Ciao!...

Life here in lovely Tuscany is marching on and I am brought up short by how fast the days are flying by. I had forgotten that feeling, and how engrossing it is finding your feet and transitioning to life abroad ~ to living in very close quarters with only ourselves in a new world. Truth be told there are ups and downs at the start of such a journey, but I have always loved the fact of it and especially coming to the other side and the realization that you are doing it and it's good. I feel so fortunate to have had several such opportunities of "living in a bubble" with my little family. This one has proven good in so many ways, although I have to say it's been a bit more challenging having two of our bubble mates back in the states in college. It does help immensely knowing that they are happy and are making their way just fine without their mama close at hand.

I have a slew of images of our Italian daily life and have been posting to Instagram with regularity. If you want a peek you can find me here. Here's a glimpse of what you'll find there...

In other news, my sweet husband has been feathering my nest in the most admirable and generous way. How's that?...He has taken on the sluggish internet here in our apartment in an effort to spiff up my website. This has been sorely needed for some time, and it's the kind of chore that quite honestly I will never get to. The site is still a work in progress {I need to get in there and add images and links and info about a few more patterns}, but he has done wonders! It's as if we were house hunting and after patiently listened to my laundry list of desires {clean, uncluttered, not too stuffy...}, he just set about building me the perfect house. Such a nice thing! I will, for now, be posting here and on blogger, but in the next month or so will make the move permanent. Very exciting!!

I'll leave you now. An amazingly cloudless day is beckoning here in Siena {yes!...a no umbrella day!!...I'm thinking that means spring is on her way, right?!}.

Buona Giornata tutti! ~xox~ alison

Siamo arrivati!...

We are here!...just.

After two (no three!) days of travel which involved nothing less than two 3 1/2 hour car drives, one 5 1/2 hour flight, one 3 hour flight, one train ride, one 3 1/2 hour bus ride and several hours of layovers, we are all feeling a little dazed but are no worse for wear other than being a wee bit exhausted and not being able to remember what day it is ;-) The not-so-glam bits of traveling...

But smiles were plentiful along the way and we had this to look forward to....

Aaaaahhhhh...

Siena is every bit as beautiful and magical as I remembered her being. She is still in her holiday finery and will be until epiphany (pix forthcoming), which is fine with me since,

I'm still feeling like I have one foot in the holiday season too.

We had a wonder-full break, full of gorgeous snowy days outside...

You've got mail ~ Vermont style...

My girl back from her semester across the pond!!!!...

{insert happiest of happy dances here}

And lots of coziness and joy inside...

Something pretty and functional for me found under the tree. Thanks to my sweet spouse and maker

Mim

i (just about the nicest person you'd ever want to meet here in blogland) for the prettiest needle case ever! And to my knitterly friends go check out

Mimi's site.

It's full of loveliness!...And did you catch the name of her shop?...I love it and knew that Mimi and I were kindred spirits the moment I saw it...just from my fave Jane Austen ever...

And now Siena...We are four here for now. My girl is back at school and started classes today, bless her heart. And my middle man will be with us for a week before he goes back to school.

Our apartment seems lovely, clean, and comfortable (for those of you who know me and understand my need for our house (even if it's just for a few months) to be a place I want to call home ~ you know what a huge relief this is for me. We will be here for three months ~ living, working and homeschooling. What a lucky duck I am, I know.

More soon, I promise. I thought I'd just bring you along with me on our Italian adventure, if thats okay. For now a parting shot of my view from the bus as our long day of travel was ending...aaahhh la bella Tuscany...

Somebody pinch me so I know we're really here!

~xox~

alison

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Polarized...

Happy 24th day of Advent and Christmas Eve!!! Want to see the last feltie of the season?...

This sweet polar bear joined our Advent menagerie just in time for the big day. He is now happily residing on our tree with all the other Advent gifties from this season.

The kids busied themselves making origami ornaments and stringing popcorn and cranberry garlands to fill in any blank spots on the tree. Everything on the tree this year is handmade. It makes me sooooo happy.

Hope you are all enjoying a wonderful holiday season so far. We are taking these days to enjoy being all together~a lovely end to the year.

With the happiest wishes for a beautiful holiday...

~ xox~

alison

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Knock, knock...

Hello,

The 23rd day of Advent is upon us. This little downy woodpecker came knock-knock-knocking and has been exploring our tree all afternoon.

 

I'm keeping it short and sweet today. So that's it for now. 1 more Advent feltie to go!

See you tomorrow!


~xox~

alison

 

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A happy mama...

This happy mama and I want wish you a very happy Advent day 22!!...

After an incredibly exhausting week of unexpected excitement (not the good kind~our house was burgled) and far too many flights and delayed arrivals, I am happy to report that everyone is well and my little nest is full once again. I'll be honest. It's been a rough week, but with all sincerity, I can say that all of this unpleasantness has left me feeling immensely grateful. It has reminded us all that what makes a home is the people in it. Stuff is just stuff. It can be replaced or remembered fondly~it is not important in the grand scheme of things. And this morning when I woke up knowing that we were all together again and that each of my beautiful babes was sleeping peacefully upstairs, I felt an incredible surge of joy and peace and contentment. And for that I feel so grateful and full. So it just seemed fitting that today's feltie should be a mama bird with a full nest.

Q

I hope each and every one of you has a wonderful weekend, full of happy reunions, joy and contentment.



~xox~

alison

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Outfoxed...

Advent day 21 is upon us and we celebrated with this handsome guy...

Truth be told, this feltie got his start about a week or so ago, but I decided I didn't like him very much and so I ripped his legs off. I know, I can be harsh. I threw him in the bottom of the bag holding my felting supplies and refused to give him a second glance. Then the other day he surfaced as I was looking for something and I decided that he might have potential after all. In fact, he was kind of cute if you looked at him with your head tilted just so. Out he came and was bestowed with legs, a tail, ears and facial features and voila!...the newly born Mr. Fantastic jumped into Advent stocking number 21. He's not perfect. Instead he's kind of quirky and full of personality. Just as he should be...

Be well friends and stay warm!



~xox~

alison

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Mr. Narwhal...

Hello,

Time for Advent Day 20! Ready? Today's Advent feltie is...drum roll please...

A narwhal! Yes, a narwhal. My middle man is back for the holidays and so a narwhal is the order of the day. He loves narwhals, so there you go...a narwhal for day 20. Here he is in all his fuzzy glory...

Oh dear, those pictures are really not so great. Almost no sunlight to be found around here right now. My apologies.

Have a great day everyone! See you tomorrow!




~xox~

alison

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Just a tad squirrelly...

Hello,

Can you believe that this is the last teen in Advent? The days are marching on in quick step. I know your December days are probably just like mine...packed to bursting with activity. It's about that time when I start feeling like I'm sledding down a ginormous hill. The sled is really picking up speed and there's nothing for it but to hold and enjoy the ride. It feels a bit out of control, but it's fun and exhilarating all the same. Anyway, as we sled down that hill I'd like to take a quick moment to wave hi to this guy...

...Nutkin Gray! Inspired by that cheeky squirrel who is alway taunting Old Brown in this Beatrix Potter classic. Do you know the story? It's one of our faves. The true Nutkin is a red squirrel. Nutkin. Gray is modeled after the squirrels that lived all around us when I was growing up in Texas. I do love the tawny brown squirrels who visit our midwestern lawn, but every now and then I miss seeing those silvery gray devils dashing about our yard.

Here's another peek or two at Nutkin Gray before I get back to sliding (sorry about the poor light and picture quality~our daylight is veeeeery short here right now)...

Now it's back to my sled...ready or not...heeeere weeee goooooooooooo....

wheeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!....


Happy sledding everyone! See you at the bottom for hot cocoa and cookies.

:)

~xox~


alison

 

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