It’s the first of March when I’m writing this so I add rabbit rabbit for good luck, in case you didn’t know.

On a perfect Saturday morning (yesterday in fact) I roll out of bed a little tardi, have a fairly healthy colazione, and head out the door bound for a Renaissance era monastery housing one of the many impressive frescoed Last Supper’s in Florence.

It’s not a far walk and it’s a brisk but mild morning. I’m not very familiar with this part of my neighborhood, so everything is new and I’m very distractible, but I keep on my path so I can fill my senses with art first thing.

I feel a sense of discovery and contentment when I see the Medieval facade of this august church.

Outside the church I am delighted to see one of the passages from Dante that are sprinkled throughout historic Florence.

I’ve provided a translation from Google for the quote from The Divine Comedy. I will admit I do not understand the significance of this quote in this location, but it gives me something to strive for to get there hopefully, one day.

I wander inside a side entrance and I’m soon in a courtyard busy with church ladies arranging flowers for tomorrow’s services (I’m assuming) and a priest who’s met with a young family who gives me a welcoming smile.

I’m a bit confused after trying every open door in the courtyard looking for the monk’s refectory and finally ask one of the women where it is. She directs me back out to the street, past the bar on the corner, and a destra (to the left), which I follow and find what I am looking for.

I find the entrance to the refectory and I spend an hour in the delightfully uncrowded space, admiring the masterpiece fresco by Andrea del Sarto, an important Florentine painter of the early 16th century.

After having my fill of the truly amazing artworks housed at this fairly modest museum (the kind of artworks that any American museum would flip over), I go on my merry way, not sure what I will discover, but kind of heading for a small open market I passed by on my way to the church.

I stop and admire the incredible blooms.

I buy a couple of irresistible flower bunches: one of deep red ranuculus and one of red, purple and white anemones. These are 2 of my very favorite spring blossoms and their availability at this tiny little stand in a modest little market kind of blew my mind, if you want to know the truth. I’m from the interior West of the USA and these flowers are only available in the finest, most exclusive florists back there, at very high prices. I’ve tried (unsuccessfully) to grow these flowers in my Denver garden and never had any luck. So, I carried my little bundles of brightness in my bag, with a spring in my step because I was very very happy!

I stopped next at a fruit/veg seller’s stand, under a highway overpass, and was smitten with these luscious strawberries. Of course, I bought a little basket of them as well to enjoy later tonight or tomorrow morning. These ephemeral gifts must be enjoyed almost immediately. You don’t stick them in the fridge and wait to consume. They are ready now and must be eaten subito.

Later I stopped in what turned out to be an award winning and vintage bar/pasticceria and took a cappuccino (that’s how you say it in Italian, you take a coffee, not have or drink a coffee). Marchionne Bar/Pasticceria is the actual name, and Piazza LB Alberti is the actual address. It opened in 1962. I enjoyed looking at all the classic Italian cookies available and thought maybe someday I’ll buy an assortment and see which I like best. Not today, though, bc I’m counting calories.

I passed a brocante and walked in and wound up having a nice chat with the owner and her husband about 2 antique mirrors they have that I covet. One was Murano and the other was gold-leafed wood. I’m tempted by both and took her card, see below. I didn’t take pictures of the mirrors though, and I’m kicking myself about that.

And finally I stopped in my local grocery for a couple of things and this little market has become my go-to for plants. Today they had 3 orange/red geranium plants at a very good price and I snapped them up. This week alone at this market I have purchased 2 rosemary plants, one oregano, and now 3 geraniums. I’m delighted they have such a great seasonal selection and keep my eyes peeled every time I’m there.

I came home, made a nice lunch, and now I’m settling down to enjoy a good book and drink some tea. I’m very happy with my day and tomorrow is a free museum day in Florence and I hope to visit one of the big ones!