The photos below make me proud in a small sense...
The underbelly of a stink bug
And then I can fully enjoy these views:
Showing posts with label Opera. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opera. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 30, 2015
bugs out
I put up screens on one of my windows this past fall. It is a wide window that is the height of a door. I love the natural lighting throughout my apartment but I DON'T love the bugs that want to live with me in my apartment.
The photos below make me proud in a small sense...
And then I can fully enjoy these views:
The photos below make me proud in a small sense...
And then I can fully enjoy these views:
Sunday, May 24, 2015
random graffiti - Opera and Milan
Random graffiti from around Opera and Milan:
In Opera:
Next to my new apartment building in the city:
When I put this into Google Translate, this is what I get back:
Is when you make it a breath, I cannot breathe
So... something of that sort.
So... something of that sort.
Also near my new place:
Not Italian...
Opera's Spring Flowers
The following photos were taken in April. I really love spring time in Italy!!
On my way to school:
Morning bike ride through the fields...
Party on the sidewalk!
Flowering trees on a beautiful day:
On the way to the bus stop in Opera:
On my way to school:
This field is now green with cornstalks beginning to grow!
fallen bridge - Opera
Biking to school from Opera, there is a "short way" and a "long way". All this school year, there has only been the "long way".
I went into the city one day in late August before the school year began. Heading back to Opera, as I was transferring from the tram to the bus, the driver was saying to everyone that the bus would stop in Noverasco and go no further.
I could not understand anything else he was saying.
Noverasco is the small town before the town where I live - it's actually where school is located.
I figured getting to Noverasco was better than calling a taxi. It would just be a walk from there - about 45 minutes of a walk if I went around to school and home.
So... on the bus I went.
While on the bus to Noverasco, I decided that I was going to make a shortcut for myself and just walk down the side of the highway until I could cut over to the path that is part of the "short way" (this would be about a 5-minute walk along the highway and would save me about 20 minutes or so overall).
Definitely not the best of ideas but I was going to go with it.
The bus dropped everyone off at the Noverasco stop and I began walking down the road, errrr, highway.
Unfortunately, I was in the front of the crowd and everyone was following me! Maybe not a great idea.
Up ahead - about the length of two football fields away, I could see police cars and all traffic had to get off at the next exit. I figured that if the police officers questioned us walking down the side of the highway, I would act like I spoke zero Italian and was very confused.
Low and behold, I reached the police officers and they were actually supportive of us walking there! They had opened a section of the fence to allow us to get to the path, which had been my destination anyway. Perrrrrrfect.
Reaching the police officers, I also was given an answer as to why the bus could go no further than Noverasco and why the highway was closed:
The bridge that went over the highway as part of our "short way" to school...
...had fallen apart. Collapsed.
Yikes.
I used that bridge almost everyday!
The side ramp had fallen to pieces.
That was in August.
It's now late May and the pieces of the bridge have been cleared but the part of the bridge still standing, that goes over the highway, is still there. It doesn't seem that the bridge is going to be replaced or fixed anytime soon.
Because of this, there has only been the "long way" to school all year.
The short way takes me about 10 minutes on my bike. The long way takes about 15. Still not bad! Both ways are through the cornfields and lovely.
Here are some pictures of this adventure:
I went into the city one day in late August before the school year began. Heading back to Opera, as I was transferring from the tram to the bus, the driver was saying to everyone that the bus would stop in Noverasco and go no further.
I could not understand anything else he was saying.
Noverasco is the small town before the town where I live - it's actually where school is located.
I figured getting to Noverasco was better than calling a taxi. It would just be a walk from there - about 45 minutes of a walk if I went around to school and home.
So... on the bus I went.
While on the bus to Noverasco, I decided that I was going to make a shortcut for myself and just walk down the side of the highway until I could cut over to the path that is part of the "short way" (this would be about a 5-minute walk along the highway and would save me about 20 minutes or so overall).
Definitely not the best of ideas but I was going to go with it.
The bus dropped everyone off at the Noverasco stop and I began walking down the road, errrr, highway.
Unfortunately, I was in the front of the crowd and everyone was following me! Maybe not a great idea.
Up ahead - about the length of two football fields away, I could see police cars and all traffic had to get off at the next exit. I figured that if the police officers questioned us walking down the side of the highway, I would act like I spoke zero Italian and was very confused.
Low and behold, I reached the police officers and they were actually supportive of us walking there! They had opened a section of the fence to allow us to get to the path, which had been my destination anyway. Perrrrrrfect.
Reaching the police officers, I also was given an answer as to why the bus could go no further than Noverasco and why the highway was closed:
The bridge that went over the highway as part of our "short way" to school...
...had fallen apart. Collapsed.
Yikes.
I used that bridge almost everyday!
The side ramp had fallen to pieces.
That was in August.
It's now late May and the pieces of the bridge have been cleared but the part of the bridge still standing, that goes over the highway, is still there. It doesn't seem that the bridge is going to be replaced or fixed anytime soon.
Because of this, there has only been the "long way" to school all year.
The short way takes me about 10 minutes on my bike. The long way takes about 15. Still not bad! Both ways are through the cornfields and lovely.
Here are some pictures of this adventure:
I had walked past the part shown below and was looking back -- police cars closing off the road and fellow bus riders walking along:
This is the bridge that fell (the side on the left collapsed):
The ramp on the other side is no longer there either.
Fire truck on-site and the bridge missing some pieces!
One more photo of the scene before I head through the fence to get off the highway and onto a walking path:
Sunday, March 8, 2015
friends in town make me happy
I was lucky enough to have more friends visit Milan this past weekend! Sarah and Michael were in Milan for one night - they had been traveling for the week... Budapest, Vienna, Venice, and Milan... before heading back to Ukraine, where they are working in an international school. Sarah was my closest friend in Vietnam and she is the one that I went to visit last April in Kathmandu, Nepal!
It was so, so nice to have time with Sarah and Michael : ) I met them at the Duomo after school Friday. We came back to my place in Opera, had dinner at Lo Chalet, went to the Opera market Saturday morning, to a cafe for coffee and brioche, and then made our way to the Cadorna train station for them to make the flight from MXP back to Kiev.
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Sarah and Michael are both from England - I hope to see them again this summer if I get there for a visit!
It was so, so nice to have time with Sarah and Michael : ) I met them at the Duomo after school Friday. We came back to my place in Opera, had dinner at Lo Chalet, went to the Opera market Saturday morning, to a cafe for coffee and brioche, and then made our way to the Cadorna train station for them to make the flight from MXP back to Kiev.
Sarah and Michael were lucky to have goooorgeous weather while in Milan!
And Michael was excited to see the "football pitch" from my balcony...
Dinnerrrrrr
A visit to the dairy vending machine in Opera after dinner.
Sarah and Michael are both from England - I hope to see them again this summer if I get there for a visit!
Monday, February 16, 2015
when the fog rolls in
About a week ago, I was taking pictures of a gorgeous sunset from my balcony (again!!) and was amazed when I realized that my camera's lens wasn't fogging up... but the fog was truly rolling in. I have never seen fog move across the sky and land like this. It was incredible. I continued taking pictures until the fog pretty much took over... and then in about 5 or 10 minutes... it cleared up again!
I've really enjoyed living in a small town in Italy for the past year and a half. It's pretty cool to live surrounded by rice and cornfields. I often feel as if I'm wading through thick fog to get to school in the morning.
I've enjoyed it... but am ready to move into the city. This summer I plan to make the move! I hope to find a lovely apartment in a lovely area of the city... and hope to enjoy the change for the rest of my time in Italy - however long that ends up being. I have one more year on my contract... and then we'll see! (Until I make the move... there are still about 4 or 5 months... I'll continue enjoying these amazing sunsets... and, I suppose, the fog!)
The pictures above show the snow. The snow is gone now. It rained all weekend but, thankfully, seems to have cleared up now. Snow gone -- rain gone -- here's to hoping the sun makes an appearance and decides to stay!
...about 5 or 10 minutes later...
I've really enjoyed living in a small town in Italy for the past year and a half. It's pretty cool to live surrounded by rice and cornfields. I often feel as if I'm wading through thick fog to get to school in the morning.
I've enjoyed it... but am ready to move into the city. This summer I plan to make the move! I hope to find a lovely apartment in a lovely area of the city... and hope to enjoy the change for the rest of my time in Italy - however long that ends up being. I have one more year on my contract... and then we'll see! (Until I make the move... there are still about 4 or 5 months... I'll continue enjoying these amazing sunsets... and, I suppose, the fog!)
The pictures above show the snow. The snow is gone now. It rained all weekend but, thankfully, seems to have cleared up now. Snow gone -- rain gone -- here's to hoping the sun makes an appearance and decides to stay!
Monday, February 9, 2015
brunch at my place!
I hosted a get-together last weekend. This is one of the first times I have hosted friends at my place... and it was a good time! ...Nice to get together with some of the other ladies in Opera for laughter and good food.
and once the others showed up... the spread grew and there wasn't enough room for all of the delicious foods! Awesome : )
I made banana walnut muffins with Nutella swirled on top : )
Here's the start of the spread... plus coffee and tea...
and once the others showed up... the spread grew and there wasn't enough room for all of the delicious foods! Awesome : )
Thursday, February 5, 2015
SNOW!
Today is the first day in Milan that I've really seen it SNOW!!
Last year there was one day with some flakes fluttering down... and apparently it recently snowed one day over the winter break while I was in New York... but today it's been snowing since mid-morning and hasn't stopped : )
Many people at school are talking about (and hoping for) a snow day tomorrow... I'm not sure that's going to happen... but we can hope! A three-day weekend would be lovely.
For now - it was great to have after school activities canceled (as that meant I left school at 4:00pm instead the usual 5:30pm) - so nice to be home while it's still light out! Below are a couple photos that I took from my apartment this afternoon:
ALSO... I went into school early this morning to play badminton with the high school kids. So fun!!!
I haven't played badminton since PE class in high school... I had to be reminded of how the game / rules / points work... but I did pretty well! I played a total of 6 games, actually won the majority of them, was done by 8:30am, ...and rewarded myself with a marmellata brioche. Mmmmhmmmm. : )
Last year there was one day with some flakes fluttering down... and apparently it recently snowed one day over the winter break while I was in New York... but today it's been snowing since mid-morning and hasn't stopped : )
Many people at school are talking about (and hoping for) a snow day tomorrow... I'm not sure that's going to happen... but we can hope! A three-day weekend would be lovely.
For now - it was great to have after school activities canceled (as that meant I left school at 4:00pm instead the usual 5:30pm) - so nice to be home while it's still light out! Below are a couple photos that I took from my apartment this afternoon:
ALSO... I went into school early this morning to play badminton with the high school kids. So fun!!!
I haven't played badminton since PE class in high school... I had to be reminded of how the game / rules / points work... but I did pretty well! I played a total of 6 games, actually won the majority of them, was done by 8:30am, ...and rewarded myself with a marmellata brioche. Mmmmhmmmm. : )
Friday, November 7, 2014
foggy foggy foggy frenchonionsoup!
Both Saturday and Sunday mornings were incredibly foggy last weekend. I took a photo to attempt to show... well... not much... there wasn't much to see!
That is the view from my balcony... the trees lining the street can just be made out... but the farm across the way seems non-existent... instead, there is a wall of clouds. Pretty cool - especially when I was planning on a comfy, relaxing morning inside my apartment anyway.
...It was the perfect, chilly weekend to make french onion soup in the crockpot and drink plenty of coffee while it cooked! Mmmmmmhmmmmm : )
I then enjoyed the soup all week and, thankfully, the fog cleared up about mid-day each day.
The weather has actually been really nice lately... untillllllll this past week (since the foggy weekend!).
I haven't been checking the weather forecast - but Dad does for me!
Hilariously... I received the following email (entire email copied and pasted below) last Sunday evening from my dad, with the subject of: Weather:
Stacia,
It looks like your stretch of fabulous weather is coming to a horrible end!
Love.
Dad
Bahahahahahaha. Hilariously, and yet so sadly, true. The next day (Monday) it began to rain... and it didn't stop for days. Thankfully, I'm in Seville, Spain now (WHAT?! - YES!! I will blog more about that later... I am here for a conference and a school visit)... it did (ALSO) rain here earlier today but I was inside at that time anyway. When I went on a walking tour and then my own photo-ing tour in the evening, it was lovely outside.
Thanks for the heads-up Dad! It actually really helped me out -- both mentally (saying goodbye to the nice weather and being prepared for the not-so-nice), as well as physically (I packed my umbrella!).
Dad, I love you! I'll see you and Mom NEXT MONTH!!!!!!!!! : D
rolls of hay... for Mom!
While Mom was in town in September, she loved watching the tractor in the field near my apartment building making rolls of hay. She said that she was always a bit fascinated by hay rolls and it was really interesting to watch them being made. (Glad my little town of Opera could supply such entertainment! Haha.)
A week or so after my mom had left, I was riding my bicycle and saw another farm in the midst of making rolls of hay! I couldn't resist... I snapped a few photos for Mom : )
(AND Mom - there are THREE photos... for your favorite number.) : D
Mom - I love you! See you and Dad next month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A week or so after my mom had left, I was riding my bicycle and saw another farm in the midst of making rolls of hay! I couldn't resist... I snapped a few photos for Mom : )
(AND Mom - there are THREE photos... for your favorite number.) : D
Mom - I love you! See you and Dad next month!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, October 25, 2014
Thankfuls
Wow... it has been almost a month since I've posted. Life has been busy lately!
I have had my mom visit me in Milan (we went on a day-trip to Switzerland!), then we presented at a conference in Belgium together, and after that, I went on a week-long field trip with 11th graders to Berlin! Since returning from Berlin about 3 weeks ago, I have been playing catch-up and keeping busy at work. Things are going well... but now it's time to catch them up here! (Photos and notes about the travels coming soon...)
To begin for today, I will post my daily thankfuls, which a friend of mine nominated I do through Facebook. I posted 5 thankfuls for 5 days (a couple weeks ago). This proved to be a great focus and time of reflection.
Monday Thankfuls... 1. Morning coffee with the homemade pumpkin spice mix that my mom made when she was recently in town. 2. Catching up with good friends at school after not seeing them for over a week. 3. Seeing the students, whom I just bonded with for a week in Berlin, back at school and having something to forever share from here on out. 4. Starting a new novel this evening while sitting in the vintage reading chair from my grandma. 5. Crawling into bed before 9:00pm.
Tuesday Thankfuls... 1. Riding my bicycle to work. 2. Riding my bicycle to work through a cornfield. 3. Starting the work day with a group at the 'coffee nook'. 4. Riding home in the rain - channeling Mary Poppins... bicycle-with-umbrella style. 5. Seeing as how three of today's five thankfuls already include my bicycle... I'm very thankful for my bicycle.
Wednesday Thankfuls... 1. Being just cold enough outside to wear my slippers inside. 2. Piera's snacks before a meeting. 3. A student raving about how good the second Gregor book is. 4. Finding two chocolates in my purse. 5. Still having decaf coffee from Kathmandu.
Thursday Thankfuls… 1. “Coffeecoffeecoffeecoffeecoffee.” 2. Trying something new and feeling as if it worked. 3. Walter Frederick Morrison – for inventing the Frisbee. (And throwing around for a few minutes after school today.) 4. Last-minute pizza date with the lovely Jesye. 5. Laughing, singing, and catching up with a good friend.
Friday Thankfuls… 1.Cardigans. 2. An upcoming trip to IKEA. 3. Aperitivo. 4. The Friday eve of a 3-day weekend. 5. Weekends at home.
I'm also including a few lovely sunset photos, because I have been enjoying the clear weather and colorful evenings here lately!
I have had my mom visit me in Milan (we went on a day-trip to Switzerland!), then we presented at a conference in Belgium together, and after that, I went on a week-long field trip with 11th graders to Berlin! Since returning from Berlin about 3 weeks ago, I have been playing catch-up and keeping busy at work. Things are going well... but now it's time to catch them up here! (Photos and notes about the travels coming soon...)
To begin for today, I will post my daily thankfuls, which a friend of mine nominated I do through Facebook. I posted 5 thankfuls for 5 days (a couple weeks ago). This proved to be a great focus and time of reflection.
Monday Thankfuls... 1. Morning coffee with the homemade pumpkin spice mix that my mom made when she was recently in town. 2. Catching up with good friends at school after not seeing them for over a week. 3. Seeing the students, whom I just bonded with for a week in Berlin, back at school and having something to forever share from here on out. 4. Starting a new novel this evening while sitting in the vintage reading chair from my grandma. 5. Crawling into bed before 9:00pm.
Tuesday Thankfuls... 1. Riding my bicycle to work. 2. Riding my bicycle to work through a cornfield. 3. Starting the work day with a group at the 'coffee nook'. 4. Riding home in the rain - channeling Mary Poppins... bicycle-with-umbrella style. 5. Seeing as how three of today's five thankfuls already include my bicycle... I'm very thankful for my bicycle.
Wednesday Thankfuls... 1. Being just cold enough outside to wear my slippers inside. 2. Piera's snacks before a meeting. 3. A student raving about how good the second Gregor book is. 4. Finding two chocolates in my purse. 5. Still having decaf coffee from Kathmandu.
Thursday Thankfuls… 1. “Coffeecoffeecoffeecoffeecoffee.” 2. Trying something new and feeling as if it worked. 3. Walter Frederick Morrison – for inventing the Frisbee. (And throwing around for a few minutes after school today.) 4. Last-minute pizza date with the lovely Jesye. 5. Laughing, singing, and catching up with a good friend.
Friday Thankfuls… 1.Cardigans. 2. An upcoming trip to IKEA. 3. Aperitivo. 4. The Friday eve of a 3-day weekend. 5. Weekends at home.
I'm also including a few lovely sunset photos, because I have been enjoying the clear weather and colorful evenings here lately!
Saturday, September 20, 2014
PUMPKIN coffee and muffins
One of my goals for today was to not leave my apartment. : D
By that... I mean that I was looking forward to relaxing, drinking coffees, getting work done, packing for two upcoming trips, etc. etc.
It was FABULOUS having my mom in town for the past week and she helped out around my apartment a lot... but now I'm already thinking ahead to the upcoming conference and travels that need preparing for.
I'm definitely succeeding at my day's goal task-wise... but I did just venture outside. : )
Mom made some delicious pumpkin latte concentrate for me to have - and it's deeeelicious. I now have some extra pumpkin puree to use and figured I would make pumpkin muffins to enjoy.
Low and behold... no eggs in the fridge.
I contemplated knocking on my neighbors' doors... asking to borrow a couple of eggs... huffing and puffing included if need-be... (kidding)... (get it?!?)... buuut this thought quickly passed and a short walk to the Punto store near my place won.
About 20 minutes later, with eggs purchased and in a bag, I found that the day had turned from gray and damp to sunny and lovely! ...There is a small celebration of sorts going on in town tonight (Notte Bianca) and there is already live music and a bounce-house in the small piazza down the street. I also followed a scurrying lizard to my door.
Take THAT daily goal! ...Now... back home and ready to make PUMPKIN MUFFINS!
PS... I have enjoyed two lattes today - both including Mom's pumpkin spice concoction. : )
By that... I mean that I was looking forward to relaxing, drinking coffees, getting work done, packing for two upcoming trips, etc. etc.
It was FABULOUS having my mom in town for the past week and she helped out around my apartment a lot... but now I'm already thinking ahead to the upcoming conference and travels that need preparing for.
I'm definitely succeeding at my day's goal task-wise... but I did just venture outside. : )
Mom made some delicious pumpkin latte concentrate for me to have - and it's deeeelicious. I now have some extra pumpkin puree to use and figured I would make pumpkin muffins to enjoy.
Low and behold... no eggs in the fridge.
I contemplated knocking on my neighbors' doors... asking to borrow a couple of eggs... huffing and puffing included if need-be... (kidding)... (get it?!?)... buuut this thought quickly passed and a short walk to the Punto store near my place won.
About 20 minutes later, with eggs purchased and in a bag, I found that the day had turned from gray and damp to sunny and lovely! ...There is a small celebration of sorts going on in town tonight (Notte Bianca) and there is already live music and a bounce-house in the small piazza down the street. I also followed a scurrying lizard to my door.
Take THAT daily goal! ...Now... back home and ready to make PUMPKIN MUFFINS!
PS... I have enjoyed two lattes today - both including Mom's pumpkin spice concoction. : )
Wednesday, August 6, 2014
Milano - I'm baaaack!
I arrived back to my apartment in Opera about 4.5 hours ago. Since then... I've done a good amount of unpacking, had a coffee while reading a book on the couch, rode my bike to buy fresh groceries, rode my bike to the park to get (free) frizzante water, and ran into a couple friends in town!
I read more than two novels during the traveling and, thankfully, had a free seat next to me on the long flight... so was able to catch some zzzz's. : )
Turns out that a colleague's birthday is today and she's having a get-together this evening at her place, so hopefully I'll be awake enough to make it over there for a bit!
Milano -- I'm baaaack!
I read more than two novels during the traveling and, thankfully, had a free seat next to me on the long flight... so was able to catch some zzzz's. : )
Turns out that a colleague's birthday is today and she's having a get-together this evening at her place, so hopefully I'll be awake enough to make it over there for a bit!
Milano -- I'm baaaack!
Friday, July 18, 2014
Robert's birthday - Cinque Terre!
Happy birthday to Robert! One of my favorite people and a dear friend. I feel pretty lucky to be able to write that after just a year in Italy with him and Mary. There was a great group of friends from school that went to Manarola to help celebrate with this amazing guy. We all went to dinner at Trattoria dal Billy. Everyone has told me that this is the best restaurant in Manarola... with amazing seafood. The food was amazing and just never stopped! We were served family style and I cannot even begin to count how many different dishes we had. It was all pretty delicious.
Jesye, me, Robert-the-birthday-man...
Sunday morning was Robert's true birthday. We enjoyed some time by the water and then grabbed coffees before climbing back into the Birthday Bus to head back to Milan...
(I mean, really... how is this even real?!)
"Cappuccinos! Capp- capp- uccinos!"
The great weekend wasn't finished yet! We arrived back to Milan... grabbed some birthday gelatos (because dinner the night before apparently wasn't enough - HA!)... and met up again later for pizza at Lo Chalet right in Opera.
Birthday candle pizza!
Happy birthday to Robert : )
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