What inspires me most often? There are other things too, such as doors, but these photos wished to be together like this in this gallery. Who am I to say no?
Except our first dog – his photo is from 2007 when he was eight like bestia is now – all these are from the last two years, from Italy and Slovenia, as is my habit.
I’m still in Slovenia for a few days and it’s getting hotter and hotter. I fear to think of the heat that awaits me in Tuscany which is considerably more to the south than Slovenia. Heat is one thing that inspires me the least.
So let’s see: what has inspired me the most lately?
When a place off my destination list proves even grander than expected. Villa Lante, Bagnaia near Viterbo. 
When a magnificent place is on my list and I only realise it after my visit. The church of San Bonaventura, Canale Monterano. 
When I find something that is not on any list or map (it may be but I couldn’t find its name). Near Lake Bracciano. 
When light is especially giving. Capalbio. 
When wilderness is domesticated. 
Even if opposing forces sometimes clash. Rome. 
When walls speak louder than words. Pasolini in Monteverde, Rome. 
When all kinds of art face the street. “Ljubljana” by Marija Strnad, 2021, displayed in Piran Library. 
When an intervention is especially sweet. A modified (real) postbox in Piran. 
When a walk is followed by a cake. Zvezda means star. Ljubljana. 
When a certain dichotomy is sensed and a story demands to be written. Ljubljana. 
When you know that there is a friend who has the same photo and had the same gelato. Anguillara Sabazia, Lake Bracciano. Flavia is posting again on her blog! 
When the Presidents of Finland and Slovenia meet in Nordic Centre Planica and the Bench of Friendship is put up and I take this photo for my earliest blogging buddy Snow Melts Somewhere because only she can read this. 
Even if the bench is not all that. It’s the thought that counts. 
What else inspires me? My family, often. Sis’ birthday in July. 
Amore, especially out of his comfort zone. On the chairlift in Planica, Slovenia. 
Memories. Our first dog Žak in Ljubljana woods. 
The present that is bestia on our terrace in Tuscany.
For Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, hosted by Patti at P. A. Moed: Your Inspiration
This day in my blogging history
2019: Old, new, borrowed, blue (compilation)
An Embarrassment of Riches 
Very inspirational.
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Thank you, Bojana, I’m glad you find it so. Tomorrow back to Tuscany in terrible heat and traffic chaos!
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Sounds like Belgrade.
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The bench that tried! 😍
I love the love letter box. And the sign in the secret language of less than 6M people!
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Hihi, SMSW, it did try, the bench. It’s funny that I found the exact same love letter plea on another postbox, that one in Ljubljana. Now I don’t know if this campaign was organised officially by the Post of Slovenia, or a street artist has been very thorough and covered postboxes all around Slovenia.
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I especially love your photos of animals😍
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Thank you, Flavia. This means a lot because you know animals and speak their language.
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🤗
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Some nice shots there. I love the ruined castle.
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Thank you, TAB. That castle or what it was remains a mystery.
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What is that bright yellow bird ? I love it !
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Thank you, Bonnie! In Rome there are several families of parrots that live wildly in the big parks, nesting inside the tall pine trees. It was weird seeing a flock of birds pass and they were all green. This was before I knew of it. Sometimes a single bird comes into some garden as happened the time of this photo. The resident cat was not too amused. Bestia was keeping out of it.
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What lovely inspirations! I loved the little cake box…that was a treat too, and the watercolor painting was lovely. It reminded of the painter Joseph Zbukvic. It’s a style I’d like to try one day.
I can relate to Amore a bit. The older I get the more afraid of heights I’m getting!
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Oh, I never heard of Mr. Zbukvic before and now checked him out and it’s really similar! The height problem thing is true for me too, with age it worsens. Thank you, Deborah, I’m glad you liked my inspiration sources.
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😀
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Great series. Love the love letters!
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Thank you, John. Still not sure if it’s an official Post of Slovenia campaign or a diligent street artist is behind it. I found another postbox with this sticker in the capital, 130 km away from the first.
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Your photos are inspirational! Very different from each other but evocative of a wide range of reactions for me. I like the dog and cat pictures in particular. 🙂
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Thank you, Lynette. Thank you for making me feel that I have succeeded in presenting my inspiration sources with this post. 🙂
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The flavours in those cups of icecream can be inspiring 🙂
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I wish I remembered any of them. Now I need to go back! 😀 Thank you, I. J. Tomorrow back to Tuscany from Slovenia…
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That Bench of Friendship! Very basic, which means you’d have to really enjoy the companionship if you continue sitting there.
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Haha, a good point, Sandy. 🙂 Anything to spur on friendship. Thank you!
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A wonderful collection, Manja. I’m delighted you’re joined us again! Your gallery is inspiring me to visit some lesser known places in Italy. Thank you for that!! And of course, I loved your past and present “bestia” and the images of your family. Great inspiration!
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Thank you kindly, Patti. I loved all the guest hosts and your post too. This is great to hear, that you wish to see more of Italy after seeing my post. Italy is so full of such places that don’t get enough mention.
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Nice collection. And…Walls that seek louder than words. That was curious
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Thank you for following my crumbs, Donna. I don’t know if you read it as “seek” or just misspelled it but it made me look and it says “speak”. 🙂
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Yes, typo on my part.
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