DUOMO BEFORE COMO

There aren't too many edifices that I find so awe inspiring that I would want to spend hours there just bathing in its' beauty and ambiance, but I have to say that the Duomo, in Milan, has to rank right up there.  Unless you've seen it in person, no photo can do it justice.  Every square foot of the facade is covered in intricate sculpted Gothic bas reliefs.  This cathedral was built in 1386, but it took generations to complete.  The main spire was topped in 1762 and the rest of the Duomo was completed in the 1800's.  Second to the Vatican, it is known as one of the largest cathedrals in all of Europe.

Above is one of the many sculptures in the Duomo.  I really liked it because it wasn't the usual beautiful angel or cherub, but a sculpture of an imperfect human being. 

Here is a photo of the outside of the Duomo.  As you can see, it is just as decorative as the inside.  I could have spent weeks viewing this masterpiece and never have seen it all. 

Outside the Dumo is the the center of the Piazza del Duomo that leads to the main shopping concourse located in the Duomo arcade.  Here you can get Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, or any other designer product.  Happy shopping!

Here is an alcove in the Duomo with stained glass windows, gothic columns, precepts, and Roman arches.

An altar inside of the Duomo made of marble.  I lost count of the number of altars inside.

A pathway of Gothic columns seemingly reaching to the sky.

One of many beautifully crafted reliefs.

I took this photo under the archway of the front door.

SIP AND STITCH

Image by dead redhead via Flickr

There is certainly a part of my personality that is obsessive compulsive.  For example, when I golf, which I love, and golf badly, which I do all too often, I am driven to go back out on the course and repeat the holes that eluded me.  If you've ever seen the movie "Tin Cup," you get the picture.  It's not about the score--it's about achieving perfection.

Don't tell me I can't do something--I will surely prove you wrong. 

So, it should be of no surprise to those who know me well that when my mother-in-law told me this past summer that I will never be a knitter, I set out to prove her wrong.  Well, let's just say that the drive to do so has set me on a mission.  I'm not there yet.  There are far too many other things to do here in Munich than to sit and knit.  But, I have taught myself, thank you. And I can report that I'm doing very well.  Granted, I haven't tackled anything too advanced   complex  yet, but I can knit and purl with the best of them!   

Here are some of the items I've knitted or crocheted.  There are more, but they are meant for Christmas gifts to family,  and until they receive them, they are underwraps, so to speak.

This is a hat that I knitted for myself and I LOVE it!  I am so happy with it and how it fits me.  It keeps my ears warm in the cool weather and yet it is great to cover unruly hair.  I love to wear it on my walks.

 This lovely piece is a scarf I knitted from yarn and circular needles that a new friend in Los Cabos gave me.  I absolutely love it and it gave me experience using many different types of fancy yarns.  It is so lovely and I have had  so many compliments wearing it, that  I'm ordering two more skeins of this yarn so I can give knit some more prezzies from it.

I knitted this hat and scarf set for my five-year-old granddaughter, Lil' Miss Nee Nee,  and she was so thrilled with it she wanted to wear it in August when I completed it.  I hear the weather in Ohio is getting chillier, so perhaps she will finally get a chance to wear it.

I also knitted the hat below for her.  It is a bit more casual and she can wear it with a play outfit.  It turned out a lot better than I thought!

Finally, for my dear daughter-in-law's birthday, I gave her a slouchy hat. (Well, I also took her to lunch and gave her a bottle of  Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Perfume--I may be obsessive, but I'm not cheap!)

I didn't know how she would like the slouchy hat since it isn't a hat that hugs your head.  She is blessed with beautiful long tresses and when she put it on she exclaimed, "It's so warm!  There's enough room to tuck my hair in!"  That's all I needed to hear!  She is a busy mom of three children, twins who are 5 and a six year old.  She needs something practical, warm, and yet  colorful.  I'm glad she likes it and her matching scarf will

accompany me back to the states in December. 

I think my family will be awash in socks, sweaters, vests, afghans, hats, scarves, and whatever else I can manage to knit or crochet.  I'll be darned if I'll prove my mother-in-law right. Just watch me!