CARINI CASTLE - PALERMO PROVINCE

The Castle is famous for tragical episode of Baroness of Carini. In 1563, Laura Lanza, the beautiful wife of Son Vincenzo La Grua and daughter of Count Mussomeli, falls in love with Ludovico Vernagallo who loves her in return. Her father, after failing preserve the family honor by convincing his daughter to end the relationship finally kills his daughter - while her husband kills Ludovicio. The tragic story of the death of the Baroness is popular in Sicilian folklore.


--Shall we enter?

-- DH in the courtyard ...
-- the stairway into the castle...the family and guests mostly stayed upstairs ...
-- the family crest and motto ...
---each generation added its own style to the walls and ceilings...we were warned not to touch the plaster to avoid damaging the paintings... the ceiling isn't curved nearly as much as it appears..it is a very shallow barrel ...

---- looking east, the city of Palermo is past the point...
---checking out a fireplace ...
-- painted detail ... it looks three-dimensional, but is completely flat. Such talent ... and this is just one example of the artwork on the walls here ...
---looking out a window ....what a view!
-- family motto painted in the ceiling of the Hall of Feasts ...there is a massive beam that ran the length of the ceiling with these giant "spool"-shapes with the motto painted ...the "spools" are probably 2 or 3 foot across..
--- a crane is part of the family crest ---
--the balcony in the chapel overlooking the altar (if it was still there) for the residing nobles ... family members could easily to and from services since the chapel is attached to the residence....see the triangular piece over the doorway? It's a barrel ceiling, so while the ceiling curves, it is a smooth surface...

CHAPEL DOVE

The artist incorporporated such wonderful detail in this dove, found in the ceiling of the Chapel in Carini Castle, located in the town of Carini, in the province of Palermo. The castle itself was built around 1075-1100 C.E. -- most of the frescos are original according to our tour guide.

AMUSING SIGN

Basically it says that if you aren't going to work ... don't enter.

Can I have one for over my desk at work????

TAORMINA - SICILY

New guy checked into the work center recently, DH and I took him up to Taormina so he can see a bit more of the island than just the bus ride between his hotel and the work center. Giardini-Naxos (a few miles south of Taormina) is roughly where the Greeks established their first settlement on the island around 800 B.C.E. Even today, Taormina's Greek theatre offers plays and concerts during the warmer months. It's easy to tell a Greek theatre from a Roman one -- the Greeks into a hillside or bankment, Roman ones are free-standing (picture the Collosium in Rome). While partially rebuilt by the Romans and again in the 1800's when the "Grand Tour" was popular, there is still quite a bit of the original structure left ... I really enjoy just sitting in the sunshine and looking out over the landscape....

---here, kitty kitty kitty.......on the steps as we pass by

--on the path to the Greek threatre ---
Greek theatre --
-stage and backdrop of the Greek theatre in Taormina looking toward Mt. Etna -- built approximately 3rd century B.C.E. --
---columns on stage right - looking out over lower Taormina--
---looking through an arch down to the beach below ---in a few more months, the sand will be covered with people enjoying the sunshine ---
---through one of the side arches looking onto the stage ---
Produce stand on a side street ---the watermelons in the bottom full row next to the cherry tomatoes are about as big as both my fists put together ---

WOW! UKRAINE GOT TALENT WINNER 2009

A dear friend, Candy, shared this with me .... it's amazing.

Part 1:


Part 2:


http://www.kseniyasimonova.com/
Kseniya Simonova is an Ukrainian artist who won Ukraine's Got Talent 2009. She uses a giant light box, dramatic music, imagination and "sand painting" skills to interpret Germany's invasion and occupation of Ukraine during WWII.

MY FIRST EVER BLOGGER AWARD!

How cool! Welshcakes Limoncello, SicilyScene.blogspot.com, gave me this award (it was yesterday when I started this - now it's a month ago). What a warm fuzzy feeling to know that someone (other than family) acknowledges what I have done.

A condition of the award is that I have to tell you 7 things you may not know about me.

1. I am lactose-intolerant -- my childhood doctor finally figured it out when I was in middle school.

2. I have a fear of falling -- bad enough that I can't even ride on ferris-wheels.

3. I detest peppermint candy! The candy canes on our small tree this year are strawberry flavour ....I like the green apple-flavoured ones too.

4. Until recently, I didn't like roses....even now, I don't really care for red roses -- yellow, pink or apricot color ones are not a problem -- just no red ones - please.

5. I've gone all the way around the world...just in two segments. Went west-ward from California to the Arabian Gulf one time and east-ward from California to Bahrain another time.

6. I've worked as a real estate agent...LOVED it! It is such a magical, wonderful feeling to help someone find and buy a home they truly love. A lot of work is involved and takes lots of time....but it's a fantastic feeling when it all comes together! Am currently a referral agent associated with RNI California, a division of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage ..... interested in buying or selling a property? I can connect you with some of the best agents in the real estate business .... people that take care of their clients and really do put the client first.

7. Right now my three favorite movies are "Somewhere in Time", "Auntie Mame" (with Rosalind Russell) and "Cool Runnings" -- I just realized that all three deal with overcoming challenges.

The other condition of the award is to pass the award onto seven other bloggers...(this was really hard for me to choose just seven...so many that I really enjoy...how can I exclude any of my favorites?) I tried to stay away from the "big" bloggers - most of us frequent them already ... but just couldn't drop FrugalUpstate off my list.

http://aglimpseoflondon.blogspot.com/ London - a different picture everyday!

http://lifeinthesecondhalf.blogspot.com/ She makes me think!

http://sixtyfivewhatnow.blogspot.com/ Another who makes me think - and I regret to say I don't let lakeviewer know as often as I should that I have visited.

http://www.frugalupstate.com/ Ways to have quality life without spending it all!

http://amatterofpreparedness.blogspot.com/ Never know when I will need to care for my family and friends.

and two that are related (sorta) one springboards off the other right now...

http://52paintedhouseprojects.blogspot.com/ and http://dianascreativeinsanity.blogspot.com/ Got to get our of my rut ...

It's taken me over a month to decide which seven (yes, I really have been trying that long to decide) .... looking back now, I'm thinking ...why did I stress over this so much? We all know there are hundreds of thousands of wonderful blogs out there.

Well, those are my (current) favorites .... ask me in ten minutes and you'll get quite a different list.

Hope you enjoy wandering through them ... Now to let everyone know.

NEW FLAG COUNTER

My son saw a counter on a blog and suggested I add it to my sidebar.
Pretty cool! It posts the flags for the countries my visitors hail from.

The same blog also has a map that adds dots for the locations my visitors come from as well. May or may not add that one ... that just may be way too busy.

GREEN CHILE CHICKEN LASAGNA - FRUGALUPSTATE.COM

May look strange -- but it tastes pretty good! Granted I didn't take the time to shred the cheese on top ...but for a dish made from leftovers ...it is a keeper!
The recipe is from a blog I follow -- www.frugalupstate.com, posted on 28 August 2009.

A note added the following day: Jenn from FrugalUpstate.com Emailed me the exact link so you all can find the recipe easily....it is at http://bit.ly/4wFFCE

I went the long way trying to avoid the perception of violating any copyrights.

STA.LUCIA LIGHTS IN BELPASSO

Planning to up-load videos of lights in near-by towns soon ...this is looking up and down Via Roma in Belpasso.

SEAFOOD FEAST

A few weeks ago, a group of friends went exploring the country-side near Palermo and we stopped at this restaurant (known for its seafood) for lunch in Sferracavallo...



...just across the street from the restaurant...if we'd had a cooler, suspect that several in the group would have bought some to take home ...


...seafood salad, rice and white wine to start off the meal....



...fried sardines ....


...mussels and oysters - DH tried an oyster, I just couldn't get past the looks of the raw oyster ...



...seafood risotto and pasta vongole (with clams) - DH loved these two, but then again, he just plain loves most any seafood ....



... one of the seafood platters for the group ...


...and lemon gelato (ice cream) for dessert ... good stuff!


Watching the clouds coming in over the hillsides and the water ...

WINE SHOP SIGN & IRON-WORK

A sign I liked and the shop window cover just below Carini Palace (the town of Carnini is a bit west of Palermo). I really like the ironwork on the window.

ALIEN SPACE-SHIP?

Opened the door to go to lunch at work the other day .... and saw this....



The cloud formation is actually due to the wind currents around Mt. Etna (which is hidden behind the buildings). Does it remind anyone else of the mother-ship in the movie "Independence Day?

25 QUESTIONS ABOUT CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS

Yes...I know it's after Christmas ... but I'll catch up with New Year's postings soon. Found this on http://lifeinthesecondhalf.blogspot.com (December 12, 2009 posting).

Good Cook challenged us to all have a little fun. She joined in the fun via Mandy's blog and so it goes... So if you would like to play along, please do. Here are the instructions:

If you're reading this post, then you must:

(a) leave a comment and answer the below 25 questions that Mandy made up,

(b) write the answers to the questions below in your own blog post, if you have a blog, that is.

or (c) call yourself a scrooge in the comment below and refuse to answer them.

I hope you choose (A) or (B) but if you choose (C) then I'll just let the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future deal with you. If you do decide to write your own blog post about it, please mention Mandy since she is the author of these important questions. (Writers credit and all that jazz - thanks!)


(1) What is your favorite Christmas movie?
Miracle on 34th Street (the original!)

(2) What is your LEAST favorite Christmas movie?
It's a Wonderful Life (I'll watch it - but find it overly sugary-sweet).

(3) What is your favorite Christmas song?
Do You Hear What I Hear?

(4) What Christmas song(s) drives you crazy?
Christmas Shoes

(5) What is your favorite Christmas drink? (i.e. egg nog, hot chocolate)
Hot Cocoa with LOTS of minature marshmellows or spiced apple cider.

(6) What is your favorite Christmas memory?
A Christmas tree made of tinsel going from the ceiling light to the coffee table.

(7) What is the best toy/gift you've received on Christmas?
My cat, Duke.

(8) What is the worst toy/gift you've received on Christmas?
It's a toss up between the floor-length long sleeved high-neck granny flannel nightgown my ex- got me or the red-and-black cowgirl outfit my mother got me (I had seen a little girl's square dancing dress in a local store and thought it was so dainty and feminine...apparently my mother didn't see me as either dainty or feminine)

(9) What do you LOVE about the holidays?
People being nice to each other ...the foods are pretty good too!

(10) What annoys you about the holidays?
Grumpy attitudes, and lack of Christmas spirit - oh wait, that's two. Oh well.

(11) Do you prefer star or angel on top of a Christmas tree? Or something else?
Star

(12) What is your family favorite recipe at Christmas?
Mexican Wedding Cookies or Date-But Bread.

(13) Are you a Grinch or a Who at Christmastime?
Definitely a Who.

(14) Christmas light displays - Love them or Hate them?
Love them! We used to drive around at least once during the holidays to enjoy the houses that went all out on holiday lights. Here in Sicily, we go out to look at the street lights the varuous towns set up.

(15) Santas at the mall - Fun times or Creepy?
fun -- I guess. Have to look real ...not have obvious fake beards and hair.

(16) Christmas cards - do you send them, yes or no?
Yes - often do a letter of pictures to show our lives -- but missed this year.

(17) What is the best thing about Christmas, in your opinion?
The reflection on what is important in our lives.

(18) What is the worst thing about Christmas?
Lonely people.

(19) When do you put the tree up and take it down?
Usually Thanksgiving weekend -- mid-January. This year, a couple of days before Christmas and the first week of January.

(20) Out of the 12 days of Christmas, which day and item would you want your true love to give to you?
None actually -- but if I had to take one ...guess I'll go for the partridge and pear tree. The tree can go on the side of our landlord's garden and Carmela can cook the partridge for dinner.

(21) Why do you think that Grandma got run over by a reindeer?
Really bad timing!

(22) Who is your favorite reindeer?
Rudolph

(23) Do you believe in Santa Claus?
Of course!

(24) What is your favorite smell at Christmastime?
Baking - any kind of baking and pine.

(25) What would make you happy at Christmas this year?
I believe we choose to be happy or not, and I choose happiness. But I would like every person in the world to have a full stomach this Christmas.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

Chris sent me this ... it's a family joke.
While we lived in Tennessee and I was attending a Navy school to learn electronics -- if Chris had to call me while I was at the barracks on duty days (my duty was to hand out the mail on my duty days), he could call up and ask for Petty Officer Mommy. There were only a few of us who had kids - whoever answered the phone would be able to pin down which "Petty Officer Mommy" was being looked for by the caller's name.

The Christmas we were in Tennessee, we went down to Disneyworld over the holidays. We got back real late at night and rather than lose another day of leave, I parked the car outside the quarterdeck and went to check in off leave. I told Chris that if anyone came by - to tell them I was in with the OOD (officer of the deck) --- he said okay, he'd tell them I was with the O-D-D. (that had been one of his spelling words - so he knew "ODD" was a word). Close enough -- just had to laugh.

When I let Chris know the package had arrived in the mail and it was for a "Petty Officer Mommy" -- he made sure to point out that it was "Petty Officer - retired - Mommy"

ERIC DODGE SINGS "I PLEDGE"

One of my favorite artists....I wanted to have this played at my command Navy retirement ceremony...unfortuantely, my ceremony was cancelled due to mission requirements. Oh well ... so it goes.

TORNADOS AND EARTHQUAKES

We had a few small tremors this morning -- just enough to rattle the furniture and windows and sent the cat into a tizzy. Last Monday, when Don and I came home from work the poliza weren't allowing anyone to go through Motta (one of the small towns we normally drive through to get home) -- wondered about it, but figured it was just blocked for holiday celebrations. Imagine our surprise a few days later to learn that a tornado had gone through the town.

Regretfully, several were critically injured in Catania (the major town just east of us on the coast). The newscast link shows part of Motta (at about the 1 minute point)