20 March 2008

love thursday: love notes on a cactus

Last year at this time, some of you were disturbed when I posted Scribblings on a Seawall–love notes written in Catanzaro Lido. Yes, graffiti has a tendency to annoy me too.

Well hang on to your virtual hats.

Here’s another creative expression of love, on a cactus in the ruins of Tindari:

Cactus love graffiti at Tindari, Sicily

This cactus was *huge* and absolutely covered in love notes.

Disturbing, sure, (the poor cactus!) but it certainly made me think of my P waiting (impatiently) for me at home while my travel buddy and I vagabonded about . . . reminding me once again that love is all around.

Happy Love Thursday everyone!

Related posts:

  1. love thursday: nurturing my travel lovebug
  2. love thursday:
    tomato love
  3. love thursday:
    tokens of love
  4. love thursday: hearts in palermo
  5. love thursday: how to make a cappuccino with love

  • 24 beans of wisdom »

  • 24 beans of wisdom to “love thursday: love notes on a cactus”

    1. My Melange on 20 Mar 2008 at 12:22 pm #

      Awww, too cute!! I wonder how much blood was shed from cactus needles poking the artists????

      My Melange’s last blog post..Meme, Meme and More Memes

      Hah! These people suffered for their love!

    2. cheeky on 20 Mar 2008 at 1:11 pm #

      Love is everywhere …………………..and so is graffiti apparently.
      Glad it made you think of P. Isn’t that nice.
      Happy Love Thursday.
      xo

      cheeky’s last blog post..Bush By Foot

      Yes, but I didn’t think of carving anything ;)

    3. stefanie on 20 Mar 2008 at 2:55 pm #

      Oh! Poor cactus indeed! But it is a lovely sentiment.

      stefanie’s last blog post..Happy Birthday to Me

      And think of all the youngsters carrying sharp objects to do it!

    4. Geggie on 20 Mar 2008 at 3:12 pm #

      Poor cactus is right! Living in AZ for 10 years taught me to never touch a cactus. First, they can hurt and second, in the case of the saguaro cactus it’s against the law!!! You have to get a special permit to move one if you’re building a house. And if you vandalize it, you get a fine. I heard once about one getting hit in a car accident and to add insult to injury, the person driving the car was fined for damaging the cactus!

      Geggie’s last blog post..You Like Me…

      Ouch. Talk about insult to injury…really!

    5. Karina on 20 Mar 2008 at 3:37 pm #

      I think it’s kind of sweet! Besides, cacti are very resillient plants. ;-)

      Karina’s last blog post..Spring Fling - Thursday Thirteen #47

      This one seemed to be doing just fine even though it was covered in love ;)

    6. Dory on 20 Mar 2008 at 3:51 pm #

      Isn’t that funny? I mean, really… who looks at a cactus and thinks *Hmm… I’m going to write on that!* ?? I

      Dory’s last blog post..I’m so proud of her!

      You’re underestimating some Italians’ love of graffiti ;)

    7. jen of a2eatwrite on 20 Mar 2008 at 3:59 pm #

      Awwwweeeee…. I love that!

      jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..Because times are hard…

      So glad to hear it Jen :)

    8. Fran on 20 Mar 2008 at 4:26 pm #

      I was amazed by this also! We were at temple ruins and I wanted to photograph the cactus because they are so large and had a hard time finding one without the graffiti.

      I had never seen this in my Italian travels before Fran and just couldn’t resist a photo for Love Thursday ;)

    9. Anali on 20 Mar 2008 at 4:42 pm #

      I took some pictures of graffiti recently too. It does seem to be everywhere. Happy Love Thursday Michelle!

      Anali’s last blog post..John Adams - The House

      Some graffiti just screams to be photographed I think. Hope you’re having a lovely LT yourself :)

    10. Shalet on 20 Mar 2008 at 6:34 pm #

      This reminds me of the via dell’amore in the Cinque Terre! Happy Love Thursday!

      Shalet’s last blog post..Love Thursday

      I have been there, but it sure sounds like a fun place ;)

    11. Bluestocking on 20 Mar 2008 at 6:36 pm #

      That is so wierd! And very disturbing! I can’t believe they would destroy the beauty of the flower like that!!

      I know. I thought it was pretty odd myself…I mean walls are one thing, but plants? Where do we draw (hah!) the line?

    12. nyc/caribbean ragazza on 20 Mar 2008 at 7:50 pm #

      Happy Love Thursday to you as well.

      I have seen the same thing while hiking in Temescal Canyon in Malibu. I always wondered how people carve things into cacti without getting hurt.

      nyc/caribbean ragazza’s last blog post..Happpy Birthday to my brother.

      Yeah, it does seem to require some real, um, dexterity?

    13. Anne on 20 Mar 2008 at 8:01 pm #

      Love is all around. That is a very novel way of proclaiming love!!!

      I have tagged you, please look at my blog…thank you.

      Anne’s last blog post..Have you ever been TAGGED..I have now…

      Isn’t it though? Fun tag, thanks :)

    14. Janet on 20 Mar 2008 at 8:57 pm #

      Hopefully the cactus gave as good as it got :-)

      Hah! I love that Janet!

    15. Tammy on 20 Mar 2008 at 9:36 pm #

      Cactus are tough and I think it’s romantic. Happy Love Thursday!

      Tammy’s last blog post..Thursday Love - Shutter Sisters

      Thanks for coming by Tammy :)

    16. bonggamom on 20 Mar 2008 at 9:42 pm #

      We all know about carving initials on a tree, but on a cactus?? Was there nothing less painful to write on? :)

      bonggamom’s last blog post..A little Quid Pro Bro

      Well you know, I suppose it *is* better than writing on the ruins! But yes, there must’ve been something else ;)

    17. Wanderlust Scarlett on 20 Mar 2008 at 11:02 pm #

      Sharp love… how strange, but then… love makes us do strange things, does it not? Is there anything else that makes us lose our minds like love?

      No.

      I suppose that’s like wearing your heart on your sleeve… but not.

      ;o)

      Scarlett & Viaggiatore

      Wanderlust Scarlett’s last blog post..Write about that!

      Hmm actually the displaying love on a cactus is a great metaphor…some painful times, but if you work past them, you can end up with something beautiful?

      And if cacti had sleeves….

    18. kacey on 21 Mar 2008 at 12:25 am #

      Okay, now THAT is unusual. I have to say I’ve never seen graffiti on a cactus!! Very strange…

      kacey’s last blog post..YouYou MeMe

      I’m with you Kacey; I thought it was a unique spot for graffiti too.

    19. Paolo on 21 Mar 2008 at 1:13 am #

      Also… who ever heard of a Sicilian named “Deborah?”

      Paolo’s last blog post..Roberto Saviano meets Donnie Brasco

      OK I swear I’m not being a smart ass (far be it from me); P’s niece (who was born in Messina) is named Deborah. FWIW, I thought it was pretty weird when he first told me that as I had never, ever heard that as an Italian name.

      Anyway, the weirdest thing about the cactus graffiti overall is that many, if not most of the names weren’t obviously Italian…so it seems other nationalities have gotten in the action too….

    20. Odessa on 21 Mar 2008 at 1:31 am #

      that’s kind of cute - in a weird way. but cute nonetheless. :)

      p.s. thanks for sharing your vagabonding pics!

      Odessa’s last blog post..breathe

      Hah, thanks Odessa, and it’s always a pleasure to share photos :)

    21. Gil on 21 Mar 2008 at 7:43 am #

      Early in our marriage we were visiting my wife’s sister in California and my Dear Old Wife got caught by a Muir’s Woods park warden trying to carve our initials! I don’t know which lecture was worse the warden’s or her mother’s!!!

      But it’s a darn good story ;)

    22. shaz on 21 Mar 2008 at 12:34 pm #

      cute! i feel kinda sad for the cactus, but it’s cute. :) happy love thursday (or friday!) happy weekend!! :)

      shaz’s last blog post..Life sucks and then you die

      Thanks for stopping by Shaz!

    23. Shelli on 21 Mar 2008 at 9:27 pm #

      Poor cactus, yes! But lucky you to find such a find! Happy (belated) Love Thursday to you!

      Thanks for stopping by Shelli!

    24. Coleen on 23 Mar 2008 at 3:18 am #

      Hi Michelle,
      I still haven’t received an email from you. I’m wondering if it’s picking it up as spam? Strange!?
      Anyhow, please try again and see if it works.

      HAPPY EASTER!

      Coleen’s last blog post..Just In Time For Easter

      Coleen, I tried again from a different email address; hopefully that one got to you….

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