Thursday 7 January 2010

A Few Of My Favorite Things Of Christmas Past


Looking Back
And Ahead, Both

The Gloriette, back up the hill,
reflected on a glass pane
of the north façade of Schönbrunn Castle,
the wrought iron gate instead, across the widths of the palace,
opens towards the courtyard ahead, on the south side,
where the Christmas Market is held

Advent Wreath
I always admire the displays
in Viennese opticians's windows,
their creativity seems boundless,
their sense of humour too,
many a chuckle I owe to them.

Hartmann's wins my heart every time,
and not only because they often turn
their space into an art gallery:
There's always a grace and a lightness
about their exquisite exhibitions,
even decorative objects like this wreath,
a true delight to the eye!

If I had the time, I would stalk
those shop windows,
trying to find the best time of day and light,
to capture them at their best.
Alas, a quick stop, whatever the light,
and click, a moment frozen in time,
not having more moments
my only regret.

Do walk by, it's close to St. Stephen's,
standing in front of the windows affords
also my favorite view of the cathedral's tiled roof,
worth a trip of its own!
Hartmann Optiker
Singerstrasse 8


Painted Glass Birds
wth real feathers
and Gablonz glass ornaments
Christmas Market
Schönbrunn Palace


Merry Christmas
to all of those
who celebrate Christmas today!


*

Images and Text
© by Merisi 2010

11 comments:

  1. I have never seen such a beautiful advent wreath!

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  2. wonderful, very inventive and creative, l am agog..

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  3. Oh, so beautiful! I love the glass birds, I think I can identify some of them!

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  4. Neither have I, Meredith!
    I love all things white at Christmas, this wreath makes me want to have an Advent wreath next year. I made do without this year, just too busy.

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  5. Fat. Frumpy, Fifty
    (Saz, I really hesitate every time I type your blog name!),
    Vienna is full of such treasures!
    As I said, I wished I had more time ...

    Maalie,
    I love these little birds! I have been collecting them myself for many years, they are real Christmas messengers for me. I even have some of the ones pictured here!

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  6. My dear I have just caught up on the posts I had misses and am now saturated with the beauty of it all. Vienna certainly knows how to dress up for an occasion.

    Auch wir feiern die Feste wie sie fallen mit Inszinierung und Posaunen Klang!

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  7. Thank you for the walks through Vienna at Christmas. Absolutely beautiful photos. Happy New Year's!

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  8. Lovely wreath! I too am enamored of the idea of all white decorations but have never attempted it. Just doesn't fit in with our rural doggy life. But I can admire from afar...

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  9. i have always had a thing for the glass birds with the spun glass and feather tails :) we had some on our tree when i was young. wish i could have saved them. and the gate shot...just beautiful :)
    have a lovely evening.

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  10. Three grandkids here today, presents and candycanes from the tree... now they are playing happily with old toys. Hehe, kids:)) Later today we will take down the tree. (I am more that ready)
    I still have a few birds left from when their dad was little, an owl and a beautiful redbird with gold on his wings.

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  11. Thank you for the remeberance of The Gloriette which we saw exactly 20 years ago. Magical image.

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