Life in Italy is a love-hate thing. I admit to being seduced by Tuscany’s magical golden light, besotted by the Renaissance, tantalized by Sicily’s sensuous pastry shops, charmed by the Italian language and then quickly disenchanted by the brutal reality of getting almost anything done. I’ve suffered heartless years of waiting for an insurance claim, submitted to diabolical rules for getting a driving license, and wept broken-hearted sobs when the plumber never called back. The tempting dream to live in Italy may sound like a romantic endeavor, but it helps to be nuts.
Posted In: Hiking & Walking Trails in Italy, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily
Take a short walking tour of my backyard in Sicily in the spring and you’ll soon find enough wildflowers for a beautiful bouquet. Here are some tips on making a wildflower bouquet.
Continue Reading »Posted In: Hiking & Walking Trails in Italy, Provocative People & Cool Places in Italy, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily
Take a tour of my walled garden in Modica Sicily, and enjoy the real world of spring.
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Ragusa in Sicily is known for its locally made fresh ricotta, which makes a sublime dessert when stuffed in a puff.
Continue Reading »Posted In: Italian Food Traditions & Recipes, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily, Understanding the Culture & Customs of Italy
Cooking traditional foods of Italy sounds like fun, but lampascioni-hyacinth bulbs-are a stickier story. Learn how to prepare and cook this regional specialty of Puglia.
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The blooming thyme in my garden in Sicily is glorious right now, while more backaches are in store before I can get the latest drought resistant plants in place.
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Life in a Tuscan farmhouse is interrupted by a plumbing adventure, and the mystery of the black well unfolds.
Continue Reading »Posted In: Italian Food Traditions & Recipes, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily
Experience the artichoke moment, when huge bundles of artichokes are bargain priced at the outdoor food market in Syracuse Sicily, and learn how to cook them with one of our favorite Italian artichoke recipes.
Continue Reading »Posted In: Hiking & Walking Trails in Italy, Provocative People & Cool Places in Italy, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily
In the countryside around Ragusa in Sicily, fields destined for cultivation were cleared of rocks. But what to do with the rocks? Traditional stone structures or the amazing and mysterious muragghi are the answer.
Continue Reading »Posted In: Italian Food Traditions & Recipes, Recommendations in Italy, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily, Understanding the Culture & Customs of Italy
Sunday lunch in Italy has traditionally been a leisurely family affair, and if there is no one willing to cook at home, the next best thing is an agriturismo in Sicily for a huge farm lunch.
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A variety of French Lavender flourishes in my garden in Sicily, and is already in full bloom in March.
Continue Reading »Posted In: Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily
Restoring an old house in Sicily may sound like an interesting and romantic endeavor. It’s not. Here are 3 tips from my own life experience with examples of what to expect.
Continue Reading »Posted In: Hip Trip Tips for Travel in Italy, Stories of Life in Tuscany & Sicily, Travel Notes from Tours in Italy
In an attempt to clarify pricing in English, a cafe owner in Pienza risked encouraging some wild behavior. Time for an English-Italian lesson along with cappuccino on a tour in Tuscany.
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