Hodge Podge: Italian Style

Happy Wednesday friends.  It has been a dandy of a week, so far, here.  I am so happy to welcome the return of spring.  We actually ate lunch yesterday with friends – on their deck.  Al fresco.  Outside.  In the sunshine.  Life is good!!  I thought I would join the Hodge Podge group this week.  The questions all have a nod to Italy.  What do you think?  Would you like to visit Italy??  My husband often dreams of vacations on the Amalfi coast…which does sound incredibly romantic and fun, but I don’t know if that will happen for us.  Who knows?  But, for today, let’s just enjoy a few, much simpler, questions.  As always, thanks for stopping by friends.

1. March 15th is known as The Ides of March, the date on which Julius Caesar was assassinated in 44 B.C.  Have you ever been to Rome? If so what did you love most about the city? If not, is this a place you’d like to visit? I have not been to Rome and I have to admit, it is not some place on “my bucket” to visit.  I can think of at least a dozen other places that I would (invest the time and money in order to) visit before Rome.  Interestingly, I did not know how the term “ides of march” came to be but, looking around the internet, it basically is the middle of the month.  “The Romans did not number each day of a month from the first to the last day. Instead, they counted back from three fixed points of the month: the Nones (the 5th or 7th, eight days before the Ides), the Ides (the 13th for most months, but the 15th in March, May, July, and October), and the Kalends (1st of the following month)….so says Wikipedia.  I learned something today:)

2. ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’ What project/activity/improvement (of any kind) do you have going on right now to which this saying might be applied? The simple answer would be creating a home.  It is always evolving and, of course requiring repairs, upgrades or other “fixes.”  Right now, we are working on our bathroom and on new curtains in the family room as well.  The process (and time) is part of of the project.  I don’t stress over how long it takes and just enjoy working around a house – making it our home.  The (much) longer answer would be finding a retirement rhythm and flow.  It has been five years since my husband retired and we have been home together all day, every day.  Often, I still feel like I am looking for my footing with this new phase of life.

3. Let’s do a little this or that with some Italian foods…

• Caprese salad or Prosciutto with melon? I suppose salad but I don’t eat tomatoes which are a big part of a caprese salad.  But I am a master at picking tomatoes off of salads.  Or any dish for that matter.  I don’t care for melon and I don’t eat meat….so salad it would be!
• Bruschetta or Antipasto?  Bruschetta.  I will always choose the bread:)
• lasagne or ravioli?  Ravioli.  I love ravoli stuffed with mushrooms.  Or butternut squash.  Roasted red peppers.  Or simply filled with cheese!
• bolognese or Carbonara? Both of these have meat, so no thank you.  Give me the alfredo sauce.  Or a simple pink sauce.  Yum.
• Risotto or gnocchi? Risotto – one of my favorite dishes!!
• tiramisu~gelato~cannoli? Tiramisu.  This dessert so reminds me of my dad.  After he retired, he started teaching himself to bake and to create desserts.  His homemade tiramisu was not only a labor of love but one of his proudest presentations!

4. Of the colors red, white, and green which would I find most prevalent in your home? Which one do you think is most flattering to you in terms of your wardrobe? Have you ever had your colors done? Is that something you’d be interested in doing?  Green in my home, for sure.  I do not think there is red anywhere (although back in the day I had a very red kitchen that was quite trendy and enviable, if I do say so myself) and I certainly try to stay away from white in my house.  Boring on the walls but I do like white in my wardrobe.  I love a “pop of white” with most of my outfits.  I do not look good in red (I actually look awful in red) but I have quite a bit of green in my closet.  Truthfully, green is my favorite color!!  I have not had my colors done and am not interested.  For a variety of reasons but no need to rehearse those now.

5. Life would be boring without____________________?  Hmm, cookies:)  Children and the joy of teaching them.  Trying new things/challenges….even when it is frustrating.  But I think, at the top of the list would be friends and good conversations.  I cannot imagine going for long stretches of time being lonely.  I am so grateful for good conversations (whether light-hearted, deep, challenging or silly) as well as for friends and family who enjoy talking with me.

6. Insert your own random thought here.  Every year I am more and more aware of just how much the seasons affect me.  The winter negatively and, oh so thankfully, the positive impact that spring (and summer) have on me.  I thought I was “doing” well this winter…and then there was February.  The last weeks of February, and even the first days of March, were just a struggle.  But what a difference these last days have been!  I am so grateful and have been reminding myself of many things…not the least of which is God’s faithfulness.  When it feels like the burdens are more than I can bear, He is faithful.  He comes through – He always does –  just as sure as winter gives way to spring.  Today I am thankful for sunshine, for extra long walks around my neighborhood, for visits with friends and pulling out the deck furniture.  I’m thankful for a God who knows just what I can bear and who delights to be the “lifter of my head.”  Thankful for mercies that are new every morning.  And every seson!!

On Friday, I have a bit of some pie fun.  I have been doing some investiagtive work – lol! – and I hope you will stop by again later this week.