Category: Observations about Culture
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Olive Oil And A Laugh
It snowed on Mount Etna yesterday (and there was some pyroclastic activity too)! So, Mamma may look like this photo from two years ago when Giò Buonanno of Azienda Brancati and I were on his olive and mandorin farm enjoying the views and a good laugh (He’s very entertaining!). Join in on our fun this Friday,…
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A Smile In Agrigento
Optimism is a sky-blue, antique Fiat 500 on a sunny day in Agrigento, Sicily.
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Giving Thanks To The Father
Thank you to those who joined me last evening for our online Experience Sicily Saint Joseph’s Day celebration! Viva San Giuseppe! Happy Saint Joseph’s Day! Buona festa del papà! Pictured is my altar for this powerful patron of fathers, carpenters, the home, and those who toil for their work. The three tiers represent Jesus, Mary,…
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The Staff, Wreath, And Palm: Ritual Bread For Saint Joseph’s Day
Join me to recognize St. Joseph’s Day on Thursday, March 18 at 8PM Eastern. Register at https://experiencesicily.com/st-josephs-day-online/ You’ll learn more about the feast. Such as, on traditional St. Joseph’s Day altars or le tavolate di San Giuseppe, you will see these three types of loaves pictured. On the left is the staff (vastuni), which represents…
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Ritual Bread For Saint Joseph
Food historians believe grains were introduced to Sicily in approximately 1000 BCE by the Phoenicians. By 150 BCE, during the Roman era, grain became the base of island’s cuisine. By 1000 CE, during the Arab era, the majority of Sicily’s landscape was dedicated to grain agriculture, and that remains true today. Once you learn the…
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Join Us Thursday For Saint Joseph’s Day Online
Join me on Thursday, March 18 at 8PM Eastern for an online presentation for Saint Joseph’s Day. More details and register at https://experiencesicily.com/st-josephs-day-online/ San Giuseppe is the patron of fathers, carpenters, and those who toil for their work. He is probably Sicily’s most important saint.
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An Altar For Saint Joseph
Altars for San Giuseppe or Saint Joseph may be seen throughout Sicily. The patron saint of fathers, carpenters, and those who toil for their work, he is extremely important to Sicilians. Friday, March 19 is St. Joseph’s Day. Next Thursday, March 18 at 8PM Eastern and Friday, March 19 at 5PM Eastern, I will offer…
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Buona Festa! International Women’s Day
Mimosa, the flower and tree pictured, is the symbol of International Women’s Day or la Festa della Donna in Italy. It is currently blooming in warmer climates of the Italian peninsula. International Women’s Day is celebrated throughout the world. It recognizes the contributions of women to society, originating in the labor and suffrage movements of…
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Meet The Ladies Of Girgenti
These ladies are a rare breed of goat that is distinguished by its spiral, tall horns and long hair. Called capra girgentana, this species is valuable for its milk that possesses an equal amount of fat to protein. The name girgentana recalls the old Sicilian name of the city of Agrigento, Girgenti. During the mid-twentieth…