It wasn't a mistake, exactly, to ask for a flu shot at my check-up yesterday, but I seriously didn't think that I might end up feeling punk today!  I've never had a reaction to the flu shot before, so I was surprised to wake up feeling like I have....the flu.  I am home, curled up on the sofa with not even enough energy to read a book.  That, my friends, is a sad state of affairs!  So I'm turning to some warm and vibrant pictures to make me feel better, and where better to turn than romantic Italy?

I was reading an interesting book last week about  Elizabeth Barrett and her love story with Robert Browning.  After they married, they made Italy their home and I thought this week you might enjoy some of their passionate poetry.  Photos are courtesy of my son, Matthew, taken during his June trip to Italy and England. I love how vivid the colors are! You don't mind my sharing them, do you, Matt?  Here are a couple of verses from Barrett's Italy and the World.  I hope you enjoy them.

XXII.

Beautiful Italy! golden amber
Warm with the kisses of lover and traitor!
Thou who hast drawn us on to remember,
Draw us to hope now: let us be greater
By this new future than that old story.

XXIII.

Till truer glory replaces all glory,
As the torch grows blind at the dawn of day;
And the nations, rising up, their sorry
And foolish sins shall put away,
As children their toys when the teacher enters.