Whirlwind

It has been a whirl wind of social activity. Three nights with Danes this week. I am pretty sure that we are going with our friend from city hall, Vittorio, and his wife, Ermelinda, who works for the national park, for a drive up in the mountains on Sunday. We don’t know what time or where to meet, but I think the attitude is that it will all work out. Last Sunday, one of our nearby neighbors, Annarita said that she would drive us to an art show about one hour away that starts at 9 pm. This is way past my bedtime. They haven’t mentioned it again so I don’t know, but I kind of hope they have forgotten. Jim thinks I need to keep pushing the artist stuff, but the poster of these peoples’ work looked like they had more money than skill. (so mean) I do want to show you Kristin Murhart’s website, because her work is very interesting and I think I will work with her to do a week long work shop next summer. She is willing to advertise it to her Danish contact list. I would be happy to have Americans, but I am afraid it is too expensive for anyone. The U.S. economy is not looking too good from here. She has a gallery open in her studio in August and Jim and I are going to leave some work with her. I am saving my last two small pieces of paper to do in Gagliano when we have a car. (her gallery and studio are in Gagliano)

www.Murhart.dk

Interestingly most people who immigrated from this valley to the Americas went to Hamilton, Ontario. I found a glass swan in our house that said it was from Hamilton. I know one of the children of this family still lives there.

Monday we are going to the beach with our immediate neighbors. That is confirmed via Google translator and we are leaving at 8:30 am. I am having some trouble with the 24 hour clock, but Jim just told me to subtract 12 from any number over 13 to see what time it is. Why couldn’t I think of that. I am always counting on my fingers.

Tuesday is the big adventure of getting to Rome via two buses and a subway. We will pick up our car, go to IKEA to get some frames and lights to use in our new plugs and then drive to Moose’s house in Sansepolcro, where we have visited before. We will stay two nights and then drive back here by way of the art supply store in Sienne. I love Sienne so I will be happy to go there. It is a beautiful city, but probably teaming with tourists. Then it is less than a week before we return to Vermont. I am looking forward to seeing Jessie and my friends, seeing my dog, swimming in streams, creamies, my garden and helping Nancy with her garden, and doing lots of pastels of the fall: something I haven’t done since I started at U32 twelve years ago.

People are coming to their home towns for August. Gagliano Anterno goes from 400 people to about 2000. I don’t know the numbers for Castelvecchio, but many houses are now open that have been closed. I can hear Italian TV from the building next to us that is usually deserted. There is a play tonight in Castelvecchise. The people from