December 29, 2019

Hi Everyone,

It’s nearing the end of my time in Sicily, having a great time exploring with my son who has planned this all beautifully. It’s really sweet to be cared for by someone you’ve raised! I’m grateful the timing is such that I can still keep up. I love traveling with my kids. First of all, I taught them to travel so we have similar patterns. Second, they know how to find places! If I were alone I’d be spending half my time finding my destination. With my sons, I just follow them like a little rat in a maze and we magically arrive. Their ability to navigate constantly amazes me. Definitely got that gene from their father not me.

Sicily is more beautiful than I imagined. I pictured something more desert-like and it may be during the hot months but now it is green and lush. The citrus trees are dripping with fruit and I’m wondering when they will pick it all. No one seems to be tending these orchards. When we walked through one of the gardens near Agrigento my heart went out to Eve. I personally think she should have been cut a little slack for only picking one apple. I had all I could do to resist filling my bag with clementines, lemons, oranges, and grapefruit. I did resist, even though it wasn’t posted anywhere not to pick the fruit, a signal I thought to interpret as permission. Instead we went to a market on our way home and filled our bags with fennel, peppers, wild mushrooms, cheeses, and pasta and ate well. For all it’s invasions, corruption, and unstable governments, this country somehow continues to exude beauty and enchantment. I’m grateful to be hanging out here with my kid.

Today we head back toward Mt Etna, though I don’t think we’ll get to do any climbing, we might get to drive part way up if there’s not too much snow. I was stunned to see how snow covered it is when we passed from a distance. Then to Catania where we’ll head in different directions on New Years Eve. Full heart.

Happy New Year!

Love to all,

Linda