la navata nuova del duomo di siena.

One thing lacking in the US is the evidence of a history bygone. There are no ruins, nor are there incomplete projects - everything is tidy. Italy (and presumably a vast majority of the world) exhibits the opposite. There's lots of overlapping and built records of history. One of the most extraordinary examples of this is the nave addition to Siena's Cathedral. In 1348 the plague thwarted Siena's ambitions, including the completion of the nave. What's left, well you can see below.

view from atop the nave wall of the Duomo di Siena

pienza.

The flower is the poetry of reproduction.
It is an example of the eternal seductiveness of life.
Jean Giraudoux

birds.

birds at s. biagio

Technically I shouldn't be posting this, nor technically should you read the following, however I'll consider this free advertisement...? I thoroughly enjoyed his pigeon poetry as well.

Into the Sun
Andrew Mealey

Spreading wings, soaring into the sky
Warming light lifting higher and higher
Sounds becoming infinitely softer in flight
Never fearing melting pinions of joyous desire
Come with me next time