Bathtub Marys and a New Header

Growing up in a Kosher-Catholic household in New Jersey, (mom's family were practicing when convenient Jews and dad's family were staunch Roman Catholics -- no one does guilt like me) I was surrounded by a bathtub Jesus or bathtub Mary or any number of saints that were important to the homeowner in our neighborhood.  These little front yard shrines were often decorated with the finest plastic artificial flowers you could buy at the local 5 & 10 cent store and always decorated with big, gaudy Christmas lights during the Advent/Christmas season and covered in purple during the Lenten season.  

I always wondered what possessed my neighbors and my dad to sink a bathtub into a yard and place a statue of Jesus or His Blessed Mother or St. Francis in it.  Usually a big, gazing ball was on  a pedestal near it...again, I had my questions.  Nobody seemed to have the answer to why and its purpose other then be told I should go out and hose the dirt off our shrine and replace the flowers.  Dad only placed live flowers in our bathtub Mary so I was kept busy all year 'round.

Flash forward nearly 50 years and I'm in Italy visiting my granddaughter and we are walking around Vicenza and then Florence and what do I see but street shrines to the Blessed Virgin, Jesus and a myriad of saints.  Everywhere, in little grottos and frames. My answer to "why a bathtub Mary" was answered.  Nearly every street corner or residential area had a small grotto or shrine filled with flowers and other personally placed items.

My sweet granddaughter in front of the street shrine outside her home in Vicenza.

A lovely shrine high on top of a local building upheld by cherubs.

A local residential street grotto.

Notice the bathtub shape.  This is where the use of a bathtub sunk into the ground would become an artificial grotto for Mary and Jesus throughout America.  I was beginning to understand the correlation.  Italian and German immigrants brought their Catholic beliefs with them and set up grotto shrines with what they could find in America.  A bathtub sunk into the ground halfway became an instant grotto.

Painting shrines abound everywhere as well.  I am fond of this one as it reminds me of a cameo upheld by a cherub.  Lovely. 

As I strolled around the streets of Vincenza I would find these shrines on nearly every street corner and always with some sort of lighting for the night.  They all brought a comforting smile to me and I liked the feeling of knowing that their was a good soul watching those who passed by.   This feeling of safety is only enhanced by the lighting at night which lights the corners and alleyways ensuring safe passage.

A shrine in the wall of a large residence.

A painting shrine high above the local street.

Am I now ready to run out and sink a bathtub in my front yard. eeehhhhhh, not so much.  But I would put a wall shrine on the side of my residence. 

  You may have also noticed that I just changed my header again and is a photo of a young, Big Eye Squirrel fish.  I like these fishes as they look like the punk rockers of the sea.  Large, spiney mohawks and big eyes and a brilliant orange and silver body. 

This image from Art.com

They go by other names but are most commonly known as the squirrel fish because of their big eyes and they make a chirping sound like a squirrel.  The header shot was taken about 10 feet of distance from the fish so I was unable to capture the brilliant orange color of the body.  (no flash unit yet)  Still, the blue overtone lends itself nicely to the background for the blog. 
Blessings to you all on this lovely day and wishing all those who practice a peaceful Passover and Easter.  Sea Witch