I’m DOING MY BEST…

to fend off the ill effects of pasta withdrawal. Having pasta only once in four days I remedied the situation last evening with a wonderful dish of Linguine with scallops and crab at a delightful waterfront restaurant on the Elk river in Cecil county Maryland, the guest of my dear friend Ed.


Ed attacking his Linguine...with mussels, clams, shrimp, and scallops


My Linguine before...


and after.

The art world needs more people like Ed; he loves art and is an avid collector. His home is filled with art, representing a wide range of styles and media. Now if I can just get him to move to Paducah!


I'm a little worried about being away...Patience informed me today that she is sleeping so much better with me gone. I tell myself that it is only because I am not there to wake her up when she is snoring. Well I guess that is just another sacrifice I will have to make...going away so she can sleep better. Gotta tell you, it is not easy being a tiger.

SEPARATION ANXIETY

I left Paducah one week ago today, and predictably for the past few days separation anxiety has begun to settle over me. Removed from my familiar routine and surroundings I begin to feel at loose ends, detached from my anchor. It should come as no surprise when I say than I spend a great deal of time “in my head”, working to stay connected to the ideas, feelings, and all that is numinous that give me inspiration and keep me engaged in my work. That has been my pattern all of my life, feeling that my work comes from some place deep within, giving me purpose and direction. When I am away from home I tend to lose that connection.

It no longer bothers me; I know it is temporary…I gladly accept it as a small price to pay for the pleasures of spending the time with family and dear friends.

Interestingly, while in Bologna for one month, I quickly established an environment of my own and a new routine which allowed me to remain focused and in touch with my work.

The only thing I have yet to figure out is…how do I avoid the emptiness of being away from Patience? That simply cannot be done; she is so deeply embedded in my life and the importance of her presence there is immeasurable. So, with a touch of sadness, a pinch of separation anxiety, and great deal of gratitude, I will thoroughly enjoy the remaining days and visits of this trip.






the love of my life...take your pick!

FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND PASTA...NEW JERSEY CONNECTION

Yesterday we made our way to New Jersey for another visit with cousins. Sunday was the Rondinelli side, yesterday it was the Renzullis. It was extra special because I got to visit with Rockey, my oldest cousin who was visiting from Florida where he and Miriam retired some 20 years ago.





For those of you who have been worried about me (you are out there, aren't you?) because I've had to interrupt my pasta marathon...not to worry, cousins Joan and Miriam took good care of us. When it came to eat I discovered still another special treat...pasta with broccoli rabe, picked fresh by Angelo that very morning. Oh my...life is good





.

It was a great afternoon, catching up on family and sharing memories, but it didn't end there. Later, back in Wilmington at Obie's place, when we decided it was time for us to have a late dinner I discovered that Joan had sent the leftover broccoli rabe dish home with Obie, and once again I found myself in pasta heaven. I don't know what I did to deserve such good fortune.

FAMILY & FRIENDS…the Philadelphia connection

Yesterday I left Maryland and headed to Philadelphia, stopping in Wilmington to pick up friend Obie. We arrived in south Philly about 1 o’clock, found a rare parking place on 12th street and made our way to Danny and Linda’s.


Danny and Linda's house

Danny and Me

Danny and Obie

As expected, we found the results of Linda’s efforts on the kitchen table …bread, olives, cheese, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, and a bowl of fresh blueberries. About an hour later we were being led to our table at Café Beau Monde, a creperie at 6th and Bainbridge streets. My cousins, Obie, and I have been coming here on our Sunday visits for the last 5-6 years; the crepes are delicious and the martinis even better.



After a most delightful lunch we walked a bit on the very funky South street, past the condom shop, the tattoo parlors, and cafes, eventually finding the Delhi street, where my mother, and Danny’s father were born (mom in 1917 and uncle Alfred in 1910). We all agreed that it is very unlikely that their were condom shops at that time.


Mom and Uncle Al's birth place.


Delhi st. looking south


Delhi street looking norht...yes, that is a Whole Foods store. Delhi street is one block long.

Today...south Jersey, more cousins, and pasta. Life is good.

HAVE I TOLD YOU TODAY THAT I LOVE YOU part 9

LOVE-MARRIAGE-FAMILY

Love between a man and a woman is an illogical, irrational phenomenon that is far beyond my ability to describe or explain. I would strongly recommend the seventh letter in Rilke’s Letters to a Young Poet. (I recommend that you read all of those letters.) Having said this let me offer just a few observations on the subject.

Love is hard work. Falling in love can be quite easy; it is maintaining that love that demands our time and energies. Don’t expect it just to happen; people can change in significant ways over the years, and if left unattended, love can be victimized by these changes.

Love should be gracious and spacious, allowing ample room for individual growth. One of the most important responsibilities in a loving relationship is to enable one another to become the person they are intended to be. Love exists for us to serve others, not for us to be served.

This is not without some risk. One partner may out grow the other, but there is a greater risk both to the person and the marriage if growth is stifled.

There is absolutely no place in love for oppression, and restriction. To love someone is not to possess them.

Apply these same principles to your relationship with your children. Respect and trust your child for the individual person that he or she is. Drench them with love, guide them with a consistent but light hand, allowing them to make mistakes. They will anyway, and it is always easier for them if they can count on your love, understanding, and forgiveness.

Love does not preclude other significant relationships. One person cannot be expected to be everything to the other. A strong, loving relationship is not threatened by other relationships.

You can never say, “I love you” too often or too loud.



LOVE & FRIENDSHIP

Friendships, like family bonds, are all different. Some are casual and occasional while others are strong and intense, each serving a purpose or filling a need. There are friends whose company we enjoy because they are fun and make us laugh. There are others who share our interests in work or play with whom we can commiserate, and there are those with whom we share our souls.

Every friendship is a precious gift, to be valued and nurtured, whether it is casual, intense, occasional, or constant.

We all have friends whom we consider to be best friends; those special relationships that transcend explanation and withstand all tests of time and distance. They are rare and should be cherished and protected. These are the people that have the potential to affect the way we view the world and/or influence our behavior.

Occasionally we find ourselves diametrically opposite to a dear friend on some major issue - political, social, spiritual, or otherwise. That is when we discover the strength of those bonds that are so difficult to describe; the friendship trumps all the differences.

Consciously or unconsciously, friends strive to make one another feel good about themselves, casting each other in a positive light, offering encouragement, support, and when needed, defense.

I am realizing now that the distinction I’ve held between friendship and love is arbitrary and invalid. The two are one in the same, and I am chagrined that it has taken me this long to learn that.

There is a line in the song, What a Wonderful World, that goes like this: “I see friends shaking hands, saying how do you do? They’re really saying, I love you.” Wouldn’t it me nice if we treated everyone like a friend?

A CREATURE OF HABIT

Actually addicted to habit is more like it. This is my fourth day away from home and the first time I’ve been able to write anything, not because of lack of time and accommodations but because I’ve been removed from the comfort of my usual morning routine. The first 2 days I told myself I was simply recovering from the day and a half drive, which was really pleasant and uneventful, but hey…I needed an excuse. Yesterday I simply avoided the question, but today I faced it head on, like any tiger would, and accepted the fact that I need my routine, and once I did that…I began to write about it.

It is a beautiful June morning with clear blue skies, low humidity, and temperature in the mid 70s. I’m sitting in Beth and Carl’s screened in back porch that overlooks acres of tilled farm land, the view interrupted by the many fruit trees Carl has planted around their property. I’ve been staying with Beth and Carl since I arrived in Maryland Thursday afternoon. Tonight Sara and clan will be here for dinner, and tomorrow I will make my way to Wilmington and Philadelphia.

THE NEW OLD…OR IS IT THE OLD NEW?

Whatever…I’ve decided to shed some light on a number of clay prints and oil pastels that have not been gathering dust in the file drawers. I think they deserve to be seen. They were created about 5-7 years ago. I had the documentation but it was all lost in the great computer crash several years ago.


wine glasses...16x12

I have spent 2 days trying to upload 5 images to post and because of some glitch with blogspot.com have only succeeded with this one image. I've given up on the rest..for now.