Archive for the ‘blogging’ Category
1st of the month featured blogger: may
Two months ago, I got an email entitled “The good news is I’m not expected to die immediately” from my friend Sara of Moving Right Along.
Deep breath.
Sara hadn’t blogged in a while, and it turned out that a brain tumor was the reason why.
Before going in for surgery, Sara sat down and wrote an email to make sure that her online friends knew how to keep in touch with her should she never be able to read and/or write again.
Deeper breath.
I told my mom and P about her story, blubbering through it and finishing with a tirade about the lack of universal health care in America both times.
I thought about Sara at least once every minute I was awake on the day of her surgery and the day after until I received an email from her True Love that she was doing well.
This is just a small measure of how deeply Sara and her blog and her amazing spirit and wit and humor and L.O.V.E. have touched me. The photo to the right is Sara’s “healthy butterfly” from an MRI taken after her surgery, and yes, that’s Sara above on her tricycle.
She’s been through cancer and a leg amputation and insurance company ridiculousness and so much more, and so I knew deep down that Sara would come through this ordeal with an amazing strength as well.
What I didn’t expect was that she would come back writing better than ever, touching my heart on new levels, making me think about everything in a new way.
But I’m not going to blather on about Sara and why you should go read her blog any more; I’m pretty sure that would make her uncomfortable, and that’s the last thing I want to do.
You see Sara is one of those “leads by example” kind of people I admire so much. She goes about her daily business, deals with what life hands her, does it with grace and love, and is kind enough to tell us about it–and when we’re extra lucky she takes photos as well.
Go visit Sara.
I can’t think of a better way to spread some love this Love Thursday.
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
interactive friday: blog my blog
I always love when Kailani of An Island Life plays “Blog My Blog.”
Now it’s Bleeding Espresso’s turn.
Here’s what happens:
1. I start with a question/phrase.
2. The first commenter answers that question and leaves a new question for the next visitor to answer. It could be a general question, fill in the blank sentence, a “tell me about a time when,” etc.
3. The next commenter answers the new question and provides a question for the following visitor (i.e., the third commenter).
4. And so forth until you’re all bored to tears. Yes, I expect actual tears before we stop (photographic evidence will do).
5. Note: I reserve the right to delete or modify any questions that, you know, rub me the wrong way. Ahem.
6. In a situation where two commenters have answered the same question and you’re next to answer, please either choose one of the questions or answer both; if you don’t answer both, you are free to pass along the question you didn’t use or come up with a new one. I can’t believe this has happened 3 times already today!
The first question:
When you close your eyes to go to sleep at night,
what do you see/think?
P.S. Buon weekend!
And go check out Barb’s Scalloped Potatoes for La Buona Cucina Americana!
1st of the month featured blogger: april
Sorry, no April Fool’s joke this year even though last year’s was *so* much fun for me, because today we have the:
1st of the Month Featured Blogger
Yes, singular. Just one featured blogger this month, and you know why? Well other than being one of my very most favoritest bloggers and photographers in the whole world (her photos decorate this post), she is the proud owner of five blogs.
You read that correctly, and here is a list of blogs by Featured Blogger Frances:
- Blogjem: Main blog that covers pretty much everything including great photos
- Blogforth: Creative writing blog featuring Sunday Scribblings
- On the Go Blog: Pictures and thoughts posted from Frances’ cell phone
- Photostroll: A leisurely walk with stops to take pictures
- The Meme Section: A home for memes
Frances is also the founder and fearless leader of the group She Who Blogs, a lively group of women bloggers who offer friendship, laughs, shoulders to cry on, advice, and plenty of other great things.
I’m a member, and in fact, Bleeding Espresso is this week’s featured blog at the main site, so click here to check out my interview. And for more information on joining She Who Blogs, contact me or leave a comment.
I’m not sure how Frances and I first “met,” but I’m so happy that we did. I can always rely on Frances for a kind word, inspiration, a fabulous pick-me-up photo, or a thought-provoking post about friends, family (especially growing up with Italians), and life in general.
And New York City? If you don’t love it already, Frances will convince you that it is one of the most beautiful places on Earth–I would love to teleport myself there each morning (NY time!) and walk through Central Park, sharing a coffee with Frances as she snaps photos like this:
Enough of my rambling; you should be busy getting to know Frances.
Go Blogforth
(or Blogjem, On the Go Blog, Photostroll, or The Meme Section)
and multiply the blog love!
La Buona Cucina America Plus Pasqua in Calabria
Even though there have been small celebrations all week, today really begins the Pasqua (Easter) festivities around here. They won’t finish until late Monday afternoon, so I won’t be back blogging until Tuesday.
But you know I wouldn’t leave you without at least some suggestions of what to do to fill your blog-reading time, right?
Want to experience what I’ll be doing this weekend?
1. Check out Pasqua in Calabria for a description of our day long procession on Sabato Santo (Holy Saturday) and the magical Easter Sunday meeting between the Madonna and Jesus.
2. Then see the photographic evidence in Pasqua in Calabria: The Photos.
3. And if you’re curious about why the fun in Italy continues on until Easter Monday, check out last year’s Pasquetta activities in Still Celebrating.
4. If you’re looking for traditional Calabrian Easter cake, check out Calabrian Cuzzupe.
5. And if you happen to be interested in one of my favorite childhood holiday memories, check out Deno’s Easter Eggs.
And now a very important announcement:
Have you noticed the new widget over in my sidebar? Looks like this?
Here’s the deal. Our philosopher in Umbria, Judith of Think on it!, is stufa of hearing that American food is characterized over here in Italy as unhealthy at best and downright poisonous at worst. We Americans know we eat “real food” and that it’s not all sweets and McDonald’s right?
Well it’s time to show the Italians “La Buona Cucina Americana.”
So Judith, Mary of The Flavors of Abruzzo, Barb of Barb and Art Live in Italy, Sara of Ms. Adventures in Italy, Cherrye of My Bella Vita, Judy of Over a Tuscan Stove, and I are going to be taking turns sharing real American food and recipes each Friday.
In the words of our fearless leader Judith:
Some friends and I are going to begin publishing weekly recipes for old fashioned American food, food like grandma used to cook and perhaps like you still cook, if you happen to be American. So what’s new about that? There are innumerable food bloggers in the USA pouring out magnificent food of every description as made in the USA. Yes, that is so, but they don’t do it from Italy and in Italian!
That’s right folks. All recipes will be in English *and* Italian so that Italians can stop by and enjoy some down home American food–so tell your Italian friends!
Mary is kicking off things today with American Style Shepherd’s Pie, and next week will be Judith’s turn with Chicken Pot Pie.
Mmm. I’m getting hungry…and homesick!
If there’s anything you’d like to see featured in La Buona Cucina Americana or if you’d be up for the challenge of sharing your American recipes in Italian (with ingredients available in Italy), leave a comment here!
I hope the Italians are ready for us.
Buona Pasqua to those celebrating–and buon weekend to all!
love thursday: gifts and bees
* Hurry and sign up! The Ultimate Blog Party ends tomorrow!*
*Also: Get over to i-Mommy’s place for a fun game giveaway!*
This Love Thursday I’m celebrating gifts and bees.
Burt’s Bees, that is, and a lovely gift of their products from a dear blog friend, Geggie of So . . . What Else, What Else, What Else?
You see, a little while ago, I helped Geggie out with a small blogging issue, and she said she’d send me a thank you gift. And boy did she ever.
Hand soap, hand sanitizer, body wash, shampoo, lip balms, lotions, cremes, and even an adorable bee-covered shower cap–and two travel cases to boot!
I am now an official Burt’s Bees addict after only a few days of the all-natural stuff; as I told Geggie, I just can’t stop sniffing my hands after washing them with the Citrus & Ginger Root hand soap. So lovely!
Anyway, for this Love Thursday I am not only expressing my love of Burt’s Bees products (by the way, woohoo Durham, NC, my home for 4 years!), but also thanking Geggie, encouraging you to go over and visit her, and letting you know that our generous Geggie, through the Ultimate Blog Party, is also giving away $100 worth of products from Burt’s Bees Naturally Ageless skin care line (#91 on the prize page)–you just need to sign Mr. Linky at the Ultimate Blog Party to enter.
And that’s why I’m celebrating gifts and bees today.
Happy Love Thursday everyone!
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
