gratitude – Page 6 – Signora Sheila

After Lockdown

Two masked adults lean toward a shared milkshake, sipping through striped straws, creating a playful, intimate scene against a yellow background.

We’ve been in and out of lockdowns here in Italy more times than I can count. And while they’ve varied in severity, they all have a few things in common. They’re inconvenient and unpleasant. But even worse, they’ve stolen our personal freedom and liberty. And from my observations, they haven’t worked. Thankfully, there were fewerContinueContinue reading “After Lockdown”

The Benefits of Community

Golden cheese pizza on a white plate atop a wooden patio table, with red wine, sunglasses, napkins, and greenery creating a warm dining scene.

Our favorite pizzeria/restaurant of choice is The Red Wolf or Lupo Rosso. And some of our friends here wonder why because it’s a simple place. Nothing fancy or elegant, but the food is excellent. And we tell them, “It’s all about community.” And to us that’s much more important than elegance! It’s a come-as-you-are kindContinueContinue reading “The Benefits of Community”

Lockdown Isolation: Challenges and Blessings

A young man reclines beside a large window, gazing over a sprawling city skyline under a cloudy sky, creating a calm, reflective mood.

Italy’s streets and piazzas are usually full of people, even in the evening. But with the lockdown all that has changed. An eerie silence has settled over the strangely unpeopled streets and towns. Except for the car that goes through town every day with a loudspeaker broadcasting the order to stay indoors. That’s the finalContinueContinue reading “Lockdown Isolation: Challenges and Blessings”

The Benefits of Italian Slow Living

Our years here in Italy have taught us that a slower pace helps us to enjoy life more and spend more time with the people and things we love. Whenever I talk about this, I meet others who would like to escape the stresses of life in the fast lane. They long for a moreContinueContinue reading “The Benefits of Italian Slow Living”

Our Tiny Italian (Dream) Home

Rolling green hills form a patchwork of vineyards, olive orchards, and fields, framed by leafy branches in a peaceful rural landscape.

Once upon a time we were a middle-aged couple hoping (against all odds) to buy our own home. We realized that the odds really were against us, so we tucked it into the drawer of Nearly Forgotten Dreams. You know, the one filled with all those dreams you can’t quite let go. The ones youContinueContinue reading “Our Tiny Italian (Dream) Home”

The Most Dangerous Ways to School [Video]

A person in red climbs a narrow wooden ladder along a sheer granite cliff, surrounded by pine trees and misty mountain peaks.

When we were children, we knew the route to school so well that we could follow it with our eyes closed. However, none of us could have imagined travelling the long, arduous and dangerous routes taken by the children in these documentaries. This extraordinary documentary series highlights the immense value of education by showing theContinueContinue reading “The Most Dangerous Ways to School [Video]”