Happy Birthday, Sam!

Boys do grow up...and have birthdays. Tomorrow, July 1, is the birthday of Samuel Robert Woodruff, the handsome guy on the left in both pictures. He's always been the second son, but he's taller than his brother, Joe, now. He's still the life of the party and one hell of a drummer. Whatever life offers you this year, Sammy, TAKE IT!! Meet it with your wonderful smile and spirit. Never forget that your brother loves you to pieces. And so do we all. Happy Birthday, Sam! Lots of love, Gran.....(P.S. the check is in the mail)

More Iowa flood pictures

Peggy's blog has some photos of the Iowa floodwaters on the Cedar River south of Mt. Vernon, where we used to live.

The bridge at Sutliff that she features has its own website, too.

She also refers to her friend Tom's blog that in turn cites a blog in the Boston Globe's website. Boston.com's blog, "The Big Picture," has collected some of the best photos yet of the flood in Cedar Rapids.

i wanted to scan a photo i have of peggy with the famous sunburn, but while i can see it very clearly in my mind's eye, i can't find it. i think i'm gonna hire one of those clutterbuster people to come and organize all my photos! that'd be worth the $500 or so it'll cost.

Walking down to Amalfi (updating in progress)

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The day after I arrived, Cathy and I walked down the mountain from Ravello to Amalfi--a distance of about 4 miles, give or take a few kilometers. Four miles doesn't sound like much, but tell that to your knees.

If you click on a picture, you'll see a larger version...most wonderful details.

Looking back toward the top of the path...

Back of church...

Passing by homes...

Madonna (the other one)...

Does this say NO PARKING?...


Terrace...

Thanks be for walls...

Hitching a ride? No cars!!...

The sea to our left...

Mountain to our right...

Sun, flowers, sweet grass...

Prickly pear, but not Arizona!...

Hey, kitty!...

Construction zone...

Forget-me-nots...

Olive tree, I think...

Gorvy's house--white speck on cliff...

Looks like rain coming in...

Gorvy's again (he sold it when his knees gave out)...

About half way down...

Old foundation...

Lemon tree...

Looking toward valley of Dragon (river)...

Terraced orchards (with netting), gardens in valley...

Stone wall...

Church on hill...

Getting closer to town (Castigliano?)...

Clothes drying on a line...

St. Somebody's convent...

Amalfi!...

and lunch!!...

Hmm...let's see...

Always more color...

Vinegar and oil...

Swimming after lunch...

Back in Ravello, dinner time at restaurant next door to hotel, multicolored hydrangeas on terrace...

We made it!!...

More about the Piazza

The Duomo, the cathedral, anchors Ravello's central square on the tunnel side. Here's a side altar where I lit a bunch of candles for sinners of my acquaintance (you know who you are...) (and it's not the ones anyone would suspect, either!) Cathy lit hers for Barack Obama and Squeak.



My minor in college was Latin, and one of my great and unexpected pleasures as a traveler has been being able to read not only the books but also the plaques and engravings in various churches--well, two so far: Notre Dame in Paris, which was like the mother lode, and this one in Ravello. Whatever is the patron's name? Hang on...oh! Saint Pantaleone. I don't know much else about him, but he is the patron saint of the LOTTERY!!! Is this fortuitous, or what?



A satisfied if nervous customer searching for a light for her smoke.




On Sunday, the square was full of little kids running around, the older ones kicking a football and a few of the younger ones riding small bikes.

Ravello town square..part 1

In the morning, after more gawking off the balcony at
part of Minori

and the pier and beach at Minori,


we walked through this tunnel, then plastered with posters for the Ravello Festival 2007, to the town square. The little wood and glass structure between the two trees in the center of the photo is the souvenir shop for the Ravello Festival: the sign in the window says something like "Stuff to take home."





The tiny flurry of local-only traffic seen was morning activity in service to the businesses on the left side of the square. There is no through vehicle traffic in the square itself; serious bicyclers walked their bikes if they had to cross it. Only little kids rode around the square on the weekends with their families.







Far side of square looking toward Scala



lamp post with sculpted iron birds


lots more to come....