September 30, 2023 by Born To Organize

Five Days in Firenze

We said goodbye to Firenze today as we boarded our train. Getting your bearings in a new place often takes a few days, but we immediately felt at home in Florence.

While great cities are known for their museums and galleries, churches, and historically significant sites, the joy of travel for me is often the unexpected.

One example: I spotted what’s known as a wine window a short walk from our hotel. I snapped a photo, then looked it up and learned that: “They were created as far back as 1559, when Cosimo de’ Medici, the ruler of Florence, allowed wealthy, noble families to sell wine they produced out of their homes.” (via Atlas Obscura).

The Buchette del vino, or little wine doors, proved helpful for a different reason during the plague and adapted again during COVID. Pictured below: Designated wine door, probable wine door, wind door converted into resident names/buzzers, and an artistic rendering of one.

Another delight was an immersive art experience off of the main hall of the Officina Profumo-Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella. A friend recommended this perfumery, which is extraordinary in its own right, but the Blooming in Paradise experience was unexpected. As you enter the room, the rich scent of one of their florals draws you in as slowly changing projections of flowers surround you. Soft music and dim lights enhance the experience and fill your senses. It certainly appealed to my gardening soul.

We loved the profuma-farmaceutica’s rich history and gorgeous buildings. Like many things in Florence, it’s been there for hundreds of years.

One more fun surprise was our bed and breakfast. The building was recently remodeled and decorated in Art Deco themes and prints. Illustrations from Vogue magazine lined the walls, and replicas from the period greeted us when we returned each night.

Art Deco happens to be my favorite style of visual arts and architecture. Mike worried beforehand that he had booked a room too far out of the city. Imagine my delight when we checked in to this charmer for five days instead.

On our way home one evening, we heard a young opera singer in one of the piazzas. A sizable crowd had grown around him. We were fortunate to catch a glimpse and listen to the night’s last two songs.

We had more delicious meals than I can count and many tastes of regional gelato. Mike, a self-proclaimed coffee snob, enjoyed espressos and cafe lattes daily. The service has been spectacular throughout, and most days, we’ve enjoyed our meals outdoors. People-watching never gets old.

Of the “must see in Firenze” list, we toured the Uffizi, which “houses the Italian Renaissance art, featuring works by such masters as Botticelli, Titian, Michelangelo, and da Vinci.”

We spent an evening at the Galleria dell’Accademia: “Europe’s first school of drawing, this museum of art is chiefly famous for its several sculptures by Michelangelo, notably his David, in addition to an extensive collection of 15th- and 16th-century paintings.”

Seeing Michelangelo’s statue of David, a 17-foot masterpiece, has been a lifelong dream since taking art history in university over forty years ago. It’s humbling being in its presence.

We enjoyed a meal in front of the Palazzo Vecchio and again across from Piazza del Duomo.

Sharing narrow streets with intrepid taxi drivers and enthusiastic motorbikes kept us on our toes as we walked between five and seven miles daily.

I will remember the sound of crickets, the hum of humanity, flower boxes, and postcard stands. I haven’t taken one moment of this fantastic trip for granted. I’m so lucky to be here.

Parting shots:

September 26, 2023 by Born To Organize

Murano, Burano, Venezia, and More

On our last full day in Venezia, we took a boat ride to Murano, famous for blown glass, and then on to Burano, an even smaller island known for lace-making.

I’ve seen glassblowing demonstrations before, but not in Italy. Everything is magical in Italy. One glassblower made an intricate vase, and the second shaped a glass horse in minutes. It was a Sunday, so the factory was closed, but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

In addition to lace-making, Burano is known for its colorfully painted houses; the house’s color designates the owner. Once a home is painted blue, for instance, any future buyer has to leave the house blue.

As we crossed one of the piazzas, I stopped to greet this charming pup who thoroughly enjoyed a back scratch. We were both reluctant to part company so soon.

As for this Burano resident, she’s a feline’s feline, so in other words, “get lost.”

The boat ride back made me feel young again. We got to sit on the upper deck while the captain played popular tunes from his phone. The guide passed out small plastic cups filled with Prosecco, and it seemed we were all smiling or laughing.

A replica of a galleon sailed by to our delight, and we learned that it is something you can hire for a wedding.

After eating and more walking, we returned to our hotel to pack our bags for the following day.

We took a vaporeto (water bus) to catch our train on Monday, landing in Firenze late afternoon. We walked forty minutes with our travel bags through narrow, cobbled streets and crowded courtyards and decided to take a taxi next time. We forgot that we’re in our sixties and not our thirties.

We’re staying in another charming hotel, part apartment building, part small business, and part hotel. Our room is on a “half-floor,” which means we step off the glass elevator on the floor below and then walk up a few steps. I love the large hotel windows that open, letting in fresh air and light. This morning, Mike spotted a neighbor’s cat on the adjacent balcony. I feel right at home.

We lunched on paninis before spending time at the Galleria Uffizi. It was incredible seeing famous artwork in a gorgeous setting; however, an aching back and fatigue got the better of me toward the end. We stopped for refreshments, and now I’m resting at our hotel while Mike ventured out for a new pair of shoes.

My goodness, there is so much more to see and do! Thank you for following along.

Goodnight from River Arno, Firenze.

September 24, 2023 by Born To Organize

To Italy at Last

While planning our wedding in 1995, we talked about going to Italy for our honeymoon. We came to our senses, knowing how tired we would be, and agreed to travel to Italy another time.

Twenty-eight years later, that time is now. The travel to Europe from San Jose is grueling. We took an Uber to San Francisco International Airport, flew ten hours to Zurich, waited three hours to board a one-hour flight to Venezia, and then took a 40-minute water taxi to Piazza San Marco. We walked, perhaps crawled, to our quaint hotel from there, exhausted yet happy to be here.

This morning, we wandered the narrow streets of Venezia, traversing several bridges as we crossed canals, peering into shop windows, and pausing for refreshments at a cafe. Mid-day, we took a docent-led three-hour tour of the Doge’s Palace and the Basilica San Marco.

I learned so much along the way and thoroughly enjoyed the gorgeous architecture, tiled mosaics, and the fantastic views from virtually every window we passed. We had an engaging and knowledgeable guide. Pictured above: Basilica, tour tickets, Doge’s Palace ceiling covered with painted wood and gold leaf, the Bridge of Sighs, and interior shots of the St. Mark’s Basilica

After the tour, we sat in the Piazza San Marco, listening to live music and amusing ourselves with the antics of the local, dare I say, bold pigeons. The birds landed on tables, on a few straw hats, and wooshed by at close range. One presumptuous pigeon briefly looked up my dress, perhaps waiting for crumbs that never fell. I’m sure the staff have chased off the pigeons many times, and it is clear the restaurants and cafes work hard to keep tables and floors clean. With patrons and small children offering food on the ground, I imagine it’s a lost cause. I kept a close eye on my food and wondered if they, too, were addicted to carbs.

Mike booked a restaurant a month ago so we would have a nice place to celebrate our anniversary. We walked twenty minutes from our hotel to la Zucca, crossing the famous Rialto Bridge over the Grand Canal and pausing to take pictures.

We enjoyed a lovely meal in a charming, cellar-like room, the wooden walls lined with bottled wine and decorative gourds. Fabulous wait staff helped us feel at home, and Mike’s ability to order dinner in Italian added to the evening’s fun.

We shared a pumpkin mousse and vegetable compote, and I savored a vegetarian plate with rice and a glass of crisp white wine. Instead of a restaurant dessert, we opted for gelato on our walk back. All buildings here have a water door and a street door. This is the water door to our restaurant, though we walked in the old-fashioned way. Entering by boat would have been great fun. We walked 7 miles over the day.

Sunday is our last full day in Venezia. On Monday, we board a train for Firenze to see more of this beautiful country. I hope to write more from there. Ciao!

September 16, 2023 by Born To Organize

ScrapHappy Wine Tags

I’m a day late for the monthly scrap-happy share, but I’m popping in any way to say, “cheers.”

If you’ve been following here for a while, you’ll recognize another page from my 2022 Bees & Honey wall calendar. The beautiful images feature in several scrappy projects. I used the heavier-weight cover paper to make eight wine glass tags.

The process is simple: I cut 2.5-inch circles from the calendar images, then cut a smaller circle from the center to go around the stem. Cut an opening along one side, and you’re good to go.

I made eight tags, including one that said “bee,” but I didn’t think it through. When I removed the inner circle, it said BS instead. Whoops. I cut one more, to make a G-rated set, though most of our friends would get a laugh out of the BS story.

Cheers!

If you’re a scrappy maker (paper, fabric, metal, etc.), consider joining us for this enjoyable endeavor.

Thanks as always, Kate. Please follow the links below if you would like to see what the other makers are up to.

Kate, Gun, Eva, Sue, Lynda,

Birthe, Turid, Susan, Cathy, Tracy,

Jan, Moira,Sandra, Chris,

Claire, Jean, Jon, Dawn, Gwen,

Sunny, Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera, Edith

Ann, Dawn 2, Carol, Preeti,

Debbierose, Nóilin, Viv, Karrin,

Amo, Alissa, Lynn, Tierney, and Hannah

September 14, 2023 by Born To Organize

Summer Winds Down

The certainty of shorter days and cooler nights is upon us, though our daytime temps remain warm. An uptick in squirrel activity tells me that autumn is coming. California gray squirrels live in trees, and although they don’t hibernate, they build up winter stores for the cooler months.

I harvested several sunflower seed heads and left them on our deck, but getting photos proved elusive. I finally captured a couple of shots last week, one of a squirrel on the sunflower stalk and later in a tree across the street with a mouthful.

This weekend, I spotted another squirrel at the base of the curb garden and managed a few shots. By Sunday night, most of the sunflower stalks had been bent in half, stripped of their seeds, and left for this gardener to clean up.

California gray squirrel eating sunflower seeds

I envy the squirrel’s agility and energy as they hurl themselves from tree branch to roof, then to the back of a narrow bench or railing. This year, I’m counting on them to plant next summer’s sunflower crop. Goodness knows they’ve had their fill.

In other garden news, a few late-season gladiolas popped up through the lavender along the deck. One of my alstroemeria protested its move from pot to pot, eventually throwing in the towel. I took advantage of the real estate and transplanted three or four succulents needing space to expand their roots.

The rock wall is awash with white anemones that have grown quite tall this year, thanks to a good soaking rain this past winter.

They look pretty in glass jars as well.

Anemones, salvia, and nepeta in glass jars.

The first bulb catalogs arrived in the post last week, full of spring promise. Planning a more cohesive planting this fall will be fun; it’s just weeks away. I might try one or two new varieties, but after 27 years of digging in my garden, I’m a realist. It’s too hot for cool-season bulbs, and tulips are like chocolate for squirrels. It’s best to skip the disappointment and plant what works.

Nothing compares to the anticipation of spring.

September 6, 2023 by Born To Organize

Troubled Waters

Before stepping into a Tuesday meeting, I received two calls from Santa Clara County. A parole officer involved in writing a pre-sentencing report had my name as a contact concerning the fire set at St. Paul’s UMC in June of 2022. I volunteered with Lifted Spirits, serving unhoused women at the time. I called 911 when I smelled smoke, then encountered the man who had just set fire to the church sanctuary. If you’re interested in the whole story, you can read more here, here, and here.

The parole officer asked if I had any comments before the hearing and asked if I would attend. We’re traveling in the weeks leading up to the hearing so I left my comments with her. I said that if our community had a better handle on the unhoused situation and the lack of meaningful mental health care, things like this would be less likely to happen.

I’m not a mental health expert, but it was clear that the man who greeted me in the hallway that day, holding lighters in each hand, was not of sound mind.

I’m somewhat relieved that they charged him with “unlawfully causing a fire” or “reckless burning” instead of arson. He’ll receive a sentence of one year in the county jail plus a referral to the mental health court where he should have been all along. Arson carries a nine-year sentence.

Meanwhile, the church structure sits idle, the Lifted Spirits program is searching again for a new home, and the building will eventually be torn down and hopefully converted into low-income and student housing. St. Paul’s UMC is next to San Jose State University, where affordable housing is scarce, so something good can hopefully come of this.

Tomorrow is another day.

Yet another interview. Photo credit: Mary McCall

August 22, 2023 by Born To Organize

Worrying and Gardening

Worrying about things out of my control never stops me from worrying about things that are out of my control. Ha! The sense of relief, when it passes, is palpable, and I understand that worry comes from fear. Still, it’s wasted energy and time better spent doing other things.

Southern California, home to family and friends, spent the weekend on hurricane watch, followed by threats of flash flooding and mudslides. My 22-year-old son lives in Southern California; however, he left for the weekend to attend a concert with friends in Las Vegas, where, you guessed it, they also had flash flooding. Now back in SoCal, all is well. The storms passed without any fatalities, and we were all relieved. It’s uncommon for hurricanes to land on our west coast shores. Hurricane Hilary is our state’s first tropical storm in over eighty years.

We welcomed the storm remnants here in San Jose on Monday. It lowered temperatures and produced an air-cleansing rain. I added support to the sunflowers late in the day to ease the battering of the wind. It won’t be long until they all go to seed, but I’m glad they remain standing for now.

In other garden news, our second attempt at growing tomato plants has been successful. We planted them in the front curb garden. I pulled the sad-looking remains of the tomato plants in the back garden—that last promising tomato providing a meal for a nocturnal visitor.

I watched a large opossum amble across the garden at dawn this morning and regretted leaving my camera phone indoors. We often see them along the fence line after dark, but it’s been years since one showed up in the garden.

Saturday, I spotted a tiny, green praying mantis on a bright pink Cosmo as I waited for Mike to back out the car.

I snapped a few shots, and a bee came to gather pollen. Neither of them seemed to mind the other. Two hours later, I rechecked the flowers, and the mantis remained there. The next day an orange butterfly joined the gathering, along with more bees. It’s a popular plant.

The bottom left pics show a brown mantis right side up, then hanging upside down. I wish I could do that.

I plan to add a page to my blog documenting the wildlife that visits the garden. Recording things appeals to my organizing side, and it’s a way to stay connected to the garden on these hot, dry days. The first day of autumn is one month away.

I’m looking forward to the seasonal change.

August 15, 2023 by Born To Organize

ScrapHappy: Bookmarks and Craft Kits

It’s another ScrapHappy post inspired by Kate and her friend Gun.

I’ve made cards at my crafting table during the hottest part of these too-hot days. Card-making leads to scrap-making, and that’s what today’s post is all about.

I assembled twenty paper crafting kits and placed them near the children’s Little Free Library. They are always popular and fun (for me) if I’m lucky enough to be in my craft room when a young one claims one of the kits.

Using scraps passed on by my sister, I made an assortment of bookmarks for the Little Free Library.

I have a drawer full of beautiful ink, so I pulled out six to represent the rainbow.

I used stencils to add color, then stamped an image or a quote on the bookmark.

I applied ink to the last pair without using a stencil, and I like the look of the saturated inks.

My last make is a blend of scraps and upcycling. This beautiful envelope arrived with promotional material for Tommy Bahama stores.

I cut the most prominent section for the front of the card, adding a scrap of velum below. I fussy-cut the other flowers and used them to decorate the envelope. I have as much fun using new products as I do with scraps.

If you’re a scrappy maker (paper, fabric, metal, etc.), consider joining us for this enjoyable endeavor.

Thanks as always, Kate. Please follow the links below if you would like to see what the other makers are up to.

Kate, Gun,Eva, Sue,Lynda,
Birthe,Turid,Susan,Cathy, Tracy,
Jan, Moira,Sandra, Chris,
Claire, Jean, Jon,Dawn, Gwen,
Sunny,Kjerstin, Sue L, Vera,Edith
Ann,Dawn 2,Carol,Preeti,
Debbierose, Nóilin, Viv, Karrin,
Amo,Alissa, Lynn,Tierney and Hannah

August 9, 2023 by Born To Organize

Katy Did It

While prowling the garden on Monday looking for vase material, I spotted a Katydid. They camouflage beautifully, so I’m surprised when I spot one. The sunlight must have highlighted the antennae.

Look closely at the leaf on the right. Below is a closeup.

Occasionally I snap a photo and later discover an insect in the periphery. It’s a reminder that gardens support nature and, in turn, nature keeps things humming. Beneficial insects control the less desirable ones, and lizards, spiders, and opossums do the same.

Last night Mike stepped out to look for Tessa and nearly face-planted an orb weaver. The imposing spider spun her web from the edges of our patio umbrella to a nearby shrub and awaited her evening meal. When I checked this morning, our nocturnal arachnid had packed up shop and stored her things for the day.

My father taught me to honor spiders and bees at a young age. Years later, a friend and volunteer at the boy’s school garden shared the benefits of mantises to a garden ecosystem. I spotted a brown mantis near our compost bin while pruning a shrub last week and thought of Donna. The praying mantis crawled onto my gloved hand, and I pulled out my phone for a pic before it ventured off. It’s a bit blurry, but I had to act quickly.

When life gets you down, it helps to focus on gratitude. Today I’m grateful for a garden teaming with life, seen and unseen, all working in harmony to sustain this beautiful planet.

August 7, 2023 by Born To Organize

Sake and Sunflowers: In a Vase On Monday

Cutting sunflowers for a vase was outside my plans. These lovely flowers attract birds, bees, and onlookers, and their presence is uplifting. I want the sunflowers to go to seed so I can offer them to neighborhood squirrels. Offer is a euphemism for “they’ll help themselves while I try to get photos.”

The flower pictured below, however, escaped from the bunch and gently curved across the sidewalk. I propped it up, and it fell again. The message couldn’t be any clearer.

Today’s vase is a sake vessel known as a Shuki. Mike acquired it before we met nearly thirty years ago, and I assumed it had sentimental properties. When I asked him about it this morning, he said, “I have no idea where I got it.” So much for sentimentality, eh, and now I have another container for cut flowers.

Along with the small sunflower, I’ve added burgundy-colored foliage from our Chinese Fringe plant Loropetalum chinense and a few cuttings from a Nandina Nandina domestica. The fern in the back grows prolifically from a plant that once thrived on my nightstand. It moved from container to container over the years but now lives in the soil along the back fence. I’ve had it for 35 years.