Artnotes: Spaghetti and Kibble

 

27  August 2022 Roccamalatina,MO Italia

Ready to Pick  Laurie Fox Pessemier   Acrylic//canvas 16 x 20"  40 x 50cm   575.00

I love that Italy is a small-ish country.  This week we went to the Rome area, the Arezzo province, and had lunch in Florence.  Nothing is too far away.

Petunias   Laurie Fox Pessemier  Acrylic/canvas/oil crayon  16 x 20"  40 x 50cm  550.00

We’ve finally figured out how to keep the canine Berlino content in the car:  the window must be slightly open.  If the window is down a couple of inches, he’ll lie on the backseat.  The second we roll it up, he starts shaking and wheezing like Peter Lorrie.  Yes, it’s quite annoying to have the window open on the highway, but the roar of the road is better than a drooling, asthmatic passenger in the rear.  We’ve had to listening to the radio.

Chapel in Stimigliano frescoed by contemporary artist Mario Bagordo

He is especially enthusiastic about the car if he thinks we’re going out to lunch or dinner.  This week we went out twice:  Stimigliano and Florence.   The waitress at daLina in Stimi remembers him and gets his water just right.  One of us orders the Federico Pizza (mortadella, bufala and pistachios) and the other, grilled meat and chicory. We drove to Florence, via Castiglion Fiorentino (a friend’s house) midweek.  We shut off his electricity and water until next time.  Hung a picture.

Sketch of Florence  Blair Pessemier Acrylic/canvas  8  x 18 "  20 x 45 cm   450.00

Our friend Mary accompanied her son to a conference in Florence, so she had time to spare while he convened.  We hadn’t seen her in at least a dog’s age.  She hopped into our car at her hotel on the edge of Florence and we drove up to the Piazzale Michelangelo.  For those of you not familiar with Florence, the Piazzale Michelangelo, on the other side of the (nearly dry) Arno, is where they take that famous photo of Florence:  a sweeping view of the Tower at the Palazzo Vecchio; Brunelleschi’s Dome at the Duomo; Giotto’s Bell Tower; there’s another pointy tower to the far right, but I can’t seem to identify it – somewhere near Santa Croce.  We decided to eat lunch on the terrace of the Ristorante la Loggia right above the piazza, so we could watch the sun and clouds transform the red roofs.   The wait service was excellent (I always worry about tourist-y restaurants), and after a small pasta starter, we shared the kilo of delicious Florentine steak (Berlino’s favorite).   We sat for a couple of hours, covering topics from Tesla to fine art and writing.   We ate cheesecake and had coffees before driving back up to Rocca Malatina.

Emerging Rabbit in Clay (Mary says I am coming out from under)  Laurie Pessemier

They are tilling fields here in Emilia Romagna, in anticipation of pending rain.  We are thinking of our next foray, but for now just eating spaghetti (and kibble) at home.

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