Peter J. Spoerer

Peter J. Spoerer Peter J. Spoerer

The Last Supper, Ridolfo Ghirlandaio - Santa Maria degli Angeli Monastery, Florence°After visiting the Medici Museum in ...
12/11/2025

The Last Supper, Ridolfo Ghirlandaio - Santa Maria degli Angeli Monastery, Florence
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After visiting the Medici Museum in the Rotonda Chapel, which belongs to the monastery, I went a little further to visit the monastery itself, which is also part of the museum.
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This fresco, which I saw there, initially puzzled me, as it wasn’t easy to identify each individual “garland”. However, after some research, I found the information I was looking for.
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The work is by Ridolfo Ghirlandaio (born February 4, 1483, in Florence; died June 6, 1561, in Florence), son of Domenico Ghirlandaio.
He worked in Fra Bartolommeo’s workshop but later oriented himself more towards the style of Raphael, with whom he was friends.
The young Jacopo da Pontormo was among his assistants when he decorated the Ca****la dei Papi in the Dominican church of Santa Maria Novella in Florence.
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This fresco in Santa Maria degli Angeli in is an imitation of the famous work by Andrea del Sarto in San Salvi, Florence.
For me, Salvi’s work has a much stronger dynamism and interaction between the individual figures than this imitation by Ridolfo Ghirlandaio.

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Photos 1, 2, and 3: The Last Supper by Ridolfo Ghirlandaio, created in 1543, as noted in the inscription (Photo 3).
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Photo 4: A view into the courtyard of the Santa Maria degli Angeli Monastery.
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I wish you all a wonderful week!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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Power, Splendor, and the Family Pact. - Museo de’ Medici°A small museum founded in 2019 to commemorate the 500th anniver...
08/11/2025

Power, Splendor, and the Family Pact. - Museo de’ Medici
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A small museum founded in 2019 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the birth of Cosimo I and Caterina de’ Medici (both born in 1519) with the aim of preserving and passing on the memory of the Medici family. I visited this museum at the end of September during my last stay in Florence.
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It is located in the Rotonda degli Angeli chapel – a late work by Brunelleschi and part of the former Santa Maria degli Angeli monastery. - The building itself is a work of art.
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Photos 1 and 2: This magnificent dress, made of exquisite brocade interwoven with gold threads, the finest silk velvet, precious buttons, and richly decorated with ribbons and lace, is displayed in the Museo de’ Medici alongside a series of replicas of Medici garments from the 16th and 17th centuries.
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Photo 3: Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici (born August 11, 1667, in Florence; died February 18, 1743, in Florence).
The painting by Germanico Olandese (c. 1690) depicts the last member of the ruling Florentine line of the House of Medici in her youth, dressed in magnificent attire.
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After the death of her husband, Johann Wilhelm (“Jan Wellem”), Elector Palatine and an avid art collector, she returned to Florence from Düsseldorf in 1717.
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The Family Pact
In her last will and testament, Anna Maria Luisa de’ Medici bequeathed the Medici family’s personal property to the city of Florence – on the condition that it would never be removed from the city.
This property, which comprises the majority of Florence’s important art collections, remains largely in Florence today and can be viewed in the Uffizi Gallery, the Pitti Palace, and other museums.
The agreement laid the foundation for securing the extensive Grand Ducal art collection in Florence and the state of Tuscany, as well as for its use by tourists.
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I wish you all a relaxing weekend!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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The Dome°This trilogy began with a church and concludes with the photos of a church whose dome has always caught my eye....
06/11/2025

The Dome
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This trilogy began with a church and concludes with the photos of a church whose dome has always caught my eye.
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I’m currently on my way back from the Oltrarno district, on the other side of the Arno, where this church, San Frediano in Cestello, is located.
Today I wanted to take a closer look at this church. Unfortunately, it’s closed, and I’ll have to come back another time to see the inside.
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The baroque church is dedicated to Saint Ferdinand of Lucas, who later became Bishop of Lucca.
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Photos 1 and 2: The dome, visible from afar and decorated with frescoes inside, was completed in 1698.
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Photo 3: The view of the church from the Arno riverbank on the city side.
The facade remains unclad, revealing its raw masonry.
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I wish you all a pleasant Thursday and a pleasant rest of the week!
Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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Winter°A muscular, naked man of mature age stands on the Santa Trinita Bridge in Florence. This allegorical figure, repr...
03/11/2025

Winter
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A muscular, naked man of mature age stands on the Santa Trinita Bridge in Florence. This allegorical figure, representing winter, was created by Taddeo Ladini (c. 1561 – March 13, 1596).
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This figure was erected in 1608, along with depictions of the other three seasons, created by two other artists.
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Originally built as a wooden structure in 1252, the design of the current bridge is attributed to Bartolomeo Ammanati, likely influenced by drawings from Michelangelo.
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The bridge is a work of art in its own right and is considered the oldest basket-arch bridge in the world. Its innovative arch construction achieves a previously unattainable low profile.
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After being destroyed by retreating German troops on August 4, 1944, the bridge was rebuilt in the same style between 1952 and 1958. The four statues were recovered from the river, although the head of the Spring statue wasn’t found until 1961.
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I’ve often walked across this bridge and admired these statues.
This time, I decided to do some more research.
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I wish you a pleasant Monday and a great start to a happy new week.
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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Ognissanti, Florence, Italy°I cross the Amerigo Vespucci Bridge to the Church of Ognissanti (actually Chiesa di San Salv...
01/11/2025

Ognissanti, Florence, Italy
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I cross the Amerigo Vespucci Bridge to the Church of Ognissanti (actually Chiesa di San Salvatore in Ognissanti).
The church was built in 1251 by the Humiliati as part of a monastery complex. It also houses the Vespucci family chapel.
However, Amerigo Vespucci is not buried there, but in Spain.
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As I walk along the riverbank, I catch a glimpse of the Pescaia di Santa Rosa weir.
This weir was also built by the Humiliati, a lay order that produced wool and glass products to better utilize water power for the fulling mills.
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In Ognissanti, I also wanted to visit Botticelli again, who, according to his wishes, wanted to find his final resting place here as close as possible to the beautiful Simonetta Vespucci, whom he greatly admired.
The exact location of Simonetta’s burial in Ognisanti is apparently unclear.
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Photo 1 and 2: Part of the facade of the Ognisanti church, which was completely renovated and clad with trusses in 1872. The former Medici coat of arms was replaced by the fleur-de-lis of the city of Florence, which financed the renovation.
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Photo 3: Domenico Ghirlandaio, San Girolamo (Saint Jerome) 1490
His piercing gaze is directed at the viewer, who is trying to take his picture with their mobile phone, and I am observing and documenting this scene.
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Photo 4: Sandro Botticelli, Sant’Agostino (Saint Augustine) 1480
The saint is interrupted while writing by a dream vision. The written words are illegible, except for one line. It reads: “Where is Brother Martin? He has fled. And where has he gone? And out through the Porta al Prato.” Presumably a playful allusion to the escapades of a monk, showing that Botticelli also had a sense of humor.
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Photo 5: Giotto, Crucifix, circa 1310-15 - Giotto’s fascinating work
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Photo 6: Taddeo Gaddi, Crucifixion with Saints, circa 1350 (Detail)
The fresco is part of the decoration of the sacristy, which was built around the mid-14th century.
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I wish you all a relaxing weekend!
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Photos: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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The Gateway to Chianti°After a few hours in Florence’s city center, I’m glad to be heading back up to the hills above th...
25/10/2025

The Gateway to Chianti
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After a few hours in Florence’s city center, I’m glad to be heading back up to the hills above the city.
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In the morning, mist rises over the pine forests. It’s still late summer, and shades of green dominate the scene.
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Living on the hills and enjoying the sweeping view is a wonderful feeling.
It’s probably also because I grew up in a similar environment and I really like the sweeping views over the landscape.
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I’m south of Florence. The area is also called the „Gateway to Chianti“ - the famous wine region.
This photo was taken a few weeks ago at the end of September.
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I wish you all a relaxing weekend!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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Postcards from Florence°While the hills of Florence were tranquil and quiet, the city was crowded with tourists.°Previou...
20/10/2025

Postcards from Florence
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While the hills of Florence were tranquil and quiet, the city was crowded with tourists.
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Previously I had seen rather small groups of tourists, led by a tourist guide and visiting the well-known places, but this September the groups were more the size of a large school class. I was amazed.
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I spoke to some tourists and they told me that they would only be in the city for a few hours because a cruise ship was waiting for them to continue their journey.
As we know that Florence is not located on the sea, some of us had already had long bus journeys and had to take them again to get back to the ship (e.g. to La Spezia).
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Others were on a bus tour and only had a few hours in the city and then continued their „Grand Tour” at a fast pace.
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“Don’t buy anything, don’t eat anything!” - Was the ironic comment of a restaurant owner who complained about poor business even though the city seemed to be groaning under the mass of tourists.
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Time for me to retreat back to the countryside and enjoy the peace and quiet or take the side streets, away from the ant trails of mass tourism.
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In the photos I show you city shots from both sides of the Arno.
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Above the hills of the city you can see the Forte di Belvedere (often simply called Belvedere),
Built 1590-1595 by Grand Duke Ferdinand I of Tuscany to secure and demonstrate Medici rule over the city.
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I wish you all a good start into the new week!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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Rolling hills°It’s still early in the morning. Mist lies over the pine trees and rolling hills.°It’s the end of Septembe...
18/10/2025

Rolling hills
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It’s still early in the morning. Mist lies over the pine trees and rolling hills.
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It’s the end of September. I am a little south of Florence and live at the “Gateway to Chianti” as the city in Tuscany is called and have a beautiful view over the rolling Tuscan hills.
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The variety of different shades of green in the pine trees, olive trees and other vegetation inspires me.
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Later I drive into the city and treat myself to the fun of not taking the highway, but rather the small, narrow streets, which are sometimes so narrow and steep that I hardly think it’s possible.
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I then pray every time that no car is coming towards me because sometimes there are only a few places on the side of the road where I can stop and avoid the oncoming vehicle.
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But it always works somehow and it really is a special kind of adventure.
I am rewarded by the wonderful landscape through which I drive and which always amazes me with its beauty.
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I wish you all a pleasant Friday!
Enjoy autumn!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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Roses in Chiaroscuro and Moroni in the collection of the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo °The painter Giovan Battista Moron...
07/10/2025

Roses in Chiaroscuro and Moroni in the collection of the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo
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The painter Giovan Battista Moroni was originally the reason why I became aware of the collection of the Accademia Carrara and had long wanted to visit this museum.
Moroni was born in Albino (Bergamo) in 1521/1524 and died there in 1579/1580.
In previous years I had been to Albino a few times to visit a well-known weaving mill without knowing about this connection at the time.
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Photo 1) I was out early that day and while I was waiting for the museum to open, I took photos of the roses in the small green area in the square in front of the museum.
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Photo 2) A mysterious painting by Moroni. The inscription under the painting indicates that the young man depicted is 29 years old and the painting was created in 1567.
It is one of my favorite paintings by Moroni and one of the reasons to see more of this collection.
Giovan Battista Moroni, Portrait of a Twenty-Nine-Year-Old Gentleman (1567), Detail, oil on canvas
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Photo 3) A very unusual painting, depicting a girl of about four or five years old, whose name is unknown. Dressed in a dress made of valuable brocade fabric and jewelry, she looks at the viewer with her childlike eyes, which also express her concentration and patience but also a certain pride in belonging and her future role in Bergamo society. What is particularly unusual for this time is that the child is depicted alone.
Giovan Battista Moroni, Portrait of a Girl of the Redetti Family (1570 - 1573), Detail, oil on canvas
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Photo 4) The roses in the sunshine in the shade of a tree, which creates these light and dark contrasts that always fascinate me.
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I hope you all had a good start to the new week yesterday!
I wish you a nice day!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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The Accademia Carrara in Bergamo °I had repeatedly seen photos of paintings from this important collection, especially t...
04/10/2025

The Accademia Carrara in Bergamo
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I had repeatedly seen photos of paintings from this important collection, especially those by Moroni, who was born not far from Bergamo and whose portraits fascinate me.
My expectations of the collection were exceeded during my visit!
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Whenever I’m in the area I will visit this museum again and again.
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In addition to Moroni, the collection includes important works by Botticelli, Bellini, Lotto, Mantegna, Raphael, Moroni, Tiepolo, Canaletto, to name just a few of the most famous names.
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The private collection of Count Giacomo Carrara, a patron and collector, was opened to the public for the first time in 1793. After his death he left the city of Bergamo a generous inheritance.
From the beginning, Count Giacomo Carrara wished that drawing and painting courses should also take place at this location.
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The school is now housed in its own nearby building. Since 1988 it has been expanded into a state-recognized Accademia di Belle Arti (Academy of Fine Arts).
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In 1991, the Galleria d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea (GAMEC), a modern and contemporary art gallery, was added to the museum. It is housed in a building opposite the neoclassical headquarters, a former women’s monastery that has now been restored.
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Photo 1) In 1810 a new building was built in neoclassical forms based on a design by the architect Simone Elia, a student of Leopoldo Pollack.
Here we see a section of the facade of the entrance area to the museum.
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Photo 2) Bust of Count Giacomo Carrara, who is credited as the builder.
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I wish you all a wonderful Saturday and a relaxing weekend!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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Accademia Carrara, Bergamo °Photo1:While I was waiting in front of the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo early in the morning...
02/10/2025

Accademia Carrara, Bergamo
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Photo1:
While I was waiting in front of the Accademia Carrara in Bergamo early in the morning until the museum opened its doors, I sat in the shade and photographed the beautiful roses
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The private collection of Count Giacomo Carrara was opened to the public for the first time in 1793.
Today the collection contains many important paintings by well-known artists such as Pisanello, Botticelli, Bellini, Lotto, Mantegna, Raphael, Moroni, Palma Giovane, Baschenis, Fra Galgario, Tiepolo, Canaletto and Piccio. A museum that I will visit again and again. I have selected only a few details of portraits here.
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Photo 2: Lorenzo Lotto, Venezia, 1480 - Loreto (Ancona) 1556/1557, Portrait of a Young Man 1498 - 1500 circa, oil on panel (Detail)
An early work by Lorenzo Lotto. A young man who looks at the viewer dreamily and enigmatically. Influences of Venice and Flemish painting.
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Photo3: Altobello Melone Cremona, 1490/1491 - ante 1543, Portrait of a Gentleman, 1513 circa, oil on panel (Detail)
A fixed gaze is directed at an invisible horizon. Two hikers can be seen in the stormy background. An enigmatic painting that allows many interpretations.
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Photo4: Sandro Botticelli (Alessandro Filipepi), Firenze, 1445 circa - 1510, Portrait of Giuliano de Medici, 1478 - 1480 circa, tempera and oil on panel, unvollendetes Gemälde (Detail)
Lorenzo the Magnificent wanted to celebrate his brother Giuliano, who was murdered in the Pazzi conspiracy in 1478, as a martyr. Judging by the expression, the facial features could have been taken from the death mask.
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Photo5: The roses in color. These photos were taken in early summer 2024. - My favorite time of year.
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I wish you all a wonderful Thursday!
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Photo: Peter J. Spoerer © – All rights reserved
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