Dreams from Biancavilla

San Silvestro Good vigil for the top of the year, literally Lilo, Elena (and baby), and Rosalba  Ettore on balcony watching fireworks  Down the street, these kids created a smaller but festive show Ettore, Isede, Piera, savory trifle Gamberone Dentice aka red snapper All the rest Baccalà  First course Cigars on terrace Fireworks  Haze Elena’s torta Ficodindia  Cream puff yummies Giuseppe G opening the panettone  Blurry Joe in front, fireworks in back Haze Piera, who just had a baby a few days ago Carmelo, with grandkids, watching fireworks at the window My pre-Befana book for Ettore New luxury apartments in Biancavilla. As Elena says, “and they are painted and finished” (see photo which shows counterpart, below). Lo, e’re a rose are blooming Etna, and a huge silver mound artemisia in foreground These blocky things are new construction.  You see them everywhere, and wonder when the project will finish. More construction blocks Random vista from our morning walk As on Christmas Eve, the

  Laundry hanging to dry on December 30th! Etna behind a monument. Sidewalk stonemasons. Ready to load up and sell produce. This corner supermarket is about the size of a KwikTrip. Nick P.—a Sprinter’s in town! Walking home. Old wall and overgrown Volvo. “Modern” church. Soccer game at the stadium. Sunny day to be on the belvedere. We realized we can see Paternò from Biancavilla. He likes to play “fall down”. There’s a Giuseppe under there somewhere. Now YOU fall down, Giuseppe! With many Facebook and family reports of blizzard conditions and sub-zero windchills back home, my gratitude for being in Sicily is exponential. These days, 45F feels chilly to us! We may successfully skirt the entire "winter" as we usually know it, an idea I could certainly live with from now on. Elena came up today with Ettore... and a potty training seat. There have been a couple of successes at home, but he wanted nothing to do with continuing it here, and he may have been a little ticked off with