Not Postcards But Pictures

When we travel,

one thing that we often bring home are pictures --

not photographs but etchings, engravings, watercolors

We've been doing that for a long time

And most of them are in the bathroom

upstairs

Daily reminders of places we've been and things we've seen

The good thing is that they are usually easy to pack and even if framed, the glass can be easily replaced so we never worry about them

Pictures make great mementos of a trip.

(And acutally, you don't even have to buy them on the trip -- if you go to Estate Sales, you'll often find the ones that someone else bought on their trip -- and they're so much better because they have "age" on them!)

On our first trip "abroad", we spent a day in Bruges

A lovely city and my first taste of "Europe"

I was enchanted

It was the day of film and somehow all of the pictures I took didn't take.

We came home with only a piece of lace

And this -- bought at a Second Hand Store

 Which translated to English says:

"He who doesn't find happiness at home

Won't find it anywhere

He who doesn't see happiness at home

Will not find it elsewhere"

A big thank you to Pondside and Susan at Schnitzel and the Trout

for solving the mystery of what my Belgian sign said!

But, alas, that was all we had --

that bit of lace and the sign

Our memories of Bruges

And then friend Jean from Memphis gave me this picture one Christmas.

A pretty picture, she thought, I'm sure

But she didn't guess the special meaning behind it.

That finally I had a picture of an enchanting place 

that Husband Jim and I enjoyed so much.

And then last year, I found this picture out antiquing.    Similar houses but alas, the first picture had no

bridge or swans.

And then, when I was changing out the pictures in the guest room

for I framed and hung the Venice engravings we bought last year at an Estate Sale

I noticed that this picture had a description as well as an artists signature

It's a sweet little picture -- in a huge mat which makes more of a statement

Not sure of it's age but I love the thing gold and black frame.

I think these type of pictures look best in them.

And the price was reasonable

I got out the magnifying glass to see just what that writing was.

And lo and behold, it's a "Scenic view of Bruges"

And if you look at it and the one above it,

there are some similarities.

Including swans!

It's Wednesday and I'm joining Susan at A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday.

And I'll announce my giveaway winner tomorrow morning.     You can still get in the drawing by leaving a comment.    It's for a gently used copy of Anna Pump's Loaves and Fishes Party Cookbook

She's one of my culinary heroes!

It's Wednesday Morning . . . and the Random Number Generator is far easier than writing all those names on slips of paper and putting them in a hat!!!  (And then you always have one or two slips that elude the wastebasket . . . . and so you have those tiny slips of paper on the floor!)    

Drum roll, please . . . . . and the winner is . . . .

Penny from Lake Lure Cottage

Please send me your address and I will post the book post haste!    

Congratulations!!!!!