Cheryl A. Ossola            

I bought a house recently. It's the parish house in a 15th-century church complex in Perugia, and its history is one reason I couldn't...

Most writers know the oft-cited nugget attributed to E.M. Forster, “How do I know what I think until I see what I say?” I totally agree,...

In locked-down Italy, one activity that’s permitted is dog walking, so every morning I venture out as usual to give Aria time to play...

#iorestoacasa in Umbria day 2: take dog on walk, during which she covers herself in shit (likely not canine); wash down dog with fountain...

Happiness is making ribollita (a Tuscan soup) and finding out, when you go to open a big can of tomatoes, that you don't own a can opener...

I’ve been living in Italy for just under a year, and it’s been a time of huge transitions, some expected, some not. I’ve found certain...

The Other Stories is a fun trove of readings and interviews from the not-super-well-known author pool—and yeah, that includes me. Kudos...

A few images of Perugia, Lago Trasimeno, and Assisi

Book blogger Randee Green, author of the Carrie Shatner mystery series, was kind enough to give me a presence on her site. Check out this...

Sometimes I forget I live in a fairytale place, walking with my thoughts buried in the mundane or simply failing to notice what has...

Yesterday a friend and I went to Lago Trasimeno and took a ferry ride from Passagnano sul Trasimeno to Isola Maggiore. For me, it was a...

This was the view from my apartment early this morning—beautiful, no? Yesterday's snowfall was the first I've experienced at my home in...

I'm glad you're here. I’ll be posting about writing, language, life in Italy, and whatever else captivates me. If you like, you can...