What Fills My Plate

Greetings everyone. I have been mostly hiding out from covid. I started back in Feb over a year ago, my first grocery cart was full of things I thought I would need. Stupidly I was thinking of needs in months, rather than a full year and more. We were all unprepared for the consequences of this pendemic. None of us had no idea we would be living under terrible conditions for way over a year. My heart goes out to all the nurses, doctors and workers in hospitals who have made crucial decisions and watched the pandemic take lives. I feel great sorrow towards the victims and these caring workers who are risking their own lives to help the sick. My Mayor, has been a great provider of information to his citizens. He could just enjoy television, or read a book, but instead he has quickly found out facts concerning getting his citizens vaccinated. My wife read his words and quickly went online and got her mother an appointment for vaccine. Her mother's doctor didn't even know...

  Yesterday I tried my best not to celebrate the fact that one year ago I chose to start my own quarantine here in Italy.  A village very near where we live had been blockaded by police because they had an outbreak of the covid virus.  There were three main places in Italy at that time and the virus was just beginning to scare a lot of people and make them consider the future.   England My wife had flown to Great Britain for a conference and I headed to the supermarket to "stock up" on items I thought we would need.  How foolish it was to think that this pandemic would be finished in a few months.  More foolish to think 6 months, and now it has been one year and I am still, in a fashion, hiding out.   Last night I watched to Mars Landing and I saw the workers at NASA wearing double masks which is now being suggested as a big help against the new form of the same virus but coming from Africa where its makeup has been somewhat changed into a mo...

 A new blog post coming soon.  

 Merry Christmas to everyone.  I wrote this blog in 2020.   However, this year we will go to Lanzarote.  I am determined and with 3rd booster shot.  Here is what I wrote then.    This will be a difficult holiday for most of us.  Back in March I never thought that this covid situation would take so long, at least now it seems that we can see a light at the end of the long tunnel.  Maybe by summer we can move around and enjoy some  travel.  I already have some ideas generating on this.   Right now, on this day, we were to be on Lanzarote Island, one of the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa.  We wanted to go and feel the peace that we find there.  It is so quiet, not crowded and the weather at this time of year does not require a jacket.   There is a small market on Saturdays where you can find cheeses, breads, crafts, clothing and even a cigar maker.  There is a big volcano, and a small is...

 Buon Giorno Bridge from 1100 Winter arrived yesterday with a dusting of snow, and we are projected to have more than a week of  cloudy skies.  Even though the weather experts have predicted this, the sun just broke through to bring out the birds to dine in our feeder.  Right now two doves are shoulder to shoulder porking out, while once in awhile looking up to see if danger is coming.  I think they are making up for yesterday where it was too cold to make a visit. The virus continues to rise here in Italy, although a bit slower.  We are being told that during the holiday we will not be allowed to leave our municipality.  The are still working on the details on this rule, which should be finalized by tomorrow.  Life goes on here, as I have reported, everyone still wearing masks, and doing it correctly I might add.  I see people wearing them while driving.  I would hate to wear a mask all day at work, they are a pain, and get bothersome a...

  From My Village By Train in 40 Minutes Welcome back to my What’s On My Plate blog.   Today I just wanted to capture a small snapshot of life in my small village.    You could drive through it in only 4 minutes.    I will relate what I saw in our main piazza.   What happens here, I believe,   is typical of most small towns and villages in Italy.   In the next few minutes you can read a bit about a typical morning in Italy.   Let’s start off with a visit inside the town hall we call Municipio. I went in for   a short visit with our town mayor in his office.   Mayors are called Sindaco in Italy and like any town around the world they do their best to keep the lid on things.   Right now he is very concerned with the virus and the economy.   Money is tight, and he has to juggle upkeep of the village and the resources to pay for it.   My mayor is young, likeable, and has a genuine smile.   He tells me that he is...

This blog post will include some of my latest paintings that have just arrived from the framer.  I rarely get to show them matted in a frame.  I will include a short description with each one. There is a river near Puerto Vallarta, quite close to where Elizabeth Taylor made a movie.  This house was set in the jungle, and I added the lady with her laundry, changed much of the foliage and added the boat. Joan of Arc received the leadership of the army of France in this castle, Chinon, France.  Chinon is also known for its wonderful red wine. The old center of Chania, Greece, has tiny streets and the architecture is Venetian.  I found this priest added much to the feeling of this composition.  But to me, it is all about that blue door. Budapest is a beautiful city and we found this not so old castle with a lot of charm.   This is also found at that castle in Budapest, on the right side of the last painting.    An old church in St. Petersbur...