No more sailing lessons until early Spring

Although we have already wished each other all the best for the coming new year, with this photo I just want to wish you a lot of sunshine into every aspect of your daily life.

Winter light

18th Century farmhouse with its own chapel

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

I wish you all a Merry Christmas but, above all, a Happy and Prosperous New Year in good health and in serenity.

Diederick

My square in Arona

Spinning wheel....

...'s gotta go around

Busto Arsizio

When Nature took out it's palette this early morning...

...I just stared and bowed in front of all this beauty. Even the pilot of the military airplane which had just past "scratching" the sky, must have remained stunned by the view from high above.

(Lake front - Arona)

Spring weather today...

Angera

Finally...

...there was light.

Sunrise in Arona

Awards...

I was honoured again with the two awards I received from my Spanish blogger friend Tr3nta whom I will have the pleasure to meet in Madrid the next time my wife and I will visit Spain. (It is a promise, Tr3nta!)

What I received will be given on to 8 of my many blogging friends for their great efforts to share their daily impressions of their surroundings with both photos as well as comments.

The first one is for:

- Abraham: http://brookvilledailyphoto.blogspot.com/

- Babooshka: http://dailyphotoisleofman.blogspot.com/

- Benjamin: http://victoriadailyphoto.blogspot.com/

- Dusty Lens: http://northmetro.blogspot.com/

- Your Eg Tour Guide: http://eastgwillimburywow.blogspot.com/

- Ivar Ivrig: http://ivarivrig.blogspot.com/

- Ken: http://greenwichvillagenydailyphoto.blogspot.com/

- Selim: http://izmirdailyphoto.blogspot.com/

The second one is for:

- all others!!

The weather is improving...

...after seven days and seven nights of heavy rainfall.
(the second of the Trilogy of Trees)

Mist in Arona

First of the Trilogy of Trees
(with the help of Photoshop to bring out the colours)

Last wednesday's bride...

... my daughter-in-law (or simply my daughter as I consider her)

Even cement is not hard enough...

... to prevent a plant from starting its life

(photo to be enlarged)

Last of the Transformation Trilogy

Reflections

Reflections of a metallic surface - Transformation trilogy

Transformation trilogy

This is part of a tree which I transformed with the help of Photoshop

Laguna

Arona

She's got rhythm

Arona

Lines

Pre-winter landscape

Val Vigezzo - about one hour from Arona with heights of 1.700m

Frozen bench

Lake front Arona

The loner

Lake Maggiore - Arona

A handfull of houses...

Orta San Giulio
...thrown around the lake

Theme day: circles and spheres

Sculptures of Italian sculpturer Arnaldo Pomodoro in the streets of Orta San Giulio
...where spheres are also a circle
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Fragments of the burgh of Orta San Giulio

The origins of this beautiful burgh on Lake Orta, about 20km from Arona, date back to the 6th Century and even before. After various disputes between ruling families of the area and the Church throughout the Dark Ages and after, today's main urban morphology of the historical centre was shaped during the 17th and 18th century with some buildings dating back to even the 16th century. The Island of San Giulio in front of Orta's lake front which I posted some posts ago, hosts a few private villa's (one of which the proprietors open up for concerts in Spring). The main building on the island is a monastery of an enclosed order of nuns.

Bitterly cold

The last of the "Trilogy of Boats"

Whispering

The 2nd photo of the "Trilogy of Boats
my 150th photo

Coming out of the blue

Arona - Yachting Club harbour in the morning fog

First part of the "Trilogy of boats"

Last of the sunrise trilogy

The iron bench under the limetree...

Lakefront Arona

...where I read my newspaper in the early morning

Early sunday morning after the storm

Arona

Autumn wind sweeps the lake

Lake promenade in Arona

When trees become transparent

Path along the lake in Arona

Feather clouds

Island of San Giulio on Lake Orta at 20km from Arona

When the sun breaks through

Rionero in Vulture (Basilicata)

Where winemaking traditions...

View on Ripacandida (Basilicata)
... date back centuries ago.

Some warmth

Rapolla in Vulture (Basilicata)

Pride...

Vulture area in Basilicata (Southern Italy)

...notwithstanding devastating earthquakes.

Autumn in the vineyards...

Rionero in Vulture

...in this "Vulture" part of the Region of Basilicata, in the very south of Italy, known for its exquisite "Aglianico" wines.

Path to the vineyards

I will be away till next saturday. Off to the very south of Italy to visit a local winery. I hope to be able to make interesting photos there to post them upon my return. Greetings from Arona to all of you!

Safe but uncertain

High water

The quiet lake...

...before the heavy rainfall.

Before they all fall off

Photoshop and I...

...see Autumn in Arona also like this.

Autumn in Arona

The seagull and the fisherman

Tired

When you consult your dictionary...

Theme day: Books

...certain words jump to your eyes and to your soul.

Silver lake

Thank you very much again, Dusty Lens, for having chosen my blog for this award!! Now I must state 6 things that make me happy and choose 6 other bloggers for this award, who in turn must nominate other 6 bloggers of their liking according to the rules:

Six things that make me happy:

1. Family and friends

2. Singing with the band

3. Photography

4. Travelling

5. Writing

6. Wine and food

Six bloggers to whom I am pleased to give this award are:

1. http://pepealcaide.blogspot.com/ (Pepe)

2. http://plumbingthedeeps.typepad.com/ (Julie)

3. http://viewfromthetundra.com/ (GBenz)

4. http://aucklanddailyphoto.com/ (Lachezar)

5. http://sanfrandailyphoto.blogspot.com/ (Burd)

6. http://www.unafotopordia.blogspot.com/ (Alejandro)

Congratulations all of you and greetings from Arona.