Category: Walking

Gratitude walk~

10/30/2018

I took this picture on my walk this morning. While photographing I was greeted by a friendly and chatty dog, followed from around the corner of the house by the owner.
Me being friendly and chatty: Gorgeous tree…. we must be grateful.... in fact, I’m taking a gratitude walk.
My neighbor being friendly and chatty: That’s why I’m doing in my back yard…. Sitting and being grateful.

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First Florence walk

4/13/2018

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Florence is crowded. I knew it would be, but being on the streets with everyone doesn’t come close to reality. I don’t mind the crowds.. I want to be here, and so do others.
tTomorrow I’ll get out at 7Pm and walk the streets while many are sleeping. But for today, there is a slide show of my first wander about my favorite city. Hmm, I did do a very good job photographing the crowds.

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An early spring walk

3/31/2018

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     A spring walk. Why travel? At least why hop into the car today? I’ve walked this four mile loop, in every season, hundreds of times. Each is the same, each is different. Sometimes I walk with a friend or talk on the phone with my daughter; sometimes I chat with myself as I go along. But, today I took pictures which is the best way to stay immersed in what is happening NOW.
     It was winter melting away and spring quivering to take charge. We New Englanders knew it would happen, but on this day, we tell whomever we pass, that yes, indeed, spring is finally here, for sure.
        Listen to the pictures. The winter was rough on the trees.

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Don't give up walking~

1/11/2018

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I’m back walking. After strolling all over Florence early in December, and daily walks in Lancaster, PA with my daughter at Christmas time, my daily exercise came to an abrupt halt. We returned to a New England of frozen pipes, zero temperatures, and snow blocking the walkway in front of our house. I stopped scheduling a walk into my daily schedule. My bad.
Now, with the weather warming up, there is no excuse; only adjustments need. Today I drove half a mile up the road, parked at Our Lady of Fatima church, and walked my usual back roads. A simple solution. Don't give up walking.

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Evening walk along the Arno~

12/14/2017

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When in Florence during spring and fall I must walk at least ten miles a day. In December I do a little less. The temperature is colder and daylight hours diminished, but that’s not an acceptable excuse since the temperature is decidedly above freezing and the streets are well lit. Rather, I believe that the dark and cold of winter call us to hunker down and take stock of our faith, by which I mean the meaning and purpose of our life. If nothing else, we walk slower to breathe in this awesome, mysterious, and humbling world, wondering where we fit in.

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Early morning church walk # 2 in Florence~

12/11/2017

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I just completed the second half of my church walk. This time I headed north from the Duomo to San Marco (Dominican), and then on to Santissima Annunciata (Servite). As I turn toward Santa Croce (Franciscan) I noticed San Ambrosia way down the street, so I took a detour there. Next, back toward city center to La Badia and Orsanmichele. I was all over the map! Before ending this church walk at Santa Trinita, I crossed the Arno to Santa Felicita, then crossed back to view Santi Apostoli, one of the oldest and pretties churches in Florence. It’s fair to say that my final destination was to Chiaro Scuro, where they serve the largest cappuccino and provide a comfy place to write.

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Early morning church walk # 1 in Florence~

12/10/2017

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This morning I was off on my early morning church walk by 7:30. My plan was to stop and photograph the façade of every church and then be on my way. Usually I don’t have a planned itinerary when I take this walk; my body seems to turn in one direction, I put one foot in front of the other, and I’m on my way. Since all the churches of Florence fan out from Santa Marie del Fiori (and conveniently my apartment is right on the square), it was appropriate that my first photo was of the Duomo. My route then led to the Medici church of San Lorenzo, Santa Maria Novella (Dominican), church 0f Ognissanti (Umilati), Santa Maria del Carmine (Carmilite), and Santo Spirito (Augustinian).
Usually I complete my church walk in a single morning, but today I stopped to write and enjoy a cappuccino at Piazza Santo Spirito. As I entered the café I noticed antiques and craft vendors setting up booths to sell their wares. By the time I left, the early dawn atmosphere for a church walk had passed, and the busy Florentine day had begun. I wander about the stalls, deciding to finish my church walk at dawn tomorrow.

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Peace walk in Florence~

12/6/2017

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When I read the headlines this morning my heart sank with the possibility that we could be at war in the near future. To get out of my funk, I decided to take a walk for peace. I crossed the Arno, entered the Bardini and Boboli Gardens, and took pictures along the way; some showed the vibrant December afternoon sun, others were rather dark and foreboding, and one depicted human beings at their worst.

All along my walk Brunelleschi’s dome kept appearing, a harbinger of stability, commitment and truth.

No one knew that I was walking for peace, but maybe they sensed something hopeful. I wonder if I passed anyone with the same intention? I hope so, and I’m foolishly hopeful enough to believe it could true.

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An autumn walk around Walden Pond

10/21/2017

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A perfect day for a walk with family around Walden Pond. I hope Thoreau experienced at least one such pristine autumn day between 1845 and 1847 when we was involved in his great experiment. He was looking for solitude which was there for him, although it was said that friends often walked out from Concord to visit him.
There was no solitude for us today, but we weren’t looking for it. We loved being part of the community of Americans, English, French, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, and others enjoying themselves.

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Walking around with God in Florence~

9/21/2017

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     When asked what I do in Florence, I have a litany of responses—write, visit museums and churches, and eat. Lately I’ve added a new one; I walk around with God. At first I figured some people would get it, and some wouldn’t; how arrogant of me. Of course they get it; they’re human. We all long for the ineffable, named by all faith traditions, searched for by agnostics, and acknowledged by atheists. It’s a feeling, a natural knowing, beyond words.
     For years I stayed away from God talk, even from saying the word. During my years as a Unitarian God was not mentioned in the church I attended. When I joined my present church (United Church of Christ), I told people that I wanted a ‘God church.’ I kept my faith quest to myself, limiting conversation, except to mention what wonderful church I went to, which is code for some kind of surrender to God.
This morning I was out of my apartment by seven to walk around with God on a visit to the many churches in Florence. That’s what I thought I was going to write about when I opened my computer here at the la Fellrinelli Café. To my surprise, out came this confession.
     Perhaps the catalyst is the elderly gentleman who has been a daily fixture during for the four years I have been coming here to write. He always wears a suit, and this September a large white bandage covers one side of his bald head. Sometimes he sits with friends and holds court. Today for the past hour he has been wandering about. Whether he knows it or not, I believe he is walking around with God.

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<<Previous

Gratitude walk~

First Florence walk

An early spring walk

Don't give up walking~

Evening walk along the Arno~

Early morning church walk # 2 in Florence~

Early morning church walk # 1 in Florence~

Peace walk in Florence~

An autumn walk around Walden Pond

Walking around with God in Florence~

Today

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