Last updated on 03/15/2010
I was giving a new friend my e-mail address last night, and she asked, “Teeny tiny pieces? What is that, what are you doing?” Well, teeny tiny pieces is a phrase I picked up from my friend, Ana…the one I just visited in Spain. Anything that’s small, or divided into sections, or that there are multiples of, Ana would call teeny tiny pieces. For example, Ana would say that a pizza is cut into teeny tiny pieces. Well, I eventually started saying “teeny tiny pieces”, too. I often use it when I’m talking about parts of a whole, as in all the good things that make up life. Individually, the pieces are good and worthy, but together, they make the picture complete. Teeny Tiny Pieces of Life…by the way, did you know that there are only a handfull of paintings in St. Peter’s Bascilica in Rome? The walls are covered with thumb-nail sized squares of marble…placed by hand into the most fantastic mosaics imaginable. Teeny tiny pieces of marble, used to create a masterpiece.
So, from Rome, back to Spain, where Ana and I were always on the lookout for tiny things to take pictures of, which made the trip even more fun. Thought I’d share a few of our pictures with you. Hope you enjoy!
Ana’s rooftop. The tiny socks belong to the baby who lives in the flat above her.
Guess whomever these beautiful whites belong to won’t mind my sharing them with you…
Pottery Ana and I found when we visited the White Villages of Ronda and Aracena. I left this half of the collection, as tiny a surprise for Ana to find after we were gone.
Feria Earrings,
Ana’s teeny tiny box collection
Ana’s beautiful pantry!
Seville storefront
Feria flowers,
and colorful accessories for the fair.
Arabic tile in Seville.
Sweeties galore!
Streets of hand-laid stones. I wish I’d taken a picture of the street we saw that was under construction, one stone at a time.
Teeny Tiny doorways everywhere!
More sweeties….I did NOT eat all of this!
Ana, what’s this fruit called, I can’t remember?? It was delicious!!
Ummmm, I think it’s caqui….is this a persimmon??
Beautiful babies, sliding their tiny feet in perfect rhythm with the float procession.
Beautiful Feria Dresses….this is where we bought tickets to the Flamenco show. It was amazing!!
A protest gathering in the Plaza del Sol in Madrid. The streets throughout Spain resonate with an incredibly passionate energy!
Bread…obv! This is where we went to buy our bread. Fresh and real….NO CORN! 🙂
Teeny tiny fish eye….up close!
A collection of pretty fishes at the market!
Still more sweeties Can you see the Boston Cream Pie looking thing on the top left shelf?! Crazy!
A collection of rabbits and birdies! Getting hungry?
Sardines at the market…
Beautiful, clean, white!
While I may look very much like a thief caught in the act, I’m really just getting money out of my pocket to pay for the bracelets in my hand….a multitude of teeny tiny things in this stand!
Lovely fresh carrots, oranges, and bananas
Needless to say, I came home craving fresh vegetables. The food in Spain was tremendously fresh and delicious….full of flavor and nutrition.
very nice photos jane – thanks for sharing these – jeffc
I love your photos Jane! I'm going to forward the email to friends and family so they can enjoy also. Great work (play)! Love, Nanc
Glad you enjoyed the pics! I sure enjoyed taking them! Wish I could post them all!
🙂 Jane
The author of teenytinypiecesoflife.blogspot.com has written an excellent article. You have made your point and there is not much to argue about. It is like the following universal truth that you can not argue with: The fact that things ever go right is so that things may go more spectacularly wrong later. Thanks for the info.
Enjoyed the pictures from Spain. Have always wanted to go. Some pieces (of our lives) are dull or even ugly and hard to look at when they stand alone, but when just teeny tiny pieces in the whole mosaic they contribute to the beauty of that whole, which would be incomplete without them. Like the idea.
Thanks Barbara.
I agree that in isolation some pieces are too difficult or too painful to even acknowledge. When I look at the pieces that line the path I’ve taken to this moment, sitting on the edge of my bed writing to you, I am so grateful for each of them. It’s funny, tho’, that when the shiny, brilliant pieces are all squished around the yucky ones…the yuck doesn’t seem quite so hard to stomach. Much gratitude. Thanks for the new perspective.
Keep moving forward, one tiny piece at a time.
Take good care!
Jane
The darker, less vibrant pieces give shading, depth and perspective to the mosaic. As long as we keep the vibrant ones in the forefront, the whole is a masterpiece to look at.
Liked the piece on pulling weeds. Interesting that you find balance and embrace the whizzing thoughts. I have a hard time clearing my head when I work on tasks that don’t require concentration. My head gets too full of ideas, and while I may get the weeds pulled I often miss the balance. A yoga instructor read a piece to us once about drinking a cup of tea. The writer said that when we wash the dishes we should not think about the cup of tea beside us, because when we drink the cup of tea we will be thinking about washing the dishes. I’ve never been able to clear my mind and taste the tea.
“The darker, less vibrant pieces give shading, depth and perspective to the mosaic. As long as we keep the vibrant ones in the forefront, the whole is a masterpiece to look at.”
You’re absolutely right. I used to tell my students, that if all the people in the world were alike, it’d be an incredibly boring place! Takes all shapes, sizes, and colors to make a beautiful mosaic!
The pieces in the big picture at the top of this post are actually a little larger than the really grand mosaics down on the main floor of St. Peters. (this pic was taken up in the rotunda…they used pieces that were a little larger up there) On the main floor, stepping only a few feet away from the mosaics…they looked like brilliant paintings. It was truly amazing! I kept forgetting that I was actually looking at tiny pieces of marble!
Lovely pictures!! I dream of re-visiting Spain, Italy, etc.
I spoke with Ana yesterday. It’s very hot in Seville, and she’s hoping to spend her summer in a cooler place. Spain was great fun, especially with my amazing Ana. This summer I’m looking forward to our trip to Glacier, so that will satisfy my travel bug for a time. 🙂
i love the photos dear jane!!!
love you
ana
I loved being there with you, and making so many beautiful memories!
Love you too,
Jane
Jane Rochelle recently posted..Wishcasting Wednesday- How do you wish to soar
What fun looking through your website again! I definitely see a swan in “chimayo pepper”. Just thought I’d mention that:) Nancy