Italy Sketches

My husband likes to sketch things. So when we were in Italy last year (my first time ever in Europe!), he tried to get in as much sketching as he could. He did some drawings in Venice but it rained on some of his sketches causing the ink to run. It was a lovely effect, water on water. He lugged our day-pack complete with his drawing supplies, our son, and any extra bags that I couldn't handle. And although he didn't do much actual sketching due to all the lugging and the jet lag, the sketches that he was able to complete were simply amazing.

When I look at his sketches, I immediately feel the essence of the place. I can feel the close-in quarters of the cafe, the tiny shops that we popped into, the artisan shoe maker's cubby-hole shop. And, though it felt hemmed in while I was there and I could stand in the middle of the street and touch each building that framed the street, I also felt peaceful while in Venice. I think it's because of the lack of traffic. Plus, there were no Vespas whizzing by with 2 bags of groceries precariously perched on the front and back. And, as we got closer to our place, the crowds thinned out and the revelers stayed away. That feeling comes through in his sketches.

He also did some amazing sketches while in Lucca and Rome. In Lucca, we had a lovely day of riding bikes around the walled town. We rode up on top of the wall, which has been turned into a nice bike path, with picnic areas, playgrounds, sculptures, and a few restaurants. Then we descended into the town and found a little place to eat located off an ally on some unnamed street. This is where he did another of his sketches. My son loved his spaghetti dinner that night then he did some great drawing on the sidewalk while we were able to chat and drink wine, just lovely.

There was a particular sketch that he did in Rome from the terrace of our apartment. It was the night that we almost burned down the building. Ahh, yes, Rome. The night of almost burning down the building. Anyhoo, suffice it to say that we didn't burn much except a foil dish and we have a really great story and a sketch to go along with the memory.

Back to the present, for the past 6 years, I have been hanging my son's art on our walls because we have NO other art or anything to put on the walls. We're the kind of people who have to love what we put up. And I love my son, bless him, but I'm really getting tired of looking at loopy train drawings done in light yellow. So imagine my surprise when I went to get something from the basement and I saw that my dear husband had taken his 5x7 sketches and had them blown up to poster size which he then mounted onto frames.

My heart lurched in my chest, my eyes welled up with tears and I whispered aloud, "Our Italy trip." So, for our anniversary present, he hung those in our bedroom so that we can wake up each day to see these beautiful sketches and works of art which remind us of our moments in Italy.

Musings While Exercising

I began doing this walk/job combo a while ago when walking with my son who rides his bike with training wheels. I have to run to keep up with him. And, actually, I'm getting pretty good at jogging. So, while jogging, I'll often pass more serious joggers. I can tell because they're wearing skin tight lycra which probably wicks sweat away from the body, they have their music strapped around their bicep, and they don't stop as often as I do. I usually wear jeans or whatever I happen to be wearing that day. It's a very rare occasion that I get dressed to exercise. I figure if I have to plan one more activity around exercise then most likely I'd never go.

Today, I passed this guy who wore lycra with big patches of black and white on his legs 'Wow, 80's dude,' I thought. He was really making a statement. Most serious joggers seem to wear shorts or lycra and a performance t-shirt all from REI of course (which isn't such a great store, by the way). Seattle jogger etiquette calls for no acknowledgment of the other jogger, no smiling, no nothing. So, for kicks, I do the forbidden Seattle thing, I smile at other joggers. Some people smile back, some nod, but most just ignore me like I'm that bothersome moss on the north sidewalk.

I think to myself, "Self, what is it about most of these joggers that prevent them from smiling at me." Here are my responses to myself:

"Gasp, gasp, gasp."

"Oh yeah, they're exercising and don't have time to smile."

"But, it's easier to smile than to frown."

"What a jerk."

"Oh wait, they were probably shocked that a stranger showed any emotion. Since we're in Seattle and strangers don't talk to each other, why would they even smile."

"But, it only takes one second to smile and when you smile, your body releases those feel-good hormones. Aren't joggers and runners looking for that runners-high. Gasp, gasp, gasp. They could just stop running and start smiling to get at the seratonin. No jogging, no drugs, just smile. Stop talking to yourself and just jog and don't smile, damnit!"

"Oh, yeah, I forgot, I live in Seattle. I keep forgetting that part."

"Gasp, gasp. gasp."

My Basil

Ok, it's June 3rd already and already my basil is looking all yellow and upset from all the over-watering it has received due to El Nino. It was very green and happy looking when I bought the basil starts. Now, it just looks depressed from all the rain. It looks how I often feel throughout the wintertime here in this god-awful, soul-sucking winter weather we're forced to endure. June in Seattle and we still have the heat coming on.

We've had so much rain and gray weather that I was blinded this morning when the sun finally came out. But, yes, it finally came out and it's glorious. The warm sun makes me feel like I can have fun adventures. It makes me feel alive. It makes me feel like replacing that yellowing basil. Oh, the basil, my favorite herb. I've got it growing against the house on the South side. Usually, the sun warms the stuccoed side of our house which in turn keeps the basil really warm and happy. Hey, maybe I should go set up camp with the basil so I can be warm.

I suppose our depressing and bone-chilling Northwest winters have their pluses. The big one I can think of is how incredibly happy I feel when summer finally arrives. I'm also able to see more vistas because the trees have all lost their leaves. I also don't have to worry much about sunscreen. And, I don't have to take care of the garden. So, I guess winter has a few good points. But, honestly, I'd rather slather sunscreen and garden all year in exchange for warmer and sunnier weather. So would my basil.