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 30-something years; in California, we'd head to the Sierra or Tahoe for a taste of winter. It's my dog's first time seeing snow, and she seemed a bit puzzled. I imagine her thoughts going something like this: "Rain? No, not quite. But wet, yes, wet. And cold, man-oh-man it's cold! Sticks to my nose. Hmm . . . tasty!"
Hill towns and freezing conditions aren't the best combo if your goal is to remain physically intact, but today I lucked out and found only a few patches of ice. Back home I settled on the couch with my laptop and my dog, who didn't seem to mind snuggling in. With all the temptations for wandering and travel that come with living in Italy, it's nice to have good reason to stay home and write. But a trip to the Uffizzi in Florence to do some research for my next novel is on the books for these cold months, and I'm still scouring antiques markets to furnish my apartment.
Life is rich, filled with writing, learning a language, seeking out art old and new, and exploring the history, culture, and politics of Italy and the town I live in. And the more I do, see, and learn, the more I want, of all of it.