Below are some conversations that took place with my 85 year old Uncle Charlie (aka 'ziu Lillu, Calogero, Mr. Lee-who-lived-in-England-for-40-years running a fish and chip shop with his wife and family, dog lover, cook extraordinaire, raiser of chickens, collector of hats, fast driver, self proclaimed black sheep of the family, [...]
(slide show of Grotte at the end..) I grew up listening to my mom and dad tell stories about their hometown, Grotte, Sicily. When I was 10 years old, I went to Grotte for the first time ever. Their stories came to life. I saw firsthand what my dad had [...]
What would Italy be like without cats? When I was little, I was amazed that everyone in Grotte had a cat and that they were all named Ciccia. Yes, Ciccia used to be the most common name for a cat and happens to be one of the variations on the [...]
I am leaving on Tuesday afternoon for Italy! I am leading a retreat in the Umbria region of Italy from September 15-22. The retreat will take place in a villa not far from Perugia. Marilyn and I will meet our fabulous group of 16 yogis at the Perugia train station [...]
This weekend, I worked in the garden. There is a price to pay for garden beauty. Weary and scratched up legs and arms from pulling, tugging, snipping, chopping, turning, hoeing, and carrying wheelbarrows full of branches to the slash pile. And while I garden, my mind sinks into a sort [...]