Welcome Back Sun

March 27, 2015

Sicily, Sunny Sicily, was underwater most of March. I wasn’t here til three days ago, but i knew the moment I set foot in the house; water washed down walls, the floor was ponding.

But there’s a bright new sky today. Lizards slither. Underwear waves on balconies. Palm and olive branches abound.

Sicily; Hanging Laundry; copyright Jann Huizenga

Olive and palm branches, Sicily

Carrying olive branches on Palm Sunday, Sicily; Copyright Jann HuizengaSicilians are still swaddled in winter gear.

Though tourists are convinced it’s summer.

Tourist in Sicily, copyright Jann Huizenga

Carmelo, my favorite barista in the whole world, is once again serving outdoors. He hasn’t set eyes on Kim for almost a year, and yet he remembered his drink: a doppio, double espresso.

Barista in Sicily; copyright Jann Huizenga

Hope you’re having a great weekend!

Tanti baci della Sicilia,

jann

 

58 comments to Welcome Back Sun

  • So glad you are back. Missed your posts. We arrived in Sicily last year on April 25th and found the temperatures were cool, and the rain plentiful. Packed light weight clothing, it did not get used till we go back to Florida. That did no deter us in our enjoyment.

    • Jann

      Hi Greg–glad you enjoyed your trip last spring. For some reason this year Sicily was way colder and wetter than Rome. Odd!

  • John Schinina

    Ciao Jann, So glad to have you back, planning a trip to Ragusa in September, can’t wait, I miss it so. Well once again I love you being back, your email’s are delightful. Thanks

  • Dennis Young

    Just discovered your blog- great stuff and wonderful pictures! My partner ( her family originated in Sciacca) and I will be spending
    two weeks in eastern Sicily in May checking out places to settle down for extended stays in Sicily. We will be in Ragusa Ibla from
    the 11th to the 14th. If possible we would love to sit down with you guys over a cappuccino and get some advice about the best
    way to find long term housing. Looking forward to more of your blog.
    Dennis and Lisa

  • Nice to have you back. I hope the sun keeps on shining.

  • Benritrovata Jann! Wishing you lots of Sicilian sunshine to dry your walls and warm your heart. xo

  • Great work as also. Our paths will cross one day in Sicilia!

  • Josephine

    I missed you Jann. I was so happy to see your email and now your pictures and blog. Spring has finally arrived here in NC. Grass to cut and flowers to plant. 🙂 Jo

    • Jann

      Hi Jo–I missed you too! NC springs are so pretty–my parents used to live there and it was always a treat to visit in April.

  • I missed you so much, SO much! Lovely, lovely pictures making me wish I was there with you, helping you take them. So sorry your house flooded; been there, done that, ugh. At least I didn’t have lizards! Welcome back. I’m glad you had a long blog vacation. Don’t do it again. (smile and j/k)

    • Jann

      Thanks Nan–great to hear from you! I’ve missed your blog too and am going to take a peek now. xxx

  • Jan, so lovely to get your post and learn that you’ve returned to Sicily. I’ve been trawling through your old posts getting ideas for our travels. We arrived in Sicily last week. Today we left Palermo and are enjoying the next few days in Trapani. What a contrast between these cities.
    Looking forward to your wonderful photos and posts.
    Ciao
    Jenny

  • So thankful that you are really back and that I can stop going to FB. As you can see, a lot of people have been awaiting your return.

  • ———My heart leapt when I saw your post, Jann.
    I love the photos. The three boys walking are exactly how I visualize Italy…
    with their scarves beautifully wrapped around their necks.
    Slithering lizards! What a thrill.
    Love love love from Minnesota. xxxxxx

  • I am with all the others who wish you a welcome back message. We all need time away from work to refresh ourselves. As a painter I know that can mean fresh new ways of seeing the same things. Sicilian men have such style. They walk with style. It is just Spring in Florida too.

  • jan walcott

    Have missed the blog and your wonderful reflections. Glad you are back and look forward to lots of new posts!!!

    • Jann

      Great to hear from you Jan. I know you wrote me a few months ago and I tried to reply to your email, but it kept bouncing back. So hope you see this. xxxx

  • rosann

    So good to be back here with you. For some reason I just received notice of a new post this morning. I know you’re glad to be back in Sicily, even with wet walls and pounding floors. Worms? Not a fabulous welcome home. I’m looking forward to many more posts about spring in Sicily.

  • Anitre

    Auguri Jann and Kim! I’m so glad to read your blog. As always, gorgeous photos. Enjoy bella Sicila!

    • Jann

      Auguri back to you and Lucio!!! We’ve been LOVING your herbs and lemons (making lemonade that’s so naturally sweet you don’t need sugar). Saving the jam for a very special occasion. xxx

  • Where have you been???? I missed your gorgeous pics and so glad you are back.

  • Can’t imagine Sicily as you describe it this time as I’ve only been there when the sun was hot and high in the sky. This at times when it should have been cool and wettish. Loved your pictures. What was in the bunch of herbs? the young Sicilian was carrying? Loved the post and look forward to more

  • Maria Clayton

    G’day Jann, Greetings all the way from sunny Lake Macquarie, New South Wales Austalia. We have had such a long warm summer and now it’s your turn. I will send you lots of sunshine and blue skies to you in beautiful Sicily so your home dries out! So, so glad and excited to have you back and looking forward to your fabulous blogs.
    Happy 2015!!!

    Regards

    Maria Clayton
    Valentine-Lake Macquarie, NSW Australia

    • Jann

      Marie–loved hearing from you again from all the way down under–thanks for sending the sunshine back to us!

  • Ian

    Missed you, so good to get your stories they are soooo enjoyable. Don’t be going missing again!!!! we are there for 2 weeks on the 17th would love to meet up again lots of love.
    Ian and Jenny. Xx

    • Jann

      Ian–it’s great that you’re getting back to your olives!! Last week of April I am a free agent in IBLA. Would be so nice to see you.

  • Ahhhh the blog vacation, I’ve been on one as well and it’s hard to come back with clarity lol x
    Fab pics and love the tourist ha ha x

    • Jann

      Dear Lisa–a blog vacanza: we all need one. Especially you–you work way too hard! Hope you are thawing out in the North??? tanti baci xxx

  • cemal karahan

    Hi,Jann…Nice to see you come back to your page.Your remarks and photos have already warmed us…On the fourth of April ,it snowed in Ankara and one day sunny, the other day rainy in April.Take care…As usual, this region’s agenda is so full with actions that your talking about lizards gave me a nice strange feeling…Lizards.. like the messengers of life.

  • Hurrah, you’re back! Very glad to see you again and your beautiful village, Jann. xx

    • Jann

      Hi Narelle–hope you’re doing well and I look forward to having time for your blog again. xxxx

  • Are you back blogging or still just on face book? I DO NOT LIKE FACE BOOK. Too much junk on it. I hope that your house is straightened up now and I envy you being in Sicily. Have a great summer there.

    • Jann

      Hi Chloe, Thanks for your comments! I am back blogging, but since I’ve been MIA on the blog for so long, my email notice feature no longer works on WordPress. I’m having it fixed, so hopefully notices will start to go out once again. And I REALLY understand how you feel about FB…

  • Welcome back! I’ve been dreaming about Sicily and now at least I can go there through you!

  • Sandee Wheeler

    Missed you, Jann! Glad you’re back!

  • sue gaughan

    so happy you are back, hoping for spring in chilly cleveland, ohio!

  • Diana

    We arrived in Modica on Saturday- yesterday, Palm Sunday , all Sicilians in dark thick winter clothes. Holding palms, olive branches (?) and beautifully wrapped packages of pastry. Spouse and I sat outside with coffee and a pastry, reveling in the sun. We had thiught our Bostonwinter was bad- but I think three months of rain is worse than three of snow! So happy yo be back in Sicily. Love your blog.

  • Linda Chartier Scala

    Yesterday morning we took our coffee outside and just sat on the terrace stunned by the glorious sun. Do you have those centipede type worms too? The side of our house is covered with them. 3 full months of wet,cold and rain. I have never experienced a winter like this. let’s hope it is done!

    • Jann

      Linda, I can just imagine how stunned you were by the bright sun. Weeks of Boston snow followed by weeks of Sicilian rain–nightmare! We get worms called porcellini di San Antonio–no arms or legs. (Leave it to Sicilians to name even worms after a saint.)

  • Sam

    Whither do these lizards slither? I hope not upon thine ponding floors!

    • Jann

      Only worms do wriggle upon mine ponding floors, Sam. Lizards hither and thither OUTSIDE, for the most part.

  • Ah, Jann, I’ve MISSED you! And I hope you’ve had a lovely time off (though I can’t imagine the misery of swabbing the decks of all that water!). So, you’ve got winter still, too, huh? Don’t worry, my friend — it will be spring soon enough. We’re already starting to see its signs, and I’m eager for its full arrival! Gotta love the way Italians love hanging laundry outside!!

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