When all else fails, patience is the only tool left in my toolbox. I use it wisely if unhappily.

You can read all about it here: https://www.thetravel.com/ancient-garden-uncovered-rome/

When you are on hiatus in rural Illinois in the middle of a frigid air mass down from the Arctic, you have lots of time to watch movies.

Have you seen Conclave? Superb!

Having enjoyed Conclave so much, I looked for other films with Ralph Fiennes. Watched and completely enjoyed the fictionalized story about the life of Charles Dickens.

My home life looked quite different!! for one thing, I was living in Florence and spring was in the air!

This is how life has felt for 90+ days.

My sore eyes are longing for Tuscany. But, in the meantime, I have to admit there is beauty in the present.

Walking down my country road almost daily or at least as often as the snow and ice allows, I heard a small sound the other day and stopped. I watch 7 deer rush out of one copse of trees and across the road in front of me. I stood and watched in awe.

It truly made my day! I couldn’t fish my phone out of my puffer coat pocket with my gloves on fast enough to take a picture. I hope they found the food they must be needing. How do they feed themselves and keep those beautiful svelte bodies?