Sites and Images: the Ancient Mediterranean World

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来自地中海世界的片段与瞬间。
罗马帝国的残垣断壁、凝固了的庞培城众生相、沉寂而故事累累的千年古墓、张狂而自信的裸体雕像、无处不在的古剧场、矜持的千千岛屿散落在地中海永不褪色的深蓝画布上。

Amy2007之夏

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则见风月暗消磨

【颜子乐牌】则见风月暗消磨，画墙西正南侧左。〔跌介〕苍苔滑擦，倚逗着断垣低垛，因何蝴蝶门儿落合？原来以前游客颇盛，题名在竹林之上。客来过，年月偏多，刻画尽琅玕千个。咳，早则是寒花绕砌，荒草成窠。怪哉，一个梅花观，女冠之流，怎起的这座大园子？好疑惑也。便是这湾流水呵！
（旦）这等真个盼著你了。
【耍鲍老】幽谷寒涯，你为俺催花连夜发。俺全然未嫁，你个中知察，拘惜的好人家。牡丹亭，娇恰恰；湖山畔，羞答答；读书窗，淅喇喇。良夜省陪茶，清风明月知无价。
【滴滴金】（生）俺惊魂化，睡醒时凉月些些。陡地荣华，敢则是梦中巫峡

From Latin to English

Putamus te bene valere. (CIL XI. 6123)
This Latin quote comes from an inscription found in Italy and datable to the 2nd century CE.
Translate: We wish you well.

Sounds like certain expressions have never changed.

The Amish Country

I have always romaticized and idealized the Amish life style. I'm drawn to the bucolic landscape they are able to create and maintain, as well as the philosophy of a simple life, a life that stays away from the modern frenzy over fashion, fancy appliances or i-phones. I got a peek into their world last weekend. After all, we are spending our summer in Ohio, which has the one of the largest Amish populations.

We got quite excited when we spotted the first buggy with a young family with a newborn baby on it. But then, we saw many more of them at the local Walmart (Millersburg). Yes, they do go to the groceries. In fact, that Walmart has a parking space for buggies.

We bought a basket, hand-made by an 11-year old boy, from a bare-footed girl. Amy had a good chat with her and got to know that she was one of 9 children: she had 4 brothers and 4 sisters. One of the baskets that she was selling was made by another brother of hers, and he was only 8. Their craftsmanship, however, is impeccable.

The roads were steaming hot. But most of the Amish kids, except those who were feeding the animals, were bare-footed. They mingled so well with the animals, all kinds of them. Handsome horses roamed around the green slopes. If deprived of the smells and the flies, all was just poetic.

People go to Provence and other Mediterranean places to explore countryside that evokes nostalgia of some kind. I suppose we don't need to travel far to find that. In the heart of the Ohio State, there is such peaceful and scenic country that reminds the viewers of the pastoral painting of old.

I don't think the images attached here do sufficient justice to the landscape. Oh, well, we were just using a dummy-proof camera.