August 15, 2013 Photo of the day: "Hail Mary"

Today is the Feast of the Assumption, The Feast of Mary, Maria, Marie. Like so many women, my middle name is Marie. I was named after my maternal grandmother, Marie Adele, and of course, after the Blessed Mother. I didn't actually take this photo today; I took it in April while visiting Cimiez in Nice. I was exploring the gardens and the cemetery where Henri Matisse is buried when it began to rain. I sought shelter in the covered courtyard of the convent where the peace was palpable. Amid the cobblestones and potted plants, I spotted a small, weathered statue of the Blessed Mother. I quickly snapped this photo and remember thinking that this would be a great photo for August 15th, the Feast of Mary, La Fête de la Sainte Marie, and my own fête (name day). Happy Feast Day to my fellow Marian namesakes!