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As I was considering the title of this post, the term “settling in” was one of the first things that came to mind. It’s what us English teachers call a phrasal verb: the combination of a specific verb and preposition in order to express a unique idea. It literally means to become familiar with somewhere new, such as a house, and to feel comfortable and happy there. (Cambridge Dictionary)

I suppose I’ve been settling in these past few weeks; almost one month to the day now. I still pinch myself sometimes as I look around me to be sure this is all real. This may not be the most beautiful house in the world or the greatest place on Earth, but it’s my dream. For so long I fantasized about living in an old cascina, or farmhouse, in Italy, surrounded by flowers and forests and mountains, and here I am. I simply cannot contain how excited I am to start this new chapter in my life.

As a kid I was fortunate enough to grow up with not only a backyard, but a whole backwoods to myself. And I thought that’s what life was: running around in the woods until dark (with some school in between). I’ve spent the last ten years living in apartments around Italy and I have to say it’s been pretty awesome. City life is grand; it’s electric; it’s coffee shops and bars and boutiques and all your favorite people in one place. But I’ve felt a change growing inside me this past year. I realized that I wanted the woods again. I wanted rustling leaves and towering pines and annoying forest animals that mess up your front lawn. I wanted bird’s nests and muddy boots and a hammock tied between two trees. Most people told me “oh, that’s an American ideal. You can’t find that here in Italy.”

Home sweet home.

Well, if I believe in anything it’s this: if you desire a dream strongly enough and put all you energy into it, you will make it a reality. Visualization is real. Just look. The dream has become a reality, but now I’m left with the task of managing that reality.

First there was the matter of unpacking boxes and finding a home for things, which I found cannot be done in a day. It takes time for some objects to find their place. Maybe a rug that was perfect in the old bedroom doesn’t really work in the new one; framed photos need to find new nooks and corners to be placed in. I don’t think one can just make a nook out of nothing. It needs time to grow. So this house and I have been doing just that over the past 30 days. We’ve been getting to know each other. It has it’s history and I have mine. During one of our first walks in the surrounding woods, my husband and I joked that this would be the perfect start to a great horror movie.

Young, happy newlyweds move into old house in the woods.

Strange, unexplainable things start to happen.

They end up killing one another.

It’s our nervous little joke. I have to admit that I was a little scared my first night here alone. Those big beautiful pines can seem ominous and a bit terrifying in the darkness of night. Every creak and squeak made my heart pound, and I felt ridiculous for it. A few days ago Davide was away on business, again, and I decided to face this stupid fear. The sun had already set, but the driveway lights were on, so I put on my jacket and walked out into the night. Walking down the path surrounded by blackness was only scary at first, because after a minute, after my eyes had adjusted, I realized that the forest had its own beauty about it even at night. The stars shone bright and cool, dark air swirled around me, and I understood that there was nothing to fear out here.

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The days are slowly getting a little longer and the nights a little warmer. Piano piano, this house is starting to feel like home, but I still need time. Until then, candles have that magical ability to make any place cozy.

I’m still getting used to the changes. The house is twice as big as the last one, some I spend twice the amount of time cleaning (cat hair, every where). I hate carrying my phone around with me every time I change rooms, so often I’m running upstairs or downstairs to answer a call or a text. In the living room, but need my wallet? Have to go upstairs to get it from my purse. In bed, but want a glass of water? Have to go downstairs. Bathroom? Upstairs. Tennis shoes? In the storage room out next to the garage. I know, these are petty first-world problems, but they are the subtle, unexpected changes in my day-to-day life that have made settling in just a little bit more complicated.

And it’s not just the house that’s taking some getting used to; there’s the garden, too. I’ve never been a gardener, and neither was my mother, but both my grandmothers had amazing blooms growing around the property, so I’d like to think I’ve got a green thumb somewhere in there just waiting to come out. I began by simply pulling up some weeds and ended up unearthing a forgotten stone patio that had been completely covered by grass and moss.

It took me more than a week of back-breaking work on my hands and knees, but I’m searching for the right words to convey the satisfaction and primitive joy I felt after spending hours just digging my hands into the earth. These stones are more than just history; it’s the primordial ritual of turning over new dirt and setting down one’s roots. This is my way of saying “Here I am. This is home.” The old house, the big forest, the rose bushes half-eaten by wild deer: I am theirs now just as much as they are mine. We’re all living together now in this little ecosystem. I find myself listening to music a little less than I used to, just because I don’t want to disturb the sacred silence in this blessed place.

THE FRONT MEADOW.

The art of slow living.

I look from the upstairs window at the stones I liberated from the ground. Haphazardly placed together like a jigsaw puzzle, they form a circle, and I’m constantly asking myself where that circle came from. What does it mean? Who made it? Why was it forgotten? I think the circle is symbolic. It symbolizes the journey I’m making, that we’re all making perhaps; this path that leads us out and around and then back to where we started, here in the woods. And if we’re not careful, weeds will begin to grow over and we’ll end up losing sight of the big picture. Well, what was once just a stray stone under a lump of grass is now complete, and I plan on having many happy memories inside that hallowed ring for years to come, if I’m lucky.

Actually, we’ve already made a few, celebrating Easter with family and Labour Day weekend with friends. Eating until our stomachs hurt, drinking until our heads spun, and laughing into the night. Good memories are made of this. I’m beginning to feel comfortable and happy here, so I suppose that means I’m settling in.

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I get way too much happiness from good food.

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I’m so grateful for this beautiful life.

Can I just stay here forever?

  Settling In As I was considering the title of this post, the term “settling in” was one of the first things that came to mind.

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(via Which Comes First: the Novel or the Novelist?) . N E W P O S T . Musing on my feelings about finishing to write a novel and questioning where to go from here...

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I knew we had to visit the Snæfellsnes Peninsula as soon as I saw it in photos: massive expanses of long lava fields, sky-high glaciers and volcanoes, picturesque towns and craggy coastlines. Often referred to as Iceland in a nutshell or Iceland in Miniature, it manages to pack incredible landscapes, awe-inspiring nature and some of the country’s most well-known landmarks into one place. I immedately fell in love with the peninsula, and I can say after visiting much of the rest of the island, Snæfellsnes has remained my favorite.

Map of Snaefellsnes Peninsula.

It’s hard to speak to most people about visiting a place like this. Or at least most of the city folk I know here. I speak of driving for hours and only seeing a handful of tiny towns tucked away behind long roads leading into nothing. Their eyes get wide and they take a deep breath before saying,

“Che incubo! // What a nightmare!”

How do you relate to someone like that the beauty of nothingness? Maybe that’s not the right word, because it’s not nothingness, but like falling into a chasm of white, pink and black. And the further you drive, the further you fall. The sky was pink all day; an endless sunrise on the cusp of dawning. Its nubile rosiness shone off the alabaster mountains that stretched up as far as they could before sliding down into snowy fields, which rolled for miles until they hit black sandy beaches to be swept away by the icy sea.

If this sounds poetic, that’s because it was. Silence. Complete and total silence. Only the sound of our voices could break it. Maybe the peninsula is different during the summer. Perhaps its different on the weekend, but I feel so incredibly lucky to say that I spent the last day of 2016 exploring this exquisitely flawless terrain with my favorite human. I honestly cannot find better words to describe this place, so I’ll leave you with the details of our trip and, of course, our photos.

 ITINERARY

Stykkishomlur → Grundarfjörður (Kirkjufell Mountain) 45 MINUTES

Hunky Husband.

Grundarfjörður → Lóndrangnar Cliffs 1 HOUR

Lóndrangnar Cliffs → Arnarstapi (Gatklettur) 10 MINUTES

Arnarstapi → Búðavegur (Búðir Church) 20 MINUTES

Búðavegur → Reykjavik 2 HOURS 30 MINUTES

Total driving time: about 5 HOURS

Add on the time we stopped to explore the sites and take photos and it’s a lot crammed into a short day, considering the number of hours of sunlight in winter. We left Stykkisholmur around 10:00 AM and got to Búðir a little after 4:00 PM, so the sun had just set. After about half an hour there we began our drive back to Reykjavik, where we had plenty of time to shower and get ready for a fancy shmancy NYE dinner.

GETTING THERE

Since we arrived at Keflavik International Airport late in the day, we decided to sleep near Reykjavik and visit the Golden circle on our first day. Later that evening we drove directly from Þingvellir (Thingvellir) National Park to Stykkisholmur (on the north side of the peninsula) in just over two hours. This post focuses on the second day of our vacation.

Here are two alternatives:

Keflavik International → Stykkishomlur 2 HOURS 45 MINUTES

Reykjavik → Stykkishomlur 2 HOURS

We decided to start from the north coast and drive west around the peninsula from there, but you can also start from the south coast. I preferred to see the end of the day on the south side.

ACCOMODATION

Vintage radio and map of Iceland.

We stayed at Höfðagata, the oldest B&B in the village, in a double room with a private bathroom. It’s located near a BONUS (Icelandic supermarket), so we were able to pick up some food and drinks in order to prepare our own dinner instead of going back out again. Our room was tiny, but that’s unimportant really. The bed was comfortable, the kitchen was equipped with everything we needed, and the living room was a cool space to relax and speak to other travellers. Wifi was fast.

Diana, who assisted us during our stay, was super sweet. She gave us towels, explained

Icelandic Christmas Cider

how to use the hot tub, and insisted I try a cider drink that Icelanders typically drink at Christmas. Relaxing in the jacuzzi as the stream rose from our arms, surrounded by snow as we stared up at the stars, was the absolute perfect way to regain our energy for the day ahead.

Icelandic espresso.

After a very complete breakfast, we checked out and went to explore the town. It was still quiet dark, but there was just enough light to bathe everything in a moody layer of cobalt blue. The town was decorated in Christmas lights, as was virtually every town we saw in Iceland. I think the people really love their little festive lights because of all the hours they spend in darkness during the winter.

The renovations that were carried out in 2008 to restore the historical center to its original glory have rendered the village picture perfect. Little wooden houses line the streets leading up to the massive harbor. A lighthouse shines in the distance. I would have loved to go up and explore it, but unfortnately we just didn’t have the time.

STYKKISHOLMUR

Before sunrise.

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The harbor at Stykkisholmur.

The road from Stykkishólmur to Grundarfjörður crosses a big lava field, called Berserkjahraun.

  KIRKJUFELL

Iceland’s most photographed mountain (Icelandic: Church mountain). Across the street is the Kirkjufellsfoss, a decent-sized waterfall, which makes for some beautiful photos with the mountain in the background.

Kirkjufell Mountain

Kirkjufellsfoss in winter.

We stopped in town to fill up on gas and try a typical Icelandic lunch: hotdogs!

LÓNDRANGAR CLIFFS

Captured quickly on a Lumia mobile phone.

I don’t have many pictures of this location because, honestly, sometimes you just need to leave the camera in the car and let yourself be in a place. We arrived at the western-most point of the peninsula just as the sun was reaching the horizon. It had a golden glow that transformed the snowy landscape from rose to dusty amber. Everything was bathed in honey. We walked out to the edge of the cliffs and hung over the rails, absorbing the last warm rays of sun onto our faces. I smiled with my eyes closed. I just wanted to be present; in that moment, in that place. We would have stayed longer but the day was fading fast and we still had a few more stops on our list, so we raced each other through the snow back to the car like two ten-year-olds.

Glory days

  The impulse to travel is one of the hopeful symptoms of life.

ARNARSTAPI

Gatklettur (Arch Rock), Arnarstapi

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It is possible to walk from the Budir Nature Reserve to the beach at Arnarstapi and Hellnar. Hikers should assume 6-8 hours for this walk. We only had about 45 minutes to explore the coastline before racing to our final stop…

BÚðAKIRKJA

I fell for the eloquent simplicity of the Búðir Church after seeing it numerous times on Instagram and Pintrest. It’s painted with tar pitch, which keeps the wood from deteriorating quickly and gives it its black color. It was was originally built in 1703 and then rebuilt in 1848. Seeing it in the fading light on the last day of the year seemed so fitting. I was closing out 2016, a year of the highest highs and the lowest lows for Davide and I, in this place of sacred silence. With nothing but the sound of our footsteps crunching in the snow and our hot breath floating in the freezing air, we walked hand in hand around the church and down to the shore.

While I might not be a religious person, I felt the divinest of divinities right down to my bones that day.

I would have liked to have done so much more. My husband and I are looking forward to going again during the summer, so as to see a different side of iceland while also having the luxury of endless daylight to explore to our hearts content. A few of the places we would have liked to have visited were:

Raudfeldsgja Gorge

Landbrotalaug Hot Pot

Djupalonssandur & Dritvik

Lose Yourself: The Snæfellsnes Peninsula I knew we had to visit the Snæfellsnes Peninsula as soon as I saw it in photos: massive expanses of long lava fields, sky-high glaciers and volcanoes, picturesque towns and craggy coastlines.

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(via Iceland: Before You Go)

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Nesting In Reverse

As I begin the transition of moving from one house to another, I see what nesting is, but in reverse. After years of carefully and slowly collecting the objects which fill my home, I am forced to remove them from their shelves and pack them away into cardboard boxes. During this process, I am reminded how each piece tells a story, and not only the story how it came into my life, but the life it…

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Sweet on you 🍪 • • • • • • • #chocolatechip #cookies #happyvalentinesday #homemade #madewithlove #glutenfree #paleo #healthyeating #cleaneating #slowlife

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Say what you want about Valentine's Day, but I choose to celebrate love today. All kinds of love: the love I have for my family, my friends, and most of all my darling husband of 5 months! Some people say that marriage doesn't change the relationship, but we've found that ours has evolved into something deeper. We're not just a couple anymore, but a family. I find the beauty of our being a family now is that I know this person will always be there for me. He's my rock, my foundation on which I can dream and build a beautiful future. I love you to the moon and back! 💘 • • • • • • #happyvalentinesday #valentines #newlyweds #justmarried #meandyou #husbandandwife #weddingday #lace #hopelessromantic #wedding #weddingphotography #myheart #liveauthentic (at Giardini Reali)

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We loved with a love that was more than love ❤️ • • • • • • #edgarallanpoe #happyvalentinesday #valentines #newlyweds #weddingday #weddingphotography #inlove #happiness #myheart #lovequotes #weddingdress #turin #torino #livefolk (at Giardini Reali)

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(via What It Is To Burn) n e w  p o s t  |  n u o v o  p o s t ! A little introduction to my first novel...

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People, Caroline thought, were like houses. They could open their doors. You could walk through their rooms and touch the objects hidden in their corners. But something--the structure, the wiring, the invisible mechanism that kept the whole thing standing--remained invisible, suggested only by the fact of its existing at all.🗺 • • • • • • • • #laurenoliver #rooms #copenhagen #denmark #red #citytrip #citylife #exploremore #wanderlust #weekendaway #weekendgetaway #slowlife #slowliving #quotes #booklover (at Copenhagen, Denmark)

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Why be afraid of what you're made of? Wear your scars like medals. • • • • • • 📻Lonely Mountain- Sun Kil Moon #hoffell #hoffellsjökull #iceland #geothermal #naturelovers #wilderness #wildchild #gypsysoul #wanderlust #visiticeland #exploretocreate #liveauthentic #livefolk (at Hoffellsjökull)

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New Post has been published on http://www.piano-piano.co/portfolio/

w i l d e r n e s s

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29/01/2017

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29/01/2017

Wild thyme harvested while shepherding.

piano piano, or slowly slowly in English. I first heard this phrase being used by my father-in-law. It was an umbrella term that he could apply to any situation or circumstance. You could tell him practically anything and his reply would be “piano piano”. Stressed at work? Piano piano. The refrigerator is broken again? Piano piano. You’ve got a new car? Piano piano there, too, my friend.

Hearing this constantly repeated in our weekly conversations, I found the chirping phrase was beginning to sink into my own vernacular. At work, in the kitchen, planning my wedding: it was all done in the mantra of piano piano.

This aphorism ties in perfectly with my own approach to the art of slow living, a movement which began right here in Italy back in the 1980’s. There are tons of articles on slow food and slow living (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slow_living & http://www.slowmovement.com/slow_living.php are 2 examples), so I won’t go into that here, but I want to examine what it means to me as an individual. Let’s go beyond the superficial things like buying organic or riding my bike instead of taking the car. What does it really mean to live everything piano piano?

For me it began first with the rejection of the idea that busy equals productive which equals good. As an American, I can see that’s it’s been engrained into our culture that a person who isn’t doing much, at least at face-value, isn’t worth much. Lazy is bad. Busy is good. Here in Italy, for all their flaws and shortcomings, people have not lost the appreciation for il dolce far niente, defined as:

pleasant relaxation in carefree idleness

What could we accomplish if we were truly idle? Because let’s admit, we are never idle. There’s always something that has to get done, some adult-ing that needs to be taken care of, and it never stops. But let’s imagine that we could, for a moment, live life in a constant state of meditation. In conscious mindfulness. Back in 2015, I decided to unplug the TV and put it under the bed. I was ridiculously happy to find all the other things I could do with that time, and I don’t mean laundry. We used to draw when we were children. Why did we stop doing that? I could doodle, I could make my own pasta, or take my camera down to the river and just photograph the ducks. Slow living, for me, is about eliminating the superfluous and discovering the beauty in the essential. There is an old Shaker maxim which suits this philosophy perfectly:

If it is not useful or necessary, free yourself from imagining that you need to make it. If it is useful and necessary, free yourself from imagining that you need to enhance it by adding what is not an integral part of its usefulness or necessity. And finally: If it is both useful and necessary and you can recognize and eliminate what is not essential, then go ahead and make it as beautifully as you can.”

Simple living is an idea that stretches from interior aesthetics (minimalism) to daily rituals (increased self-sufficiency) to spiritual practice (Buddhism). Everyday is an opportunity for me to deepen my piano piano lifestyle. As I begin packing boxes and preparing to leave my loft in the city for a 16th century farmhouse in the middle of a great forest, I can’t help be ask myself “what will this change mean for you?” I’ve been living in cities for over 10 years now. I can’t pretend that living in the mountains won’t change me in some way. So, being that we are at the start of a new year, I’d like to think of 2017 as my year of quiet, interior growth. I want to tuck myself into to that little country house and just write, refine my photography skills and study new dishes. With the occasional wild adventure, of course. But really refocusing on what’s essential and honing my skills and resetting my goals. It’s important that we all take time to do this and ask ourselves fundamental questions and finding honest answers. What am I doing? Why am I doing it? What is this giving back to me?

Slow living is a lifestyle that starts at home, eliminating what distracts you from pursuing what fulfills you. It’s supporting local businesses and dining on whole foods produced and sourced as close to home as possible. And most importantly, it’s approaching every moment and every challenge piano piano.

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(via about me) N E W  P O S T | N U O V O  P O S T

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Porcelain poetry ☕️ #coffeecup #yokoono #moma #poetry #romanceisnotdead #romantic #hopelessromantic #trueromance #coffeetime

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Dessert 🍾 #cremebrulee #cremebrûlée #dessert #dinnerparty #frenchfood #alafrancaise #gourmandise #gourmet #fattoincasa #saturdaynight

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À volonté! 🍴 #tartiflette #cuisine #cuisinealafrancaise #frenchfood #dinnerparty #themedparty #homemadefood #bonappetit #delicioso #gourmandise