Time

Every mother I imagine sits one day at the kitchen table looking through old photographs and new and wonders how Time went by so fast. Lost in thought and emotion.

My wonderful sprite, lovely angel face, innocent young man that came shining and pretty from my womb became, in seemingly no time at all

the master of his own universe, the leader of his pack, the boss of himself.

Angels all around him whether he knows or not. I see it when others look at him.

*Feeling blessed to be on this gorgeous planet, in this skin, gifted exactly this path. With gratitude, pure and simple.

One Day Rome

Impressions

Colosseum

Vatican Square

Tourist

Summer

Tourist

Anna as a Young Woman

100 Fildzana:- 56: "Anna as a Young Woman"


 I thought of this when I saw it in the plate. Beautiful, isn't it?

Easter at the Lake

                              Easter lunch at the Queens' house on the Lake.

Just the family, small and intimate - my Girl helped make the decorations and No.1 Son filled the empty eggshells with sponge cake to make little eggcakes.

We started off with an Antipasto plate: Prosciutto San Daniele, Mortadella and some Speck. There is always an element of Italian in all our holidays, either bread or sauce or antipasti, I like to be reminded of where we come from and where we can go back to, especially in the sensual experience of sharing food and memories.

Uncle brought some Argentinian rose  in the spirit of celebrating holiday and Spring at once.

Since I never think there is enough food for everyone, I couldn't resist making just a little bit of 'primo' and so un asaggio di Gnocchi with creamy Pesto Sauce found it's way to the table for an interim course.
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I'm crazy for Lamb but we decided to keep it light this year and so I created an Asparagus feast instead...

 

Asparagus

with Parmiggiano and EVOO

and more Asparagus with Farm Fresh Eggs from Uncle's next door neighbor The Guy with Chickens.

In between the cooking, serving, talking, laughing...I had myself a little dirty martini in this pretty glass that I received as a gift long ago 

...and for dessert we all ate homemade sponge cake with strawberries and almond laced whipped cream.

After

we drank strong coffee and peered into our cups

 Uncle revealed a spontaneous vision of me moving down to Santa Fe to tell fortunes from a  colorful caravan...which we all thought was pretty amusing, each in our own secret way.....

Soon it was over - a beautiful, rainy Easter Sunday came and went, intimate and unusual in it's harmony and simplicity. Here's to more of these kind of days.

Saturday Love

Saturday morning sounds in America: dogs barking, cartoons in back round, keyboard tapping, upstairs the vacuum cleaner churning. I am in the kitchen in between clearing out the fridge and making up recipes with vegetables that need to be cooked before they spoil and at the same time configuring the outline for the next project at work.. The kids observe me to see if there is a chance of a 'real' breakfast or if they should just pinch some donuts from the counter - stale but with gooey icing that could satisfy a craving.

Breakfast? Yes, I can make it up in a few minutes and it will take me away from doing the 'other' work.

As I begin to put things together I am thinking how much I love to cook for my family and how satisfying it is to create love in the kitchen. Words are not always needed to communicate - the intent is in the end result.

                                                                            I bring this... 

Uova al Prociutto Crudo

to them for today- they get to eat downstairs (eating while lounging) instead of having them come to the kitchen table.

My son makes a big smile and shakes his head. 'What?' I ask immodestly , 'are you smiling because I'm such a wonderful mom'? And he nods 'yes' and smiles again.

Well, I wonder, where should you get this kind of adoration when you are a child, if not from the hands of the ones that care for you. From those who are supposed to give you the roots and the  wings to become that what you must become?
Making and cooking food can seem insignificant to some - but for me it is a cornerstone of teaching what I have learned in life: passion, kindness, patience (ha!), aesthetics, design, communication, adventure and so much more...

Saturdays are for dreaming and moving along the path. One way I connect with and teach my children is to take the time to love them up in my kitchen.

Are there ways you express your appreciation for friends and family without words? Share some of your ideas here at SMondo...

Playing with Light

To me this looks like a scene from a ancient Roman dinner

but it also has something very mystical almost spiritual about it, I see the 'flames' hovering on top of the head and the various shades and spirits all around the bodies

In reality, I suppose it is just a set of two pictures taken in the mirror of a cavernous space but I like this playing with possibilities of different planes exisiting simultaneously around us. How about you? Do you ever 'see' things in pictures or paintings that are not obvious at first?