But yesterday, we had more substantial visitors.
There were six altogether.
This one kept looking up to check me out, and I spent a LOT of time standing stock still and freezing in front of an open window so they wouldn't leave.
I had been planning to post this painting by Mariotto Albertinelli of the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth as one of the pictures of Mary while pregnant. When Gretchen posted an icon of the same event this morning, I thought today would be right day for it.
I love the intimacy of the gaze between these two women, who carry miraculous babies hidden within. How good it must have been for them to be able to talk to someone else who somewhat understood the work that God was doing in them. If you click once on the picture, you can see this better.
I love both paintings like this and icons. They can speak to us about the same event or person from different points of view. We can identify with this painting, and feel some of the emotions, joys, and worries that Mary and Elizabeth share. The icon, however, is a window from heaven. It is more idealized and helps us to see these events and people from an eternal perspective.
AMDG
I love those pictures of your visitors. A week or two ago my sister awoke to find several moose on her front yard. She had to sneak out through the back.
ReplyDeleteWell, we have had armadillos, snakes, skunks, opossums, pigs--both regular and pot bellied--raccoons, squirrels by the millions, vultures, owls, a great blue heron, goats, guinea hens, a donkey, a coyote, and knows what else, but when the moose comes I may have to leave.
ReplyDeleteAMDG
What a lovely painting! I don't think I have seen it before. I did see an icon at St. Nicholas Church last week where we celebrated that saint's feast, of Mary and Elizabeth together, embracing, but without showing the children in the wombs. But it was so high up on a wall that I couldn't get a good photo of it....
ReplyDeletethat really is a beautiful painting! thanks for that!!! I love seeing the beautiful nature pictures and the deer!!! I live in a very urban area now so seeing nature is always a blessing to me!
ReplyDeleteI love this photo. And thank you for visiting my blog!
ReplyDeleteI love the down-to-earth nature of your blog. I tried to comment once before, but I couldn't navigate the Captcha test on my phone.
DeleteAMDG