My good friend, Stuart Armstrong, sent me this lovely video he took this Easter morning in the town of Sori, in Liguria! I asked him if I could share it and he said “si, figurati!”

Che assolutamente bello!

Happy Easter!

These precious quail’s eggs, purchased at the market, are my Easter decorations this year! I adore them!

I won’t be smashing them and putting them on a bonnet, but I will look at them and smile!

All through the eastern sections of Florence one finds posted signage related to floods that have occurred over the centuries in the city. I live near the Arno River and am in a flood zone should one of these happen again. The last really significant flood occurred on November 4, 1966 which is legendary here. It made the international news at the time.

Walking through my hood, I stopped to admire this monumental doorway and the stone dressing the portal. Then I noticed a rather unusual sign and sure enough, it was attached to reveal the level to which the Arno rose on this august palazzo.

Another monumental entryway was also very striking.

Italian word for the day: porta, or door.

The next 4 pictures are of one building in the center of Florence. It is adorned with beautiful stonework.

A neighboring porta.

I get a kick out of all the door adornments in Italy and other European countries. Sometimes these are used as handles to open the door or as doorknockers.

My walks through the city are always filled with things to admire. Art/life. The right combination. Alla prossima!

Italian words for the day: albero fiorito. In English: flowering tree.

Bonus Italian word: fiori (flowers)

Ci vediamo la prossima volta, cari lettori! See you next time, dear readers!

And because everything sounds better in italiano:

Congratulations to the graduate!

Once again, I saw the corona used to celebrate a university or higher graduation. This is one of the most charming of all Italian customs to my mind.

Chocolate eggs wrapped in shiny yellow paper and bells decorated with doves and tulips! Below, La Colomba, the traditional Italian dove-shaped Easter bread.

I was surprised to see comlombina (small dove breads), iced with chocolate, and sold with Barbie doll advertising. Weird.