salutando l'Italia

I'm sure the question must be on people's minds.
Why do I have this romance with Italy?
Well, truthfully, it's deliberate on my part.
That country is always top of mind for me, as this is my view every time I walk out of my kitchen.
Those photos were placed there to honor the good times shared in 2012 with the nursing students, to remind me of how close we were for those few days that May

.
Let's zoom in for a close-up!
Pompeii is in the upper left, and we're walking.
The couple holding hands are Nate and Amber; the first Brattebo baby is due in two months.
That's them in the photo below it, along with Shayla and Victoria, Kate and me, and Cheryl, on the ferry from Salerno to Positano for a day on the Amalfi coast.
Back at the top, we're huddled together in Rome, soon to be tromping around in the Forum.
(smile)
The last one was on our first night in country, staying in Salerno.
That's me, back to the camera, as we're walking to a new archeological site.
It was an ancient public bath, found below a bakery being renovated.
Absolutely amazing case of right time, right place!!!
And how wonderful that someone snapped this photo, to make it real for me.
i thank You, God.

The top left, of Michelle and Kat at Saturno pizzeria outside Siena, was one taken by me.
The lower left, in Pompeii with a view of Mount Vesuvius, was not.
That's me, up front of the photo - just look for those neon green sunglasses, baby!
They really let me stand out in a crowd - see me in the bottom right?
That one was taken during a tour of Siena on our first day there.
All total, we had four days in that city, with two days learning cucina in stile Mediterraneo.
That upper right was after our last class at Arte e Cucina, making fresh pasta and tiramisu!
The apron hanging off the side is a memento of that cooking adventure.
I even use it sometimes!
(smile)

Not that those are the only reminders of Italy.
Going from the dining room to the kitchen, I see this every time, sparking memories of that first trip to Italy in 2002.
To commemorate that, I'd stitched the artwork that features the map of Italy behind a brilliant sun.
The sunny trivet matches it nicely, non è vero?
And the beach scene?
That was purchased at a fundraiser auction that the Rogue invited me to on April 13, 2013.
Later that day, I had met with the physicist and shown it off to him.
He'd said, "Oh, that's pretty! All it needs is you and me and," as he pointed to the right of the birds, "one of the Treasures."
Such a fine memory with both of these dear friends and others on that spring day!
i thank You, God.