Thursday Challenge—"hard"

This is hard on a couple of levels.
First, all that stone—
but mainly because this is the "children's
section" of the graveyard at
San Miniato al Monte, in Florence. Little
Luigi was only 3 when he died almost
60 years ago. His gravestone says:
"Don't cry for him. Eyes extinguished on
earth sparkle in heaven with light
and so much happiness."

[To see more of the Thursday 
Challenge, visit Dale's meme.]

Thursday Challenge—"hard"

Mom and Dad were having fun, but their little girl
was still pretty unsteady on her blades.  My
father first brought me here to the Rockefeller Center 
rink when I was 4 years old, and I quickly learned two things:
Ice-skating is hard—and so is that ice!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends—

[To see more of the Thursday Photo
Challenge, visit Dale's meme.]

Thursday Challenge—"hard"

I understand they've now found some things that are
harder than a diamond—but surely not as pretty.
I inherited this stone from my wonderful
mother-in-law, but had it taken out of 
an old-fashioned silver setting and remounted
by a jeweler in Florence, Italy—where
they know a thing or two about gold.
(I think my MIL would love it.)

[To see more of the Thursday Photo
Challenge, visit Dale's meme.]

Thursday Challenge — "hard"

I recently visited the Museum of Natural History,
where I found this hard thing:  It's the Star of India,
a 563-carat star sapphire that was donated to
the museum in 1901 by J. P. Morgan.  It was stolen
 in 1964 (at which time it was uninsured and "protected" by
an alarm with a dead battery!).  The thief was caught, the gem
recovered (from a locker in a Miami bus station), and
I assume they've taken better care of this treasure since then.
[To see more of this challenge, go here.]