Rocco Galatioto, nice photos and good food

This is my lovely cat Bella. I hope that she will brighten up your day.

This wonderful town in Eastern Sicily is known for its high baroque architecture. In 1600 it was destroyed by an earthquake so it was later rebuilt in the prevailing baroque style. It is a wonderful place to visit.

This new hip neighborhood in Brooklyn across from lower Manhattan is made up of old sturdy factories buildings that have been converted to apartments. It is an interesting area to photograph and I shot these images a few years ago with the Canon 10-D.

CANON CELEBRATES THE PRODUCTION OF 250 MILLION DIGITAL CAMERAS MELVILLE, NY, March 27, 2014 - Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced that its parent company, Canon Inc., has reached a camera manufacturing milestone as combined production of the Company's compact digital and interchangeable-lens digital cameras surpassed 250 million units on January 31, 2014. Canon, a company that has continuously produced cameras since its founding in 1937, began producing and marketing digital cameras in the mid-1990s. In 1995, when film cameras were still the preferred camera type, Canon launched its first digital camera, the professional-model EOS DCS 3 1 Digital SLR camera.

I have posted these before but I believe that they will be of interest to new visitors as well as regulars as this city is fascinating. Located on the north western corner to Sicily, this very ancient Sicilian city may actually be the real Ithaca of the Odyssey. The  famous English scholar Butler as well  as others believe that this epic was actually written in Sicily. Basically, nothing at all is actually known about Homer. At any rate, this is a very nice city to visit. These are various cortili or courtyards.

The cry e viva San Giuseppe   that was heard in this procession may appear strange to one not knowledgeable about Italian religious customs because it means may Saint Joseph live. Since he is presumably in heaven he should be there forever; but is he really living? At any rate, this slogan is heard in processions not only for Saint Joseph but for other saints and for the Madonna with the object of the verb viva changing appropriately.  These shots are from a Saint Joseph procession held a few years ago in  Ridgewood, Queens, home to many Italian Americans who have transported their customs to this side of the Atlantic. 

This beautiful dog was photographed in Erice the lovely Sicilian hilltop town I have posted on this blog many times before. He was calm, cool a nd collected and bored. After all this was his street.

My euphoria about spring having finally sprung proved to be optimistically premature. What can I say. With great reluctance, I want to post these images of this beautiful birch tree on a solitary road with some snow. I like the images and I just love birch trees and how they contrast out from the rest of the other trees.

I will be there soon in person but I must share some photos of my beloved Castellammare del Golfo. I cannot get enough of it's beauty. But what has always impressed me most is the absolute  beauty of it's people. Friendly, helpful and most welcoming to outsiders. They make anyone feel at home. Naturally, this being my home I naturally try to live up to these qualities.   You haven't seen Sicily or Italy if you have not seen this jewel of a place. Come. you will never regret it. These photos were shot in late afternoon when the light is magical.