A walk through what’s been happening
Hello friend, This year, I haven’t been posting much on this writing blog as I’ve been focusing on other projects, but I thought I’d take a moment to fill you in on what’s been happening. So far this year, I’ve been focusing on my weekly newsletter from Sicily, titled A Load Off My Mind, which is part diary of everyday life in Sicily, part internal monologue and part reflections on creativity. Then, I’ve been trying to post a little on my travel blog, Sicily Inside and Out, mainly answering people’s travel questions and queries about Italian culture. So, between blogs and newsletters, this has left me little time to update this one! I may be addicted to blogging since I also have my third creative writing blog. A Babel of words is dedicated to poetry, music, books and opinion pieces. It, too, has been neglected over the past six months. I have compiled some of my best poetry into two volumes of poetry zines. A delicate work of no literary merit is dedicated to my early experimental poetry, with a few new works in progress. A Babel of Words is a collection of the best poems published on my blog over the last few years, together with some of my collage artworks. Both are available on Amazon if you are interested. I’ve been meaning to set up an Etsy store for signed, numbered copies and other related artwork and photography prints, but that’ll have to wait until next year when I can dedicate time to marketing and publicising everything. Phew, I’m tired just telling you about all of this!! This past week I’ve been taking a little mental health break, to rest and try to relieve the unbelievable amount of stress I manage to put upon myself. We need to talk more about mental health in general because these are complex and difficult times, and everyone has their struggles. We need to normalise taking the time to rest, practice self-care, cook good meals, listen to music that revives the soul, do the things we love, talk to some friends, stay active, and get out into the sunshine occasionally. I hope you are taking the time to look after yourself, too. After all, we are the most essential things in our lives; we can’t do too much unless we take good care of ourselves. If I feel low, one of the first things I do is get outside and walk around my little Sicilian paese. Apart from getting the benefits of some light exercise and vitamin D, I also take time off my computer and phone to reset, rest my eyes and try to observe the world around me. I’m not kidding you when I say every time I walk around my ‘paesello’, I notice something that I never noticed before, even though it’s been my home for two decades now. But these walks are more than exercise or observations; I am reminded of things I can only ever see or experience here, so it’s also an invitation to express gratitude. Many psychologists encourage the practice of gratitude to bring positivity into daily life. And it’s not a forced positivity, which can also be toxic. Still, instead, it’s about looking at your life and realising what things you already have in your life as they are, being aware of the small joys you have, the relationships around you, and your personal space. After all, you can’t put energy into spiralling into depression if you are feeling grateful for everything you have around you. I am always aware that living in Sicily is a privilege many people dream of, so I always take the time to photograph little images that remind me of things that are so typically Sicilian that they warm my heart and make me feel grateful. So this week I thought I’d publish a photographic essay from one of my Sicilian passeggiate, to give you a sense of this enigmatic and picturesque paese, which in turn reflects similar elements to other such small towns in Sicily. I’m always aware of the irregularity of Sicilian towns; homes are rubbing and leaning on one another, and you will have falling down abandoned houses next to new ones, small patches of greenery next to railings and stairways in a crazy collage of textures and colours. Each paese is like a randomly evolving artwork. Everything that grows from the ground or out of pot plants seems to thrive in Sicily. My neighbour has flowers cascading from her balconies throughout the year. There is this one lady with these potted orchids, a flower that is notoriously difficult to grow, yet every time I walk by, her orchids are always thriving. Unbelievably beautiful. Flowers seem more vibrant, fragrant, and evergreen here, and even in the winter, there is always some greenery to admire. I’ll never get over how adorable some small Sicilian front doors are; some are tiny, so cute. They seem like hobbit holes, always clean, well-kept and decorated with plants. So many padlocked gardens filled with so much character. These secret gardens are tempting to explore, but they are always locked. Even the abandoned palazzi have their charm. They seem sad, with faded facades, balconies, and overgrown moss. Yes, they are dangerous, fenced off and condemned but, I still like these grand old dames from a grander past. Sometimes, it’s frustrating to climb stairs in this Sicilian paese continuously, but it is good exercise. And there are so many rooftops to look down upon in the views. Mountains and those characteristic rooftops always mark Sicilian panoramas. I love the Italian tradition of hanging something on their front door to announce a new arrival. A new baby boy has been born in this home. The staircases can be just as irregular as the buildings; you constantly climb up. Yet there is beauty in them, too. I enjoy these tiny local run stores that display their wares. Can you guess what Francesco Mancuso Ferramenta
