The sign in this food store near the Campo De’ Fiori in Rome reads ‘Ugly but good’. I regret not tasting one of these cakes while I was there. It’s great that some suppliers are now taking a similar approach with odd-shaped… Read More ›
Italy
Superstition – Eye spy something creepy in Noto, Sicily
Is this a talisman to ward off the ‘evil eye’ or is it the Freemason symbol that reminds us that God sees all? Is there a connection between the two? I can’t wait to read Veronica Di Grigoli’s latest book, How to Protect Yourself… Read More ›
Superlatives – Does this ‘Organum Maximum’ in Sicily live up to its name?
This photo/story challenge seemed like a good opportunity to find out the story behind the name of the organ in the Duomo di San Giorgio at Ragusa Ibla, Sicily. (Inspector Montalbano fans would probably recognise the Duomo as it regularly features in episodes… Read More ›
Super Pippo to the rescue – Make the most of your superpowers
I couldn’t resist taking a photo of Goofy sitting in a Palermo shop window. Italians call this adorable but frustrating Disney character ‘Pippo’. In addition to sharing similar names, I have a real soft spot for Pippo as he is perennially distracted and disaster-prone – but somehow everything… Read More ›
Supercibo – Superfood Italian-style
I have no idea if this cafe in Trastevere, Rome sells healthy ‘superfood’ or unhealthy ‘fastfood’ as it was closed. I suspect the latter given the speed at which Superman appears to be shovelling down this mountain of (lentil?) burgers. ************* This is… Read More ›
Why we still need to stop & draw the roses
I recently discovered a fantastic new app called ‘Waterlogue’ that can turn photos into really good watercolour paintings. It’s a bargain for only a couple of dollars!* (Here’s a picture using Waterlogue that I prepared earlier of my neighbour’s dog and her favourite… Read More ›
Little Italy in Canberra’s south – poplars & all
Anyone who knows trees may have thought that the Lombardy poplars (Populus nigra ‘Italica’) beside the woolshed in a recent post seemed out of character. However, poplars are ideally suited to Canberra’s hot, dry summers and were quite common near homesteads in the… Read More ›
Sustainability soapbox 