Sicily Scene

 THE SULPHUR MINE At the beginning of the 20th century, in the imaginary Sicilian village of Castellatani, we meet Teresa, whose ambition is...

 On Friday in a shop in Modica - a chain, where I usually get good service - the shop assistants turned their attention first to a man who h...

And summer's lease hath all too long a date, as the bard did not say and as I think everyone would agree here. As most of you will have...

Salvatore's shop, Gemma Gabriele's shop, Temporè Orologi We have met the enterprising Aprile brothers, Salvatore and Gabriele , b...

Yes, it's been a long and involuntary hiatus, for reasons which I'll explain further down the post because I'd like to start by ...

 Tomorrow is the Ognissanti (All Saints' Day) holiday, prior to the Giorno dei Morti (the commemoration of those we have lost) on Sund...

Well, here we are in September, a melancholy month in some ways - not quite the end of summer but not quite autumn either. At least here in ...

As long-term readers will know, Ferragosto (Assumption Day on 15th August and the two-week period surrounding it) is not my favourite time ...

I have posted about the Arandora Star tragedy many times over the years and I think it is worth doing so again today, not only in memory of...

No, it was neither the Duke of Lancaster (better known as King Charles III) nor his son the Duke of Sussex, who went to live in America. It ...

 Today I would like to introduce you to a very creative friend of mine, Veronica Gilestro : Veronica, we met while walking our dogs and we g...

 I have worked as both a translator and an interpreter and I know how hard it is, so my heart went out to Valentina Maiolini-Rothbacher, the...

 In a world that seems to be largely run by oligarchs, charlatans and megalomaniacs there are few leaders who, when they pass, receive genui...

    Easter in Sicily brings the ice cream season and colomba (dove-shaped) cakes. If only the colombe could bring peace to the world!  Wis...