Archive for July, 2007
july is burning
I’ve waited to write July’s Monthly Musing until the very end of the month–hoping that I would develop more positive feelings about it as July marched on.
Unfortunately with each passing day, more and more of our gorgeous rolling hills have gone from green and brown to charred black, and there’s not much positive I can take from that.
You may have read about the fires throughout central and southern Italy (as well as Greece), and believe me, the stories are not exaggerated.
Some say that many of the fires have been set deliberately but to be honest with you, I don’t really buy into that. Sure people burn off their land here all the time, but they’re pretty good about controlling it, and not many are doing it in 120°F–most of that was done in June when temps were reasonable.
They say the motive is to clear the way for new hotels, villas, and pastures
but from where I’m sitting, it’s just a whole lot of beautiful olive trees that have been taking the hit around here–and if any hotels or villas sprout up on the hillside, I’ll let you know.
I’m sure that there *are* some pyromaniacs around, but I personally feel that blaming arsonists for the rash of fires is just another way for the powers-that-be to shake their heads in derision toward central and especially southern Italy and to draw attention away from the fact that they haven’t been very successful in managing the fires.
But maybe that’s just me.
Anyway, we have been lucky to escape any damage up until now, but the hill just across the road from us wasn’t so lucky; yesterday afternoon it went up in flames as I was down at the beach swimming near where a helicopter was dipping into the sea for water to take up there. A couple weeks ago, our neighboring village lost two houses, although no one was injured.
I posted here about the planes fighting the fires, but things have gotten so much worse since then. Tourists have been killed in Puglia and one of our pilots died in Abruzzo when his Canadair crashed into a mountain near L’Aquila.
Greece lost two of its own in a similar way.
And so I sit here on another scorcher, although it’s certainly cooler than it has been, waiting for the wind to pick up as it normally does at this time of day and then continues to increase until it reaches what feels like hurricane force.
And I’m sorry to say that I smell smoke.
Smoke, flames, blackened earth
July two-thousand seven
I’ll never forget.
On a different, more cheerful note, do check out my post entitled “What’s the Deal with Lycopene?: Health Benefits of Tomatoes” on TomatoCasual.com.
And let’s hope for a better August.
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Technorati Tags: july, fires, forest fires, italy, southern italy, calabria, haiku
i’m a tomato blogger!
Go over to TomatoCasual.com and check out my post, The Tomato: A Relatively New Addition to the Dinner Table, and then click on the home page to see all the posts.
The site was just launched today, so be sure to bookmark it and/or subscribe so you can learn more about the tomato than you ever thought possible–its history, how to grow them, how to cook them, and much, much more.
On a personal note, I’ve spent all day today with some American friends in town (yeah for English!), and we’re having a blast. Just got back from the beach, so it’s time to shower off the sand and head to dinner.
Hope your Monday is/was just as lovely as mine!
schmoozin’…on a sunny afternoon
First I want to thank all of you who commented on yesterday’s post Weighty Issues; I love this sort of dialogue, and I hope we can do more of it around here. If you have any topics you’d like to throw out, I’m all ears–send me an email if you don’t want to leave it in comments.
I’m still catching up on all your contributions, so bear with me, but on that note:
Behold the Power of Schmooze! 
Karina at Candid Karina and Meredith at Poppy Fields have both called me out as a blogger who manages to, and I quote:
effortlessly weave their way in and out of the blogosphere, leaving friendly trails and smiles, happily making new friends along the way. They don’t limit their visits to only the rich and successful, but spend some time to say hello to new blogs as well. They are the ones who engage others in meaningful conversations, refusing to let it end at a mere hello – all the while fostering a sense of closeness and friendship.
Well shucks, I sure am touched. Grazie mille!
**This just in: Jessica in Rome has bestowed this wonderful honor upon me as well. I’m *such* a winner today!**
I truly enjoy getting to know all of you through my blog, your blogs, your comments, and emails, and I do hope that you feel there is a community here you can come and visit–where, uh, everybody knows your name (at least your screen name). Or something like that.
For those of you who haven’t commented or emailed yet, I rather enjoy you too, and I hope you’ll consider chatting with us soon.
I’m going to pass this award along to some of my favorite Internet sparring partners, all fellow expats in Italy:
(1) Michelle of michellanea;
(2) KC of Niente di nuovo avviene sotto il sole;
(3) Sara of Ms. Adventures in Italy;
(4) Shelley of At Home in Rome; and
(5) Cherrye at My Bella Vita.
While we’re on the subject, as I was preparing this post, I saw that Sara at Moving Right Along tagged me with the Thoughtful Blogger Award, created by Christy Z. at Writer’s Reviews, and it is:
[f]or those who answer blog comments, emails, and make their visitors feel at home on their blogs. For the people who take others’ feelings into consideration before speaking out and who are kind and courteous. Also for all of those bloggers who spend so much of their time helping others bloggers design, improve, and fix their sites. This award is for those generous bloggers who think of others.
Again, thank you so much for the honor!
As Sara wrote in her post accepting this award, there is definitely a place for blogs that aren’t so interactive, and I certainly don’t fault anyone who doesn’t respond to every single comment and/or email–these awards just serve to offer a little recognition for those that do, to say thanks, and to urge you to keep it up!
I am passing along this award to:
(1) somepinkflowers at somepinkflowers;
(2) Wanderlust Scarlett at from the shores of introspect and retrospect;
(3) Michelle at Smoochdog;
(4) Michelle at Scribbit; and
(5) Kimberly at Temporary? Insanity.
Also, I know that some of you don’t really “do” these bloggie award thingees, so please don’t feel obligated to pass along anything on my account. The honor is yours to do with as you wish!
Did anyone else notice, though, the prevalence of Michelles here? I’m one too, you know, so all I can say is…hmm….
Now just for some Friday fun, and in honor of my fellow Italian expat bloggers Shelley (At Home in Rome) and Sharon (Respiri di Vita) who have both won prizes through the Late Show with David Letterman Top Ten Contest, I thought I’d share:
The Top Ten Rejected Titles for this Post
10. I’m a Schmoozer Baby, So Why Don’t You Kill Me?
9. Blue Suede Schmooze
8. Schmoozy in the Sky with Diamonds
7. Schmoozin’ Ain’t Easy
6. If the Schmooze Fits!
5. Woo-ee Baby, Won’t You Let Me Take You on a Schmooze Cruise?
4. Schmooze ‘Em If You Got ‘Em
3. Fo’ Schmoozle My Boozle
2. All the Schmooze That’s Fit to Print
1. Lollapaschmooza 2007
Buon weekend!
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