Really fast, in case you all have a sudden desire to call me, Claire can recieve calls for free...maybe you can get a calling card to lower cost on your end?! The number is 011-39-388-104-1808, in case you can call internationally for free. She said I am welcome to recieve calls, hint hint! Note: It will sound like the line is busy... thanks for your comments!
Tracie
Monday, June 29, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Never A Dull Moment
Thursday June 25
I am not quite sure how to begin this one…except it was all I could do to not start off “DAMN DONKEY!” If you know me well, you know that I never ever cuss, so to utilize this language means you have what I hope is a good story coming up.
The day was rather un-eventful after leaving Siena. We went to look at a horse for Vittorio to buy. (We decided she wasn’t quite right. She had some confirmation flaws and was very young…he wants a horse we can use now.) It was one of those things that also taught me more about horses…how I wish I knew more! We came home, watched a movie, and well, that was that. We went to feed – me on hay, Claire on grain.
Let me preface this story with some facts. Due to the unexpected re-education on reproduction this morning, we separated Rusty and Nutella even though she is sterile. It is not good for donkeys to be kicked frequently by irritated mules, it can equal many vet bills. So despite the “okayness” to leave them together persay…we separated them. As the day off, today was supposed to be full of relaxing, chatting, and a simple feeding before dinner and more “ahhh” time with chocolate and tea.
Okay, so…we came home and enjoyed an American girl moment…we watched Cinderella Story on Claire’s computer, talking of our crushes and how life really does not work that way...fantasyically (yes I made that word up) speaking. It was humorous to randomly hear throughout the movie what sounded like a giant semi honking…actually Rusty braying in desperation to reach Nutella. (Braying is also known as donkey noises…which I hope to catch on film one of these days)
After the movie…our “simple” feeding turned haywire for lack of better terminology. Our day off turned into a sweat producing production of donkey chasing, wrestling, blindfolding, tug-a-war-ing, toe bruising, head butting, face in donkey rear end, humorous disaster, to put it shortly. See, during feeding and the humorous braying, Rusty was trying to jump out of the fence (he eventually succeeded). We wanted to switch the stalls that they were in. Donkeys are stubborn, testosterone driven donkeys are impossible. Let me give you the play by play that has led me to a blog simply on donkeys:
Tracie goes to put hay in Nutella’s stall. Nutella escapes, Claire chases. Nutella corners herself in roundpen. Rusty sees Nutella. Rusty starts trying to fit through 3 pole fence. Rusty succeeds (actually humorous to see)…Use Nutella to put Rusty into different stall. Nutella pulls lead rope out of hand. Angry mule and seasonally frustrated donkey loose. Tracie and Claire bribe loose animals with corn. Manage to get Rusty in stall. Realize no upper stall door – Rusty is trying to jump out. Fun begins. Spontaneous attempt to halter break stubborn donkey stallion begins. Manage to get a halter on with 2 lead ropes. Both pull. Fail. Tracie pulls, Claire pushes. Out of breath. Fail. Switch – Claire pulls, Tracie pushes. Out of breath. Fail. Get grain. Fail. Use bandana to blindfold stupid donkey. Fail. More pushing, more pulling, lots of sweat, some frustration. Feet stepped on, donkey mad. Fail. Get Nutella...success! Problem…how to get Nutella out. More pulling, more pushing, more stepped on toes. Small amounts of profanity (to emphasize the pain of it all in reality…now there is humor in it). Success! Oh shoot. Tracie is locked in stall. Claire puts Nutella away while Tracie unblindfolds Rusty. Claire lets Tracie out - squeeze out of stall. High five. Decide vet needs to castrate him ASAP! Eat chocolate.
And so, even on days off of a planned “do nothing” day, there is never a dull moment. The End. And as always, there is so much more, but for now I am going to shower and help Claire cook.
Lessons of the moment:
Stallion donkeys can not be trained
Don’t try to train a stallion donkey in Chacos
After fighting Rusty, humorous braying…not so cute
“Stupid chicken you are like the donkey!” - from Claire as we had to fight freezer frost with butter knives to extract our chicken from the somewhat functioning freezer.
Over the weekend...
I realize in the many new experiences and stories I have hardly talked about the main reason I am here – my job. Or at least, not as in talking about the horses and the “Italian Way.” Italian way being having different supplies, more limited and more expensive than the US. Example: Swat in America is five dollars, tops, here we saw it was twenty five euro!!!
Side note: Today we turned on the TV to try and find the forecast (failed) and stumbled across MTV, which was playing in English Michael Jackson’s song Black or White…random! (until later last night when we saw that this week is Michael Jackson week)
In riding the same horse for nine years I have come to know her very well and she doesn’t challenge me as much as she used to. I know when she is being silly and when she doesn’t understand. She is a seasoned, well trained horse with good days and bad like any of us. Out here, riding younger, less well trained horses has given me a greater appreciation for all the time I put into knowing and training Precious. Sometimes I wish she were here. On the same hand, riding so many different horses is challenging me to be a better rider – mainly in the department of patience, calm, and accepting that I am less experienced in the problem shooting training department. There is a saying in the horse industry that “a horse is always honest.” Given, you can have a poorly trained horse, but for the most part in the honesty of a horse, it is humbling and hard to recognize my faults, or at least to try and see what I am doing wrong, or could do better. I find that I don’t trust unresponsive horses. Today (Saturday June 27, 2009) on the way home, I was riding a three year old, Saturno, and he grabbed the bit, ducked his left shoulder and pulled a hard turn on me…thankfully I have a strong seat, but I nearly came off…it shook my nerves! It was hard to not get mad at him! Saturno is young, so he gets some slack – but his responsiveness is that of a brick wall with a few loose bricks, and it is unpredictable which bricks are loose…not so much slack in that department.
Last semester we had a woman’s night at Church and the speaker, Dr. Kim spoke of two emotions – fear and anger – and all the side effects they can have. The best cure? Deep breathing. I never thought I’d actually use it!!! After all, I am NEVER scared or angry. I have used that “trick” more often this month than I ever thought imaginable. Oh that night I was not feeling good, sitting at the commons on the back couch next to Allie, Michele and Ashley. Another lesson that is actually applicable out here is HALT – when I feel my emotions getting out of control, I think of this acronym Monica taught me. Am I hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? 9 out of 10 times, the answer is yes to one of those. Who would have thought I’d actually utilize the wisdom taught to me by others?!
Speaking of utilizing information, as Claire and I try to make this place into a more efficient stable we are realizing the value of business plans and budgets that exist (or in our case don’t exist…). I have decided that having the materials you need to take proper care of the horses, a stated business plan, and job descriptions are completely overrated, along with clean floors, ovens, microwaves, toasters, dish washers, bathtubs, normal refrigerators, freezers, dryers, function-able screen windows, bug free living quarters and cars. Side note: Why job description? Claire and I have recently received a request/goal/need to have done task of…training donkeys. I am sure one of you giggled out loud. Well, every time I think of it I laugh. Do you KNOW how stubborn they can be? After trying to get Rusty in the stall, I can only laugh at the tasks Claire and I are now in charge of: the care, training, and conditioning of 13 horses, 2 ponies, 3 donkeys, and 1 mule…along with an endless to do list of cleaning, organizing, and more cleaning. Busy much? Yes.
I frequently laugh at our desk…a mixture of random lists…you could say we have mastered the art of to do lists: what needs to be done when the vet comes, what do we need to talk to Vittorio about, what to do next time we get to the internet, what do we need at the store, what places do we want to see when we take our day trips, what needs to be cleaned, what needs to be done around the barn and probably at least four other categories of “to do/get” lists.
The last few nights we have been hearing really weird noises in our wall…I assumed it was just a horse fly caught somewhere. I was wrong. Last night we were watching a news clip on the Palio and we heard the noise. Claire looked above her head and we found the source…a scorpion. EW. She grabbed the Raid and well, that was the end of that. As I have mentioned before, here, bugs are our constant companions. We have ants in the walls of our living room and seem to be constantly battling with the flies and (now) scorpions (hopefully that’s just once though). Luckily, the both of us aren’t easily grossed out and find our constant horse-like swatting pretty funny. A can of Raid is by far the best investment made thus far. We have been waging war with the ants and victory is imminent! Updates from the front to come soon.
And every now and then I get to go on little adventures. Today Thomas took me to run an errand and we ended up in the kitchen of a little old woman, who gave us sheep cheese and bread…it was pretty good and another awesome cultural experience. (Yes, I had to mention food!)
I am not quite sure how to begin this one…except it was all I could do to not start off “DAMN DONKEY!” If you know me well, you know that I never ever cuss, so to utilize this language means you have what I hope is a good story coming up.
The day was rather un-eventful after leaving Siena. We went to look at a horse for Vittorio to buy. (We decided she wasn’t quite right. She had some confirmation flaws and was very young…he wants a horse we can use now.) It was one of those things that also taught me more about horses…how I wish I knew more! We came home, watched a movie, and well, that was that. We went to feed – me on hay, Claire on grain.
Let me preface this story with some facts. Due to the unexpected re-education on reproduction this morning, we separated Rusty and Nutella even though she is sterile. It is not good for donkeys to be kicked frequently by irritated mules, it can equal many vet bills. So despite the “okayness” to leave them together persay…we separated them. As the day off, today was supposed to be full of relaxing, chatting, and a simple feeding before dinner and more “ahhh” time with chocolate and tea.
Okay, so…we came home and enjoyed an American girl moment…we watched Cinderella Story on Claire’s computer, talking of our crushes and how life really does not work that way...fantasyically (yes I made that word up) speaking. It was humorous to randomly hear throughout the movie what sounded like a giant semi honking…actually Rusty braying in desperation to reach Nutella. (Braying is also known as donkey noises…which I hope to catch on film one of these days)
After the movie…our “simple” feeding turned haywire for lack of better terminology. Our day off turned into a sweat producing production of donkey chasing, wrestling, blindfolding, tug-a-war-ing, toe bruising, head butting, face in donkey rear end, humorous disaster, to put it shortly. See, during feeding and the humorous braying, Rusty was trying to jump out of the fence (he eventually succeeded). We wanted to switch the stalls that they were in. Donkeys are stubborn, testosterone driven donkeys are impossible. Let me give you the play by play that has led me to a blog simply on donkeys:
Tracie goes to put hay in Nutella’s stall. Nutella escapes, Claire chases. Nutella corners herself in roundpen. Rusty sees Nutella. Rusty starts trying to fit through 3 pole fence. Rusty succeeds (actually humorous to see)…Use Nutella to put Rusty into different stall. Nutella pulls lead rope out of hand. Angry mule and seasonally frustrated donkey loose. Tracie and Claire bribe loose animals with corn. Manage to get Rusty in stall. Realize no upper stall door – Rusty is trying to jump out. Fun begins. Spontaneous attempt to halter break stubborn donkey stallion begins. Manage to get a halter on with 2 lead ropes. Both pull. Fail. Tracie pulls, Claire pushes. Out of breath. Fail. Switch – Claire pulls, Tracie pushes. Out of breath. Fail. Get grain. Fail. Use bandana to blindfold stupid donkey. Fail. More pushing, more pulling, lots of sweat, some frustration. Feet stepped on, donkey mad. Fail. Get Nutella...success! Problem…how to get Nutella out. More pulling, more pushing, more stepped on toes. Small amounts of profanity (to emphasize the pain of it all in reality…now there is humor in it). Success! Oh shoot. Tracie is locked in stall. Claire puts Nutella away while Tracie unblindfolds Rusty. Claire lets Tracie out - squeeze out of stall. High five. Decide vet needs to castrate him ASAP! Eat chocolate.
And so, even on days off of a planned “do nothing” day, there is never a dull moment. The End. And as always, there is so much more, but for now I am going to shower and help Claire cook.
Lessons of the moment:
Stallion donkeys can not be trained
Don’t try to train a stallion donkey in Chacos
After fighting Rusty, humorous braying…not so cute
“Stupid chicken you are like the donkey!” - from Claire as we had to fight freezer frost with butter knives to extract our chicken from the somewhat functioning freezer.
Over the weekend...
I realize in the many new experiences and stories I have hardly talked about the main reason I am here – my job. Or at least, not as in talking about the horses and the “Italian Way.” Italian way being having different supplies, more limited and more expensive than the US. Example: Swat in America is five dollars, tops, here we saw it was twenty five euro!!!
Side note: Today we turned on the TV to try and find the forecast (failed) and stumbled across MTV, which was playing in English Michael Jackson’s song Black or White…random! (until later last night when we saw that this week is Michael Jackson week)
In riding the same horse for nine years I have come to know her very well and she doesn’t challenge me as much as she used to. I know when she is being silly and when she doesn’t understand. She is a seasoned, well trained horse with good days and bad like any of us. Out here, riding younger, less well trained horses has given me a greater appreciation for all the time I put into knowing and training Precious. Sometimes I wish she were here. On the same hand, riding so many different horses is challenging me to be a better rider – mainly in the department of patience, calm, and accepting that I am less experienced in the problem shooting training department. There is a saying in the horse industry that “a horse is always honest.” Given, you can have a poorly trained horse, but for the most part in the honesty of a horse, it is humbling and hard to recognize my faults, or at least to try and see what I am doing wrong, or could do better. I find that I don’t trust unresponsive horses. Today (Saturday June 27, 2009) on the way home, I was riding a three year old, Saturno, and he grabbed the bit, ducked his left shoulder and pulled a hard turn on me…thankfully I have a strong seat, but I nearly came off…it shook my nerves! It was hard to not get mad at him! Saturno is young, so he gets some slack – but his responsiveness is that of a brick wall with a few loose bricks, and it is unpredictable which bricks are loose…not so much slack in that department.
Last semester we had a woman’s night at Church and the speaker, Dr. Kim spoke of two emotions – fear and anger – and all the side effects they can have. The best cure? Deep breathing. I never thought I’d actually use it!!! After all, I am NEVER scared or angry. I have used that “trick” more often this month than I ever thought imaginable. Oh that night I was not feeling good, sitting at the commons on the back couch next to Allie, Michele and Ashley. Another lesson that is actually applicable out here is HALT – when I feel my emotions getting out of control, I think of this acronym Monica taught me. Am I hungry? Angry? Lonely? Tired? 9 out of 10 times, the answer is yes to one of those. Who would have thought I’d actually utilize the wisdom taught to me by others?!
Speaking of utilizing information, as Claire and I try to make this place into a more efficient stable we are realizing the value of business plans and budgets that exist (or in our case don’t exist…). I have decided that having the materials you need to take proper care of the horses, a stated business plan, and job descriptions are completely overrated, along with clean floors, ovens, microwaves, toasters, dish washers, bathtubs, normal refrigerators, freezers, dryers, function-able screen windows, bug free living quarters and cars. Side note: Why job description? Claire and I have recently received a request/goal/need to have done task of…training donkeys. I am sure one of you giggled out loud. Well, every time I think of it I laugh. Do you KNOW how stubborn they can be? After trying to get Rusty in the stall, I can only laugh at the tasks Claire and I are now in charge of: the care, training, and conditioning of 13 horses, 2 ponies, 3 donkeys, and 1 mule…along with an endless to do list of cleaning, organizing, and more cleaning. Busy much? Yes.
I frequently laugh at our desk…a mixture of random lists…you could say we have mastered the art of to do lists: what needs to be done when the vet comes, what do we need to talk to Vittorio about, what to do next time we get to the internet, what do we need at the store, what places do we want to see when we take our day trips, what needs to be cleaned, what needs to be done around the barn and probably at least four other categories of “to do/get” lists.
The last few nights we have been hearing really weird noises in our wall…I assumed it was just a horse fly caught somewhere. I was wrong. Last night we were watching a news clip on the Palio and we heard the noise. Claire looked above her head and we found the source…a scorpion. EW. She grabbed the Raid and well, that was the end of that. As I have mentioned before, here, bugs are our constant companions. We have ants in the walls of our living room and seem to be constantly battling with the flies and (now) scorpions (hopefully that’s just once though). Luckily, the both of us aren’t easily grossed out and find our constant horse-like swatting pretty funny. A can of Raid is by far the best investment made thus far. We have been waging war with the ants and victory is imminent! Updates from the front to come soon.
And every now and then I get to go on little adventures. Today Thomas took me to run an errand and we ended up in the kitchen of a little old woman, who gave us sheep cheese and bread…it was pretty good and another awesome cultural experience. (Yes, I had to mention food!)
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Ah, Siena!
Okay, now for a brief current update.
Claire is back! I don't think I have talked so much in my life in a few short hours. We shared stories, laughed and ate. Today we are in Siena. The Lesson, when in doubt, ask a hotel. We must have walked up the same street fifteen times!
OH Rusty...this morning Claire and I re-experienced our equine reproduction class rather unexpectedly. I'll spare you the details, but let us just say that when you have a Donkey Stallion with a Mule Mare, it is a good thing mules are sterile.
We are ambitiously planning day trips and will take a weekend trip somewhere for my birthday.
As I rewalk through the streets of Siena, out of the wilderness, I must say it is good to be in civilization, amongst people, accordians in the street, pastries on every corner. The city is starting to prepare the Piazzo del Campo for the Palio and I can not wait to experience it! As I meander through the streets I think of all the things I wish I could bring home with me...namely the atmosphere, random gadgets and completely useless flags, baking hats and other random gear.
Today we are off to go grab a piece of pizza, get groceries (always an exciting adventure) and look at horse.
Watch out Europe...I am running loose and my adventurous spirit is rekindled!
OH! And today I bought by first espresso....YUM! WHAT is happening to me? Poor Claire and Anna...I'm a little wired. Actually...as Anna says, I have sugar with coffee, not coffee with sugar. haha.
Don't forget to read the novel below, it has some good stuff too! Thanks for your comments, even if I don't respond they always put a smile on my face.
Love you all!
Tracie
Claire is back! I don't think I have talked so much in my life in a few short hours. We shared stories, laughed and ate. Today we are in Siena. The Lesson, when in doubt, ask a hotel. We must have walked up the same street fifteen times!
OH Rusty...this morning Claire and I re-experienced our equine reproduction class rather unexpectedly. I'll spare you the details, but let us just say that when you have a Donkey Stallion with a Mule Mare, it is a good thing mules are sterile.
We are ambitiously planning day trips and will take a weekend trip somewhere for my birthday.
As I rewalk through the streets of Siena, out of the wilderness, I must say it is good to be in civilization, amongst people, accordians in the street, pastries on every corner. The city is starting to prepare the Piazzo del Campo for the Palio and I can not wait to experience it! As I meander through the streets I think of all the things I wish I could bring home with me...namely the atmosphere, random gadgets and completely useless flags, baking hats and other random gear.
Today we are off to go grab a piece of pizza, get groceries (always an exciting adventure) and look at horse.
Watch out Europe...I am running loose and my adventurous spirit is rekindled!
OH! And today I bought by first espresso....YUM! WHAT is happening to me? Poor Claire and Anna...I'm a little wired. Actually...as Anna says, I have sugar with coffee, not coffee with sugar. haha.
Don't forget to read the novel below, it has some good stuff too! Thanks for your comments, even if I don't respond they always put a smile on my face.
Love you all!
Tracie
2 in 1
Folks, hold on for a novel! Two blogs in one coming right up!
First, to finish my last blog:
Okay, sorry I ended the last blog so abruptly! I did get most of it out though. On reflection, as I write this, I need to share a side note - Disclaimer: If I repeat anything, or leave out key ingredients, it is mostly because there is so much and in the days that pass I have no idea what I have shared and have not shared, journaled or blogged. Time at the internet is very limited, so I don’t take time to go re-read…but I am sure you guys don’t mind. If I remember correctly I left off at Mass yesterday. It was quite beautiful, especially with the singing, as I recall stating. I am really learning the parts of the Mass as I know it in the US – I am noticing the differences…they stand during the consecration here…or rather, at this parish, some sit, some stand, some kneel. Mass is definitely a participation of the heart.
Anyways, I had another unique “little town” Italy experience! YAY! Afterwards to celebrate Father’s 60th priesthood anniversary they had food. Ohhh food… Primo and Edna (an older lady that was with him) kept pointing and motioning for me to get some. It is very very difficult for me to say no when offered food. It reminded me a lot of student suppers in Fort Collins. There were lots of sandwiches, a homemade rice mixture with veggies of I have no idea what…tomatoes, some little green things (olives?) maybe, homemade chip snacks, and DESSERT! Oh, you have not lived until you have had dessert from the kitchens of parishioners in Iesa. Restraunt stuff is good, don’t get me wrong, but this stuff makes you go weak at the knees, you really have to smile as you take each bite!! I can not even begin to tell you what I had. I asked for one piece of cake. The lady took my plate and gave me a piece of everything…yeah I have no idea how to describe them or name them. One thing had blueberries, something tasted like pound cake, another tasted like tapioca vanilla brownies, all were soft, sweet…delicious, oh man my mouth is watering thinking of them.
And then (wrong order, I know) Primo had me have the rice mentioned above, and some sandwiches, and then cake, and then more and more. Italians really want you to eat up! I wish I knew culture better because in America it is more polite to say “no, thanks”…I feel like here to refuse food is an insult…they give it to you anyways! After two nights of no buono gnocchi I felt like I could have eaten half the food in that room…but after a large amount, the only way I could get Primo to stop giving me more or pointing for me to get more was to point at my stomach. Was I full really? No. I just haven’t quite grasped the concept of no stopping here in Italy. Well, and I still feel like a visitor and felt awkward eating so much good stuff in a parish I don’t really belong to. Everyone was nice though and welcoming, even if all I can say is “Ciao, como ti chiama, come stai?” (Hi, what is your name, how are you?)
When I moved to Colorado, my first few weeks on campus I felt like I had a giant neon pink sign above my head saying “HI! I’m from California, please don’t hate me” If I felt out of place then…like everyone was staring. If that was CO, then here I feel like I am a walking silver Christmas tree with flashing Vegas lights. I am sure it is obvious I am a foreigner! Except now I don't really care, just find it amusing. Regardless, I was grateful to experience a parish celebration, for Primo’s help, and God’s grace. I left with a smile on my face and a piece of cake in my lap for later. Yesterday was home away from home. Mass, being with God is always home…that is the beauty of Catholicism – it does not matter where you are, your soul can always rest at home on Sunday.
I keep talking about food…and eating it! I have decided it is a good thing I am doing so much physical activity…it is probably keeping me from gaining an extra fifty pounds. My pants still fit, so I must be doing good…haha. OH! And my huge accomplishment of nightly entertainment: I finally won a difficult level of Spider Solitaire. Folks…it can be done!
Well, Claire comes home on Wednesday, and I will be very happy to see her, I think at the same time though I am going to miss the challenges I had while working alone, relying on my own common sense and judgment. I officially know I am a people person, I do enjoy quiet time, but I don’t think I am designed to live in solitude for the rest of my life…only at special moments such as these two weeks…when I need a good kick in the butt. It has been really good to just be, to take naps, learn to cook, think of where I have been, where I am going and to give thanks to God for such a loving, supportive family including cousins, aunts and uncles, so many amazing friends, and extravagant experiences of life. Really…who am I to be here this summer? Thank you all so much for your love, support and comments.
Okay, from Monday or Tuesday, not sure which:
"The things you never thought you would need to know"
It is really amazing how different songs can have different memories. I am sitting here having just finished dinner, typing on Claire’s computer listening to my Ipod. A song from my very first CD just ended. Oh how I have changed since sixth grade! I remember that all those songs seemed to describe my life and I would play that one CD on repeat for weeks on end. The artist…don’t laugh now, is Savage Garden. As that song came to an end Don’t Stop Believing by Journey is playing…it reminds me of the trip to New Zealand I took over Christmas with my family and Doug Johnson. Why Doug Johnson? I have a feeling it has something to do with Awakening Retreat…or maybe because I know he loves Journey. Either way, these two memories pop into my head; I think I remember dancing on an empty dance floor to this song on the ship...
Anyways, I was thinking about my last blog…I was typing fast, trying to get everything down, that I have no idea if I told you guys half the things I wanted to share! I do know I wrote about my moldy gnocchi…I need to comment on that…it wasn’t moldy, it just smelled funny, and I hate to have food go to waste. Now, the ‘real’ Italian food that I have had is just simply good, not just because I am a cook in training. Speaking of being a cook in training…Vittorio has lent me an English Tuscan cook book! I am soo excited!! It is nice that there is actually time out here to learn skills such as cooking. By the end of next week I am going to learn where I can go to get fresh bread and prosciutto and veggies daily…watch out world! I’ll let you know how those kitchen adventures go...Claire agrees, we are going to publish a cookbook, including how to cauterize bloody chicken on a skillet.
Me, being me, as most of you know, I always overpack. For this trip I did not pack all the random extras. Bad choice. What do I wish I had? A few things…my leather gloves that I took out at the last minute, slippers, extra socks (Speaking of, I have never been more happy to have a pair of free airplane socks…despite the laughs…Thanks Alice!!) Ah, relating to the weather...if you all thought that Colorado weather was unpredictable…then clearly you have never lived in Italy for extended periods of time. It was cold today, cold, in the middle of summer in a supposedly hot area! I did not even pack a sweatshirt…silly! My mission? Find one in Siena. It is summer. I’ll let you know how that goes, haha.
You know the term “pouring buckets?” I must say, here it is not an exaggeration. It is hard to ride because sometimes it is cloudy without a drop of rain ever falling and other times it is sunny with clouds in the distance and within ten minutes there is a giant downpour and you are soaked head to toe. Today was in between – overcast with on and off drizzles. I took a portion of the afternoon to just sit and be, to absorb my surroundings under the setting sun and overcast sky. I found that sometimes we fail to slow down and appreciate life…even when isolated at a ranch in the mountains near Siena. As I sat, this is what I journaled: “…there is a certain peace here when you sit and no one is around. The sounds of horses moving about, eating hay (making horse noises), birds chirping and cooing, their wings flapping as they move from tree to tree; leaves rustling as the breeze passes through. The clouds are coming in – there is a slight chill in the air, the deer are coming out, the bugs finally gone – for now. This is a moment to stop, enjoy the atmosphere and thank God for blessings and difficulties – to be still and know, to just be.” Side note: The River by Garth Brooks is playing, bringing me back to girl scout camp in Idyllwild, CA…the song still has a lot of application to my life…keep trying, live life with adventure, “There’s bound to be rough waters and I know I’ll take some falls, but with the good Lord as my captain I know I can make it through them all.” I don’t know what song will remind me of Italy, but I know I will miss this time I have, despite falling on my butt over and over again! (Literally…it is hard to fight gravity with a wheelbarrow on hills…gravity usually wins and pulls me down the hill or I slip…I have a mighty deep purple bruise on my thigh, or two…or three…; and figuratively – I’ve had my own fair share of crying in further seeking to know myself and God in this solitude) It felt good to just be in the moment, in the stillness and think…wow, is this really real? It is.
On another note, speaking of growth…Anna helped me a bit with the horses today and she is starting to share more about her life. Through her I am learning more about myself, finding my faults and growing closer to God…she tests my patience and makes me aware of a pride I did not know I had…its hard to apologize to a twelve year old sometimes! Despite my often failing attempts at this personal growth, I also see an opportunity to be a positive influence, a mentor of sorts. (Thinking of my sister Megan as Le Poisson is playing…someone I also hope to have a positive influence on!)
Two days ago on a trail ride Anna started asking me about my faith and the simple and difficult question of “If God is love, why is there bad in the world?” I did my best to help her understand sin and human nature, a choice to choose love. Ironic now as she points out people who are nice and mean to her, who she likes and hates. She has not been taught the concept of forgiveness or “hate the sin, love the sinner.” She asked me today “Why is it bad to hate?” I thought of the movie Freedom Writers. I asked if she had heard of the Holocaust. Her answer was no. My heart fell heavy. I referred back to our earlier conversation, why do bad things happen – trying to use her hate as an example…I don’t think she was willing to accept what I was saying. I write this not to gossip or say anything bad about Anna, but as a request for prayer, advice, suggestions…as a statement to say how much I have taken a good education for granted. (And when it comes down to it…how much do I really know? I feel like I know a lot of generalities, no specifics…I couldn’t explain as much of the Holocaust as I wanted to…how sad, miserable is that?!) Have I come this far in life…a college graduate to realize too late how for granted I’ve taken SO much in my life?
I think in America there is more focus on getting good grades then actually learning. Hard work is a foreign concept. I have always considered myself a hard worker, but I guess I am really not…this job is kicking my butt!! And the Cambria kids work hard too! By work I mean helping with house chores – cleaning, cooking, feeding the animals, yard work, and then serving, cooking, cleaning, office work at Ferraria (vacation building). Between all that they do miscellaneous errands. Anna often helps me with barn chores. She is up at 6, working until 11 pm, with the exception of Siesta. I am usually in bed by 10/11, up at 7, but not working the whole time. I don’t know, I guess I’m just trying to say that pitchforking at least 9 wheelbarrows full of hay twice a day, riding 2-3 horses, carrying heavy buckets, and scooping poop all day is hard work that American kids today don’t experience. In the old days physical labor was a part of life, not a “chore”. Does that make sense? I really do feel like I have stepped back in time and I think I will be happy to rejoin the twentieth century in a few months.
OH! Last thing tonight, sorry I know I hop around…my brain goes faster than my hands. (It is now currently raining hard, lights flickering) The deer come every night to eat corn. There are about 9 or 10, two of which are males. Tonight there was a new addition…a little baby!! And let me tell you…it is sooooooo cute! Oh my…I definitely caught my breath when I saw it. Yay baby deer! And for those who know my “DEER!” Colorado story…I definitely think of Colorado often when feeding…fortunately…it is safe to yell “DEER!” here…and I definitely did my first night here. Now, I just smile and go about my chores.
Okay, bed time. Lessons of the day:
Over packing is a good thing, no matter how light you want to pack
America takes its wealth for granted
Sitting and being is sometimes the best medicine for the soul
Nothing of great humor, I guess I’m in a more “deep thinking” mood tonight.
Love you all so very much, thanks for supporting me and humoring me by reading my blogs and commenting; I appreciate the time you spend with me in this way!
Tracie
First, to finish my last blog:
Okay, sorry I ended the last blog so abruptly! I did get most of it out though. On reflection, as I write this, I need to share a side note - Disclaimer: If I repeat anything, or leave out key ingredients, it is mostly because there is so much and in the days that pass I have no idea what I have shared and have not shared, journaled or blogged. Time at the internet is very limited, so I don’t take time to go re-read…but I am sure you guys don’t mind. If I remember correctly I left off at Mass yesterday. It was quite beautiful, especially with the singing, as I recall stating. I am really learning the parts of the Mass as I know it in the US – I am noticing the differences…they stand during the consecration here…or rather, at this parish, some sit, some stand, some kneel. Mass is definitely a participation of the heart.
Anyways, I had another unique “little town” Italy experience! YAY! Afterwards to celebrate Father’s 60th priesthood anniversary they had food. Ohhh food… Primo and Edna (an older lady that was with him) kept pointing and motioning for me to get some. It is very very difficult for me to say no when offered food. It reminded me a lot of student suppers in Fort Collins. There were lots of sandwiches, a homemade rice mixture with veggies of I have no idea what…tomatoes, some little green things (olives?) maybe, homemade chip snacks, and DESSERT! Oh, you have not lived until you have had dessert from the kitchens of parishioners in Iesa. Restraunt stuff is good, don’t get me wrong, but this stuff makes you go weak at the knees, you really have to smile as you take each bite!! I can not even begin to tell you what I had. I asked for one piece of cake. The lady took my plate and gave me a piece of everything…yeah I have no idea how to describe them or name them. One thing had blueberries, something tasted like pound cake, another tasted like tapioca vanilla brownies, all were soft, sweet…delicious, oh man my mouth is watering thinking of them.
And then (wrong order, I know) Primo had me have the rice mentioned above, and some sandwiches, and then cake, and then more and more. Italians really want you to eat up! I wish I knew culture better because in America it is more polite to say “no, thanks”…I feel like here to refuse food is an insult…they give it to you anyways! After two nights of no buono gnocchi I felt like I could have eaten half the food in that room…but after a large amount, the only way I could get Primo to stop giving me more or pointing for me to get more was to point at my stomach. Was I full really? No. I just haven’t quite grasped the concept of no stopping here in Italy. Well, and I still feel like a visitor and felt awkward eating so much good stuff in a parish I don’t really belong to. Everyone was nice though and welcoming, even if all I can say is “Ciao, como ti chiama, come stai?” (Hi, what is your name, how are you?)
When I moved to Colorado, my first few weeks on campus I felt like I had a giant neon pink sign above my head saying “HI! I’m from California, please don’t hate me” If I felt out of place then…like everyone was staring. If that was CO, then here I feel like I am a walking silver Christmas tree with flashing Vegas lights. I am sure it is obvious I am a foreigner! Except now I don't really care, just find it amusing. Regardless, I was grateful to experience a parish celebration, for Primo’s help, and God’s grace. I left with a smile on my face and a piece of cake in my lap for later. Yesterday was home away from home. Mass, being with God is always home…that is the beauty of Catholicism – it does not matter where you are, your soul can always rest at home on Sunday.
I keep talking about food…and eating it! I have decided it is a good thing I am doing so much physical activity…it is probably keeping me from gaining an extra fifty pounds. My pants still fit, so I must be doing good…haha. OH! And my huge accomplishment of nightly entertainment: I finally won a difficult level of Spider Solitaire. Folks…it can be done!
Well, Claire comes home on Wednesday, and I will be very happy to see her, I think at the same time though I am going to miss the challenges I had while working alone, relying on my own common sense and judgment. I officially know I am a people person, I do enjoy quiet time, but I don’t think I am designed to live in solitude for the rest of my life…only at special moments such as these two weeks…when I need a good kick in the butt. It has been really good to just be, to take naps, learn to cook, think of where I have been, where I am going and to give thanks to God for such a loving, supportive family including cousins, aunts and uncles, so many amazing friends, and extravagant experiences of life. Really…who am I to be here this summer? Thank you all so much for your love, support and comments.
Okay, from Monday or Tuesday, not sure which:
"The things you never thought you would need to know"
It is really amazing how different songs can have different memories. I am sitting here having just finished dinner, typing on Claire’s computer listening to my Ipod. A song from my very first CD just ended. Oh how I have changed since sixth grade! I remember that all those songs seemed to describe my life and I would play that one CD on repeat for weeks on end. The artist…don’t laugh now, is Savage Garden. As that song came to an end Don’t Stop Believing by Journey is playing…it reminds me of the trip to New Zealand I took over Christmas with my family and Doug Johnson. Why Doug Johnson? I have a feeling it has something to do with Awakening Retreat…or maybe because I know he loves Journey. Either way, these two memories pop into my head; I think I remember dancing on an empty dance floor to this song on the ship...
Anyways, I was thinking about my last blog…I was typing fast, trying to get everything down, that I have no idea if I told you guys half the things I wanted to share! I do know I wrote about my moldy gnocchi…I need to comment on that…it wasn’t moldy, it just smelled funny, and I hate to have food go to waste. Now, the ‘real’ Italian food that I have had is just simply good, not just because I am a cook in training. Speaking of being a cook in training…Vittorio has lent me an English Tuscan cook book! I am soo excited!! It is nice that there is actually time out here to learn skills such as cooking. By the end of next week I am going to learn where I can go to get fresh bread and prosciutto and veggies daily…watch out world! I’ll let you know how those kitchen adventures go...Claire agrees, we are going to publish a cookbook, including how to cauterize bloody chicken on a skillet.
Me, being me, as most of you know, I always overpack. For this trip I did not pack all the random extras. Bad choice. What do I wish I had? A few things…my leather gloves that I took out at the last minute, slippers, extra socks (Speaking of, I have never been more happy to have a pair of free airplane socks…despite the laughs…Thanks Alice!!) Ah, relating to the weather...if you all thought that Colorado weather was unpredictable…then clearly you have never lived in Italy for extended periods of time. It was cold today, cold, in the middle of summer in a supposedly hot area! I did not even pack a sweatshirt…silly! My mission? Find one in Siena. It is summer. I’ll let you know how that goes, haha.
You know the term “pouring buckets?” I must say, here it is not an exaggeration. It is hard to ride because sometimes it is cloudy without a drop of rain ever falling and other times it is sunny with clouds in the distance and within ten minutes there is a giant downpour and you are soaked head to toe. Today was in between – overcast with on and off drizzles. I took a portion of the afternoon to just sit and be, to absorb my surroundings under the setting sun and overcast sky. I found that sometimes we fail to slow down and appreciate life…even when isolated at a ranch in the mountains near Siena. As I sat, this is what I journaled: “…there is a certain peace here when you sit and no one is around. The sounds of horses moving about, eating hay (making horse noises), birds chirping and cooing, their wings flapping as they move from tree to tree; leaves rustling as the breeze passes through. The clouds are coming in – there is a slight chill in the air, the deer are coming out, the bugs finally gone – for now. This is a moment to stop, enjoy the atmosphere and thank God for blessings and difficulties – to be still and know, to just be.” Side note: The River by Garth Brooks is playing, bringing me back to girl scout camp in Idyllwild, CA…the song still has a lot of application to my life…keep trying, live life with adventure, “There’s bound to be rough waters and I know I’ll take some falls, but with the good Lord as my captain I know I can make it through them all.” I don’t know what song will remind me of Italy, but I know I will miss this time I have, despite falling on my butt over and over again! (Literally…it is hard to fight gravity with a wheelbarrow on hills…gravity usually wins and pulls me down the hill or I slip…I have a mighty deep purple bruise on my thigh, or two…or three…; and figuratively – I’ve had my own fair share of crying in further seeking to know myself and God in this solitude) It felt good to just be in the moment, in the stillness and think…wow, is this really real? It is.
On another note, speaking of growth…Anna helped me a bit with the horses today and she is starting to share more about her life. Through her I am learning more about myself, finding my faults and growing closer to God…she tests my patience and makes me aware of a pride I did not know I had…its hard to apologize to a twelve year old sometimes! Despite my often failing attempts at this personal growth, I also see an opportunity to be a positive influence, a mentor of sorts. (Thinking of my sister Megan as Le Poisson is playing…someone I also hope to have a positive influence on!)
Two days ago on a trail ride Anna started asking me about my faith and the simple and difficult question of “If God is love, why is there bad in the world?” I did my best to help her understand sin and human nature, a choice to choose love. Ironic now as she points out people who are nice and mean to her, who she likes and hates. She has not been taught the concept of forgiveness or “hate the sin, love the sinner.” She asked me today “Why is it bad to hate?” I thought of the movie Freedom Writers. I asked if she had heard of the Holocaust. Her answer was no. My heart fell heavy. I referred back to our earlier conversation, why do bad things happen – trying to use her hate as an example…I don’t think she was willing to accept what I was saying. I write this not to gossip or say anything bad about Anna, but as a request for prayer, advice, suggestions…as a statement to say how much I have taken a good education for granted. (And when it comes down to it…how much do I really know? I feel like I know a lot of generalities, no specifics…I couldn’t explain as much of the Holocaust as I wanted to…how sad, miserable is that?!) Have I come this far in life…a college graduate to realize too late how for granted I’ve taken SO much in my life?
I think in America there is more focus on getting good grades then actually learning. Hard work is a foreign concept. I have always considered myself a hard worker, but I guess I am really not…this job is kicking my butt!! And the Cambria kids work hard too! By work I mean helping with house chores – cleaning, cooking, feeding the animals, yard work, and then serving, cooking, cleaning, office work at Ferraria (vacation building). Between all that they do miscellaneous errands. Anna often helps me with barn chores. She is up at 6, working until 11 pm, with the exception of Siesta. I am usually in bed by 10/11, up at 7, but not working the whole time. I don’t know, I guess I’m just trying to say that pitchforking at least 9 wheelbarrows full of hay twice a day, riding 2-3 horses, carrying heavy buckets, and scooping poop all day is hard work that American kids today don’t experience. In the old days physical labor was a part of life, not a “chore”. Does that make sense? I really do feel like I have stepped back in time and I think I will be happy to rejoin the twentieth century in a few months.
OH! Last thing tonight, sorry I know I hop around…my brain goes faster than my hands. (It is now currently raining hard, lights flickering) The deer come every night to eat corn. There are about 9 or 10, two of which are males. Tonight there was a new addition…a little baby!! And let me tell you…it is sooooooo cute! Oh my…I definitely caught my breath when I saw it. Yay baby deer! And for those who know my “DEER!” Colorado story…I definitely think of Colorado often when feeding…fortunately…it is safe to yell “DEER!” here…and I definitely did my first night here. Now, I just smile and go about my chores.
Okay, bed time. Lessons of the day:
Over packing is a good thing, no matter how light you want to pack
America takes its wealth for granted
Sitting and being is sometimes the best medicine for the soul
Nothing of great humor, I guess I’m in a more “deep thinking” mood tonight.
Love you all so very much, thanks for supporting me and humoring me by reading my blogs and commenting; I appreciate the time you spend with me in this way!
Tracie
Monday, June 22, 2009
Rain, Rain
Oh man, hang on guys, this one is probably going to be insanely long, there is a lot to write about for a week of no blogging!!
I can not believe that in four days I will have been in Italy for one month...that is absolutely insane. And as Claire comes back soon, I have really been striving to take this time of solitude up with God. Well, lets just say along with spiritual growth, of course I have had many "life lessons". Last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we had a couple come on two half day and one full day rides. I think that was probably when it hit me that I am the boss here, I am the one expected to have the answers and I have to rely on my own common sense. Ha! Me? Common sense? Oh, it has been buried for a while, but having those guests has helped me start cleaning that closet. See, first day they were coming I had to match horses with riders...and can I just say that when people are never honest about their skills, and you barely know the horses yourself matching can be a very difficult task. In three days I also had to deal with horses going lame, sore backs, and various other day to day ailments of horses. On the trail rides Kathy and Peter had loads of questions...can I just say answering "I don't know" to basic questions thirty times in a row is really quite humiliating. I think Kathy knew more than I did about horses and that was humbling especially when she kept asking about my degree. Good question...what HAVE I learned in college? If I could change one thing it would be to have learned more practical stuff.
On that first ride I also learned some very basic knowledge. You know how people talk about rubbing salt in wounds as painful? Well, in my great revelation of having blisters cut open rubbing against sweaty horse necks, I realized with the rather painful stinging, that even horse sweat...composed of salt...can be just as painful as rubbing salt in the wounds. Ridiculous realization, right? I have to amuse myself somehow... Also, I know one particular individual...*Eric* eh hem...who will appreciate this next observation. I have recently recieved a rock in the mail from a Volcano in New Mexico...sorry if those facts are wrong friend...but we went on this ride with an old wall and road from the midevil period...WAY COOL! I started thinking that Eric (geologist, rockaholic, etc) would really enjoy this. And then I thought, well why is a midevil wall of rock so cool when ALL rocks are older than dinosaurs, or something of the sort. That means even at your local park you are seeing something as cool and as old as Roman ruins in Tuscany!!! Or not...
Okay, so the whole day ride we stopped for lunch at a government farm (did you know that the government is in charge of the Italy horse breed breeding here?). Oh the food in Italy is glorious I tell you! This was my first Italian home cooked lunch and well, lets just say I ate way too much. We had a table set up with wine, flowers and all...even a grapevine overhead! They served pasta with olive oil, tomato, onion, garlic and basil (all fresh from the garden, except the noodles). I thought that was it, but oh no...then they served a salad of simply olive oil, salt and pepper (SO GOOD, even for a non salad eater!), then we had quiche with zucchini from the garden, and then we had desert. Most of you know I hate peaches, I think they are slimy and disgusting. I was sad when I learned this desert was made of peaches. It was a crustana with a peach marmalade drizzled on top. I tried it. I ate THREE! (There were leftovers...who am I do deny deliciousness...it was going to be thrown away! A CRIME!)
That night I was invited to dinner at Ferraria again...we ate in the courtyard, basically the same feeling as the last time, but different views. Well, Kathy and Peter had taken a cooking class and so we ate their creation. They even let me help make spaghetti! Let us just say it was...interesting. Kathy took a video of me...I will hopefully post it soon. But Stefano, the teaching chef threw in fresh veggies and let me tell you, there is NOTHING like fresh pasta. The veggies included carrots, zucchini, I think olives and something else. Then we had chicken and green beans. I will tell you what...oh my gosh...they flavored them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, wrapped about 6 with prosciutto, sprinkled them with parmesean cheese and baked them. They were AMAZING! I could have eaten only those for dinner. Then we had dessert...the most bizarre dessert in the world. At first I didn't even know if I liked it! It was a lime and mint mousse. Weird right? Oh no, SO good. They call it Bavarese. Oh man...watch out world.
Fast forward to Friday. My cooking. Not quite as elegant as the already prepared food I have been blessed to experience. Let me explain. You know that last grocery trip from the movies, with food spilling all over the road? Well, in my fluster when I got home I COMPLETELY failed to realize that the gnocchi I bought had to be regrigerated, and was only good for three days. Technically, I should have thrown it away, it smelled like rotting potatoes. Well, when you are running low on food and hungry...you don't waste even smelly gnocchi. Potatoes can not make you sick, right? Right. I redeemed them with uh, a LOT of sauce, extra time boiling and some salt. I guess in Italy even the packaged food is fresh as it said on the bag EAT IN THREE DAYS! It sat on the shelf for at least a week not refrigerated. Saturday night I ate the other bag. And tried to cook chicken legs on a frying pan. Hey, Claire did it, so can I, right? heh. The stupid chicken leg kept bleeding! GROSS! Then the skin started turning black no matter how much butter-oil I put in the pan. Just when I thought it was done...more blood. Seriously not pretty. Finally I gave up and just ate them, with my moldy gnocchi. I had to laugh at myself...only one way to learn your way around the kitchen, right?
Ah, Saturday...Feravanti came to help me with the horses. We finished cleaning the disgusting back room. The leather that had been hanging on the walls for who knows how long was GROSS to touch...full of cobwebs. He kept asking for grasso (grease). We did not have any, so he mixed milk, yes cows milk and water and we washed the leather in that. I never would have thought to wash tack with milk. You? I guess there is a first for everything. When it dried, it was not perfect, but much much better. Leather comes from cows, milk comes from cows...I guess it makes sense on a strange level.
OKay, now I have to tell you guys...every single morning and evening when I feed I am usually thinking of what I will write here, or praying, or thinking of a boy I like, or what am I going to do with my life, or something of the sorts. I also have started naming hay bales. I have a very strong love hate relationship with round hay bales, and if you have never pitch forked one before...consider yourself missing out on a humorous life experience. In my head there are three types of these bales. The angel hair pasta bales, the fettucini bales, and the random bales...usually one or the other above mixed with leaves, twigs, and/or mold. Angel hair bales (in reference to the pasta) is a fine hay, easy to pitchfork in large amounts and are my friends. Fettucini bales and I argue every morning...they refuse to give me hay. Yes I have yelled at them and kicked them...they are stubborn! I think watching me try to pitchfork hay could be national entertainment. I simply do not have a lot of upper arm strength to take away the hay that the bales hold onto with lockjaw! I really can not put it into words.
The last few days we have had a lot of rain. Pitchforking hay in the rain is really a pain in the rear end, something I will not miss I must say. The rain makes the pitchfork wet. The fences have electric wiring. Hay does not trap electric conductivity...I think I have more electric stimulation these last few days then I care to count on my hands and toes. See, fences don't know the difference between a horse trying to escape and you accidentally brushing the metal against it to feed...they send a shock either way.
Lessons of the week:
Horse salt hurts like normal salt in wounds
Dry chicken is better than half cooked chicken
To get good flavored chicken you should season it before cooking
Riding gloves double great as potholders...sort of
Olive oil, parm. cheese, and wine are crucial to a life in Italy
Hay does not trap electric currents
Well, a humor note. Vittorio doesn't believe in God as I do, but he knows of my strong belief. This week I was a horrible, horrible person. I COMPLETELY forgot to water the ponies down the road. As a joke, partly serious, he got me a rosary, with all the mysteries in Italian (really, kind of cool) and told me I had to pray it five times for forgiveness. I find this humorous becuase I had just been praying for forgiveness since I can not go to confession. The humor of God... As yesterday was Sunday, I got to go to Mass. It was a Mass to also celebrate Father's 60th priesthood anniversary. They even had a choir! I must say, I love the sound of foreign language singing in Church. The sound reminded me of visiting the Fraternas in Peru and their beautiful singing. I wish I had had the words so I could have tried to join in. It was an evening Mass and Primo gave me a ride..who speaks no English.
As I am lazy and don't want to walk, my ride up the hill is here, will have to finish later...LOVE YOU ALL!
Tracie
I can not believe that in four days I will have been in Italy for one month...that is absolutely insane. And as Claire comes back soon, I have really been striving to take this time of solitude up with God. Well, lets just say along with spiritual growth, of course I have had many "life lessons". Last Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we had a couple come on two half day and one full day rides. I think that was probably when it hit me that I am the boss here, I am the one expected to have the answers and I have to rely on my own common sense. Ha! Me? Common sense? Oh, it has been buried for a while, but having those guests has helped me start cleaning that closet. See, first day they were coming I had to match horses with riders...and can I just say that when people are never honest about their skills, and you barely know the horses yourself matching can be a very difficult task. In three days I also had to deal with horses going lame, sore backs, and various other day to day ailments of horses. On the trail rides Kathy and Peter had loads of questions...can I just say answering "I don't know" to basic questions thirty times in a row is really quite humiliating. I think Kathy knew more than I did about horses and that was humbling especially when she kept asking about my degree. Good question...what HAVE I learned in college? If I could change one thing it would be to have learned more practical stuff.
On that first ride I also learned some very basic knowledge. You know how people talk about rubbing salt in wounds as painful? Well, in my great revelation of having blisters cut open rubbing against sweaty horse necks, I realized with the rather painful stinging, that even horse sweat...composed of salt...can be just as painful as rubbing salt in the wounds. Ridiculous realization, right? I have to amuse myself somehow... Also, I know one particular individual...*Eric* eh hem...who will appreciate this next observation. I have recently recieved a rock in the mail from a Volcano in New Mexico...sorry if those facts are wrong friend...but we went on this ride with an old wall and road from the midevil period...WAY COOL! I started thinking that Eric (geologist, rockaholic, etc) would really enjoy this. And then I thought, well why is a midevil wall of rock so cool when ALL rocks are older than dinosaurs, or something of the sort. That means even at your local park you are seeing something as cool and as old as Roman ruins in Tuscany!!! Or not...
Okay, so the whole day ride we stopped for lunch at a government farm (did you know that the government is in charge of the Italy horse breed breeding here?). Oh the food in Italy is glorious I tell you! This was my first Italian home cooked lunch and well, lets just say I ate way too much. We had a table set up with wine, flowers and all...even a grapevine overhead! They served pasta with olive oil, tomato, onion, garlic and basil (all fresh from the garden, except the noodles). I thought that was it, but oh no...then they served a salad of simply olive oil, salt and pepper (SO GOOD, even for a non salad eater!), then we had quiche with zucchini from the garden, and then we had desert. Most of you know I hate peaches, I think they are slimy and disgusting. I was sad when I learned this desert was made of peaches. It was a crustana with a peach marmalade drizzled on top. I tried it. I ate THREE! (There were leftovers...who am I do deny deliciousness...it was going to be thrown away! A CRIME!)
That night I was invited to dinner at Ferraria again...we ate in the courtyard, basically the same feeling as the last time, but different views. Well, Kathy and Peter had taken a cooking class and so we ate their creation. They even let me help make spaghetti! Let us just say it was...interesting. Kathy took a video of me...I will hopefully post it soon. But Stefano, the teaching chef threw in fresh veggies and let me tell you, there is NOTHING like fresh pasta. The veggies included carrots, zucchini, I think olives and something else. Then we had chicken and green beans. I will tell you what...oh my gosh...they flavored them with olive oil, salt, and pepper, wrapped about 6 with prosciutto, sprinkled them with parmesean cheese and baked them. They were AMAZING! I could have eaten only those for dinner. Then we had dessert...the most bizarre dessert in the world. At first I didn't even know if I liked it! It was a lime and mint mousse. Weird right? Oh no, SO good. They call it Bavarese. Oh man...watch out world.
Fast forward to Friday. My cooking. Not quite as elegant as the already prepared food I have been blessed to experience. Let me explain. You know that last grocery trip from the movies, with food spilling all over the road? Well, in my fluster when I got home I COMPLETELY failed to realize that the gnocchi I bought had to be regrigerated, and was only good for three days. Technically, I should have thrown it away, it smelled like rotting potatoes. Well, when you are running low on food and hungry...you don't waste even smelly gnocchi. Potatoes can not make you sick, right? Right. I redeemed them with uh, a LOT of sauce, extra time boiling and some salt. I guess in Italy even the packaged food is fresh as it said on the bag EAT IN THREE DAYS! It sat on the shelf for at least a week not refrigerated. Saturday night I ate the other bag. And tried to cook chicken legs on a frying pan. Hey, Claire did it, so can I, right? heh. The stupid chicken leg kept bleeding! GROSS! Then the skin started turning black no matter how much butter-oil I put in the pan. Just when I thought it was done...more blood. Seriously not pretty. Finally I gave up and just ate them, with my moldy gnocchi. I had to laugh at myself...only one way to learn your way around the kitchen, right?
Ah, Saturday...Feravanti came to help me with the horses. We finished cleaning the disgusting back room. The leather that had been hanging on the walls for who knows how long was GROSS to touch...full of cobwebs. He kept asking for grasso (grease). We did not have any, so he mixed milk, yes cows milk and water and we washed the leather in that. I never would have thought to wash tack with milk. You? I guess there is a first for everything. When it dried, it was not perfect, but much much better. Leather comes from cows, milk comes from cows...I guess it makes sense on a strange level.
OKay, now I have to tell you guys...every single morning and evening when I feed I am usually thinking of what I will write here, or praying, or thinking of a boy I like, or what am I going to do with my life, or something of the sorts. I also have started naming hay bales. I have a very strong love hate relationship with round hay bales, and if you have never pitch forked one before...consider yourself missing out on a humorous life experience. In my head there are three types of these bales. The angel hair pasta bales, the fettucini bales, and the random bales...usually one or the other above mixed with leaves, twigs, and/or mold. Angel hair bales (in reference to the pasta) is a fine hay, easy to pitchfork in large amounts and are my friends. Fettucini bales and I argue every morning...they refuse to give me hay. Yes I have yelled at them and kicked them...they are stubborn! I think watching me try to pitchfork hay could be national entertainment. I simply do not have a lot of upper arm strength to take away the hay that the bales hold onto with lockjaw! I really can not put it into words.
The last few days we have had a lot of rain. Pitchforking hay in the rain is really a pain in the rear end, something I will not miss I must say. The rain makes the pitchfork wet. The fences have electric wiring. Hay does not trap electric conductivity...I think I have more electric stimulation these last few days then I care to count on my hands and toes. See, fences don't know the difference between a horse trying to escape and you accidentally brushing the metal against it to feed...they send a shock either way.
Lessons of the week:
Horse salt hurts like normal salt in wounds
Dry chicken is better than half cooked chicken
To get good flavored chicken you should season it before cooking
Riding gloves double great as potholders...sort of
Olive oil, parm. cheese, and wine are crucial to a life in Italy
Hay does not trap electric currents
Well, a humor note. Vittorio doesn't believe in God as I do, but he knows of my strong belief. This week I was a horrible, horrible person. I COMPLETELY forgot to water the ponies down the road. As a joke, partly serious, he got me a rosary, with all the mysteries in Italian (really, kind of cool) and told me I had to pray it five times for forgiveness. I find this humorous becuase I had just been praying for forgiveness since I can not go to confession. The humor of God... As yesterday was Sunday, I got to go to Mass. It was a Mass to also celebrate Father's 60th priesthood anniversary. They even had a choir! I must say, I love the sound of foreign language singing in Church. The sound reminded me of visiting the Fraternas in Peru and their beautiful singing. I wish I had had the words so I could have tried to join in. It was an evening Mass and Primo gave me a ride..who speaks no English.
As I am lazy and don't want to walk, my ride up the hill is here, will have to finish later...LOVE YOU ALL!
Tracie
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Thank God for Sundays
Where else to start except I love full days of rest, the Sabbath has a new value in my book. Mostly because after lots of sweat and dirt necklaces all week, being up at dawn and in bed around 10, just relaxing feels so good.
I am not feeling as lonely as Anna is off scuolo (school) and helping me immensely. I am actually starting to really enjoy myself as far as doing what I want, when I want, as long as the goals of the day get done. It is nice to have some time in the morning for prayer and naps under the sun in the evening and a good read at night.
I don't have my notes with me, so I am going to go off memory for dinner for the last two nights. Friday night I went to dinner with Patricia, Anna and Angelo to a Pizzeria. I must say, that while I had authentic Italian food in Rome, this was the real local deal...like a Nick's in Apple Valley, or a Woodys in Fort Collins...but of course way different Pizza. I felt soo...American! First, the building is small, off the highway behind a gas station...definitely not touristy. Second, I could barely understand the heavy accented Italian, even with what I do know...I was slightly embarrassed. So we order antipasto (a buffet style) and pizza. I was extremely skeptical of the antipasto...weird colors, strange sights, and it was on a folding table. But I gathered some potato cake things, toast with spinach and other unidentifiable items, cold pasta, a tuna slab...literally, some shrimp with a pink cream sauce and I didn't want to try the sea creature legs...ew. It was all soooooooooo good! I was pleasantly surprised. Then the pizza. I got a white pizza (no sauce) with prosciutto. Anna got a margherita and I don't know what the others got. I tried hers, yum! It looked like cheese from America, but tasted so so much better. I couldn't finish mine. I asked for a box. They looked at me so weird and laughed. I forgot...Italians only eat fresh. By only, I mean only. I guess I am not Italian yet...I like cold pizza, and I hate wasting food. In the end, they provided. Lunch today - which was still delicious, even cold (no microwave). We then got desert. I had white chocolate ice cream. They garnished it with whipped cream, drizzled chocolate, cinnamon and nuts. I could have done without the nuts, but I wasn't going to say anything, especially in a foreign language!! I took a first bite, yum. The second bite had a cookie dough flavor...are you serious?! This is heaven in my mouth. And then another...wait a sec. Another...oh my gosh, this is coffee flavored center! And another...it is kind of good. And before I knew it, it was gone. The drive home I wanted a blended drink with coffee. For me, that is unheard of, I hate coffee. Could gelato be the thing to convert me? I will let you know as time goes on.
And last night. It was a moment that I felt guilty experiencing alone, a picture that I can only hope to do justice in words, an atmosphere that I thought of each family member individually and each friend. I could imagine all of you there, laughing, talking, drinking wine, sharing stories, being goofy and talking more. How I wished to share that moment. Let me explain. I was invited to dinner at Ferraia with Vittorio, Patricia, Anna, Angelo, and 2 guests. Anna and I walked from the Office to the garden where lay a huge covered grill, and across the way a huge gazebo of sorts with 2 long wooden tables. Between the tables lay a bar with regrigerator, wine cellar, sink and other patio ammenities. On one of the tables sat three lit candles covered with glass, seating for seven with yellow placemats, and an invitation that said I am so happy you came! One view, that side I sat on, showed me a garden with homegrown lettuce, tomatoes and other veggies. Beyond that lay the green mountains lush with vegetation. Beyond that a setting sun, perfect weather and crickets chirping away.
Vittorio was cooking pork ribs, sausage, steak, and I believe one other kind of meat that I didn't get the chance to try. When everyone gathered, food was served family style, grab what you want, don't ask anyone to pass anything. We had romaine lettuce with olive oil, green beans (fresh and delicious, which is saying something as I generally am NOT a green bean fan), bread, and of course lots of good, juicy, flavorful meat(also homegrown...raised and killed). For dessert we had cantaloupe. Throughout the meal there was hearty Italian chatter. Though it was hard for me to follow I do understand smiles, and I do understand cheerful handmovements. At one point Vittorio was talking about Annas poor posture...it reminded me of my dad harping on me when I was 12. The adults giving her a hard time out of love...also been there, :). As the sun set, lightning bugs came out and the bushes to the side of the garden looked as if they were draped with white dancing Christmas lights...just beautiful...I kind of thought of Pirates of the Carribean. :) As I closed my eyes I could envision all those I love there with me, enjoying the moment, and I decided I would just have to live it for you and tell you that I thought of you most definitely. It made me wonder, why don't we do fruit as a dessert? Healthier that is for sure!
And of course, through it all, I was a silly American. I didn't know how much I was allowed, so I took a little, making sure they all had enough. It was noticed...They asked, you eat a little, you are not used to big plates are you? I guess not...but I could have eaten so much more, it tasted sooo good! And well, in front of strangers, I tried to cut my cantaloup as professionally as I could, looking chic and calm...well, my hand was sweating and shaking, me knife fruit. Think about it...cutting with knife toward thumb to get it off the rind like I've watched Mom do countless times so smoothly. Mine was less than smooth...but no sanguay! (blood) Needless to say it was a pretty magnificent night only to get better. OH! And the wine...Vittorio kept giving me more, even when I said no...I am a lightweight, not used to wine frequently...it may be why I slept so good last night...hmm. On the way home I stopped and stared at the stars. I assure you I was not seeing double...their numbers...countless...it was bedazzling! With no city lights near, no orange glow, the constallations were VIBRANT! I stared until my neck hurt and I thought I was going to pass out. Good night!
Today I discovered an English book collection...among them...Under the Tuscan Sun. If you have read it, where I live is nothing, nothing like she describes...I so want to go see what she describes, and I am in Tuscany. I am slightly inspired to record my experiences in more detail...maybe I can write a #1 best seller. Except my brain goes faster than my hands and I lack eloquence...so I think it would have to be more on the silly experiential, ridiculous side, more humorous than romantic. That is my Tuscany so far...laughter at self, mountains, horses, flies and dirt.
Did I mention that this morning I found a millipede, daddy long leg spider, pincer bug AND a giant rhino looking beetle in/near my front door? If I had any fear of cathing, moving or killing bugs, it is gone now. Cobwebs are still kind of gross on my arms and face on trails, but I am getting over it.
Today I fed and showered...I have been clean with no dirt on me all day and it has been glorious! I went to Mass, Thomas picked me up and we went to Iesa (Yezza) to a Church called St. Micheals. Fortunately again they had the Italian read along. As I listened to Fathers homily, which I vaguely understood as being about the Last Supper (from hand movements and few key words like pane, sanguay, vino and reading the readings in my English Bible), I marveled at the beauty of Catholicism and I understood what Cousin Eric told me so many years ago that I could barely grasp...Mass is constantly happening all over the world. When I was at Mass, yall were in bed, as I write this, or as I've slept yall are at Mass. All day, everyday...due to time changes. And not only that, we all get the same message! I don't know why that was fascinating to me just today but it was. We really are all connected through la Chiesa, una santa cattolica e apostolica. (One, holy, catholic and apostolic Church).
Oh, and the small village Tocchi? Learned to day that its population is approximately 20. SMALL! I can now efficiently cut apples smoothly with a butter knife, yay! And in Italian I've interpreted my own name to mean "three Cs" Tre = 3 Cie = C , 3 Cs. They can mean what you like. I'm thinking/hoping to live up to Christ, Courage and Caritas (love)...or Charity.
With that, I leave you with my life lessons:
- learn to cut fruit early in life to save yourself public embarrassment
- there is no way to refuse wine in Italy
- the best way to classify yourself as American besides blonde hair and not speaking the language is to ask for a to go box
I am not feeling as lonely as Anna is off scuolo (school) and helping me immensely. I am actually starting to really enjoy myself as far as doing what I want, when I want, as long as the goals of the day get done. It is nice to have some time in the morning for prayer and naps under the sun in the evening and a good read at night.
I don't have my notes with me, so I am going to go off memory for dinner for the last two nights. Friday night I went to dinner with Patricia, Anna and Angelo to a Pizzeria. I must say, that while I had authentic Italian food in Rome, this was the real local deal...like a Nick's in Apple Valley, or a Woodys in Fort Collins...but of course way different Pizza. I felt soo...American! First, the building is small, off the highway behind a gas station...definitely not touristy. Second, I could barely understand the heavy accented Italian, even with what I do know...I was slightly embarrassed. So we order antipasto (a buffet style) and pizza. I was extremely skeptical of the antipasto...weird colors, strange sights, and it was on a folding table. But I gathered some potato cake things, toast with spinach and other unidentifiable items, cold pasta, a tuna slab...literally, some shrimp with a pink cream sauce and I didn't want to try the sea creature legs...ew. It was all soooooooooo good! I was pleasantly surprised. Then the pizza. I got a white pizza (no sauce) with prosciutto. Anna got a margherita and I don't know what the others got. I tried hers, yum! It looked like cheese from America, but tasted so so much better. I couldn't finish mine. I asked for a box. They looked at me so weird and laughed. I forgot...Italians only eat fresh. By only, I mean only. I guess I am not Italian yet...I like cold pizza, and I hate wasting food. In the end, they provided. Lunch today - which was still delicious, even cold (no microwave). We then got desert. I had white chocolate ice cream. They garnished it with whipped cream, drizzled chocolate, cinnamon and nuts. I could have done without the nuts, but I wasn't going to say anything, especially in a foreign language!! I took a first bite, yum. The second bite had a cookie dough flavor...are you serious?! This is heaven in my mouth. And then another...wait a sec. Another...oh my gosh, this is coffee flavored center! And another...it is kind of good. And before I knew it, it was gone. The drive home I wanted a blended drink with coffee. For me, that is unheard of, I hate coffee. Could gelato be the thing to convert me? I will let you know as time goes on.
And last night. It was a moment that I felt guilty experiencing alone, a picture that I can only hope to do justice in words, an atmosphere that I thought of each family member individually and each friend. I could imagine all of you there, laughing, talking, drinking wine, sharing stories, being goofy and talking more. How I wished to share that moment. Let me explain. I was invited to dinner at Ferraia with Vittorio, Patricia, Anna, Angelo, and 2 guests. Anna and I walked from the Office to the garden where lay a huge covered grill, and across the way a huge gazebo of sorts with 2 long wooden tables. Between the tables lay a bar with regrigerator, wine cellar, sink and other patio ammenities. On one of the tables sat three lit candles covered with glass, seating for seven with yellow placemats, and an invitation that said I am so happy you came! One view, that side I sat on, showed me a garden with homegrown lettuce, tomatoes and other veggies. Beyond that lay the green mountains lush with vegetation. Beyond that a setting sun, perfect weather and crickets chirping away.
Vittorio was cooking pork ribs, sausage, steak, and I believe one other kind of meat that I didn't get the chance to try. When everyone gathered, food was served family style, grab what you want, don't ask anyone to pass anything. We had romaine lettuce with olive oil, green beans (fresh and delicious, which is saying something as I generally am NOT a green bean fan), bread, and of course lots of good, juicy, flavorful meat(also homegrown...raised and killed). For dessert we had cantaloupe. Throughout the meal there was hearty Italian chatter. Though it was hard for me to follow I do understand smiles, and I do understand cheerful handmovements. At one point Vittorio was talking about Annas poor posture...it reminded me of my dad harping on me when I was 12. The adults giving her a hard time out of love...also been there, :). As the sun set, lightning bugs came out and the bushes to the side of the garden looked as if they were draped with white dancing Christmas lights...just beautiful...I kind of thought of Pirates of the Carribean. :) As I closed my eyes I could envision all those I love there with me, enjoying the moment, and I decided I would just have to live it for you and tell you that I thought of you most definitely. It made me wonder, why don't we do fruit as a dessert? Healthier that is for sure!
And of course, through it all, I was a silly American. I didn't know how much I was allowed, so I took a little, making sure they all had enough. It was noticed...They asked, you eat a little, you are not used to big plates are you? I guess not...but I could have eaten so much more, it tasted sooo good! And well, in front of strangers, I tried to cut my cantaloup as professionally as I could, looking chic and calm...well, my hand was sweating and shaking, me knife fruit. Think about it...cutting with knife toward thumb to get it off the rind like I've watched Mom do countless times so smoothly. Mine was less than smooth...but no sanguay! (blood) Needless to say it was a pretty magnificent night only to get better. OH! And the wine...Vittorio kept giving me more, even when I said no...I am a lightweight, not used to wine frequently...it may be why I slept so good last night...hmm. On the way home I stopped and stared at the stars. I assure you I was not seeing double...their numbers...countless...it was bedazzling! With no city lights near, no orange glow, the constallations were VIBRANT! I stared until my neck hurt and I thought I was going to pass out. Good night!
Today I discovered an English book collection...among them...Under the Tuscan Sun. If you have read it, where I live is nothing, nothing like she describes...I so want to go see what she describes, and I am in Tuscany. I am slightly inspired to record my experiences in more detail...maybe I can write a #1 best seller. Except my brain goes faster than my hands and I lack eloquence...so I think it would have to be more on the silly experiential, ridiculous side, more humorous than romantic. That is my Tuscany so far...laughter at self, mountains, horses, flies and dirt.
Did I mention that this morning I found a millipede, daddy long leg spider, pincer bug AND a giant rhino looking beetle in/near my front door? If I had any fear of cathing, moving or killing bugs, it is gone now. Cobwebs are still kind of gross on my arms and face on trails, but I am getting over it.
Today I fed and showered...I have been clean with no dirt on me all day and it has been glorious! I went to Mass, Thomas picked me up and we went to Iesa (Yezza) to a Church called St. Micheals. Fortunately again they had the Italian read along. As I listened to Fathers homily, which I vaguely understood as being about the Last Supper (from hand movements and few key words like pane, sanguay, vino and reading the readings in my English Bible), I marveled at the beauty of Catholicism and I understood what Cousin Eric told me so many years ago that I could barely grasp...Mass is constantly happening all over the world. When I was at Mass, yall were in bed, as I write this, or as I've slept yall are at Mass. All day, everyday...due to time changes. And not only that, we all get the same message! I don't know why that was fascinating to me just today but it was. We really are all connected through la Chiesa, una santa cattolica e apostolica. (One, holy, catholic and apostolic Church).
Oh, and the small village Tocchi? Learned to day that its population is approximately 20. SMALL! I can now efficiently cut apples smoothly with a butter knife, yay! And in Italian I've interpreted my own name to mean "three Cs" Tre = 3 Cie = C , 3 Cs. They can mean what you like. I'm thinking/hoping to live up to Christ, Courage and Caritas (love)...or Charity.
With that, I leave you with my life lessons:
- learn to cut fruit early in life to save yourself public embarrassment
- there is no way to refuse wine in Italy
- the best way to classify yourself as American besides blonde hair and not speaking the language is to ask for a to go box
Friday, June 12, 2009
Meat and Potatoes
Well, again I am wishing I had a what is that thing called, ah jump drive, USB, you know what I am talking about. I have some time before we go to dinner (The Cambria's have invited me to go with them, yay!), and so I have decided to update you on the last 24 hours, which have been surprisingly eventful.
Well, first I did not have to walk home, Angelo, Vittorio's 16 (almost 17) year old son gave me a ride home on his motorcycle, my first time ever! Lets just say I felt young, wild and reckless...riding a motorbike thing is much different than riding a horse. I didn't have a helmet and wanted to let out my hair and let out a giant WOOHOO!! I sadly, did not...I didn't want Angelo to think I was completely nuts. Needless to say, it felt like a Sea-Doo on wheels. For a moment I thought I was just going to slip off the back end. I thought of being at Connie's in the summer of '06 when I just fell off the back of the Sea-Doo when Eric was driving and decided that the ground without a helmet would not be as pleasant as the lake. I held on tighter. Clearly, I made it home alive, just in time for dinner.
Well, I video taped and took pictures of this dinner...I called it Meat and Potatoes. The first recipe in the cook book I decided I should publish. In case yalls want to start eating like me I have decided that as my close friends and family I can share it before I sell it for a profit. haha, yeah right. But still, you will be proud of me! OKay, recipe according to Tracie.
Recipe of a poor college girl in Italy with a small stove:
Yield - 4 very filling portions
- 2 Potate Nourvelle (New Potatoes) (They are almost white with a soft skin, in America probably Yellow Potatoes)
- 3 Sausages (The kind with lots of flavor when cooked...fresh with a string to hold them together!)
- Salt
- Butter
- Special Seasoning Stuff (Formally known as Sugi di (An Italian steer whose name I can't remember...will fix this someday) that is made in Tuscany...If you ask nice I might bring some home...it is soooooooo good!
OKay, now to start, turn on burner 1. Add water to pan. Scrub potatoes if necessary. Add potatoes to water. Take a shower, do dishes, turn on music, eat a piece of toast, drink a glass of juice. Turn on burner 2. Add olive oil to frying pan. Place sausages in pan. (Halfway through poke sausages to release juices...otherwise they start to look like one giant sausage...if you are smart, poke them ahead of time, unless you have a burning desire to see if they will explode...I don't really know if they would). Check potatoes...stab a few times. Upon being able to separate potato with the stab of a fork, put them into a big bowl and cut a grid through them, lots of little potato cubes. Add butter and salt (sausages still cooking...). When sausages black, turn off burner 2, cut them into small pieces and add to potatoes. Mush all together. Add special seasoning stuff, stir more. Voila! Meat and potatoes.
Cost of dinner: 6 euro (approximately)
Experience of not burning down the kitchen, creating a new flavor, and making memories: priceless
Original, eh? Actually it was very tasty and very humorous for me as I had no clue what I was doing. I do have pictures of it, promise. I wrote this recipe out last night, and I think it had more humor, but hopefully you can appreciate my cooking efforts.
Today I put not burning down the kitchen because this morning my apartment had the distinct smell of gas...the line broke...naturally, I mean really, why wouldn't it?! So the repair man came today and fixed it...tomorrow we will see what happens.
Side note: Did you know that tuna in olive oil is actually very good? I might be a convert...more flavor to the tuna. As I may now say "Once you go olive you never go back" (couldn't think of a rhyming word)...
Also, today I got the worst rope burn of my life, got horses ready for a ride that was cancelled and had a very good cry. It was one of the moments where you are wondering why am I crying, what is going on. Thankfully, I had chocolate (Italian chocolate, even the cheap kind is amazing by the way...), and that helped. I opened up to psalms and remembered that even David, heroic in defeating Galiath called out to God in many deserts, he too felt alone and I journaled in my low point. I think what I wrote is worth repeating and sharing because I think it is a reminder we all need from time to time, and if not, then please be open minded as I share this more personal note:
"I want to be strong and tough, but all I can do is cry. Where is the girl who finds humor in all? I want a hug. I want laughter and jokes. Lord, in this desert, please don't forget me. Reading Psalms, I remember that I am not the first to experience this emotion of desolation. You were faithful to your servant David and I can only hope to be an unworthy servant - at best...Lord you are all that I am, Lord you are all I am not. Life is not all peaches and cream and the bitter taste of soap in our lives will wash us clean and help us praise the sweet and good - the one and only Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit only wants what is best. In the soapy parts of our life where all we see is fuzzy white, let us trust our holder, the one who gently holds us in the tub as we cry in desperation. Let us trust and love Him in His most special, unique and beautiful ways to draw us closer to Him, to cleanse our weary souls."
After this I fed, and Anna helped, as we walked down here we talked and though only 12, she was a friend, asking if I was really okay (she saw my tears) and understood my loneliness, but reminded me I am not alone and it is true. Praise God for valleys and climbs that help us appreciate the summit!!
Well, I think that is all for today, at this moment I am feeling more calm, hoping to not dwell in emotion the next week, and praying for strenth to appreciate this time to really know myself and the solitude God has blessed me with. Surely He will explain all at some point.
Love, prayers and hugs
Tracie
Well, first I did not have to walk home, Angelo, Vittorio's 16 (almost 17) year old son gave me a ride home on his motorcycle, my first time ever! Lets just say I felt young, wild and reckless...riding a motorbike thing is much different than riding a horse. I didn't have a helmet and wanted to let out my hair and let out a giant WOOHOO!! I sadly, did not...I didn't want Angelo to think I was completely nuts. Needless to say, it felt like a Sea-Doo on wheels. For a moment I thought I was just going to slip off the back end. I thought of being at Connie's in the summer of '06 when I just fell off the back of the Sea-Doo when Eric was driving and decided that the ground without a helmet would not be as pleasant as the lake. I held on tighter. Clearly, I made it home alive, just in time for dinner.
Well, I video taped and took pictures of this dinner...I called it Meat and Potatoes. The first recipe in the cook book I decided I should publish. In case yalls want to start eating like me I have decided that as my close friends and family I can share it before I sell it for a profit. haha, yeah right. But still, you will be proud of me! OKay, recipe according to Tracie.
Recipe of a poor college girl in Italy with a small stove:
Yield - 4 very filling portions
- 2 Potate Nourvelle (New Potatoes) (They are almost white with a soft skin, in America probably Yellow Potatoes)
- 3 Sausages (The kind with lots of flavor when cooked...fresh with a string to hold them together!)
- Salt
- Butter
- Special Seasoning Stuff (Formally known as Sugi di (An Italian steer whose name I can't remember...will fix this someday) that is made in Tuscany...If you ask nice I might bring some home...it is soooooooo good!
OKay, now to start, turn on burner 1. Add water to pan. Scrub potatoes if necessary. Add potatoes to water. Take a shower, do dishes, turn on music, eat a piece of toast, drink a glass of juice. Turn on burner 2. Add olive oil to frying pan. Place sausages in pan. (Halfway through poke sausages to release juices...otherwise they start to look like one giant sausage...if you are smart, poke them ahead of time, unless you have a burning desire to see if they will explode...I don't really know if they would). Check potatoes...stab a few times. Upon being able to separate potato with the stab of a fork, put them into a big bowl and cut a grid through them, lots of little potato cubes. Add butter and salt (sausages still cooking...). When sausages black, turn off burner 2, cut them into small pieces and add to potatoes. Mush all together. Add special seasoning stuff, stir more. Voila! Meat and potatoes.
Cost of dinner: 6 euro (approximately)
Experience of not burning down the kitchen, creating a new flavor, and making memories: priceless
Original, eh? Actually it was very tasty and very humorous for me as I had no clue what I was doing. I do have pictures of it, promise. I wrote this recipe out last night, and I think it had more humor, but hopefully you can appreciate my cooking efforts.
Today I put not burning down the kitchen because this morning my apartment had the distinct smell of gas...the line broke...naturally, I mean really, why wouldn't it?! So the repair man came today and fixed it...tomorrow we will see what happens.
Side note: Did you know that tuna in olive oil is actually very good? I might be a convert...more flavor to the tuna. As I may now say "Once you go olive you never go back" (couldn't think of a rhyming word)...
Also, today I got the worst rope burn of my life, got horses ready for a ride that was cancelled and had a very good cry. It was one of the moments where you are wondering why am I crying, what is going on. Thankfully, I had chocolate (Italian chocolate, even the cheap kind is amazing by the way...), and that helped. I opened up to psalms and remembered that even David, heroic in defeating Galiath called out to God in many deserts, he too felt alone and I journaled in my low point. I think what I wrote is worth repeating and sharing because I think it is a reminder we all need from time to time, and if not, then please be open minded as I share this more personal note:
"I want to be strong and tough, but all I can do is cry. Where is the girl who finds humor in all? I want a hug. I want laughter and jokes. Lord, in this desert, please don't forget me. Reading Psalms, I remember that I am not the first to experience this emotion of desolation. You were faithful to your servant David and I can only hope to be an unworthy servant - at best...Lord you are all that I am, Lord you are all I am not. Life is not all peaches and cream and the bitter taste of soap in our lives will wash us clean and help us praise the sweet and good - the one and only Lord Jesus Christ. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit only wants what is best. In the soapy parts of our life where all we see is fuzzy white, let us trust our holder, the one who gently holds us in the tub as we cry in desperation. Let us trust and love Him in His most special, unique and beautiful ways to draw us closer to Him, to cleanse our weary souls."
After this I fed, and Anna helped, as we walked down here we talked and though only 12, she was a friend, asking if I was really okay (she saw my tears) and understood my loneliness, but reminded me I am not alone and it is true. Praise God for valleys and climbs that help us appreciate the summit!!
Well, I think that is all for today, at this moment I am feeling more calm, hoping to not dwell in emotion the next week, and praying for strenth to appreciate this time to really know myself and the solitude God has blessed me with. Surely He will explain all at some point.
Love, prayers and hugs
Tracie
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Little Girl Lost
Well, I forget where one blog ends and another begins, especially with another waiting to be posted...it is okay to post a blog late, right? right. I am so glad to hear that you guys are enjoying reading about my adventures, sometimes I think they might be long, but there is just so much to write!
So, I am going to skip a bit of time because it will be posted later (promise!). I have been at La Ripa for exactly one week and two days and it feels like months. I do have some great stories for you, which I'll get to eventually, but first I want to share some reflections. See, while I am having a great time, I have learned that even Italy, bad days happen. Shocking right?! Who woulda thought? So with Claire gone almost a week I've had a lot of time alone. Yesterday was pretty rough, I prayed and cried and prayed. Today I recovered a bit.
Through prayer and a lot of time just wandering through mountain trails I've come to better understand how to rely completely on Christ for company. St. Catherine of Siena reclused herself for 3 years to get closer to Christ, surely I can do 2 weeks right? And of course, as always being at a low point brings me to deeper prayer. Deeper prayer brings answers. I'm not going to post them all for various reasons, but the biggest thing I've come to realize has to do with all of you, my friends and family. While God does want us to rely on him first, the human being was not meant to live a life in Him alone. Holy COMMUNion...COMMUNinty...coincidence, I think not. Okay, it sounds silly when you say it out loud and people have been telling me this constantly. But I am living it...while I have God (thankfully!), I now know that I NEED to share my faith with others.
AND! I won't preach on this long...but some of you know my "are generically good or really good" speal when asked how are you? I think it is interesting that the first thing you learn in a language is how to respond...with the answer good (bene). Do you know what message that sends?! It says...hey the world is too busy to care whats really going on, and don't worry if there is something going on, just hide behind a simple word and it will leave you alone. Given, its hard to learn your mood in another language, but that does not justify your native language, at least not with your good friends. If I ask, how are you? I usually really want to know. OKay, end of speal.
So, the stories, the "life wouldn't be the same if everything went right" stories. haha. Recent happenings: Somehow some of the horses are getting out at night and eating all the hay...urgh...which leaves me stumbling blindly in the dark to put them away because I have no glasses! We had our first guests which was interesting. But nothing worth writing about except one horse did not want to be bridled, there was a block in the trail and had to take a detour that led to many cobwebs and river jumping, and the intermediate riders were actually extreme beginners...interesting indeed.
Yesterday I went to the market alone for the first time (Details of the experience with Claire in the unposted blog) and fortunately found the right bus for the return home with my very broken Italian. On that bus thought I forgot to grab my bananas...ARGH! I tried to talk myself out of the frustration by not being attached to my forgotten fruit or the lost euros. I was partially successful. The walk from the bus stop to La Ripa is about ten minutes on a dusty road lined with flowers, walls, a cemetary and donkeys. One of my bags broke on this walk which was just sad. I must have looked like a movie character. Needless to say I rearranged everything, and made it home without my arms falling off. As I unloaded everything I found my bananas and promptly ate one...life was good again. Ridiculous right?! You have to understand though, it was one of those days where everything was going wrong, from spilled milk to hitting head on cabinet to horse being stupid, to other various little things that build up to a lot of frustration when one is lonely.
Side note: it is not a panic, depressed lonely, it is a I know I am loved by so many people and wish I could talk to them lonely.
I have learned the beauty of a Siesta...two hour nap in the afternoon. In my lonesome state it has been hard to motivate myself to work. Today, seeing how horses are my only form of entertainment I changed my mindframe from "must work" to "riding to escape being alone."...smartest move of my life. I decided instead of taking the same trail that I always take I'd meander on some new trails...which was beautiful!! There were vibrant blue dragonflies, lime green frogs, a squirrel, baby wild boar, tadpoles! even a big brown hawk bird! I started to relax and remember why I wanted to come out here, why I love riding, why I love nature, why I love silence...until everything started looking the same and I didn't know how to get home. That is when I decided that it is always better to explore the hills with a horse. I gave Belsito the reins and he took me home.
Lessons learned thus far:
Italian keyboards are different than American keyboards
Trying to light a match with wet hands is completely useless
A horse always knows the way home
I am blessed to have this opportunity to realize how much I used to take for granted (aka clear (not brown) hot water), and a car, and free grocery bags!
Having webs in your face every 5 minutes is not that bad...as long as no spiders come with them!
Oh yeah...I am starting to dream the Italian language...yikes!
So as I leave this note and start walking back to La Ripa...2 miles uphill the WHOLE way, know that I am grumbling that I can't breathe, hating the burn in my glutes and calves, and thoroughly content that for a brief while I was able to reconnect with you all. Thanks for your comments, they really made my day.
PS - did I mention that the way they make carbonara pasta in Rome is by cracking an egg of the pasta then baking it until the egg cooks?
PPS - if you have not read Pope Benedict's book The Apostles...you should...it has deifinitely given me motivation in my struggles...they struggled to, and have great lessons that we can all learn from!
Hugs and Prayers,
Tracie
Pictures and the absent blog will come soon as Claire gets back next week.
So, I am going to skip a bit of time because it will be posted later (promise!). I have been at La Ripa for exactly one week and two days and it feels like months. I do have some great stories for you, which I'll get to eventually, but first I want to share some reflections. See, while I am having a great time, I have learned that even Italy, bad days happen. Shocking right?! Who woulda thought? So with Claire gone almost a week I've had a lot of time alone. Yesterday was pretty rough, I prayed and cried and prayed. Today I recovered a bit.
Through prayer and a lot of time just wandering through mountain trails I've come to better understand how to rely completely on Christ for company. St. Catherine of Siena reclused herself for 3 years to get closer to Christ, surely I can do 2 weeks right? And of course, as always being at a low point brings me to deeper prayer. Deeper prayer brings answers. I'm not going to post them all for various reasons, but the biggest thing I've come to realize has to do with all of you, my friends and family. While God does want us to rely on him first, the human being was not meant to live a life in Him alone. Holy COMMUNion...COMMUNinty...coincidence, I think not. Okay, it sounds silly when you say it out loud and people have been telling me this constantly. But I am living it...while I have God (thankfully!), I now know that I NEED to share my faith with others.
AND! I won't preach on this long...but some of you know my "are generically good or really good" speal when asked how are you? I think it is interesting that the first thing you learn in a language is how to respond...with the answer good (bene). Do you know what message that sends?! It says...hey the world is too busy to care whats really going on, and don't worry if there is something going on, just hide behind a simple word and it will leave you alone. Given, its hard to learn your mood in another language, but that does not justify your native language, at least not with your good friends. If I ask, how are you? I usually really want to know. OKay, end of speal.
So, the stories, the "life wouldn't be the same if everything went right" stories. haha. Recent happenings: Somehow some of the horses are getting out at night and eating all the hay...urgh...which leaves me stumbling blindly in the dark to put them away because I have no glasses! We had our first guests which was interesting. But nothing worth writing about except one horse did not want to be bridled, there was a block in the trail and had to take a detour that led to many cobwebs and river jumping, and the intermediate riders were actually extreme beginners...interesting indeed.
Yesterday I went to the market alone for the first time (Details of the experience with Claire in the unposted blog) and fortunately found the right bus for the return home with my very broken Italian. On that bus thought I forgot to grab my bananas...ARGH! I tried to talk myself out of the frustration by not being attached to my forgotten fruit or the lost euros. I was partially successful. The walk from the bus stop to La Ripa is about ten minutes on a dusty road lined with flowers, walls, a cemetary and donkeys. One of my bags broke on this walk which was just sad. I must have looked like a movie character. Needless to say I rearranged everything, and made it home without my arms falling off. As I unloaded everything I found my bananas and promptly ate one...life was good again. Ridiculous right?! You have to understand though, it was one of those days where everything was going wrong, from spilled milk to hitting head on cabinet to horse being stupid, to other various little things that build up to a lot of frustration when one is lonely.
Side note: it is not a panic, depressed lonely, it is a I know I am loved by so many people and wish I could talk to them lonely.
I have learned the beauty of a Siesta...two hour nap in the afternoon. In my lonesome state it has been hard to motivate myself to work. Today, seeing how horses are my only form of entertainment I changed my mindframe from "must work" to "riding to escape being alone."...smartest move of my life. I decided instead of taking the same trail that I always take I'd meander on some new trails...which was beautiful!! There were vibrant blue dragonflies, lime green frogs, a squirrel, baby wild boar, tadpoles! even a big brown hawk bird! I started to relax and remember why I wanted to come out here, why I love riding, why I love nature, why I love silence...until everything started looking the same and I didn't know how to get home. That is when I decided that it is always better to explore the hills with a horse. I gave Belsito the reins and he took me home.
Lessons learned thus far:
Italian keyboards are different than American keyboards
Trying to light a match with wet hands is completely useless
A horse always knows the way home
I am blessed to have this opportunity to realize how much I used to take for granted (aka clear (not brown) hot water), and a car, and free grocery bags!
Having webs in your face every 5 minutes is not that bad...as long as no spiders come with them!
Oh yeah...I am starting to dream the Italian language...yikes!
So as I leave this note and start walking back to La Ripa...2 miles uphill the WHOLE way, know that I am grumbling that I can't breathe, hating the burn in my glutes and calves, and thoroughly content that for a brief while I was able to reconnect with you all. Thanks for your comments, they really made my day.
PS - did I mention that the way they make carbonara pasta in Rome is by cracking an egg of the pasta then baking it until the egg cooks?
PPS - if you have not read Pope Benedict's book The Apostles...you should...it has deifinitely given me motivation in my struggles...they struggled to, and have great lessons that we can all learn from!
Hugs and Prayers,
Tracie
Pictures and the absent blog will come soon as Claire gets back next week.
Sunday, June 7, 2009
THhis blog will be short because I dont know how much time I have. I wrote a blog this afternoon, but do not have a way to put it on this computer so I am starting over. I will post it eventually. Today has been great, second day alone, and to be honest I miss home a little bit. It still seems surreal that I am living here. I did find a Mass to go to, with only 3 others in the congregation...smallest Mass of my life! And, it was in Italian. Tonight Vittorio took me out to gelato, which was awesome. We had lots of rain, thunder and lightening.
Write me please, it gives me something to look forward to. I literally live in the middle of no where, with little to no company. But I guess the solitude is good, helps be reflect and focus on my spiritual life.
Love you all lots,
Tracie
Write me please, it gives me something to look forward to. I literally live in the middle of no where, with little to no company. But I guess the solitude is good, helps be reflect and focus on my spiritual life.
Love you all lots,
Tracie
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Donkeys, Dogs, and Dirt Bikes
Donkeys, Dogs and Dirt Bikes
I’m safe in Siena! It was sad to say bye to the pilgrimage and all the AMAZING people I met there. God really used Rome to bring my faith to life, what an experience, I can’t believe how fast it went. Phase 1 – over. Phase 2 – Just begun.
In two days I’ve learned:
Train station tv screens – pointless
Adventure – nonexistent without something going slightly out of wack
Maps – good
Translation book – very good
Helmets - good head protection against branches
Showers - a great blessing
Well, I guess a Tracie adventure is not a Tracie adventure unless something goes awry…really…it just wouldn’t be the same if everything flowed smoothly. Or, maybe I’m just not meant to travel trains. Either or by the grace of God I made it safely to Siena!
Did I tell you guys about the train in Orvieto? HA! Well, since this is Claire’s computer and I can’t check I’ll tell you or tell you again, :). See, we were headed down the mountain to catch the train in plenty of time, to find out that our 2 o’clock train was late and the biglietta (ticket) man didn’t know when it would be coming. So we went out to wait. We looked at the TV screen to look for our train number, which wasn’t up yet and assumed it wasn’t there. I went to shop for a key chain (unsuccessfully) and when I came back, Brook was telling a man that we were headed back to Roma. The train on track 1 left and at that moment through a lot of broken English, Italian and sign language we learned that our train had in fact been there or track 2 (not 1 as we had assumed) and left 5 minutes ago. We MISSED OUR LATE TRAIN! So then, the next train was late and we got to Rome around 6 pm. We talked to a lady who said that she took that train once a week and it was never late…naturally it would be late the one day we traveled.
So knowing this, you can imagine the humor that follows this next train story. After everyone on the pilgrimage left for the airport, I went to St. Peters one more time which was phenomenal! I then took the Metro, and then found my first train almost all alone! (I only asked for help when I couldn’t find my way out of the metro :). As I found my way to my assigned seat (rather a hassle actually because I got on unknowingly at the complete opposite end of my seat and had to fight a lot of traffic), I wondered what I was getting into. I sat down and looked at my ticket again and realized I told Vittorio the wrong time to pick me up, I had looked at the wrong ticket!! I panicked and made texts and phone calls until it was confirmed he knew to pick me up at 3:30, not 1:30. Well, half way to Grossetto an Italian announcement was made and then we stopped for a half hour. I didn’t know what was going on. Finally I start asking questions and find out that someone had gotten sick and needed to be taken to the hospital. I am glad they were able to get help, but it made me a half hour late. When your layover is ten minutes, that makes you 20 minutes late for your connection! So then I had to find a new train to Siena from Grosseto and call Vittorio again. Thankfully I only had to wait two hours in the most boring train station, ever. Haha.
Well, let me tell you about where I live: It is a comfortable apartment with a rustic touch, which means bugs as roomies, tiny (no oven) kitchen, water with inconsistent temperature and pressure, deer and wild boar at our front door, and a peace that makes you glad to be alive. The spiders, worms and flies are decent roomies, they do not eat our food and stay out of our beds. Claire and I have resigned to the fact that we will never be completely clean for the next 3 months. Oh well.
Today was officially my first day and Claire and I took a day trip to Siena. I am so excited to watch the Palio! Today wasn’t too crazy, but we made some good memories – playing tourist with our maps and attempting to learn Italian. So far my Italian language skills are an epic fail. I tried to order White Chocolate and Mint gelato. Instead I got mint, chocolate and strawberry gelato…almost the same. We also went to a few Churches, one holds a Eucharistic Miracle only presented on certain occasions that I have forgotten and the other had St. Catherine’s head and other relics (though I couldn’t quite figure them out with my very small Italian deciphering ability). These were so cool! I only wish I knew more about them so I could better appreciate their beauty.
After Siena we went to get groceries and the market – which was just like a grocery store. Living on a budget we did the inevitable and bought packaged food – lotsa pasta. Also you have to buy your grocery bags and weigh your own produce! Weird! Tonight I used a pitchfork for the first time and tomorrow we are riding to Monticiano, I’m pretty excited. Really? Riding every day in Italy? God is good. The only downfall so far is that getting to Mass on Sundays is going to be a challenge because the buses don’t run on Sundays. I’m praying God will provide a way. The next two weeks should be interesting because Claire is leaving, which means I have to cook for myself – always a scary idea, especially because our little stove is gas and you have to use matches to light it – I’m terrified of matches! Maybe I’ll eat bread until Claire comes home (she’s the cook )
Oh yeah, why donkeys, dogs and dirt bikes? It’s my lullaby music all through the night, very interesting. Just as a side note…ya know, in case you were curious! But…the donkeys, mule, and horses are super cute! I’ll try to get pics soon. We have two young full grown ponies that are the cutest things ever, there backs are about the height (and size) of a normal barstool.
Okay, there is so much more, but if I wrote every detail, I’d never stop writing. So I’ve given you the highlights. It is quite late, tomorrow is early rise and I’m tired. Oh yeah!! If you feel so inclined to write a letter or something, here is my address: (hint, hint – nudge, nudge)
Tracie Petitti
Podere La Ripa
Frazione Tocchi
53015 Monticiano (Siena)
ITALY
Love you all and as always you are in my prayers. God Bless!
Tracie
I’m safe in Siena! It was sad to say bye to the pilgrimage and all the AMAZING people I met there. God really used Rome to bring my faith to life, what an experience, I can’t believe how fast it went. Phase 1 – over. Phase 2 – Just begun.
In two days I’ve learned:
Train station tv screens – pointless
Adventure – nonexistent without something going slightly out of wack
Maps – good
Translation book – very good
Helmets - good head protection against branches
Showers - a great blessing
Well, I guess a Tracie adventure is not a Tracie adventure unless something goes awry…really…it just wouldn’t be the same if everything flowed smoothly. Or, maybe I’m just not meant to travel trains. Either or by the grace of God I made it safely to Siena!
Did I tell you guys about the train in Orvieto? HA! Well, since this is Claire’s computer and I can’t check I’ll tell you or tell you again, :). See, we were headed down the mountain to catch the train in plenty of time, to find out that our 2 o’clock train was late and the biglietta (ticket) man didn’t know when it would be coming. So we went out to wait. We looked at the TV screen to look for our train number, which wasn’t up yet and assumed it wasn’t there. I went to shop for a key chain (unsuccessfully) and when I came back, Brook was telling a man that we were headed back to Roma. The train on track 1 left and at that moment through a lot of broken English, Italian and sign language we learned that our train had in fact been there or track 2 (not 1 as we had assumed) and left 5 minutes ago. We MISSED OUR LATE TRAIN! So then, the next train was late and we got to Rome around 6 pm. We talked to a lady who said that she took that train once a week and it was never late…naturally it would be late the one day we traveled.
So knowing this, you can imagine the humor that follows this next train story. After everyone on the pilgrimage left for the airport, I went to St. Peters one more time which was phenomenal! I then took the Metro, and then found my first train almost all alone! (I only asked for help when I couldn’t find my way out of the metro :). As I found my way to my assigned seat (rather a hassle actually because I got on unknowingly at the complete opposite end of my seat and had to fight a lot of traffic), I wondered what I was getting into. I sat down and looked at my ticket again and realized I told Vittorio the wrong time to pick me up, I had looked at the wrong ticket!! I panicked and made texts and phone calls until it was confirmed he knew to pick me up at 3:30, not 1:30. Well, half way to Grossetto an Italian announcement was made and then we stopped for a half hour. I didn’t know what was going on. Finally I start asking questions and find out that someone had gotten sick and needed to be taken to the hospital. I am glad they were able to get help, but it made me a half hour late. When your layover is ten minutes, that makes you 20 minutes late for your connection! So then I had to find a new train to Siena from Grosseto and call Vittorio again. Thankfully I only had to wait two hours in the most boring train station, ever. Haha.
Well, let me tell you about where I live: It is a comfortable apartment with a rustic touch, which means bugs as roomies, tiny (no oven) kitchen, water with inconsistent temperature and pressure, deer and wild boar at our front door, and a peace that makes you glad to be alive. The spiders, worms and flies are decent roomies, they do not eat our food and stay out of our beds. Claire and I have resigned to the fact that we will never be completely clean for the next 3 months. Oh well.
Today was officially my first day and Claire and I took a day trip to Siena. I am so excited to watch the Palio! Today wasn’t too crazy, but we made some good memories – playing tourist with our maps and attempting to learn Italian. So far my Italian language skills are an epic fail. I tried to order White Chocolate and Mint gelato. Instead I got mint, chocolate and strawberry gelato…almost the same. We also went to a few Churches, one holds a Eucharistic Miracle only presented on certain occasions that I have forgotten and the other had St. Catherine’s head and other relics (though I couldn’t quite figure them out with my very small Italian deciphering ability). These were so cool! I only wish I knew more about them so I could better appreciate their beauty.
After Siena we went to get groceries and the market – which was just like a grocery store. Living on a budget we did the inevitable and bought packaged food – lotsa pasta. Also you have to buy your grocery bags and weigh your own produce! Weird! Tonight I used a pitchfork for the first time and tomorrow we are riding to Monticiano, I’m pretty excited. Really? Riding every day in Italy? God is good. The only downfall so far is that getting to Mass on Sundays is going to be a challenge because the buses don’t run on Sundays. I’m praying God will provide a way. The next two weeks should be interesting because Claire is leaving, which means I have to cook for myself – always a scary idea, especially because our little stove is gas and you have to use matches to light it – I’m terrified of matches! Maybe I’ll eat bread until Claire comes home (she’s the cook )
Oh yeah, why donkeys, dogs and dirt bikes? It’s my lullaby music all through the night, very interesting. Just as a side note…ya know, in case you were curious! But…the donkeys, mule, and horses are super cute! I’ll try to get pics soon. We have two young full grown ponies that are the cutest things ever, there backs are about the height (and size) of a normal barstool.
Okay, there is so much more, but if I wrote every detail, I’d never stop writing. So I’ve given you the highlights. It is quite late, tomorrow is early rise and I’m tired. Oh yeah!! If you feel so inclined to write a letter or something, here is my address: (hint, hint – nudge, nudge)
Tracie Petitti
Podere La Ripa
Frazione Tocchi
53015 Monticiano (Siena)
ITALY
Love you all and as always you are in my prayers. God Bless!
Tracie
Monday, June 1, 2009
Goodbye Rome, Hello Siena
Wow, so much has happened this week, I can hardly keep up like I wanted to. I promise the Papal Audience story will come, but maybe not tonight...it is nearly 1 am!! Tonight is my last night in Rome, :(...but it has been a great adventure. It is so weird to think that the adventure has only begun. Tomorrow I face Italy alone. That is a scary thought.
Lets see here, 2 days ago we took a trip to Assissi...and it is such a cute little town, I absolutely fell in love. The most powerful part of the day was getting to pray in front of St. Francis' tomb, it was so peaceful. I think that night (or the night before) we did dinner on our own and after catching up with a group, Brook, Maggie and I did a photo shoot in front of St. Peters as the sun was setting...it was SO fun!
Yesterday we had a free day and brook and I went to Orvieto to see a Eucharistic Miracle that is located there. Let me tell you...there are stories that can really only be said in person (and I'm too tired to type them out.) To give a short bout though, we went to Mass in the Duomo, which was Chaotic, although it was beautiful. The Duomo holds a EM from the 1200s I believe, the corporal that the blood fell on...that was so neat to see. We met a 50 year old woman who was celebrating her birthday and gave us free wine, we got a little, uh lost in the city, we took pictures with drunken guys dressed up from the mid-evil (sp?) ages, missed our train that was already late and still got home early enough for a relaxing dinner. Oh yeah, and it POURED rain all day...I didn't have my rain coat. Enough said.
Today we went to the catacombs and to St. John outside the walls Basilica. It was a great way to end the pilgrimage and lay down so many intentions by St. Johns tomb. How often do you get to pray in front of St. John's tomb at St. John's Basilica in the year of St. John? Well for me, not very often...aka never.
I will miss the friends I have made here, God has blessed me so much in bringing my faith to life here in Rome. Rome is like a pop-up book of the bible...seeing has only deepened my appreciation of Christ, the apostles, the saints and all the holy men and women who have walked the path to salvation before me. If God is working in me already, and this is the beginning I can not wait to see what he has in store for the next three months.
I love you all and have been praying for you, pray for me. I miss you!
Tracie
Lets see here, 2 days ago we took a trip to Assissi...and it is such a cute little town, I absolutely fell in love. The most powerful part of the day was getting to pray in front of St. Francis' tomb, it was so peaceful. I think that night (or the night before) we did dinner on our own and after catching up with a group, Brook, Maggie and I did a photo shoot in front of St. Peters as the sun was setting...it was SO fun!
Yesterday we had a free day and brook and I went to Orvieto to see a Eucharistic Miracle that is located there. Let me tell you...there are stories that can really only be said in person (and I'm too tired to type them out.) To give a short bout though, we went to Mass in the Duomo, which was Chaotic, although it was beautiful. The Duomo holds a EM from the 1200s I believe, the corporal that the blood fell on...that was so neat to see. We met a 50 year old woman who was celebrating her birthday and gave us free wine, we got a little, uh lost in the city, we took pictures with drunken guys dressed up from the mid-evil (sp?) ages, missed our train that was already late and still got home early enough for a relaxing dinner. Oh yeah, and it POURED rain all day...I didn't have my rain coat. Enough said.
Today we went to the catacombs and to St. John outside the walls Basilica. It was a great way to end the pilgrimage and lay down so many intentions by St. Johns tomb. How often do you get to pray in front of St. John's tomb at St. John's Basilica in the year of St. John? Well for me, not very often...aka never.
I will miss the friends I have made here, God has blessed me so much in bringing my faith to life here in Rome. Rome is like a pop-up book of the bible...seeing has only deepened my appreciation of Christ, the apostles, the saints and all the holy men and women who have walked the path to salvation before me. If God is working in me already, and this is the beginning I can not wait to see what he has in store for the next three months.
I love you all and have been praying for you, pray for me. I miss you!
Tracie
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