Weekend Wonderful

 The days of drizzle seemed to have passed and this morning marked the start of what promises to be a return to Spring and lovely days of Umbria. We're happy to still have time to enjoy it. And, a day to hang out the freshly laundered sheets. Without a dryer, it takes a very long time for clothes to achieve what you might call a state of "dryness", so this truly is a day to rejoice.

Not far from our apartment, located at a "bella terrazza panoramica" is the tiny church of Santa Margherita. Having completed all of our domestic duties in preparation for having lunch guests this afternoon, we went down for the 9:30 Mass (in Italian). A cappuccino at a local favorite spot and a hike back up to pick up a few groceries, complete with a vocabulary tune-up. I really find it hard to know where to hit the accent on an Italian word and if hit at the wrong place, the word is totally wrong and nobody understands anybody. So, "parsley" is "Pret-ZEE-mow-low" I learned. Not prezze-molo. I enjoy making errors because for me, it's a way to learn. The proprietor didn't have any in his "alimentari" anyway

The weekend started with a visit to the "Palazzo Dei Priori" on Friday evening. Inside, the Galleria Le Logge was the setting for the opening of a beautiful show entitled "Shine on Japan". The artist, Francesco Mazzi has done magnificent work using mixed metallics that, under the correct light angle, radiate or shine. Friday was the opening, the artist and his Japanese wife had time to spend with the guests and we toured each work of art with his expert guidance.  He explained that he has lived in Japan for seventeen years and after showing pictures of his atelier, he presented us with a copy of his book. And, then, the Mayor came and it was her turn to get all of his attention. So much for us. 

https://youtu.be/y2DyfWgfDh8

Last night, another show.....this time, the "Concerto Basilica Regia", a free and heart-stopping concert in the Upper Basilica of San Francesco, marking the anniversary of the dedication of the Basilica. Concerts here don't usually get underway until nine o'clock at the earliest, allowing people to have dinner before starting out. We had stopped in and made reservations days ahead, at a cozy trattoria which was on the way and, to our surprise, there actually was a table waiting for us...."Guiseppe!" We weren't sure the waiter had written it down but he had in fact and what followed was a very nice meal before the concert. It was Bach. The "Missa Soleminis" and "The Magnificat". And, it was very, very, very beautiful. I mean, knock your socks off gorgeous. 

This is a photo of the Upper Basilica:

This is the Concerto Basilica Regia......

https://youtu.be/upKsIM6i8vI

What's next? 

Calling All Creatives

On last Thursday morning, I had the pleasure, and I do mean "pleasure" of sharing time and space with a young woman who I met here for the first time in 2018 during the International collective exhibition of Literary, Visual and Performing Arts, an exhibition that she puts together several times a year at the Palazzo Dei Priori in the Piazza del Comune. The exhibition showcases the work done by people from all over the globe who come to her residences in pursuit of the atmosphere  for their creative work.

Not only did I want to find out more about the residency programs for myself and for sharing with other Creatives, but I wanted to know more about Marina Merli, the hows and whys of her venture. A nicer and more refined young woman, you will never meet.

Over coffee, she explained that she and her parents are native Assisiani. She's an only child and is happily sharing her life with her retired parents now. Her education, at the University of Perugia, was in Economics with a focus on tourism. From that, she built her dream. Tourism in a very niche market. Her first venue, in 2008,was in the part of Assisi that is away from the old center, up in Mount Subasio Regional Park. There, she created a "community" known as "Arte Studio Ginestrelle", catering to groups of artists and writers. In 2012  It became difficult for the family to continue operating such a large property so she scaled it down and now runs a small private Writing and Arts Residence.  The first of the two, built in the early XIV century, t is located on the first floor of a building that is adjacent to the Church of Santa Maria delle Rose, in the most ancient part of Assisi, a few steps away from the Cathedral of Assisi, San Rufino. One can only imagine the bliss that comes from sitting down to write here, where once a Roman Temple (I century B.C.) stood. Can it be more ideal? The whole apartment is "empty" of objects. Walls are bare. Minimal furnishings, all made by Italian craftsmen, create an atmosphere that allows creatives to focus and slowly immerse into what Marina refers to as "the authentic spirit of this ancient site". 

After showing me the residence at Santa Maria della Rosa (which, by the way, is the location of the now defunct church of the same name that houses the beautiful collection of wooden Madonnas for which it has become famous, we went on to her second residence on the Via San Rufino. This one, located off the main (narrow) street, is accessed through a set of door off of a flower-lined ascending pathway. It could not be more fitting a place for artists with the shop "A.Gallo Colors" located just downstairs. "A.Gallo" is the little flagship store that sells watercolor paints that are mulled by hand, in Assisi, using a traditional recipe of raw pigments, gum arabic from the acacia senegal tree, local honey from Umbria and essential oil. The result is a highly pigmented and exceptional range of colors. Needless to say, I am the proud owner of a few already. 

When it was time to part, we promised each other that we would keep in touch and of course, I asked for more details on applying for a residency and......is there a "Friends and Family" place on the list. You know that book I might just write someday?????

Calendimaggio!

The Calendimaggio of Assisi (sometimes also transcribed Kalendimaggio ) is a festival that is celebrated every first Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday after May 1st of every year, to greet the arrival of spring . The two Parts into which the city is divided, the Nobilissima Parte de Sopra and the Magnifica Parte de Sotto , compete for the conquest of the palio , through the development of processions in medieval costumes ( circa 13th century - mid 15th century), recited scenes of re-enactment of medieval life in the alleys of the city and musical performances: the winning party is decided by a jury, made up of internationally renowned experts, that is, a historian, a musicologist and a personality from the world of entertainment. ^[1]

So, that's the Wikipedia version.  Wanna hear mine? 

The Calendimaggio of Assisi is, and always will be, one of the best memories of my life.  

We started on Wednesday afternoon, standing on the sidelines and watching, for the entire afternoon, as just about every single resident of the town of Assisi, their children, mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers, dressed in the most gorgeous  of medieval costumes, took part in a big or small way, in the fantastic celebration. Drums, trumpets, horses, riders, young, old. Procession after procession, pageantry, tradition, pride, joy, laughter, smiles and one gorgeous way to welcome the Spring. The contest between the upper part of the city and the lower. But oh, so much more.

And, we were there. 

Yesterday, we returned for more.  This time, I had the pure joy of meeting up with my dear friend Isabel, a resident of Assisi.  She and I have been friends ever since the first day, in 2018, when I entered the cafe at which she worked as a barista, and sat, writing my blog at 7AM.....every day....for a month. I nicknamed her "Sam Malone" because after a while, it occurred to me that Cafe il Duomo and the Cheers Bar in Boston has so much in common. I was saddened the next year, when I returned and she did not. A better job lured her away but the things that drew us together have kept us in touch and, despite a twenty five year age difference, we still enjoy our times together. So, yesterday, my dear buddy made sure that la signora got a front row view (she can be aggressive), and, armed with a few Aperol Spritz, we did Day Two of this glorious event. Again, processions, drummers, beautiful prospective Madonne di Primavera and skilled archers, sportsmen and musicians.  I don't think I have smiled as much in a very long time. To say I was thrilled would be an understatement.  It was amazing and it isn't even over yet. 

Tomorrow is our big day. We have tickets. We get to sit down and see it all. This has been on my bucket list, that's a fact. But, I never anticipated that my heart would burst in the way that it did. After two years of the Pandemic, two years of cancelled Calendimaggio, the crowd was ripe and ready for a good time and, the Italians were never slackers when it came to a good party. 

Breath of Umbria

 If I could find a better place to sit and write, I would surely have to be dead. And that is because I would be in Heaven and from where I am now sitting, I believe that the living of a good and righteous life would be well worth the wait.  We're at an Agriturismo, a few miles from where we had planned to be right now up until the day before we departed. Our friend and usual landlord in Assisi, informed us that our apartment was without heat or hot water and, just like home.....he could not even get an answer from his plumber on his telefonino. So, he offered very kindly to apply our payment to this glorious place, owned by a business associate, outside of the hilltop town. I'm still taking it all in. It's Umbria and it's Spring. Even the roses are in bloom. 

After two days of travel and sleep deprivation, we arrived in Rome early yesterday morning. (Oh, how we miss the direct flights of the now-defunct Alitalia). Our United Airlines flights were superb however. Brand new planes, lovely service with an easy check in. Not one word was asked concerning our Covid status.  For all anyone knew, we could have been sick as two and a half dogs. Both Logan and Newark airports were bustling with un-masked travelers who didn't seem to have known that the past two years were obliterated from the face of the Earth. It wasn't until we boarded our plane to Rome that face masking, specifically the horribly uncomfortable N-95 version, were enforced. This is only because the "Italian Government" demands this with the insistence that masks remain on during the entire flight except for meal consumption. Anything after the meal, mask, sip, mask, sip.  To make this even more amusing, upon arrival at the Rome airport (by the way, it's Leonardo Da Vinci Airport IN Fiumicino), we saw lots of sip, sip, no mask and very few travelers and/or employees seemed to know about the Pandemic. We, of course, kept our noses and mouths covered because we will, at this writing, still be required to Covid test before returning, as ridiculous as all this sounds. 

I have so many sensual reminders of Italy. Sights. Smells. And, sounds. Perhaps the one about which I dream most is that unique noise that is created by the quick marriage of a china saucer as it is placed on a marble countertop awaiting the arrival of its beautiful mate, the beloved and adored cappuccino. Cappuccino should always and only be offered in such a vessel. A paper cup filled with what passes for "cappuch" is not the damned same and you will never catch one in my hands. Nor will you ever find myself or my husband arriving at the airport and not having a cup before we do anything else. Car rentals can wait. The rest of the entire world can wait, but we have our priorities and we hold them sacred. Arrival in Italy means living Italian from the moment we get here. And we're here now so as I sit outdoors now, listening to church bells ringing in the distance (never very far in any distance for this sound), I am going to finish my second glorious cappuch and breathe. Just breathe.

Just breathe.

ilcanticodisanfrancesco.it

Ancora, Andiamo

 Third time's a charm!  The months are waning down to days and we're finally gathering our rosebuds in preparation for our departure and return to Italy one week from Monday.

I can hardly believe my fingers as they type this. We, like so many others before us, were thwarted in our plans not once, but twice. The Pandemic robbed us of two visits and now, we're owed back, big time.

Our current plans will find us in Assisi for only a few days but we're looking forward to them as a baby does to a lollipop. We're waiting to embrace friends, to do the most mundane of things like grocery shopping, that make us happy. We can't wait to hear our suitcases roll along cobblestones, to once again hear the clinking of glass bottles as they are picked up by the refuse department and dumped into tiny trucks at ungodly hours of the mornings. To reside in peace and all that is well.

Our Italian journey will have new adventures as we take off for parts yet unknown to us. A first trip to Puglia, stopping off in Abruzzo for an authentic meal before finding our way to Martina Franca where we will hopefully rest and savor all that the province has to offer. 

Along the way, we will be planning our next visit, a longer stay that will include a big birthday party.

But for now, I look forward to having inspiration and incentive again. On one of my trips, as she dropped me off at the airport bus, my dear friend Lois handed me a beautiful little journal book. A hug and a few last words....."write it all down".  

This time, once again, a blank journal and a promise. I will. Again.

Pace e bene

\

The Peace Bell

''This encounter at Assisi is an act of penance. . . . Either we learn to walk together in peace and harmony or we drift apart and ruin ourselves and others,"

These were the words of Pope John Paul II, spoken in an unprecedented address in Assisi, Italy on "The World Day of Peace",  October 27, 1986. Not coincidentally, it was the birthday of St. Francis of Assisi. 

Gathered together, in unity, along with Pope John Paul, were leaders of the World's 12 main religious groups. All, at his invitation. Truly a day that will always be remembered as one of harmony, peace and mutual respect. Only the actual physical presence of Francis would have made this more of an occasion for the history books.  

This glorious monument, the Peace Bell, stands in the Bosco di San Francesco, one of our favorite places in Assisi.  Quite possibly, one of our favorite all time, anywhere places.  Blissfully, we've hiked the Bosco several times and if you were to ask us to describe Paradise on Earth, surely my husband and I, in unison, would pronounce the Bosco to be the answer.

So, with all that there could possibly be to reflect upon at this moment in our own history, my thoughts come back to the Bosco, the Peace Bell.  I've stood there and breathed in the forest air, listened to the soft sounds of woodland birds and taken in with my eyes and heart, the carpets of growth which have welcomed our footsteps.  

Each day, when I consider my gratitude, I always, always remember places like the Bosco.  I never take peace for granted, nor do I assume that everyone in this world will honor the codes of respect for the beliefs of others and their pursuit of righteousness, whatever that may entail. 

One day, oh how I hope it will be one day soon, we will return to Assisi and when we do, we will start a new series of hikes in the Bosco.  Our recovery from the virus that now threatens us so vehemently will, in large, depend upon our willingness to respect first ourselves and then, others.  

Assisi on My Mind

Yesterday, there was sunshine and warmth all day.  The sky was blue and our outdoor fitness class was pure joy underneath that gorgeous top of cloudless perfection. The rest of the day progressed in sunshine and as we drove off on our way to one of our favorite beach walks, we passed through our condo property and onto what, in other times, would be a busy Main Street.  Driving along the route, we realized a sense of peace and tranquility, one that reminded us of the atmosphere in Assisi during the non-tourist months.  We carefully avoid the other travel months, knowing that we will not have the same experiences when the streets become clogged with people who are simply there to check off the box.  Ahhh, we said, this is the way it should be. This is why we chose to live here on beautiful Cape Cod and this is how it should always be. Sadly, when the Virus has finally given up its foothold, I suspect a return to most of that "other" life.

While we look forward to the end of the nightmare, we have made a conscious decision, like so many others, to live in the present, knowing that we simply have no other choice. But, our days in the city of Peace and Love have imprinted us.  We can easily take a deep cleansing breath and find ourselves in the early morning light of the home of St. Francis.  Our minds drift and we're bathed in the warmth of a bliss that has to be experienced in order to be fully understood.

So, during these hard, hard days, we keep going back to Assisi.  We drift through the beloved town and we see the faces of our friends, we feel the warmth of the embraces, we hear their kind words and we make a promise together that one day, as soon as we can, we will physically rejoin all of that and have a celebration to end all.  For now, we enjoy peace, stillness, harmony with nature and good will.

Months spent in Assisi, it turns out, were investments in the future.  We studied in a classroom, we had great teachers.  Little did we ever know that one day, we would draw upon all that we learned and we would see light on a landscape of darkness and hope in Spring flowers and the sound of birds.

And, a tiny little side note.....our Italian language skills should be so much better when we do return.
Being at home does have its advantages.  Home-school Italian Lessons!!

Amici

https://incampagna.com/our-history/

I'm starting today with a link. Please read it.  I don't think I could or would have written a better introduction to a very good friend,one who I love and admire deeply.

And this is how I spent the greater part of my day yesterday.....with Leti.

It's hard to conceptualize the whole scenario.  Mother, father, daughter and dog living very, very high up on a very, very exquisite mountain, far from the inner sanctum of Assisi.  The hows and whys then, are best explained at the website.  You have to be there to fully appreciate the hows and whys, to stand behind the house and take in the views. To breathe in the air, rarified.  To smell the scent of fresh herbs, growing as if they were competing at the County Fair, all of them in line for First Prize.

The first time I met Leti, she collected me at the base of town, not far from the Porta San Pietro. From there, we drove to her then "little" girl's bus stop where we collected the sweet child Tea (TEE AH) and drove up, up and away to their home for an afternoon.  I was struck by the long ride but more by the quiet beauty of Madonna alla Piatto (No, that's not Letizia.  It's the name of their B&B, explained in the above link).  I was also quite taken by the charm of the beautiful Tea.  And by Ruurd and all the work he had done and was still doing at their home.

  Over the years, we have kept in touch. Tea is now tall and still beautiful. She's preparing to go off to college in a few months. She still remembers the little package of napkins I brought on the first visit and is grateful for the package I brought this time.  She's very gracious and graceful for 18.

The beautiful Letizia, taken in Provincetown, first lobster roll ever for her!

  Letizia's cookbook https://madonnadelpiatto.com/cookbook/ is a mainstay in my own kitchen.  When I use it, I feel as if she's standing there with me and last Winter, she actually was, when she graced us with a visit.  My friends immediately grew to love her too and they often ask about her as she does, them.

Two weeks ago, Joe and I were invited to one of her cooking classes.  What a thrill it was to be
cooking with our author-friend, in the very Kitchen With a View.  The day was fun and the food was marvelous and now, we are prepared to take on ravioli when we return. Joe feels very confident so you know that the instruction was as good as it gets.

After her yoga class (this woman never stops learning) yesterday, we met up at our now-usual place, the Piazza San Rufino and carefully selected a place for lunch, one neither had been to and one we both had wanted to try. http://www.hostariaterrachiama.it/ was our perfect choice for a great meal, a nice glass of wine, and a woman-to-woman chat fest.  We caught up, did a bit of gossiping, solved a few problems, and wagged our chins for several hours.  And then, we took a passagiata in true Umbrian fashion, stopping by the shops of friends, making introductions and networking.

We had a most delightful time in my favorite shop in Assisi, Madame Bovary, owned by the incredibly beautiful Catia Piergentili, who will tell you in the sweetest voice that above all, she is a philosopher.  There's nothing in her tiny, packed shop that i don't love and she's the thing I love best in the place.  She and Leti had not met in person up until yesterday and when we left, they were good friends.  I almost left with a new blue dress but the jacket I bought this week might just have to be "the" item this year.  Time will tell.  They do "Black Friday Week" here too.

The beautiful Catia

The beautiful Jo Comodi

My poor, tired friend (she's done a series of cooking classes these past weeks and has more scheduled) and I made our way up towards the place where she parked her car but had to make yet one more stop along the way.  Just doors away from my apartment is the studio of old pal Jo Comodi.
I've written a lot about Jo, and friends have come to know her as my "scarf lady."
http://jocomodi.com/.  I have several of her art scarves, each handmade at her home in Perugia (she took me there once and showed me how it's done and I'm sworn to secrecy - as if I could eve
r do it).
If you were at the Umbrian dinner on the Cape (Letizia's recipes prepared at Firestarter Pizza in Dennis), you might recall the silk poncho I wore.  A long introduction and the two now are friends and hoping to maybe have a workshop at Alla Maddonna one day in the future.

My lovely day, filled with laughs, memories, new and old friendships, was not over until I returned home, met up with Joe and took our own passagiata , this time up again to the Rocca Maggiore to witness again, the beauty of the valley below, the entire town in one breathtaking view, and the promise of a sunset, one that is uniquely beautiful in a uniquely beautiful country filled with uniquely beautiful people.

Here's to friendships that endure, across seas and to the top of mountains. And to very full and good days behind and ahead.

To Spoleto We Go

Being a city girl at heart, I'm not terribly certain about the meaning of the term "make hay", but I think it means that one is urged to do something (like mowing down a wheat field), when the time is right to do it.  So, yesterday, one that started and ended with sunshine, was a day to make hay. The weather forecast was accurate for once and we decided to not waste one single minute, fearing that the accuracy will continue and we will be faced with more rain soon.

Our apartment is located in the upper part of the ancient hill town of Assisi.  This part of town is known as the "Parte de Sopra" and we're located approximately 160 meters away from a bus stop area called the Piazza Matteotti. Cars that drive through our neighborhood, do so with caution and always with side-view mirrors tucked in.  Most of them just about fit, width-wise and when encountering one on the narrow streets,you have to find a place into which you can tuck your body as the vehicle passes by.  There isn't room for both your body and the car so the bigger one wins.

The train station is located in Santa Maria degli Angeli, the "service town" of Assisi, down the hill, outside of the ancient walls, and is 2.2 miles of what I consider an easy walk.  Coming back, not so much.Buses go from the P. Matteotti to the station on a regular basis so the option is aways open.  Most of the time, I opt for the walk and yesterday, we did the option of .....compromise.  Caught the bus at the other end of town, the "Parte de Sotto", and exited at the train station for the next leg of our journey and some more challenges and caught the train to the beautiful hill town of Spoleto.

I'm not good with reading transportation schedules.  Or maps. But I do have a good sense of direction and time.  Joe's great on schedule-reading and maps.  He can decode the "you are here" symbols and know where to turn to go to "we want to be there".  Together, we make a good team.  And, we both like to walk, accepting challenges along the way.  He says that I have a great "stride" and I accept his compliment.  Walking is my sport.  It's the only thing I feel really "good" at in fact.  

Spoleto,one of the largest towns in southern Umbria, is another walled medieval hill town.  The lower parts of its wall are from the 6th Century, BC. Spoletium, the first Roman settlement, began in 241 BC, evidenced by remnants of this culture throughout the city. From the top of the city, which is accessed by seven sets of escalators, the views of the surrounding valley are incredible. We were able to enjoy an unhurried lunch at a table by a window and stroll leisurely through the un-crowded town, enjoying the sun and the beautiful architecture. We prefer travel in the off-season for many reasons, not least of all, the lack of tourist crowds.  We almost had the town to ourselves.  

I guess you could say we made hay. Abbiamo fatto il fieno.  (I bet there's an idiom for it here)

Yes, we walked up to that fortress

I Love Bosco!

We've been here a week now.

Want to know a  secret?

I get a bit homesick for at least the first week that i am in Italy.   

I know the feeling will pass but for now, I honestly miss a lot of the life I left behind and the things I took for granted.  I also miss those things that I took for granted during my last visit.

My favorite barista in my favorite cafe has gone on to a new job so, I no longer have a favorite cafe.  So much of what I enjoyed was woven into her personality and the way she made me feel welcome and comforted every morning.  The whole place now has a different vibe.  I miss the blue skies and sunshine that marked most of my former days.  Most of the time here so far has been spent in rain.  We've barely seen the sun for any prolonged amount of time and we don't have the rental car at the moment so there's no escaping.

But.....on the ONE good-weather day, we did take full advantage of the gift and set out on a path of serendipity that led to a place I will never take for granted, the beautiful Bosco de San Francesco, known as the "Other Half of Assisi".

The Bosco is a sacred landscape made up of forests (bosco), olive groves, cultivated fields, hills (lots of them) plains, farmhouses and a little parish church.  Sheltered behind the area of the Basilica, the land was donated to the FAI (Fondo Ambiente Italiano) in 2008.  When the land was donated, it was a completely abandoned and neglected woodland, badly in need of attention and yet, there was a feeling that this was a special place. A stretch of pink cyclamen hinted at the true beauty that could be aroused with love and care over time. And....lots of hard work.

Leading landscape experts and architects applied themselves to eliminating damages and as paths were cleared and new life was planted, it was determined that this would not simply be a place for a walk in the woods. As life regenerated, olive trees, flowering specimens and lush greenery pushed forward as signs that indicated that visiting the woodland would mean setting out on a sort of interior journey to discover the message of "perfect harmony between Man and Creation" that was taught centuries before by St. Francis.

The end of the route culminates with an extraordinary piece of land art called the Tezzo Paradiso, specially created for the Bosco by Michelangelo Pistoletto.  It's three concentric circles of olive trees, with a walking path that allows one to weave around and actually feel the connection.  If nothing else, one easily finds peace and tranquility in making the rounds.

We spent a few lovely hours in the Bosco, not only getting a great physical workout, but also a spiritual one. It's hard to be homesick when one feels totally part of the universe, so much like we felt when we were on the Camino de Santiago.  

St James may very well have been in cahoots with St. Francis.  Now, if the saint in charge of transferring photos from iPhones to MacBooks would only come forward, I would be happy to post some amazing photos of not only the Bosco but the beautiful fireside lunch that we had at il Mulino, a farmhouse right there at the intersection of lovely and wonderous.

Santa Maria della Rose

Above, the Alpha, below, Omega

It's known as "MARIA" and it is an exhibition of sacred sculptural artwork of the Italian artist Guido Dettoni della Grazia.  The work is a permanent exhibition, stunningly installed in the 16th Century Church of Santa Maria delle Rose on a quiet street in the upper section of Assisi.

The installation is based upon hand-sized sculptures, a total of thirty-three (for each year in the life of Jesus), encased individually in lighted glass cylinders that hang from a round steel frame. The tiny sculptures, each made from a different of the Earth's woods, are planted in soil. Overhead one sees in the frame the letter "A" representing "Alpha" and below, the form of "O" for "Omega".

Adjacent to the circular exhibit is a large marble sculpture, beautiful in its simplicity and breathtaking in its elegance. Inside the circle, on a table, lie several white marble sculptures, intended to be picked up and held by visitors.  A guide encourages this and carefully explains that each depicts the life of Mary as it is manipulated in the hand.  With grace and reverence, she demonstrates, using her own hand, how the sculpture fits into the palm.  We are invited to be fully involved by touching, smelling the fragrance of the trees of Mallorca, looking closely and feeling the shape and its subtle changes that evoke the feeling that we have a uniquely meaningful life in our own hands if only for a few moments.

Different angles allow one to distinguish significant moments in the life of Mary. Genuflecting, carrying the pitcher to the well, pregnant with her child, Jesus, Mother and child, and finally, seen from a horizontal perspective, she becomes the Dove of Peace.

Mini-Me

The city of Perugia, Italy has approximately 529 thousand fewer residents than the city of Boston, Massachusetts, according to the 2018 census.  It has lots of newer high-rise (for this part of the country) apartment buildings in its surrounds and is probably best known for its older parts, all of which are way, way uphill.  The first time we attempted to get to the Centro by car, we simply could not do it.  We drove around and around, unable to find a space to park.  We abandoned our plans. Sadly.  Fast forward to the present time. The problem was solved in 2008.

A few trips ago, an Umbrian-resident friend suggested that we try again.  Only this time, another of those wonderful secrets that keep us returning to the region was revealed.  "Park your car in the big, free lot and take the Minimetro up into the center" was her advice.  Una donna geniale.  A genius, that woman!

More about the charming city of Perugia later. It was early on our list of places to be in Umbria because the train station was the drop off center for our rental car. That's a whole other story.  We are carless and fancy-free now.  Happiness comes by foot. With an umbrella.  That's also a whole other story, one that hopefully, will have a happy ending one of these days.

So, I re-introduced Joe to the Mini and off we went, up, up and up to the top or "centro" of Perugia, after making four of the seven stops that the tiny cars briefly make.  The cars are small and they keep on coming so there's never a stampede to catch one and entrances and exits are done with civility and efficiency.  When all the stops have been completed, the tiny cars go around a bend and start all over on the  gleaming rail.  Miss your stop, catch it on the next pass. Toddlers love this stuff.  Nonnas love this stuff.
Take a cranky grandchild on the mini and you've rescued the day. While it is not an amusement park ride, it still is fun.  Too bad kids just take it for granted.  We sit on our seats in total amazement as we imagine zipping up Route 3 from Quincy to downtown Boston. Or is this another of those "Only in Italy" happenstances that we see happening every day? While in Italy.

Ciao!

Festa di Tutti Santi

Standing in the security line at Logan Airport Thursday afternoon, I remarked to Joe that the feelings I used to have at that point, the first step in the departure to Italy, did not feel the same as it used to. I used to be balloon-like, the tiny bits of air entering as I stepped out of the car onto the airport pavement.  Now, I enter with the balloon full.  I no longer have that kiddie-before-the-party feeling. Kind of sad in a way. But also kind of good because I embark with the wisdom that many previous journeys have conferred and that, that feeling of confidence and bravery is what gets us from Point A to Point B and allows for the rapid shift in attitude and lifestyle that it takes to enter a country and arrive in a small town on the first day of an Italian holiday weekend.

Picture Cape Cod.  It's Friday, July third of a very good year.  One in which the weather has so far been perfect.  See, in your mind, cars, bumper to bumper, all going in the same direction, all at the same time.....and triple it.

The flight over was uneventful.  The wait for our car rental agreement to be completed, long and for what reason, I don't know but it always takes a long time to rent a car at the airport in Rome.  While I am not a "car" person, I do look forward to the end result and after the wait, to see what kind of Italian, death-defying, quirky car we are getting for the weekend. This time, the wait paid off for Joe in the form of an Alfa Romeo Giulia, the very car he and our son have been sharing sighs over for the past few years. Good thing it's roomy and comfortable.  We spent a heck of a lot of time in it yesterday. Again, that picture of the Friday of Fourth of July weekend.

So, throw in the holiday of Festa di Tutti Santi (All Saints - the day after the gruesome celebration of the dead, Halloween), add a bit of olive oil harvest, new wine and chestnuts and the love of a good time, and you can start to imagine how, after hours in traffic getting here, the little town of Assisi was overflowing with celebrants.  People and cars, everywhere. This weekend, for the tourist industry in Umbria, is tantamount to Labor Day in the States.  After this, the show will be over for a while.  After this, the peace and quiet that makes Umbria so inviting to us, will be back.  But for now, it's time to join in the celebrations.  We're here.  We're getting our Assisi legs back. We will need them for this hill town!  Joe is thrilled to be a part of the life that I have described for him each time I returned home from my solo stays here.  This time, we are once again Two For the Road, no matter how filled those roads, ready and willing to be a part of the action or the tranquility, together.  And together, we will be making more memories and remembering that life is a journey, fifty years (almost) together is worth celebrating, and that we have weeks ahead of us that surely will be filled with the stuff that makes it all worth the hours in.

So, we're off to the supermarket today and to a harvest celebration followed by a birthday party.

Andiamo!

Packing

For weeks, friends have been asking us if we are packing.  The answer, "yes, we started weeks ago".

We are as ready as we are going to be, evidenced by the two large, opened suitcases that take up a whole lot of valuable space in our bedroom and den at the moment.  It's a routine that I know well.  Fill up with what you think you need, items that you believe you can't live without, and then remove most of them lest the suitcase will exceed the fifty pound limit. In, out, in, out.  The drill.

Preparing for a long trip always reminds me of a writing exercise.  The art of packing a suitcase for a five week jaunt across the ocean is so much like the art of preparing for life itself.  I used to use the metaphor when my son was a newly graduated young man, floundering around, trying to get his life started on his own.  My motherly defense guard would spring into action during those moments of weakness when we questioned whether he would ever get going in the "right" direction. My self-medicating answer always was "it's hard to pack for a trip if you don't know where you're going".....

Good shoes, suitable for walking over unknown terrains, as well as known.  Ups and downs, twists and turns.  Hiking poles are the first items to go into the suitcase.  They lie on the bottom.  We don't carry them.  The can't be mistaken for weaponry.  We wear our hiking shoes, the heavy ones.  We've already lived in those shoes and know they are capable and strong so they never stay home.

Comfortable clothing makes the cut over "fancy dress".   We've learned that with good "basics", appearances can be manipulated.  Scarves weigh practically nothing and totally change the look.  Black, black and more black.  If you're good on the inside, it doesn't take much to tweak the outside.

I used to drag cosmetics along but over the years and after many trips, I have come to realize that most items weigh too much and most of them are totally un-necessary.  Italian supermarkets are up to speed on their selection of "health and beauty" products and what we need, we can easily purchase.
That is, if we "need" anything.  Here again, it's what's inside that counts.  If one wants to feel "well", a large bottle of shampoo isn't the answer.  My beauty was packed a long time before those hiking poles and will last me the duration of this trip.

So, our bags are packed.  We just have to zip them up.  After we throw in a few "cold remedies" and muscle creams.

Life is filled with unknowns.  It's too hard to pack a bag if you don't really know where you're headed but it's also hard to pack when you do know where you're headed.  There comes a day when you just have to trust that you really do have all that you need, that you are capable of making do with less and trusting that each day will work out just fine with what you brought.

Wheels Up in two more days.  Joe has a cold.  This should be very interesting..........

You, Me and Letizia

It all started when my lovely friend, Letizia Mattiacci took some time from her busy schedule to meet with me for a coffee on a sunny afternoon in Assisi last November.

Letizia and I have been friends and friends of friends since my first solo stay in Umbria, almost eight years ago. No, we don't jog around the park together and no, we don't stay in constant contact, or at least we hadn't, until that latest meeting.  In lieu of face-to-face contact, a note once in a while, an inquiry and a favor or two, kept us in touch.  Her English is almost perfect and my Italian, not so much, so it has been Leti to whom I have turned when I needed help with an arrangement or a meeting with someone in her town.  She's always been gracious and her calls on my behalf have always been fruitful.

So, I asked...."when are you returning to the States? "
Her last visit was two years ago and a snow storm prevented me from getting to Boston.  My timing was perfect this time.  She told me that she had a trip on the horizon and that she would be visiting Providence, Rhode Island and Boston, Massachusetts, with time in-between each city.  Cooking classes and cookbook dinners were in the planning stages.  Naturally, my reply came easily and without hesitation, I said "then you must come to Cape Cod! We can set up a little cooking class."

This past one was a mild Winter, one that flew by quickly.  My life has been uniquely busy with my father's relocation to a nursing facility and the deconstruction of his life and home.  The months flew by and November became March in a heart beat.  Our home is not large and surely does not have the bells and whistles of an agritourismo perched high on a mountain in Assisi, but we do have a guest room with its own bathroom and in simplicity, we prepared for our guest's arrival. In much the same fashion as planning a wedding, plans for a small class for a handful of good friends turned into a large class at the home of a stranger and several other events which would span three days in between Providence and Boston.

Last Sunday, we ventured out early and made the round-trip to Providence to pick Letizia up from her funky Airbnb accommodation and a week of forecasted cloudy weather became instantly sunny and skies, blue as we crossed the bridge for our guest's first visit to Cape Cod.  Many trips to the U.S. and other parts of the world left room for a first and eventually a food first, the simple show-stopping lobster roll. But that's for another time.

As planned for months in advance, a lovely bunch of local residents gathered at the amazing, I mean AAAAhmazing, waterfront home of a highly gracious woman in Bass River for an Umbrian cooking class.  Leti and I arrived at one o'clock in the afternoon to prep for the later arrival and ambitious undertaking that began at four.  Fourteen women, lots of laughter and a bit of wine later, Event Number One ended and high fives designated it as a complete success.

Monday morning brought another kind of gathering. This time, at my own personal favorite spot...my condo's Community Building.  I invited a host of friends to a "Meet and Greet" coffee, asking that if they were feeling brave, they bake and bring an item from Letizia''s cookbook, "A Kitchen With a View".  Friends came, baked goods in hand.  A beautiful visual presentation on the big-screen t.v., and a wonderful time was had by all.  High fives again here.

As if all of that wasn't quite enough......our own little version of "Big Night" unfolded beautifully on Tuesday evening with "A Taste of Umbria", a very special dinner at a local pizza establishment just one mile from home.  Margot and her chef-husband, Geoff simply said "yes" when I approached them right after my return in early December.  I asked if they might be interested in hosting some kind of food event and the result......well, ask any one of the forty one happy diners.  Geoff, who makes THE best pizza anywhere, hit this one right out of the park and not a pizza was in sight.  With exquisite detail, he prepared a wood-fired chicken cacciatore directly from Leti's recipe.  Every single thing that appeared on the plates that evening was from her recipes and she was overwhelmed.  At some point during the evening, she told me that this was a first...that Geoff's interpretations were the most accurate of anyone who has ever attempted to do this.  From the focaccia straight through to the ciambellone cookies, this meal was 100% Umbrian and easily the best meal I have had in the area in many, many years.  Highest fives all the way around.  That man can cook!!!!

With Margaret Clancy, Letizia and Margot Boheme, owner of Firestarters Pizza

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Ringraziamento

Our hostess, Tracey

Okay, I'm a few steps behind on the Thanksgiving posting but so much happens every day and I could write a book, never mind a blog post, every day.  I think a lot about what I might like to capture in words and, believe me, I write only about the highlights so you can just imagine.

I thought about penning a few words about the teenagers who get on and off the busses here in town when school gets out, and how they have absolutely no regard for people of any age, who may also wish to get on or off the bus; how when the doors open, they herd on as if they were one solid mass, pressing forward with determination and strength of youth.  This, of course, prevents those who wish to, from exiting and if you don't push and shove, just like the kids do, you will find yourself trapped. But, alas....... today, I must capture a memory, one that (have you heard this before?) will last a lifetime.

Joe and I have spent a few of our Thanksgiving holidays here in Italy.  This is a great month for travel and Thanksgiving is only one day out of the month so we've culturally warped ourselves out of thinking that we have to be present.  However, having said that, let me say that I do love the start of the holiday season and that there is a huge part of me that loves being with friends and family for every holiday. This one was no different.

The Italians, of course, do not celebrate Thanksgiving.  But they do have a word for it. "Ringraziamento" or "giving thanks", and they understand that those of us who come from the land of the pilgrims (pilgrims they do understand - people who journey and seek a good outcome), so they are more than willing to help in marking the day for visitors or expats, of which there are many here.

My current travel-mate-extraordinaire, Barbara, and I chose to have our holiday celebration at a local cafe called "Nonni Nani".  I have been there several times since planting myself on Via Porta Perlici almost five weeks ago, and have grown to love the owner, Tracey and her lovely wait-people.  Tracey is American, married for many years to an Italian, one who's family has been in Assisi for centuries.
Her family is still in the States, a huge presence in the Rutland Vermont area. She speaks English with an Italian accent which she attributes to her long marriage.  Her Thanksgiving menu reflects her roots and her understanding of what's supposed to be on that plate on that day.  So, we enjoyed turkey, imported from Tuscany, along with potatoes and vegetables and her own version of cranberry sauce which exceeded any other we have had, in taste and quality.  She told us that there is not one fresh cranberry to be found in the country so she re-constituted dried berries for starters.  Our plates were filled and after the starter which consisted of fresh cheeses, salumi, prosciutto, etcettera.....it was hard to put a dent into the meal so.....we got leftovers!  The American dream fulfilled.  We were too full for dessert so Tracey graciously extended the invitation to come back the next day for dessert (s)!! and coffee which we did last evening.

Now, there's always more to my stories so here it is and I'm not changing it.  The "help" called in sick.  Tracey had to assume the role of waitress and head of the kitchen.  For some lovely reason, Barbara and I were the only diners for the evening so that allowed for lots more time with the owner. Lots of time to share stories and to "celebrate" together. We talked about traditions, about the history of her restaurant, about ghosts and old grandparents. She apologized for the sweet tears that formed in her eyes as she explained that this year she was feeling a tad bit blue as the holiday approached. We all bonded so beautifully and I KNOW, for a fact, that the spirits of our departed loved ones were at work, that we three were surrounded by an energy that brought us together for the evening and that we have a LOT for which to be thankful.  Here, now, then, in this world and in the "other".

www.nonnanini.com

Recycling, Italian Style

Warning!

If you like to sleep past 5:30 in the morning, this is not the place for you.

First, let me congratulate Italian home designers for the quality of the interior doors.  These apartments in this little peaceful town are centuries old.  They are solid.  The doors are hard wood and when slid shut, a bedroom becomes a dark and quiet habitat.  Wooden shutters complete the dark and cozy atmosphere.

But......

Come 5:30, the action starts.  No, it isn't party time.  It's Refuti time!!!

During my last long stay in Assisi, I fond trash disposal to be incredibly easy.  Each day, I carried a bag of refuse to a set of containers that were steps away from my apartment.  The containers allowed for easy sorting of recyclables by the residents of the street.  Done.  No brainer. No trash collection.

Things have changed in the refuse world.  Now, most of the D.I.Y. centers are either gone or locked so that they can only be used by a handful of residents, usually business owners.  New problems.

So, every morning, almost precisely at 5:30, the trash truck enters my tiny street, lights flashing, engine running, and the trash-of-the-day is collected with a flourish.  Lights, action, noise.  If the bedroom door is not closed, there's no place to run.  The first morning I was here, I thought that there was a murder happening on my doorstep!  Holy cow.  Now, I know better.  Also, it appears that there are specific trucks and specific collectors for each type of trash so if on a particular day, two types (let's say plastics and aluminum) are on the schedule, crash, bash, bang! happens twice in succession. One truck and crew for plastics, another for aluminum for instance.
Mamma Mia!

I am just, just learning the system for refuti collection.  It's taken me this long.  Put the wrong thing out on the doorstep and it won't be collected.  My landlord gave me a copy of the schedule but of course, I still flubbed it.  "Leave your trash with me and I will put it with mine" he offered. Being one strong-willed woman,  not one to let something like a bag of trash take me down, I refused the kind offer and explained that I was accepting the challenge.  So, last night, Barbara and I got ready for action.  The way we finally figured it, today was the day for plastics (a large bag that I had collected over the weeks) and glass.  Not having a big bag for glass, we stuffed smaller bags and hoped for the best. Had I known this was going to be so problematic, I would not have drunk all that wine!!  Not.

This morning, at precisely 5:30, I heard music to my ears.  Clank, clank, bang, clunk......the trash collectors collected what I had placed on the doorstep before going to bed last night. Victory!
I nailed it.

Now, in addition to a new sense of pride, I feel liberated.  The big yellow bag of plastics is gone, the bottles, no longer lined up under the sink, and I do not have to take my "organic" bits on a walk as I did last week.  On that day, the kind clerk in the supermarket took pity on me, the dumb American, when I pointed to the bag of wet garbage that I had hauled in a bigger bag for one mile (I was looking for a D.I.Y.) and I explained to her.....Senora, guarda....oggi sto portando la mia spazzatura per un passagiatta!  "Madam, look....I am taking my trash on a walk today"

She thought this was funny so  she led me to their big bins outside the store and allowed me to dump my own refuti.  Had I real command of the language, I would have joked with her that I was thinking  of taking it to the circus, but I doubt she would have seen the humor.

Girls' Day Out -Ragazze Fuori

Benessere.  Translates "Welfare"

In English, we say "Wellness"

We are speaking about one and the same here.

I've already spoken about the Italian spa experience, one that I will revisit next week, my swan song to Assisi, when my gal pal Giselle comes over from her home in Montefalco.  She's been a constant coach during my stay here, telling me over and over to "relax" and to not worry as much as I am prone to do.  She practically took a sledge hammer to me.  But now, I am relaxed and a lot more carefree than I was when I arrived.  She's going to be proud of how well I can do the spa circuit.

For years, during my career, I was considered a "Wellness Subject Matter Expert".  I set up programs for employees and taught assiduously the tenets of total wellness, that it had very little to do with how one felt physically; it was so much more, a combination of physical, mental, spiritual and social.  So, I really am familiar with all the spokes on the wheel.

Yesterday, I practiced what I have been preaching.  Made a date with my friend Silvia, a gorgeous forty year old German woman who, along with a little help from her husband, runs a B&B up in the nether-reaches of Assisi.  More about that later.

Got picked up at the little bus stop bench near the Porta Perlici (aka, the street where I live), and off we went, me and One-of-the-Most-Skillful-Drivers-I've-Ever-Met.  I am totally comfortable in the passenger seat of cars driven by everyone who lives in Umbria.  They make my daughter-in-law, who's been known to speeeeeed, look like Minnie Mouse.  But, for some reason, Silvia has special skills and I own a Volkswagen so what can I tell you.  We zigged and we zagged and before long we arrived in the town of Foligno, a place I had visited years ago but had mostly forgotten everything about.  Two girls on the run, she, after a busy Summer being the perfect hostess, and me, seeking for both of us, a true girlie day.

It all started when Giselle showed up at her birthday party a few days after my arrival and all I could say, after not having seen her in two years was......"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT GLITTER EYELINER??????" Okay, I also did say "Happy Birthday Gorgeous" and then back to the basics....glitter!!  In the U.S., we have Sephora.  In Italy, it's Kiko-Milano.  A smaller chain.  Cheaper too.  But, needless to say, there isn't a shop here in the center of Assisi.  St. Clare would have frowned and from all that I have read (and read, and read), she rarely frowned.

Ah, back to wellness......let me just say that by the time we left the Kiko shop in Foligno, we pretty much looked ready for Las Vegas.  Buy three, get three free (they have embraced "Black Friday" here).  Silver glitter, gold glitter, lipsticks.....Mamma Mia!

Our next wellness stop was lunch at the lovely little Osteria del Teatro where we took care of our physical need to have the most delicate and delicious pastas, prepared by Pierino who put a tiny dent in our bliss when he told us that he wasn't serving the chocolate souffle today.  He felt our pain and compensated with a complimentary chocolate semifreddo.  After our lunch we asked him to show us "the cellar" as I had been advised to do.  Down, down, down we went to a circular, domed, chilly room that he told us was constructed a mere 700 years ago, and used as the refrigerator for what we assumed had been a palazzo.  Not even creepy.

See, I told you it wasn't even creepy

My partner in crime or, the pursuit of benessere

A few errands, a stop at a Eurospin grocery store (where they actually had chestnut flour and zucchini flowers) and then off to Le Ginestre, the fabulous home of Silvia (leginestre-assisi.com) where we were greeted by a fleet of cats and a very happy dog named Mia.  A tour of the beautiful, and I do mean BEEEutiful home, surrounded by an abundant supply of vegetation, terraces, swimming pool and what looks like and I know is, a lot of work for my friend.  It was nearing dusk and time for Mia's walk up, up and up a long trail which led to the most fabulous views.  Not only was Mia a lively companion, so were at least three of the cats who darted in between my legs and played together as we made our way.

The back of Le Ginestere.  Breath-taking views from here.

Our day was absolute perfection.  Two girls looking for a good time, Umbrian style.  I could hardly wait to get up this morning to apply my make up.