Archive for 2008
on becoming a knifty knitter
I can’t take credit for that punny play on words in the title; it’s direct from the package of my brand new Knifty Knitter Assorted Loom Series by Provo Craft!
I had been wanting one of these ever since I started reading Sara’s American Girl in Italy years ago, and as of about a week ago, I finally have a set thanks to the concerted efforts of a friend from the US and my mom.
Grazie mille!
Well on Saturday night, P was out with the boys, and around 10:30 pm, I started to get bored. I glanced over and saw the looms and thought, hey, why not?
Less than two and a half hours later, I had this:
Seriously, the instructions on this set are *fabulous*. I had absolutely no trouble picking this up and going with it. It’s so fast and easy–how can you beat having a new winter hat in the time it takes to watch a movie?!
OK, so the yarn I had wasn’t the most appropriate for a winter hat, so I will have to get some thicker stuff for the next go around–and then I’ll also make a matching scarf.
Oh yes, in the set you get different sized looms to make different things–the long, skinny one is for a scarf, as you might imagine:
To be clear, I’m not being compensated in any way for sharing this wonderful product with you; I just know that some of you are crafty and might be interested, and I know I always love getting personal recommendations.
So go forth and loom!
Tell me, do you loom? Knit? Crochet?
Any favorite websites for these hobbies?
Turtles in Calabria: Anything But the Turtle Soup, Per Piacere
I don’t know if you’ve seen this, but several people have sent me this article in the past few days, so I just have to share it:
Confused sea turtles march into restaurant
That’s right! Right here in Calabria, in the province of Cosenza, about 60 newly hatched sea turtles took a wrong turn and instead of ending up in the sea, showed up for dinner at a restaurant instead, startling diners, of course, because who expects to see a baby turtle crawling over your shoe while you’re digging into your primo piatto?
Wildlife officials think that the turtles were confused by the bright, artificial lights of the restaurant and simply turned in the wrong direction in their quest to dive into the sea.
Turtle vertigo?
Hmmm….
And although Calabrians are known to eat some weird stuff, don’t worry — they (we!) have a special fondness for the baby turtles. Lots of mommy turtles make their nests on Calabrian beaches, and here is one little tartaruga that even made our village blog!
And so, the turtles in Cosenza were rescued and escorted back to the beach.
No word on whether they were given anything to eat first.
Buon weekend!
And check out my Guarda! column this week at Italy Magazine:
La Festa del Redentore in Nuoro, Sardinia.
love thursday:
happy birthday michael!
My nephew turns 12 years old today, and I have no idea how that happened. I mean, I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday–in fact, you can read about it here–but where has the time gone? And how the heck did he get to be taller than me (not that it takes much since I’m a whopping 5’2″)?
So once again I am missing a birthday, and I’m feeling sad about that, but, cheesy as it is, whenever I feel particularly far away from my loved ones, I go outside, look up and really am comforted knowing “we’re sleeping underneath the same big sky.”
Thank you Fievel, and happy, happy birthday Michael!
I miss you more than you could ever know.
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
Top 5 Italian Summer Recipes
It’s hot, I have work out the wazoo (Not complaining! Just busy!), and there are tons of things going on in the village right now. All of this means that I haven’t been cooking very much lately, but that doesn’t mean we’re not eating–it just means we’re resorting to summer staples.
This summer, I’ve shared with you some of my seasonal favorites like:
- Tomato & Red Onion Salad
- Caprese Salad
- Proscuitto Wrapped Watermelon with Bel Paese Cheese
- Pear, Gorgonzola and Pecan Salad
- Peaches Soaked in Red Wine
But last summer I shared even more, and so, particularly for those who weren’t around at the time, here are:
My Top 5 Summer Recipes published last year, from appetizer to dessert:
(click on photo to go to the recipe)
1. Bruschetta al pomodoro
2. Pesto alla Genovese
3. Refreshing Summer Pasta Salad
4. Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes & Basil
5. Granita al caffè
Buon appetito!
Be sure to check out the other What’s Cooking Wednesday participants’ recipes!
What’s your favorite summer dish?
More Answers: On Going Home Again
This past weekend, along with Cherrye of My Bella Vita, I had the pleasure of meeting Leanne of From Australia to Italy and her (Calabrian) Bel Ragazzo (left). . . and I’m sorry to report that we took precisely *no* photos!
I don’t know how it happened either, but one of us definitely should have pulled out the macchina fotografica to record the expressions on our faces when our waiter told us that not only was there no pizza for lunch, there was no *anything* besides fettucine with eggplant. *After* we had looked at the menu for fifteen minutes.
Always an adventure in Calabria!
Anyway, in honor of our visit, I’m answering Leanne’s questions today:
(1) I don’t think you have ever been back to the US since the move to Italy. Do you hope to take P in the future so he can see your country and your ‘old’ home?
(2) Are you trying to teach or do you want to try and teach P English?
Last things first, as for teaching P English, he really has very little interest, although when my mom was here he did try a bit. I’m pretty sure he’s all set on the morning *and* evening greetings now, so he’s got that going for him, which is nice.
Honestly though? I actually kind of like that he doesn’t speak English since I can talk freely on the phone with English speakers, i.e., rant and complain about him, his family, etc.—although he does always seem know when I’m talking about him, so I think he understands more than he lets on.
Now, on the first question, I actually *have* been back to the States once since moving here; after I was here for six months, I was back in the US for three months. I do hope that P would eventually get to see the US, but most importantly, where I grew up, places I used to hang out and, of course, get to meet my family and friends!
I would *love* to take him for a walk around my town (all two streets of it) and point out things like:
“Here is the bar where I used to get Swedish Fish for a penny a piece on Sundays even though by law it shouldn’t have been open; the lights and television were always on super low and the neon beer signs outside weren’t lit to make it seem like it was closed if you were just walking by.”
And…
“This is where I watched my brother hit homeruns in Little League and was even a cheerleader for a couple years when I was six, seven years old; I probably still have that green and gold uniform with the big A on the front of the shirt somewhere. This is also the field where we played tackle football in the winter in the snow.”
And…
“Right there, there used to be an old, rickety, wooden house that creaked and swayed in the wind. On Tuesday evenings, the fire company used it for practice, but on other summer nights, my cousin and I used to sit on the merry-go-round at the adjacent playground and watch the house for hours, absolutely sure that we saw something moving in the sheer curtains in the upstairs window.”
And…
“This is where we used to go to pick berries and look for arrowheads and rocks, especially quartz, and swim in big ole stripmining holes that are now filled with the most gorgeous blue water. Yes it’s quite dangerous, but it’s like an initiation rite for a Coal Region kid.”
*Le sigh*
Yes, Leanne, I would *love* to have that opportunity. Absolutely.
What would you include on a tour of your hometown(s)?
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
Calabria Guidebook
Recipes
