Bella Italia

I visited Italy for the first time a couple of months ago. I was only there a week, but somehow, two months later, I am still daydreaming about the rolling green hills, picturesque city streets and one very memorable plate of asparagus risotto.



The scenery was stunning. The Italians were warm and welcoming. I took to saying "grazie mille" like a fish to water. And the food was so. darn. good. So good that I have no photographs of it. It was all eaten too fast. So good that I began to wonder whether fresh mozzarella might have been the key to the Renaissance.


And the gelato. Pardon me while I swoon at the memory.

Quick, somebody remind me again why I live here and not there?


From ancient Roman civilization to the churches, frescos and fountains of the Renaissance, we all know that the richness of Italy's history is staggering.



So rich, in fact, that artifacts which would be priceless ancient treasures anywhere else in the world are left lying by the railroad tracks. In Italy they're just the extras.


But the most memorable aspects of the trip remain the little details. Geraniums in a window in Verona. A bulldog sunning himself on a balcony over a small piazza in Venice. A tiny white Fiat 500 sandwiched into a parking spot about the size of my coffee table.



An elderly gentleman boarding a tram in Rome with his briefcase and fedora. Giant wheels of cheese and mountains of salami pouring out of the stalls in the Florence central market. Ornate doorknobs, rain-slicked cobblestones, and lines of laundry hanging against a blue sky.

Puppy Love

A while back I posted about an expected new addition to our family. About a month ago Hazel finally joined us, and she has turned our lives completely upside-down. All the carpets have been temporarily rolled up, doggie barriers have been erected in strategic locations throughout the apartment, my nightly Law & Order fix has been replaced with The Dog Whisperer, and I've been getting up before 7 a.m.

In short, things are all topsy-turvy.

She is half golden retriever, half poodle. They call them golden-doodles. I wish I were kidding.

She is a clumsy, shoe-chewing, tail-wagging fuzzball.

But she turns those sweet brown eyes your way, and her puppy exuberance is so infectious, that playing fetch and getting drooled on suddenly seems like a perfectly thrilling way to pass an evening.

We named her Hazel after the lead character in Richard Adams' classic novel Watership Down, which Ash and I both read in the spring and loved.

(We initially thought of naming her "Fiver" for another character in the book, but that was rapidly shot down by a number of critics. I think the words "worst dog name in history" may have been mentioned. Suffice it to say we won't be sharing the names of our future children.)

But Hazel suits her, don't you think?

Welcome to the family, Hazel.

Two Cities by the Sea

In April we spent nine days visiting the Baha'i holy places in Haifa and Akka, two cities on the edge of the Mediterranean that hold a special significance for all Baha'is.

In Akka we walked the paths of history through the ancient city, following in footsteps made over a century ago.




In the rooms, the courtyards, and the gardens we passed through in Haifa and Akka, the air is heavy with the weight of the prayers and thoughts of hundreds of thousands of visitors to these sacred places.






We had time to reflect, to remember our loved ones, to soak in the beauty, to breathe those Mediterranean breezes touched ever so slightly with the scent of roses, and to refresh our minds and hearts.






More photos on Flickr.

Back to Blogging

This may not come as a surprise, but I have been getting some grief about my lack of blog posts lately. The other day someone was telling me that the construction of certain gargantuan seagoing freight ships takes about six months. My brother turned to me and said, "Hey Elizabeth, that's about how long it takes you to write a blog post."

Point taken.

And there is plenty to share, so I have no excuse. There are photos being processed and posts in the works, and you will be seeing more of me here very soon. Truly. Cross my heart.

Here's the Question...

What does it take to draw a blogger out of a long winter hibernation? The arrival of spring? With the all the warm weather, improved lighting and flowery photo-ops that the season brings? Eh. I don't know if that's quite enough.

A sweet face like this one? Maybe, just maybe...