In Italia ....In Italy ...

It was  nice  to be there again ,  with Priscilla this time. Things were as they always are there,  visually... familiar things and family…As always,  the first photos I take are of the Piazza and the Adriatic Sea,  taken from the balcony of mom's 3rd floor apartment,  which is where we stayed this time...  at sunrise on our first day in Mola.  Being the off-season,  there were  fewer tourists around and it was less hectic,  which was nice.  Jet lag got the best of me,  and lots of Espresso's didn't help with sleeping much...  we spent lots of time with family and visited new places,  and favorite places too...  Mola Di Bari,  Alberobello,  Matera,  Poligniano,  Grottaglie, Ostuni,  Cisternino,  Monopoli... love them all.  Matera's  ancient cave dwellings are amazing,  and Grottaglie's ceramics are unbelievably gorgeous,  and hard to resist,   but Alberobello is my favorite and we decided to spend one night there  in a Trullo.  The one we stayed in was built in the 1800's.   It was authentic,  comfortable and  so charming... an experience we will  definitely want to repeat.  It was a great trip!

 

Viaggio Autunnale... Autumn Trip...

Things have been just a bit different around here... Although I feel very settled in this new place,  I realize that I am still a bit out of sorts.  Situating a "garden" of sorts has helped this place feel even more like home... but it's just different.  I am definitely staying busy... a wedding,  cooking for parties,  and family dinners,  but my creative juices have just not been flowing as usual... just a few Autumn touches so far,   I will continue to work on that... Meanwhile,  we are enjoying very colorful sunrises over the lake and sunsets.   Very excited for  my upcoming trip to Italy with Priscilla!  Maybe Jim realized that I need a little something,  and suggested that Priscilla and I take a trip.  A very last minute plan makes it a little stressful,  but I am happy to be going in Autumn... looking to be inspired and feel more like myself...

Ciao Autunno... Hello Autumn...

Time flies when you're  having fun but this is crazy... September is close to being over and Fall is here.   Loving the cooler mornings and evenings and the smell of Fall in the air.  It smells different at this new place... more outdoorsy... Love that!  As I do each year on the first day of Autumn,  I made a pie... Pumpkin this time,   classic,   and with my usual embellishment of hand cut leaves.  This pie is the first Fall dessert of the season with many more to come.  We celebrated Jody's Birthday here,  with the girls... lots of fun.  I made lunch and the cake... Pumpkin Spice with Pecans.

Piaceri Autunnali... Autumn Pleasures...

It is beginning  to feel like Fall... no colored leaves yet,  just that lovely breeze... a perfect time for  gardening with some added Autumn touches in my new container garden...and of course for spending lots of time in the kitchen, using favorite seasonal ingredients in beautiful colors... love purple in the Fall and decided to use some in the kitchen... Gnocchi from purple potatoes.  A first attempt at that turned out great,  taste wise,  but I wanted a vibrant purple color, in spite of the addition of fresh lemon to the potatoes after putting them through the food mill,   they turned out lavender,  not purple,  still gorgeous.   Next time I will try a different variety of purple potato in hopes of getting a deeper hue.  I always give purple cauliflower a big squeeze of fresh lemon to return it to it's bright purple color after cooking it,  and that keeps it beautiful. It's also time to make some cozy Fall crafts... It's much to early for Halloween,  but some fall touches are a must.