Hideaway Tiki Bar in Cedar Key, Florida, the best place in Cedar Key on land to watch the sunset.

 

Upstairs...

 

 

If you can climb the stairs,

your day care awaits...

 

Bar & Tables

150 Craft Beers

Fine Vino

 

You get the idea!

 

 

 

 

Cedar Key, Florida, where they respect their elders and provide facilities for their well being.

 

Coming Home...

 

 

 

A lot of people will be traveling over the coming weeks,

 

going home.

 

 

Where is home? 

 

Is it where you spent your childhood?

 

Or where you choose to live?

 

Is home a moveable feast?

 

Do we carry it within us?

 

 

Is it a place we cherish or a person we love?

 

Is it all of these things?

 

A place, a person, where you've been and where you're going

 

and where you are right now?

 

 

The heart and soul of home

 

seem to be everywhere!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Borrowed from Laine's Blog, November, 2012 with a different photo! BWI Airport in Baltimore.

 

The Meeting...

 

 

I told you never to come here...

 

or

 

What's the password?

 

The password kiddo is,

this is my house so let me out!

 

 

or

 

Now, you promised,

you won't tell anyone, EVER.

 

I promise.

 

 

 

The Little House on the Terrace, Tihany Hungary.

 

 

 

Related articles

The Best Day...

Some Comfort...

 

 

Perhaps when we feel alone and fearful,

we truly aren't so alone.

 

Angels have been part of our imagination for a long, long time.

Maybe there is a reason for that?

 

At best there is some comfort

in believing that we are all being looked after somehow,

by beautiful, benevolent, winged angels!

 

 

 

 

Angel and soldier sculpture found in Budapest, Hungary and very similar to another sculpture in Baltimore, Maryland and probably in a lot of other countries and cities.

 

The Rose

 

 

Unabashed beauty,

there

for anyone to see.

 

Almost perfect!

 

 

 

 

A rose garden in the park along Lake Balaton, Hungary.

 

You First...

 

 

No, you first.

No,

you first.

 

The story of Adam and Eve,

where Eve is held responsible for bringing knowledge to the first man.

 

And that was bad because?

 

Uh, let me get back to you on that one.

 

 

 

 

 

In the Garden of Eden at LaDew Gardens in Maryland and it really is an Eden when the apple trees are blooming at the same time as the azaleas and everything is white and glowing and sweet.

 

Related articles

Fall foliage: Mother Nature's autumn show

Mother Goose

 

A Mother Goose Rhyme,

just in time for election day.

 

 

Hark! Hark!

The dogs do bark,

The beggars are coming to town:

Some in rags,

Some in tags,

And some in velvet gown.

 

 

 

 

 

The Hungarian dog and the King and Queen in Tihany, Hungary.

Which Witch Are You?

 

A swinging, singing witch?

 

A flying witch?

 

Or a laughing witch?

 

 

Whichever witch you choose to be,

today,

or in life,

have fun!

AND

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

 

 

Witches of Szentendres, Hungary, or perhaps variations of Baba Yaga, wise woman of Russian and Slavic folklore.

 

A Child's View of Things...

 

 

To an adult,

a cemetary is a serious thing,

 

 

but to a child,

 

 

it's another place that needs exploring.

 

No prior knowledge,

no expectations,

no prejudices,

a great way to live

each day.

 

 

 

 

Cemetary in Budapest, Hungary.

Kid = Aden.

 

Graves Disease

 

 

Considering these grave markers,

(are they discarded,or awaiting re-positioning,

it's hard to say?)

it might encourage one to seize the day,

since once you have given up your body,

you are really gone.

 

Maybe not really dead as some suggest,

but really

gone.

 

 

 

 

Ancient Cemetary outside of Budepest in Hungary.

Oystercatcher

 

 

It's funny, when you don't know the name of something,

you pay close attention to it,

to try to "identify" it,

scrutinizing the little details that might help you.

 

Once named,

it's onto the next thing.

 

This mystery bird turned out to be

an American Oystercatcher -

at least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

 

 

Oystercatcher was observed at Cedar Key, on the west coast of Florida.

 

The Day Before...

 

 

This is the day before he understood that you can eat the cone

and

get to the rest of the ice cream!

 

 

 

 

Aden useing a spoon in Godollo, Hungary to scoop out the rest of the ice cream!

 

 

 

Swan Song...

 

 

Traveling with this little guy and his mom and grandparents,

at that age where he is absorbing language like a sponge,

and learning two languages at one time,

it was little surprise when he could recognize the Hungarian word for "ice cream"

and take you by the hand to the very attractive stands displaying the beautiful choices,

in all the towns we visited.

 

"Fagylalt"

 

 

 

Aden and swans at Lake Balaton, Hungary.

 

"I'm fine, really."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This man was right next to our table at the very best restaurant in Tihany, Hungary.

He was fine, really.

Hungarian Voices...

 

Staying with a Hungarian family,

is a lot like being with an Italian family,

everyone talks at once.

You almost can't imagine how these conversations can procede,

especially without your valuable input!

 

 

 

 

 

Hungarian is actually spoken softly, most times, and these gorgeous pets were shot in Tihany, on Lake Balaton.

 

 

 

Related articles

The Best Day...

Almost got it...

 

 

Once in a while,

exactly what we want, need,

falls right into our -

beaks.

 

 

 

 

Sea gull, Cedar Key about to catch a bit of bread thrown by the upstairs neighbors.

 

Castle at Godollo, Details...

 

 

 

 

 

Front Row...

 

 

 

 

 

More from the drive through Budapest.

 

Through the Car Window...

 

Traveling to the little towns and villages that we visited in Hungary,

we had to go through Budapest from Godollo.

 

These shots were taken through the windshield of the little Pugeot that got us around.

I can only identify one of the buildings, the Opera House.

 

 

This building had been gutted by a fire, and was being restored.

The Opera House

 

 

 

 

Budapest, Hungary.

Related articles

Patterns at Night

Patterns at Night

 

 

If I hadn't been traveling with a local,

I would have been hopelessly lost in Budapest.

 

This archway led from one street to another that took us to the train for home,

Godollo home that is.

 

It was this shadow cast onto the floor that intrigued me. 

 

 

Sometimes it's the little things in life that speak to the soul the most.

 

 

 

 

Related articles

Fall in Love in Budapest

Anemones...

 

 

In Godollo, the little town where we stayed in Hungary,

there is a Castle that is dedicated to the memory of the beloved Queen Erzsebet,

who united the Austrian Hungarian empires.

 

 

On the grounds of the Castle,

was the prettiest stand of fall blooming Anemones that I have ever seen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Queen Erzsebet translates as Elizabeth, but she is not to be confused with the British Queens.

 

 

 

 

Uh-oh...

 

 

Uh-oh, now what?

 

 

 

 

 

One of many sculptures found in the very exclusive clinic in the heart of Budapest.

(Apologies to the artist for not knowing her/his name.)

 

Honeymoon Cottage

 

 

Once upon a time,

there was a cottage on top of these pilings,

and it was known as the "Honeymoon Cottage",

AND

it was/is the most photographed structure in Cedar Key, Florida.

 

After spending a long weekend in this friendly town,

the simplicity of this structure and the fact that it is so popular,

makes perfect sense.

 

Artistic, friendly, surrounded by water, simple living without pretense,

Cedar Key is one of those places that you visit,

and think to yourself,

"I could live here."

 

And the nicest people do!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Best Day...

 

 

This terrace was so inviting that we spent time there on our way into the village of Tihany,

and we spent time there on our way out of Tihany.

 

Situated on Lake Balaton it was a place to stop, slow down and smell the roses,

and the lavender!

 

Kid friendly with a wonderful view,

it was a very special part of what became the perfect day.

 

 

 

 

(Where's Aden?)

 

Related articles

Tihany, Hungary: Lake Balaton's Most Alluring Village

Do You need An Umbrella?

 

 

Hungary is dotted with many charming towns,

like this one, Szent Endres,

situated on the banks of the Danube River.

Once you hear the English translation, Saint Andrews,

it is easier to remember the name.

 Forgetting the cobblestone streets and squares and shops and galleries,

is not an option!

 

(And there are my travelling companions and friends,

just up ahead, as I stop to take yet another photo.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Budapest at Night...

 

 

Our last night in the city and we stumble upon a beer festival,

a distant lightening storm,

and the yellow train whizzing by a Jazz boat in front of the Palace

on the other side of the river.

 

 

 

Still livin' right!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buda and Pest, in the rain...

 

Budapest used to be two cities separated by the Duna, or what we call the Danube River.

Buda is on the hilly side of the river.

And Pest is on the plane and is the more modern section of Budapest.

 

 

This is the Palace in the hills.

 

 

 

And this is the famous Parliament building on the Pest side of the river.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jo Reggelt...

 

That's "Good Morning" in Hungarian!

 

 

Laine is back from a fabulous vacation in Hungary.

Still jet lagged and still stoked!

 

Lots more to come.

But first, a huge THANK YOU! to Sue Harrison for her wonderful posts.

Thanks Sue, for holding down the fort while I was away!

You did a great job!

 

Budapest

 

 

 

 

 

What's in that Sausage?

 

 

One of the things that’s the most fun to do in foreign countries is experiment with food. Most of us will try things we’d likely only raise an eyebrow to at home. In most of America we have a limited amount of different kinds of sausage. You’ve got hot and mild, breakfast and brats and not a lot of variation except in certain ethnic neighborhoods.

 

But in France, a sausage is an art form and (like the saucissons pictured above) they are varied in not only their complex spicing but also the animal they come from. We are used to pig and chicken and turkey sausage but oh my how many other kinds there are. In this one display we have duck and deer added to our pork and flavorings of mushrooms, figs, goat cheese and chestnuts.

 

These are not sausages to be quickly sautéed and put on the plate with some eggs. These are little morsels of heavenly taste, cured and dried and ready to be sliced paper thin and paired with a baguette and some cheese and surely a nice glass of wine.

 

In life, as in the market, when someone offers you the chance to try something new and wonderful just take it in and say thank you. You never know what you will discover about life or about yourself.

 

 

Photo Sue Harrison, location Sarlat, France, market day.                     Guest Blogger Sue Harrison