Sicilian shoemaker with a magnificent face!

Portrait of a Sicilian shoemaker. What a wonderful 'lived in' face! Painting by Tessa Bennett.

Sicily, Palermo, sublime Italian plasterwork on a Prince's palace staircase.

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The magnificent plasterwork in these photos forms part of the grand entrance to Prince Allessandro 11 Filangero Palace in Palermo, Sicily.    Italian plasterers and architects were mainly trained in Rome.

Sicily, Palermo hangs out the washing with style!

Palermo, Sicily.
Colourful washing hangs, without shame, on balconies and folding racks on pavements.

Sicilian graffiti!

Some Sicilian graffiti!
 The word graffiti comes from the Italian word graffiato (scratched). Today's graffiti generally expresses social and political slogans. In ancient times the Egyptians, Romans, Arabs, Greeks, also the Vikings and ancient Mayans, displayed phrases and decorations of love and simple words of thought. Sicilian graffiti is widespread and interesting, sometimes written on buildings of great architectural importance, but almost always artistic, colourful, and straight from the heart.   

Sicily the sublime!! Palermo's main fruit and vegetable market, - 1. Huge cauliflowers!

Palermo, Sicily, Italy.These cauliflowers are on sale in the wondrous market in Palermo.

Otters enjoying the seaweed under the old bridge Berwick upon Tweed.

An unusual sight! Three otters enjoying the seaweed under the ancient stone bridge where the sea meets the river Tweed in Berwick upon Tweed England.  This lovely photograph was taken by a local enthusiast yesterday 11th March 2015.

Emigration from Liverpool on the ship The Henry Clay to New York 1846

This poignant letter and lock of hair tells part of the story of the emigration, from the port of  Liverpool on the ship The Henry Clay, of Thomas Tait and his family.  Probably a Scottish family Thomas Tait sends a lock of his ?daughter's hair via a Mr.Wm.MacKinlay to her grandmother as the family were to sail the next day. It is sad that no more is known about this family, and no news either whether they even set off because it is known that the ship The Henry Clay was ship wrecked off the New jersey coast during March of the same year (1846). The letter mentions the  sailing would be on the morning of 23rd July 1846.