by Krista | Dec 7, 2011 | Compatriot Wednesday
September mornings in the old town part of Vogogna, Italy are wonderfully dark and quiet.
The darkness is not from lack of sunlight, but from the inevitable shade created when tall, stone buildings rub shoulders with each other, towering over the narrow cobbled streets that keep them from knocking heads with the buildings across the way.
It’s a lovely kind of darkness, soft and gentle. The thick stone walls of the aged homes muffle any sounds from within, and the streets are still save for the occasional workmen whistling as he passes.
I loved those mornings spent in a wonderful old house where I was staying with some amazing women writers – Margo, Katy, Kate, and Kathy. I loved waking up before everyone else, wrapping a pashmina snuggly around my shoulders and walking barefoot down steep stone steps worn smooth from generations of barefoot wanderers like me.
One morning a few of us decided to gather outside in the newly discovered courtyard out back for breakfast and brainstorming.
The courtyard had been hiding behind a lace covered doorway in the kitchen, and there were gasps of delight when we creaked open the door and found it there just waiting to be occupied by the chatter of women and the smell of a hot breakfast.
I’m at my best first thing in the morning, so I took on breakfast duty and was soon bustling about brewing coffee, cracking eggs, and sauteing spinach with sun-dried tomatoes over the big gas stove.
Minutes later all was ready and we took our seats on cheery red striped cushions and tucked in. Mmm, it felt so good to wrap chilled fingers around steaming mugs of coffee, and the piping hot fried eggs on savory spinach nests warmed our insides and fortified our brains.
It was a leisurely meal with frequent stops to exclaim at this cheery pot of flowers or that wonderfully weathered window shutter. We waved at our Italian neighbors who were amused by our cluster of foreign ladies chatting happily over breakfast in a back alley.
It is nearly impossible not to get inspired in such a delightful hideaway, and as soon as breakfast was over we pushed our plates aside and hauled out notepads, pens, and other accoutrements. We talked and listened, learning much from each other’s areas of expertise. The little courtyard was filled with the sounds of scratching pens and flipping pages as we filled line after line with ideas for stories, books, and articles. We cheered each other on as we wrestled through fears and doubts, and hurrahed when solutions were reached and decisions made.
As writers, so much of our work is done in solitude, quiet hours spent gathering and organizing information and sifting through words to find just the right ones for each job. As much as we love it, such a life can be isolating and lonely, and it was immeasurably comforting to spend the morning together commiserating, challenging, and inspiring each other.
All too soon it was over. Pens capped, notebooks closed, computers turned off.
We stretched and sighed, laughed and stood up to clear the table.
After all the brain work it was time for a walk.
What do you do to inspire yourself in your work?
by Krista | Dec 5, 2011 | Gulliver Tuesday
Mornin’ luvs! It is crazily chilly, windy, and dark in Queensland, Australia this week. Brrr! I heard that this is the coldest start to summery they’ve had in 51 years and I don’t doubt it. Shiver!
Today I’m packing up my little suitcase, making sure I have sweater, pashmina and umbrella to keep me warm as I head to Brisbane for a few days to visit my lovely friend Barbara (from Winos and Foodies) and her hubby Bryan. We are going to attend the annual Taste Trekkers Christmas Tour and I am SO excited!! I’ve never been on something like this and am really looking forward to learning about Russian, Greek and Italian Christmas traditions and foods, meet some other food lovers, and dig into a delicious meal made by the Taste Trekker herself, Sally. 🙂
I promise to take heaps of pictures and tell you all about it. 🙂
What Christmas traditions are you most interested in?
xo
by Krista | Dec 3, 2011 | Compatriot Wednesday
Hi luvs! Is your weekend off to a good start?
Mine’s been a bit rough, but things are getting better today. 🙂 Turns out my issues with mold and Ecoli I had in Washington weren’t fully resolved and have resurrected with a vengeance. Docs have me on four meds now and hopefully I will start feeling better soon.
In the meantime I’m counting up some good things in my life: like my friend Ann bringing her Christmas turkey over for a visit. 🙂 And this little green frog who watched me contentedly while I swept the porch. And two baby goslings toddling about the goose pen.
If you have to be sick, rural Queensland has got to be one of the most beautiful places to do it in. 🙂
Bear took me for a drive the other day and pulled into The Mill Outlook for a cuppa. Just getting out of the car presented a feast for the eyes.
I love the flowering bushes and trees they have here. Such wonderful blossoms in vivid purple, fuschia and red.
We thought it was just a pretty spot for a coffee shop, but it turns out The Mill Outlook is much more than that. Next door to the Settler’s Cafe is a rural center and hobby farm filled with all sorts of farmyard critters waiting to be adopted and taken to a new home.
I love the fluffy white chickens who look like they’re wearing Russian fur hats on their heads, and the adorable nearly featherless fellow who trotted around as if he looked like a million dollars.
We couldn’t pass up a few additions to the farmyard so we got a couple of ducklings and a male and female Belgian.
Then it was time to get out of the hot sun and sit down with a cold drink. My favorite Aussie cold drink is an iced coffee – lusciously creamy and decadent, not too sweet but with plenty of strong coffee flavor. Mmm. I know it’s not the most ideal thing to have when you’re sick, but sometimes you just need a little treat to make life special.
It was such a nice surprise to discover this place. A truly lovely spot along the highway to pull in for a break, sit in the shade and enjoy the view, the chickens, and the occasional baby goat who may wander up for a scratch.
After I got home, I stared at a huge bowl full of ripe, juicy plums – a gift from my friend Ann – and wondered what on earth to do with them. Then I remembered a German dish I had tried years before, a cold fruit soup, and decided that was the ticket.
I wanted it to be a little Christmasy so I added spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, and a little creamy so I stirred in some plain Greek yogurt. The result was deeelectable! Creamy, spicy, and fruity, and I can’t begin to describe how good the house smelled while it was cooking.
I’ve been sipping this concoction all week, figuring the yogurt was the perfect thing to combat the antibiotics I’m taking. 🙂 Now THIS is what I call good sick food. 🙂
What’s your favorite thing to eat when you’re sick?
Chilled Spiced Plum Soup
Ingredients:
6 cups halved VERY ripe plums
water to cover
1/2 tsp each of nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon and cardamom
2 Tbsp honey or real maple syrup
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
Directions:
- Place plums in soup pot and cover with water.
- Add spices and honey and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer 20-30 minutes or until plums have broken down.
- Remove from heat and let cool 30 minutes.
- Puree entire contents and pour into serving bowl.
- Stir in yogurt and chill until ready to serve.
by Krista | Nov 30, 2011 | Plucky Thursday
It’s a perfectly marvelous stormy day today, gusting winds, pouring rain, and it feels every bit like England in the fall.
So this afternoon I’m going to take you on a pictorial jaunt with me and my dear friend Katy through the streets of London.
It was late afternoon as we emerged from the Tube, wrapped our scarves more snugly around our necks, and wandered happily through the bustling throng.
Seeing this flower stall made me think of Eliza Dolittle in My Fair Lady and I was struck by how many of my favorite movies and books are set in this most wonderful city.
I love strolling with Katy. A prolific traveler, writer, and lover of life, she is a splendid walking partner, perfectly content with companionable silences or laughing hard as she regales me with tales of her adventures abroad and at home in England.
She chuckled at my incessant photo-taking and ooohing, knowing that she is every bit as bad as me in countries she didn’t grow up in.
After a gentle rain the sun emerged, casting a lovely, warm glow over the stately stone edifices around us.
I was utterly charmed by this street. It reminded me of the delightful Jean and Lionel from “As Time Goes By.”
And I couldn’t help grinning at all the lovely old pubs and cheery double-decker buses.
After much happy wandering we decided it was high time for a pot of tea and something decadent. We found a welcoming spot with one table left open just for us. We ordered piping hot tea to warm our fingers and pooled our last few pounds to purchase a stunning little strawberry tart to share.
Then we sat back and watched people, wrote in our journals, and felt like two of the luckiest girls in the world.
What is your favorite treat to have when you stop for a coffee or tea break?
by Krista | Nov 28, 2011 | Gulliver Tuesday
Starting your life over completely is a scary, overwhelming and wonderful thing.
Along the way you run out of money, meet amazing new people, and parts of yourself come to life that have lain dormant for ages.
You have great days and weepy ones, and sometimes, right when you need a shot of hope in the arm, something good comes along to cheer you right up and give you renewed courage.
Like a birthday. In Australia.
I turned 37 this weekend and have to say it was the best birthday I’ve ever had. 🙂
My bear pulled out one surprise after another to make it a beautiful week of great memories and new adventures and I love him for it. 🙂
He started with Nearly Birthday Day, whisking me away to town for silly little things that make me happy. Like taking me to a new thrift store and letting me pick out whatever treasures delighted me: a slightly gaudy medieval necklace, a rather lethal looking rake, two wonderful old books by two of my favorite authors (John Buchan and Baroness Orczy), and a splendid hand-painted champagne bottle that looked like something from Eastern Europe.
We went to a tiny, local butcher and bought bacon that was over a foot long (!!) and a pork roast with a thick rind that will make the best cracklings. Then he loaded up with all sorts of fresh fruits and veg from the outdoor market – I’ve been juicing and cooking like mad with all those yummy things! Next stop was the shopping center for a hot date in the Food Court where we dine luxuriously on hot dogs, potato wedges with gravy, and coffee milkshakes.
Later bear surprised me with a lovely filigree pendant, two new chooks – gorgeous Belgian ones in soft gray with bright red combs – and three adorable baby ducks who cheep like crazy when they see food. We also had dark chocolate mud cake and a jolly visit with dear friends and wow, I felt utterly spoiled.
But the dear fellow wasn’t done yet. Sunday afternoon he picked me up and took me for a drive up through the hills near Toowoomba to the Preston Peak Winery.
It is a gorgeous, sprawling estate of vineyards and flowers with a chapel and reception room for weddings overlooking the valley.
We climbed up further to the tasting room and cafe perched above the grapevines lining the hillsides and took in the stunning views.
Tearing ourselves away from the scenery we entered the Preston Peaks Winery tasting room and were greeted by Kor Ersoy, a lovely Turkish man who made us feel so welcome, answered all our questions, and lavished us with samples. While everything was good, my favorites were the Wildflower series, Golden Gleam (White Muscat), and the delectable Touriga Port.
After all our sampling we were more than ready for some solid food, so we wandered over to the cafe to see what they had to offer.
What they had was a stunning view, cool breezes blowing in through the open windows, and a menu chosen to suit the wines they produced. It was perfect!
We were ravenous so we ordered our bevvies: iced coffee to perk us up after all those tastings, wine and Double Sars (double sarsaparilla) to go with our meal, and then tucked into a feast: spring salad, warm cheesy bread, to-die-for pizza, and an antipasto platter with olives, sun-dried tomatoes with lavender, pesto, salami, smoked ham, caramelized sweet onions, and roasted capsicum. Phew! Needless there’s no way we could eat all of it, and I happily did not have to cook the next day. 🙂
We drove home as the sun was setting over the hills, sleepy, full, and so very, very happy.
It was the best birthday ever.
What is your favorite birthday memory?
_logo.svg){kind=logo}
