Tag Archives: photography

Lago Maggiore

30 Nov

Being a girl who who grew up on the Atlantic Ocean I didn’t think it would ever be possible to become a “lake and mountain” girl.  But after moving to one of Italy’s largest lakes which is surrounded by the Alps about a decade ago I have to admit that I’ve slowly become smitten with the whole lake/mountain thing.  We love to go sit by the lake and have a  picnic, swim or read.  We love to sail (we’re beginners).  We love to hike in the mountains with our children.  And we love to look down on the lake views from the top of said mountains.

For a while I was scared that I had abandoned my ocean girl roots but noticed that when I return to Canada and smell that thick salty air and see the Atlantic ocean I really do feel as though I’ve returned to my roots and my home.

So I’m happy to be on the lake, happy to be in the mountains and happy to be by the ocean.  Not a bad thing to be.

Lago Maggiore is Italy’s second largest lake and is situated on the south side of the Alps.  It extends for about 70 km from Arona (in Italy) to Locarno (in Switzerland).

Looking up the lake towards Switzerland (part of the lake is actually in Switzerland).

The local gull hangout.  All the cool birds hang out here.A bit further up the lake towards the Swiss border.  Dancing on the beach.

Lago Maggiore at dusk.  A very breathtakingly beautiful sight.

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Oilcloth=broken sewing machine

30 Nov

But it was worth it.  I managed to get through the two different oilcloth zipper pouch patterns before my machine did a final cough and died.  I should have realised there was something wrong during the sewing due to the fact it sounded like I was operating a steam engine.  Now the real adventure begins though…trying to get a sewing machine fixed in rural Italy.

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Hij komt, hij komt

26 Nov

Today I’ve had a house full of busy little kids drawing and preparing for Sinterklaas’ big arrival by boat on Lago Maggiore.  By 7am the three kids were busily drawing and sketching and colouring.  Mama decided to stay in bed a little longer but could hear the giggling, chatting and overall excitement in their voices from upstairs.Busy little hands hard at work. Here is a drawing of Sinterklaas accompanied by his Zwarte Pieten (Black Peters).  Being a North American I have a bit of trouble accepting the whole concept of Sint’s helpers.  But the Dutch speaking people are very defensive about their Sint tradition and say there is nothing derogatory about the Zwarte Pieten.  Umm…ok.The Sint arriving…

After a long visit of meeting the many kids, listening to Sint songs, eating some erwtensoep (pea soup), it’s time for the Sint to leave.  There were lots of Flemish and Dutch kids in attendance.  Also a few local Italians who were walking along the lake stopped to see what was going on.  They all had very puzzled looks on their faces.  Overall it was a very pleasant afternoon with incredible weather and a spectacular sunset.

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Pomegranate yogurt Parfait

26 Nov

A few years ago a friend of mine made the following dessert for a party in the kindergarten where my children go.  It’s the most delicious and simple dessert and it looks so beautiful when served.  It has three simple ingredients: vanilla yogurt, pomegranate seeds and crushed meringue.  I usually fill a fancy cup a little over half way with the yogurt.  Then I add the seeds to the rim  and then sprinkle the crushed meringue over that.  With the red and white colours it’s also very festive looking for the Christmas season.  

Delicious and beautiful and  healthy!

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Stjerne

26 Nov

One of the many advantages of living in such an international environment is that you become friends with people from all over the world.  This past week a Danish friend came over to give the girls and I a “Danish Christmas Star” tutorial.  It’s made from a glossy paper in which you braid.  It’s a bit fussy to do but the girl’s little fingers did a wonderful job.

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Apt

25 Nov

If you’re ever in the South of France and happen to be close to a town called Apt I would strongly recommend that you stop and visit the most beautiful pottery shop in the world.  My first time visiting the shop was about 5 or 6 years ago.  We were meandering through the market on a chilly spring day and we happened to pass this tiny little colourful shop on a corner of a little piazza.  The bowls in the windows were stacked from floor to ceiling.  The colours were so bright and cheerful we couldn’t help ourselves from going in to take a look.  My mother bought me 3 beautiful bowls with stripes and polka dots.  Despite the relatively thin terracotta that they are made of these bowls are very durable (ie. they survived 5 years in a house with 3 small children).

This past summer we found ourselves once again in the area of Apt so of course we went for a visit.  After walking around in circles in the centre of Apt we finally found it again and it was just as we had remembered it.  Still the same colourful bowls and dishes and still the same old bearded man making them in the corner of the shop.  In the end we stayed and chatted with him for over and hour.  A very interesting man with an amazingly artistic family.

I ended up buying quite a few bowls, plates and jugs this time.  That purple and striped salad bowl in the upper right hand corner of this photo became mine!

My complete collection which I use on a daily basis.

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Cupcake Season

23 Nov

Cupcake season is slowly arriving and I’m looking forward to it.  Sinterklaas parties, Christmas parties, birthday parties…there are more than enough occasions to keep me busy and happy.  I remember the Italians first reaction to cupcakes a decade ago when I  arrived in Italy.  They were confused and maybe a little fearful of them.   Fast forward 10 years and the Italians have finally accepted the famous cupcake and you can even buy them in specialty bakeries in Milan.  Nothing like a cupcake to make your day (or week or month).

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My little bench

23 Nov

I’ve mentioned in the past how much I love the Mercatini Usati here in Italy.  Every time I visit one of the few second hand shops I come home with some sort of treasure.  I bought this little bench at a shop a few years ago for 5 euro.  It was old and dusty and an ugly varnished brown.  But look what a coat of white paint and a little handmade quilt can do!  I painted the inside a bright blue which gives it a bit of life when opened.  It’s at our front door so when all the various children come in with their various hats/scarves/gloves it’s really the perfect place to put it all.  And I use it as a place to collapse every now and then.  And then the kids just dump all their belongings on my lap instead of in the bench.  In any case…I’m very fond of this little bench.

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Astuccio

22 Nov

I’m feeling better today.  Thanks to Lemsip Max for another beautiful sleep.  I was even feeling well enough to host our weekly sewing class here this morning.  We made 2 more zippered pouches (all using different techniques).  My previous zipper fear is almost gone.  Almost.  Here’s what we did today…

I’ll be making more of the green and blue one for sure.  The pouch with the buttons and visible zipper is a little too fussy for my taste though.  I’m happy I learned how to do it but I’m not sure I’ll be producing too many of them for Christmas gifts.

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Russian painted eggs

21 Nov

Aren’t these hand painted eggs beautiful?  I bought them last year at a local market and I admire them on a daily basis.

They’re made from wood and just brighten up any room they happen to be in.

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