More joy, less stress

 

One of the things I've come to realize in 2012 is that I need to enjoy myself more when I'm at home in the States. For the past several years, so much of my life has revolved around extended stays in Italy that it seems I spend most of my time at home working to pay for those excursions, and very little time enjoying life.  I've missed being at home during the spring for the past two years, so I've decided to stay home this spring and enjoy my garden in bloom. But I plan to return to Italy for several months in the fall.

Treasures from Italy on my desk.

In the past few months I've been organizing my photos, as I now have nine stays in Italy that I've recorded, and thousands of images to wade through. Going through them has made me nostalgic for many places I want to visit again. Others seem so familiar that it doesn't seem possible I'm so far away from these places I love. 

Can you believe this Clematis was blooming in November?

I've also been making risotto. I love the process of making this dish, and enjoy the wide variety of recipes available. I invite a few people over, serve aperitivi with wine, and chat with them while preparing the meal. It's so important to serve risotto fresh from the stove, so I never start cooking until my guests have already arrived. My favorite recipes this winter are: Asparagus Risotto with Saffron; Roasted Carrot and Leek Risotto with Lemon and Thyme; and Butternut Squash Risotto with Nutmeg and Sage. Next on my list: Fennel and Leek Risotto with Orange. YUM!

And finally, another thing that's been eating up time is my new Samsung tablet, a gift from my son for Christmas. I've just finished organizing and installing many things on my laptop, and now I have another gadget to configure! But I'm hoping to use it for reading E-books when I travel, so it will surely come in handy.

Christmas cactus in bloom.

In a few weeks, I'll begin my first Coursera course (see previous post), which two of my Italian friends have also signed up for. What an unusual but wonderful coincidence! It will be interesting to take the same class with my friends across the world.

Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2013!