Friday Feature

Every year the Comune Di Oliveri sends out invites for a Christmas dinner to the senior citizen residents. So, we got ours and if you are over female over 55 or a male over 60 you may be invited. The event is a social get together as well as a dinner. There is usually music for listening and dancing and a small gift for each participant. It will take place at a local restaurant on the Sunday before Christmas.

Friday Feature

Work has started on the set for the live Nativity Scene that will take place on December 20. This is a yearly event put on by the folks that run and those that live in the Villa Gaia, a rehabilitation residence. In years past it was set up on a thru street but property has been allocated for this event this year.

I hope to take photos after the 20th to show the finished village and the live scene.

Friday Feature Sicilian Generosity

Each of the following items came into our home in the last couple days. They are gifts from family and friends. The lemons, tangerines , oranges and tomatoes come in sacks. I will use the dried figs to make Christmas cookies. I have never cooked the green vegetable called *zucchina spinosa*! Not shown because they were hastily eaten were two types of fish. Also not included is a pumpkin that was delicious.

Friday Feature..Alternative cutting

We were given fresh oregano at the end of summer. We hung it inside the family home across the street and forgot about it until recently. It is very handy that we have a barber in the house to cut the oregano from the branches.

Here he is seriously getting down to business.

After the oregano is removed it gets put into the *robot* or food processor. A few years ago, the motor on my food processor died. I bought the same machine in a later model. The attachments fit the new machine. When we process the oregano it discolors and scratches the bowl so this was a lucky purchase.

Remove any small sticks and place into a jar and the oregano is ready for your favorite recipe.

Friday Feature

Happy Birthday Marine Corps, November 10th. I am a day early but take this as a reminder. The Marines only look for a few good men and we have one in our family. So, salute to him and all those ..currently or who have served as a US Marine. Once a Marine always a Marine!!

Friday Feature

Today is All Soul's Day in Italy and yesterday was All Saint's Day. Businesses are at half day or closed. It is much like Memorial Day in the USA. It is tradition to spend the day caring for the graves and bringing flowers. You can pay to have lights put on a grave for these few days. For many Italian families this is a time to come back to their home towns to offer this respect to their deceased love ones.

Friday Feature....Animal Market

This guy has the whole market in his scope. Every year in nearby Falcone there is an animal market. Farm folks from nearby towns transport their animals for sale here. Not so many animals this year. Seems that new regulations are in place. I like this market and was happy to get there early enough to see the animals. I hope you enjoy this picture post of the mercato.

ANIMALS

BUYERS AND SELLERS

Friday Feature

West Side Story has it ALL wrong! The most beautiful sound is your child saying *I love you Mom*! Ask any mother. Ask me...and I will tell you that what I write is true. I received this card this week and it couldn't have come at a better time. I love you too, Jillane!

Along with the card was a bevy of packages. Of course the mandatory Starbucks coffee was included. My favorite was the gardenia scented duo of hand wash and hand cream. Along with vanilla, gardenia is a favorite scent of mine.

This daughter knows I am a lover of bumper stickers. She has been riding the roads with this one tucked into her visor for over a year. It was given to me by my son, who doesn't even know I harbor this fetish. I am hoping some day to cover my terrazza window that borders onto my neighbor's wall with various bumper stickers. Finally it has arrived here.

So, Frank did you think this ball would be amusing? Papa was very amused. After unrolling all this paper he challenged me to put it back together. Yea, right!
That accordion card was ...a reminder of how much I hate the accordion. But, someone really liked it!

Yes...I am happy and I am thankful and I am loving you all.

This is Friday's Feature!!

Friday Feature

Double Friday Feature notices:

Reminder for my USA readers>

The Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians open with game one.. vying for the American League Champion, this evening at 7PM in Boston.



For my Italian readers>


Sunday on RaiUno, the tuna festival held last month in Oliveri will be featured on Linea Verde. As for the time I am told after 10AM.

Friday Feature

Today's feature is a continuance of yesterday's post on Gibelmanna and Cefalù. Be prepared for a few more posts on this subject. This post will feature the art work in the museum on the sanctuary grounds.

There are several rooms in this museum. On the ground level are vestments used in celebrations of *sung mass*. They are quite elaborate and in very good condition. The art works and vestments are from the 15th thru 18th centuries. Also on the ground level is a model of buildings on the sanctuary grounds.

All the buildings are are on elevated land. The air is thin and there are quite a few steps to climb to reach the sanctuary. The museum entrance fee is €1.50 and is worth every cent.

I really should have something to say about this art if I am posting it. But, I know very little. The first one is the oldest. Statues are Mary and Joseph and the last picture is of a circumcision.

Ultima Cena-Last Supper/Sicilian artist

This fabric of silk with hand work is from the 15th century and in good condition. The entire piece of fabric was hand embroidered.

cont'-----