Sunflower Italian Restaurant

Sunflower Italian Restaurant
Originally uploaded by rickeyrephoto

These little narrow streets were everywhere and the walled hill towns. I loved the fields of sunflowers, just fabulous. I went to Italy just two weeks after 9/11. It was my first European trip. I was terrified. That's how I've been a lot of my life. Still, I'm somewhat terrified. I don't think this is a good way to live. I think that if I'm bolder, go out and do more--travel, adventure, that this part of me will begin to trust that life, although there have been some bad things that have happened, is basically swell. Real swell, in fact.

When I went to Italy, I was still married. He didn't come along. He always had to much work to do. Yes, always working. I realized that if I wanted a life, I'd just have to go on my own. So I did.

Nan

Traveling on the Boardwalk

Today, I traveled to Boulevard Park and back by foot. This is a two mile walk, round trip. Not a lot, but it was a beautiful sunny day and walking on the boardwalk over the water is such a treat. My friend Brenda Miller was with me, and her dog Abbe. We were hoofing it because I had a 5 o'clock appointment, I'm a healer, and we were running late. As it turned out my client was a 1/2 hour late. So I was back in plenty of time to clean the apartment and set up my table.

So traveling: my latest traveling weekend was to Orcas Island. This is a beautiful Island in the San Juans. The first time I went there it was on my honeymoon, so I had mixed feelings about the week I was awarded for a writing retreat at the Kangaroo House out of Eastsound. I bought a beautiful piece of pottery in town--which I usually don't do--buy pottery that is, and it's sitting in the kitchen on the counter. I love it and it inspires me to make pottery again. I was once a functional potter. I made lots of mugs and honey pots and little jars with corks with the names of herbs pressed into the sides.

I'm an artist who works in an artist co-op with writers and painters and a potter. I've been tempted to take up potting again--just seeing the clay and the wheel spinning and his hands so deftly pulling up the sides. I saw a potter in Italy throwing lovely big vases which were decorated with yellow glaze and intricate designs. I was on a trip to Tuscany with about 15 other artists and healers. It was fun and it was difficult to travel with so many. The bus rides where a nightmare, especially on potty breaks. The Italians do readily offer up their potties. We had to stop at malls and restaurants and once a store. The food, oh, my God. I had some of the best pasta and wine of my life. Esquisite. More about Italy later.

Ciao!
Traveling Nan