La Bohème - Giacomo Puccini

This is something I had been meaning to do for a while. I started a separate blog for a more full exploration of this grandest form of theater so it wouldn't take up too much space on my Random Thoughts Blog. I realize that Opera is not for everyone, but if you feel inclined or just might be a bit curious to take a peek at a full Opera, read on and visit my Random Musings About Opera blog. It's not a stuffy pretentious look, but a more mainstream introduction to one of my favorite art forms.

La Bohème, French for The Bohemian Woman, is an adaptation of a French Novel Scènes de la Vie de Bohème (Scenes of Behemian Life) written by Henri Murger. The Opera was composed by Giacomo Puccini with the libretto written by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. La Bohème premiered on February 1, 1896. It is a Opera in four acts, each a different scene and setting in the lives of six bohemians living in Paris around 1830. The cast is as follows … Read More

via Random Musings About Opera

Morning Trails - Springtime at Lakefront

I am fortunate to live in an area that has hundreds of miles of dedicated walking trails and a marvelous lake and wildlife preserve a few miles from my home. I enjoy an early morning walk or run on these trails, and when I have extra time and the weather is nice, I make my way to the lake, camera in hand. I've been snapping photos of the lake for almost a decade now, and the fascination and beauty of the place never fades. If you have a few moments, join me and see why I consider this waking part of my day to be so special. I'll try not to bore you too much with commentary - the images tend to speak well for themselves.



A Blue Heron searching about for breakfast.



Sunrise making its presence known.



A young buck and his companion enjoying a morning drink. Personally, I prefer a nice strong cup of coffee.



Sometimes, all you really need to do is look upward for inspiration...



A favorite spot for me to reflect, and to journal those random thoughts that occasionally make their way to this blog.



Last year's grasses yielding to this year's new growth.



Full sunlight bathing the lake's easternmost end.



Here we have a family of Expatriate Canadian Geese who have declared their preference for permanent residency in Maryland.



This pesky Egret was dodging me for quite some time before finally staring me down, probably wondering what the heck I was doing poking around his environs.



It is said that some men spend their time sitting in Church and dream about fishing, while other men spend their time fishing and dream about God. I believe this shot helps me understand the spirit of that saying.

As I made my way home, walking through the trails and eventually emerging to the streets leading to my home, I couldn't help but notice the frenzied pace of cars whirring past me as people scurry about in their daily lives, completely oblivious to all that beauty lying just beneath the veneer of a world they are unconsciously rushing through.

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