Twenty-twenty-one was a banner year in Italy and abroad for those celebrating the life of Dante Alighieri, who died in September of 1321, in exile from his native city, Firenze or Florence, Italy. Threatened with execution, Dante spent the rest … Continue reading The Right Path Having Been Lost
Working from home. A cozy, comforting idea as winter sets in with its chill winds and low-hanging, grey dome of a sky. Continue reading Gerty: Still Out There
Outside may be cold and windy especially in this fraught city. Gerty cuddles with Kitty, cocoa, and scones—and for a while chill and worries melt away. All rights reserved. ©️ SusanBassMarcus 2021 Continue reading Seasonal Gerty
I tend to read animals and faces into wallpaper images, terrazzo flooring, tile arrangements, and Continue reading As I See It
When did I begin to worry more about my shoes than my fun? Continue reading Dancing in the Rain
The sound of tires swishing along rain-soaked streets reminds me of waves tumbling along the lakeshore yesterday. The downpour splashing heavy drops on our air conditioner has convinced me to forgo my morning walk. I’ll follow an exercise video instead. Other creatures are more content with the sky’s liquid gift. Birds have more puddles for a bath or drink. Dogs don’t care (I guess). The rabbits carry on and squirrels seem indifferent. I’ll wait for the rain to dwindle before grabbing my gear for another beautiful walk around my city. In the meantime, I’ll use this time to write, read, … Continue reading Rainy Day Thoughts
All my creatures inhabit only paper, however; they are representations of the world as I see it and the world I’d prefer to see. Continue reading What CAN We Do?
My readers will know how often I have mentioned the impact of my third college year in the Toscana region of Italy, principally in Siena and Firenze. Most pieces drew on my acquaintance with the Vivante family at Villa Solaia near Siena or my Florentine host family, the Chellinis. I rarely mentioned a regular guest at the Chellini’s Sunday dinners, Gustavo’s son Roberto. Then in his mid-twenties and as yet not married, he shared his passion for good food, wine, and cigars whenever he could dominate the table talk. We American ‘paying guests’ enjoyed his conversation and argued with him … Continue reading Passing of Memory’s People
Mise en place—this French phrase describes the first step a mindful chef or cook takes in preparing a meal. Many cookbooks instruct those who follow their recipes at home to do so. When preparing ingredients based on taste, experience, or the tyranny of a recipe, a cook will sort, wash, chop, dice, mince, julienne, measure, sift, or melt each item for the intended dish. She also will ensure that all pots, pans, cutting boards, knives, stirrers, sorters, and smashers are in place before preparation begins. My go-to mise en place for nearly every hot dish I cook (yes, even pancakes) … Continue reading Fragrant Things
In retrospect: The month of July surprised Gerty. Daily, the weather challenged her wardrobe–should she dress for rain, summer heat, or frigid Canadian air masses? The first few days brought excessive rain and flood warnings from media weather gurus. A … Continue reading Gerty and the Great Outdoors
Susan Bass Marcus Writes 