Au Naturel
Hi all!
Well, I'm back in Italy and finally settled after a mildly chaotic couple of weeks. But what else is new, right? Today's post is going to be shorter than normal (you're welcome), just some random thoughts and observations from the past few weeks as I've attempted to transition into "normal" life.
The evening I got back, Ian had prepared a lovely aperitivo that we enjoyed al fresco (Prosecco, my favourite!), followed by a light salad for dinner. Since I had gone just about 48 hours without sleep at that point, a relaxing evening reconnecting with Ian where I could simply enjoy the peace and quiet of our neighbourhood, with a glass of sparkling wine and a light meal, was just what the doctor ordered. The lovely view of the hills from our terrace, where we are surrounded to the north by vineyards and farmland, was so relaxing. And aside from our neighbours' barking dogs, when the tranquility of the area finally enveloped me, it was easy to feel at peace. I like nature.
One of the most notable differences to which I once again bear witness is that the food here has remarkable flavour. While in the US I purchased mostly organic produce and grass-fed and pasture-raised meats, but I still wasn't altogether satisfied with most of my meals. Now I remember why so many things are covered with sauces or cheese in America. Or both. Unless you've experienced fresh Italian food, you probably won't appreciate the significance of that statement, so I challenge you to do some exploring and find out for yourself.
Here, it's normal to shop for the food you'll have for dinner on the day you're making the meal. I once mentioned to a butcher, while trying to buy some sausages, that I would simply freeze them for a few days until we were planning to cook them. He looked at me in horror and kindly suggested that since they were open on Sunday morning, it would be much better if I came in and bought them freshly made that day. Lesson learned - freezers aren't often used and are used only for certain things. In the US, we (like many people) used to have a separate freezer for all the things we bought in bulk and stored so that we didn't have to go to the store so often. But fresh is better. Really, really a lot.
Admittedly, I now order most of my groceries by the week via a delivery service, as there isn't a fresh food market nearby like the one we had in Modena. But there are butcher shops and produce shops about a mile and a quarter away, so many days I still enjoy the walk into town, saying hello to the folks I know, and picking up fresh food for dinner. And doing business locally is always a good thing.
Walking and bicycles are normal modes of transportation, across distances that most folks in the US can't imagine traversing without a car. And that includes the elderly as well as the young. While I was in the US, I had to make a concerted effort to get out and walk, like it was a separate thing to do. I'm pretty sure that was a big contributing factor to my weight gain during my time there. It's not unusual for me to put in 4 to 6 miles of walking (10 to 15,000 steps) during a typical day here, and it feels amazing to be back out and walking everywhere.
And speaking of amazing, I have been thoroughly enjoying getting out into the garden (yard) and doing some of the work that needs doing. Mowing the grass, weeding the garden beds, finally harvesting my first crop of fresh lavender, and watching things come together outside all have felt so rewarding. I have been a Master Herbalist for several years now, but my herb harvesting has been limited to culinary herbs. Hand cutting the lavender and inhaling its splendid perfume helped me to feel like I was really communing with nature.
And commune with nature I did. While I was harvesting my lavender there were bees and tiny hummingbird hawk moths buzzing all around (and sometimes on) me, but none of us seemed to mind the others' presence. We co-existed quite nicely (no bee stings), and I made sure not to harvest the open flowers they were there to pollinate. It was a very eye-opening experience for me, as I have always been afraid of bees. But they're marvelous creatures, as are the hummingbird hawk moths.
The moths measure about an inch and a half in length and are too speedy to get a good photo with my low-end skills and equipment (but you can click on the link above to see a more detailed description and a good photograph). We had a hard time figuring out what they actually were, as they look and move like miniaturised hummingbirds and hardly resemble any moths we've ever seen. They're harmless and fascinating, and I'm thrilled that we have a great variety of plants that attract and sustain both them and the bees. Especially the bees.
Communing with nature and getting out and about have made my otherwise slightly chaotic transition a lot smoother. When you can unplug and go somewhere to spend time near a river, lake, mountains, fields, or even just some plants - something other than strip malls and blacktop - it will revive you, no matter what part of the world you live in. Try it a few times and see if it helps you relax and feel more connected to the world. I hope to keep my connection with all these things a lot closer in the coming days and weeks, as I get out on my bike, hit the hiking trails, and make occasional visits to the lakes that surround us.
I like feeling calm and relaxed. My US weight gain is slowly coming off, I feel a lot healthier and stronger, and my fitness level is already improving, all after just a few weeks back in Italy. Nature is pretty cool. You should give it a try!
Have a health of a day,
Juli