We have reached the last month of the year, and as a gift here is a look at last year’s December in twenty images, to see what all I won’t be having this time around.
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Flamingos and other birdspotting at the Orbetello lagoon. Present shopping in Orbetello. Strolling around Rome’s Monteverde district. Sea food Christmas dinner in Rome with amore’s family, after seven consecutive years. All cancelled. Not to mention not seeing my own family in faraway Slovenia.
But the highlight of my last December came just after Christmas when I had a chance to make sure in person that Flavia is just as cheerful, smiling, positive and happy individual as she comes across on her blog. After that first meeting we had so many more this year that one category on her blog is called Getaway with Manja, which always cheers me up to see.
I hope you keep finding little things like this to make you keep going, just like this Song of the Year says. This is what salvation can sound like: Cosmos ‘n Roses, as I call The Bengsons after their shirts. Don’t cry.
Let’s see my little big things, starting with the biggest:
- The package of goodies from my sister! She suggested it herself after I mentioned that my favourite Slovenian coffee was running out. Plus chocolate, tea, No. 1 chicken sausage in Europe, gourmet pate, sour cherries in chocolate, and Propolis made by Slovenian bees. This soldier is super happy.
- Some really good television, such as The Queen’s Gambit. It reminded me heavily of my card-playing times. I wasn’t quite as good but I did win seven (regional) tournaments in one month and a half once, against mostly men, many of them excellent chess players. Reactions were similar, condescension was similar, until it wasn’t. It made me miss those times a little. I can only thrash them online now. Oh well.
- Some surprising reading, such as the autobiography of John Taylor, the bassist of Duran Duran, a huge crush many moons ago. If you were ever even just a little fan, give it a go. Or listen to him give a Planet Earth bass tutorial. After detox he ended up married in Los Angeles and in a band with Steve Jones from Sex Pistols, of all people.
And now, my last December with humidity, birds, presents, food, Christmas, Ostiense, street art and Flavia.
Before the year is done, I shall choose one photo from each month of 2019 and compile the ultimate Calendar 2019 as I do every year. Maybe one day I will even have it printed.
But in the meantime, keep going. It’s the least we can do, really.
Welcome! Over here even the hearts on the welcome mat are greening. 
After the rain by the lagoon. 
Timid first row and crowded background. 
When you take a dog to birdwatching: everything flees. 
A brave fisher perseveres. 
Fully inanimate. An old gift from a friend in England who celebrated yesterday. 
Such fancy Swiss chard makes my heart sing. 
In here was spinach and salmon, if I’m not mistaken. 
An Orbetello scene at night. 
Busted! Alas, not real. 
Amore celebrates when JC does. Bestia is ready to sing him a song. 
These were presents for me. 
Christmas dinner in Rome. This is how it starts. 
Flower shop in Rome. 
I was glad to find this door again but it seemed to be getting ready for the quarantine. 
Amore in profile before the face house in Ostiense done by BLU. 
Opposite is this bird done with antismog paints by Iena Cruz. 
By Diamond+SOLO at the Gasometro. 
This wolf by Groove on Via Ostiense stole my heart. 
And Flavia stole both bestia’s and my heart. We will explore together again.
Here are the previous 11 months of 2019:
- January 2019
- February 2019
- March 2019
- April 2019
- May 2019
- June 2019
- July 2019
- August 2019
- September 2019
- October 2019
- November 2019
And here are three previous Decembers for comparison:
We thought we knew it all. Keep going, dear. Life is only temporarily suspended.
Great sellection.
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Thank you, Bojana. It seems soooo long ago and it was just one year. I’m getting afraid of this suspension. It will be hard to go back.
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I hear you. Let’s cross our fingers and hope for the best.
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I find myself using sentence structures I never do, such as: “We must believe that we will do this, and that again.”
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Sounds awful, I know, and yet so necessary considering everything. Yes, we can. Like a political slogan.
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A wonderful post Manja 🙂
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Thank you, Bushboy. 🙂 I like doing these. A look back a year is always interesting, but now the hard year is coming to revisit.
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Love the pictures of the large murals! And is that grass growing from the welcome mat or coming up from underneath? You have some really lovely frames here…
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Hihi, Irma. I think some grass has sown itself since our lawn is not far away. And humidity is really heavy at this time. Thank you for liking my frames. 🙂
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Most welcome! Your pictures help me see the world during this pandemic. 😍
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Thanks for sharing. Life will come back! (K)
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You’re most welcome, K. I don’t really feel like sharing lately, but I force myself to at least do my doors and these calendar posts. Once I do it, it feels good.
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The world is still heavy.
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Nice blog
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Thank you kindly, Saania.
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Wonderful wall art! And I just adore the green shoots coming from the hearts. Also, Amore’s face in front of the other faces – that is nicely done.
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Thank you, Crystal. Sometimes it works. 🙂 And the wall art I always love seeing.
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