MOUNTAINGIRL'S PHOTO CHALLENGE - "MATCH"

It's 11.58 pm on Friday which means I am on time this week for my friend mountaingirl's Friday Photo Challenge! This week's theme is "match".

Whenever I buy a new item of clothing, I get stressed out trying to find accessories and make-up to match. Finding the right lipstick often involves rummaging through my make-up drawers in a complete panic or taking the item to the perfumery to match it up. But today I was lucky as I found I had a lippy that is an exact match for this blouse:




Later Cathy snapped me wearing both in my classroom:




And now, just for fun, ladies - and gentlemen, if it takes your fancy - here is a cool quiz from blogthings:

You Should Wear Bright Red Lipstick

In Your Face: Sexy and Flirty Your look: Flawless Beauty Your signature lip gloss flavor: Cherry

What Shade of Lipstick Should You Wear?

Blogthings: Free Quizzes for Everyone

LUNCH FOR A WORKING GIRL

Lunch out with Gina yesterday to celebrate the publication of some of my articles in Italy Magazine.

It's a while since I visited the Caffè Consorzio and I was pleased to find the cooking better than ever. We both ordered

fresh taglioni with cherry tomatoes and rocket,


shared a basket of good bread


and enjoyed polpette di salsiccia with salad.

A pretty fresh fruit salad for dessert, then coffee, ensured that we left contented.

"But where were all the women workers?" we wondered afterwards, as the popular eaterie had been full of men from the nearby banks and offices. "At home cooking for their husbands and children", sighed Gina.

LUCIA'S OIL

I got back from work at 8.30 pm to find a carrier bag tied to the door. I knew it had to be from Lucia and inside was this bottle of oil made from her own olives. I could just gaze at the colour of it all night!

AND LUNCH IS BY ROSA

I am about to partake of a lunch which Rosa brought me this morning. It is an Italo-Albanian dish of stuffed aubergine. Rosa says she chooses round aubergines, cuts them in two and digs out the pulp, which she chops. Then she cooks this with some chopped onion, garlic, tomatoes, oregano and minced veal in olive oil until the onions are softened and the meat has taken on some colour. She fills the aubergine shells with this mixture and puts them in an oven dish. She adds a little water to the dish and cooks the filled aubergines in the oven [I'm guessing at about 200 C] until the water has evaporated. Delicious!

ITALY AND EUROPE

I have shamelessly stolen this from my fellow-Welshie, Nerys, because I just had to show it to you. For me, the part about bureaucracy rings truest; what about you?




For any Italians reading: please take this in the spirit in which it is meant - in fun and admiration - because I love you!

THINK PINK FOR BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH

October is breast cancer awareness month and Scintilla from Bell'Avventura has had the brilliant idea that as many of us as possible should post pink to raise awareness. Laura from Ciao Amalfi has joined in too and Scintilla is going to link all participants together at the end of this month.

Both Laura and Scintilla have posted some excellent advice regarding this cruel disease. I would like to add that, if you think you have noticed a change in a breast or have felt a lump the worst thing you can do is to ignore it. 80% of lumps are benign and many women notice changes in their breasts during menstruation. It is important to know your body and be aware of what is normal for you but please see a doctor immediately if you are worried.

Although this disease is commonest in women and most dreaded by us because it strikes right at our femininity, we should not forget that men can suffer from the condition too and often find it harder to access support.

If you are in Italy, LILT clinics are offering free examinations country-wide during October.

Think Pink - Cyclamen

In Sicily it is cyclamen time and the island is a riot of different shades of pink:

Sicilian wild cyclamen photographed by a friend.


Cyclamen on sale at a street stall.


Cyclamen on my balcony.

ANTS IN HIS PANTS

You could be forgiven, reader, for assuming that I am obsessed by male underwear, but I couldn't resist snapping these when I saw them in a shop window yesterday:

SABATO MUSICALE

Addio, Carla Boni, who died today in Rome:

Carla Boni - Viale d'autunno

SATURDAY NIGHT...

It's cold and rainy in Sicily but I'm OK as Lucia has just brought me a focaccia filled with broccoli and salsiccia which she baked in her own traditional stone oven.

I'm off to eat it while it's still hot!

MOUNTAINGIRL'S PHOTO CHALLENGE - "LEAF"

I'm late again for my friend mountaingirl's Photo Challenge. This week's theme is "leaf":

DON'T YOU WISH YOU HAD ONE?

Brace yourselves, readers, for you are going to be green with envy! This is my latest toy, acquired with my supermarket points. I must get baking because this essential item is a musical cake slicer! It plays "Jingle Bells", "Happy Birthday", "Perché è un bravo ragazzo" ["For He's a Jolly Good Fellow"] and the "Wedding March" [which I don't think I'll be needing but a girl should be prepared].

Every home should have one, don't you think?

TODAY...

.... has been a very big day for me, as my first two articles as a regular writer for Italy Magazine have been published here and here. I hope you have time to take a look and enjoy them. Italy Magazine was one of my favourite reads when I was in Britain and I never dreamt I would become a member of their team!

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MORE AUTUMN ABUNDANCE

Kind Lucia visited this morning, bringing me these wonderful gifts from her garden: loti or kaki in dialect [Sharon fruit or persimmons], pomegranates and quinces. [The tiny pears around the side are from the greengrocer's and are the sweetest I have tasted.]

THE ENGLISH INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BLOG

I am writing this post on behalf of the English International School, Modica.

I am delighted to announce that the English International School in Modica now has a blog. We have only just begun it and we will be adding grammatical explanations, exercises, vocabulary sheets and news about the school and its students in the near future.

Long-standing readers of this blog will already have met our Director of Studies, Cathy, but are not yet acquainted with our secretary, Evelyn, who is from Mexico. Evelyn [right] is pictured with Cathy here:



And here are some of this year's happy students!

AUTUMN ABUNDANCE

This morning I espied these lovely black grapes on sale for 3 euros a crate

and this mound of chestnuts:



This evening, as I strolled back from work, more chestnuts had been brought in and were being roasted:

The young man's assistant pops them in a paper bag, sprinkles over a couple of pinches of seasalt and , when you get home, to quote that old chestnut [sorry] none of them is a hard nut to crack!

NAUGHTY, NUTTY AND NICE

A cornetto with crema di pistacchio dispels the Monday morning blues.

SPEZZATINO DI VITELLO E FUNGHI

I have a milk allergy so don't often make a dish that requires cooked cream. However, Italian panna di cucina is much lighter than any type of British cream, and does not seem to upset me.

A recipe for a casserole of veal with pleurotus mushrooms [which are plentiful in Sicily at this time of year] caught my eye in the October Italian language edition of La Cucina Italiana and I prepared it last night. I cannot reproduce the copyright recipe here but can tell you that, in addition to the veal and mushrooms it contains only olive oil, onions and seasoning and is finished with the cream and garnished with parsley.

Very easy to make and a success!

THE HERO OF GIAMPILIERI

No "sabato musicale" tonight, following the solemn funerals of the victims of the Messina tragedy. Instead, I am posting this tribute to Pasquale Simone Neri, Petty Officer, First Class, in the Italian Navy, who lost his own life whilst trying to save others.

Always known as Simone, this brave young man, who would have celebrated his thirtieth birthday in nine days' time, led eight people to the safety of a rooftop. Then he heard a child cry. He called his girlfriend, saying,
"There's a child crying. I am going to save him. Whatever happens, remember I love you."

But in just a few moments, everything was submerged in mud and debris. Simone's body was found two days later.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Eight bodies remain to be found at Messina.

QUIZ: SICILIAN PROVERBS - 11

Match the proverbs or idioms 1 - 6 with their meanings a - f. For answers, highlight the space beneath where it says, "Highlight below for answers" - yes, really, they are there!

These sayings are all about health and I should warn you that, if you are feeling out of sorts, there are one or two which will not cheer you up!

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1. Duluri di testa voli minestra.

2. Gamma a letto e vrazzu a pettu.

3. Hai un male? - Dillu a tutti.

4. Libbirtàti e sanitàti vàli ciù ri na cità.

5. Cacaredda a menza missa e causi a ghiruppu çianu.

6. Frevi autunnali o longa o murtali.

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a. Are you ill? - Tell everyone. [Because then you'll be looked after.]

b. Liberty and health are worth more than a city.

c. A bad leg must be cared for in bed, and a bad arm across your chest.

d. A fever in autumn is either long or fatal.

e. If you have a headache, you need soup.

f. Diarrhoea half out and trousers tied tight. [A way of referring to unfortunate coincidences.]

Highlight below for answers:
1e, 2c, 3a, 4b, 5f, 6d.

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MOUNTAINGIRL'S PHOTO CHALLENGE - "LANDSCAPE"

Tempus fugit and Friday once again brings mountaingirl's Photo Challenge. This week's theme is "landscape".

This is a photo of Snowdonia, Wales, taken by my father before the midpoint of the twentieth century:

And here is a photo of the Cava d'Ispica, Sicily, taken by his daughter at the beginning of the twenty-first:

COSE BLU - 2

Rowena had the idea of taking the "blue" meme a stage further by photographing blue objects outdoors. Here's what I came up with on my way to work today:

Blue October sky.


Blue water tank on top of house. [I wonder how often they have to call for the water lorry?]


Blue roadsigns.


Blue bus stop.


Blue wellies in shop window. [I so want these!]


Blue shutters at siesta time.


Shiny blue bags in shop window plus lunatic woman photographing them.

Zucchero - Blu

STOP THIS VIOLENCE NOW

I was shocked in the 1980s when I first read of the practice of "female circumcision" , now better known as what it really is, "female genital mutilation" or FGM [mutilazioni genitali femminili - mgf]. In The Hidden Face of Eve - Women in the Arab World , Nawal El Saadawi writes:

"I felt that the rasping knife or blade was heading straight down towards my throat. Then suddenly the sharp metallic edge seemed to drop between my thighs and there cut off a piece of flesh from my body.

I screamed with pain despite the tight hand held over my mouth, for the pain was not just a pain, it was like a searing flame that went through my whole body. After a few moments, I saw a red pool of blood around my hips."

This happened when she was six years old and she was from an educated family by the standards of the time.

It is always difficult to criticise the practices and traditions of other cultures and western governments are often afraid to do so, but there is nothing "cultural" about this: it is violence against women and perhaps the worst aspect of it is that other women are complicit in the practice. Nawal El Saaadawi again:

"I did not know what they had cut off from my body, and I did not try to find out. I just wept, and called out to my mother for help. But the worst shock of all was when I looked around and saw her standing by my side. Yes, it was her, I could not be mistaken, in flesh and blood, right in the midst of these strangers, talking to them and smiling at them, as though they had not participated in slaughtering her daughter just a few moments ago."

Here we have a woman so frightened of what will happen if she protests, and of her daughter's reputation if the "procedure" is refused, that she goes along with the mutilation of her own child. This reminds me of a recent "honour" killing in Italy after which the mother forgave her husband for murdering their daughter. Is the woman brainwashed or terrified?

If you have not read much about the practice of FGM, you should. Can you imagine the implications for hygiene, the pain later on of intercourse, the psychological damage and the horror of childbirth, after which the woman's genitals are sewn up again? Not to mention the number of women and girls who die [3 million on the continent of Africa] every year after undergoing this type of violence.

So why am I writing about this on a blog about Italy? It's hardly the usual "Sicily Scene" type of topic, is it? Because, dear reader, a recent Istituo Piepoli survey commissioned by the Italian Department for Equal Opportunities estimated that 35,000 immigrant women here have undergone the "procedure". "Estimated" because it is difficult, in the first place, to ask the question and "estimated" because it is impossible to know how many of the women questioned were telling the truth. Approximately 1,100 of those who admitted to having undergone the "procedure" were under the age of 17.

Now, the question is, had these women already had the "operations" in their own countries or did they have them in Italy? It is thought that many lied when asked this question. Some were under 15 so is it possible that their parents spent hundreds of euros on taking them back to their countries of origin for the "procedure"?

The practice is, of course, forbidden by Italian law and Italy, with the support of 15 African countries, is hoping to secure a UN Security Council Resolution on the matter before the end of this year. I am proud of my adopted country for taking the lead in this. The European Parliament, too, adopted a text on "Combating female genital mutilation in the EU" in March this year.

We have, then, a "text" and we nearly have a UN Resolution. Fine. But how about some action? Italy, I have to say, is doing all it can, with a government campaign in Lazio, which has a large immigrant population, the government-backed Io no campaign and the Bikaloro campaign in Lecce, among others. At least here the issue is being brought out into the open and all the campaigns focus on education. The Io no campaign involves the children's fathers, too. A hopeful sign is that many immigrant girls joined a recent demonstration against the practice in Rome.

I'm not usually of the "String 'em up" persuasion when it comes to crime and punishment though I am tempted to be with regard to this. However, I can see that the only answer is education and information: educate the daughters, their mothers, their fathers and, as Minister Frattini says, we need to educate the practitioners and integrate them into our society.

The western governments, acting together, could wipe out this practice on their own territory if they really wanted to. Come on, politicians of Europe! How about diverting some of that cash you so readily use to pay yourselves for ending a barbarous abomination on your own soil?

MESSINA UPDATE

Many thanks to all who expressed their concern about the tragedy at Messina. I know that the thoughts of my commenters and non-commenters alike will this evening be with the bereaved, the injured and those made homeless by the tragedy.

Last night was the first without rain since storms caused catastrophic mudslides and floods on Thursday night, particularly damaging the hamlets of Giampileri Superiore and Scaletta Zanclea. However, more temperate weather did not help the rescue and recovery operation, as the mud dried like cement in Monday's sunshine.

Of 25 dead recovered so far, 21 bodies have been identified and it is thought that there are another 10 still to be found.

Funerals will probably be held on Saturday and the Mayor of Messina wants State mourning to be declared. "Are we Sicilians, we people of Messina, children of a lesser God?" he has asked.

Recovery work continues throughout the long nights.

COSE BLU

I found this meme over at Rowena's and all you have to do is show 7 blue things from around the house, so here we go:

My kitchen table, which I bought because all my Sicilian visitors were scandalised that I didn't have one, is light blue. I figured that I wouldn't be able to match the wood colours of the units and dresser, so decided to go for something brighter:

A blue plate from Malta which Marie-Laure and David brought me from their day trip there in the summer. [You can take the trip from Pozzallo.]

Blue in the magnificent peacock feathers which Lucia brought me last week:



Books about Sicily with blue covers:



Predominantly blue coffee container:



Blue necklace which usually decorates my dressing table mirror:



Finally, Simi wanted to model one of her Italian winter coats again:



She says "Woof!" to all her readers and hopes you'll like this song:

Vasco Rossi - Occhi blu


I don't tag but if you would like to do this meme I'll be happy to visit your blog.

MESSINA

Like everyone in Sicily, I am thinking this evening of the people of Messina and my heart goes out to them as rescuers tirelessly continue the search for 40 people still missing after the mudslide of the night of 1-2 October.

Horrifying images of the tragedy have now gone around the world and as a Welshwoman I cannot help remembering Aberfan. In that sad town, too, a "tragedy was waiting to happen" and one day, it did. There, too, the folly of man was a contributory factor and there, too, warnings went unheeded. And there , too, torrential rain caused a mountain to move upon an October day.

Deforestation; uncontrolled, unauthorised building; unwise, dense areas of construction too close to a riverbed and the sea; all are partly to blame and politicians are accused of sitting on their laurels whilst these processes have taken place. Oh, pity the south: criticised for lagging behind in urban development and often derided as "Africa" in the north, what can it do? And it is not alone in its haste to build: 70% of Italian towns are said to be at risk of hydro-geological disaster and in Sicily 92% of councils are doing nothing about the situation.

Watching the Italian television coverage, you begin to understand the appeal of Berlusconi: at his best in such a crisis, he has visited the area today and has not procrastinated. He will provide new housing for the survivors on the L'Aquila model and he has said so categorically.

You also see the Italian people at their best: all who can do so volunteer to help in the rescue efforts whilst luxury hotels along the Messina stretto open their doors to those made homeless by the disaster. These impromptu guests do not give a public inventory of their lost possessions but instead tell a rai reporter that they lack for nothing whilst the younger adults among them organise corridor games for the children.

And you wonder about the Messina Bridge, for this is what the project's opponents mean when they protest that there are more important issues to deal with first; basic issues such as ensuring the safety of Sicily's communities.

But let us not forget perfidious nature, a force which we have ceased to respect. As the many voices are raised, and will continue to be raised, in justified anger, let us remember Mayor Buzzanca of Messina's statement that no one could have predicted that 250 mm of rain would fall on the area in a matter of hours.

Once blame is apportioned, as it must be, and headlines focus on this rather than the human tragedy, we tend, if we are not personally affected, to move on and forget. So I ask you to hold the brave Messinesi in your hearts tonight and in the difficult days to come.