Nonna Never Ceases to Surprise Me
It's always an adventure when we set out to Nonna's lakeside home for Sunday lunch. This past Sunday was no exception- it was a particular twist in the usual schedule that entertained me the rest of the day.
After an incredible homemade lasagna and pork to die for, there were some household duties to take care of. Normally at this point, my host sister, host brother, and I go off and study while Nonna and my host mom take care of the things that need their attention. However, there was a particular chore in which they wanted my help. I heard a polite, "Corynne, vieni! Dobbiamo prendere le uova!" For those who don't speak Italian, my host brother insisted I help him go collect the fresh eggs from Nonna's new hens and help feed the chickens.
Anyone who knows me knows I am certainly not a farm girl. Sure, I'm all for unique experiences, but the chicken coop is really not my favorite place to be. Nonetheless, Valerio grabbed my hand and we paraded through the unbelievable vegetable garden, all ready for its spring buds, and headed down to the new members of the family. Valerio insisted on picking up a hen, handed me the eggs, and ran around for about thirty minutes trying to grab one of the poor things by the wings. I was squealing and running the same; I'm so surprised the eggs didn't splatter right there. I was in awe at the fact my 73-year-old host nonna can pick up these things without any fear or problem...and I was running the other way...
After some fun with the chickens and hens, we went out for some exploration of the city Bolsena. The family took me to the town's most famous church. It's remembered for the miracle that took place centuries ago where a priest down on his faith performed the eucharist, and the Jesus's blood flowed out. The cloth that was dirtied is still there, and the altar is now a symbol of the city. The miracle is still celebrated and remembered today in the Catholic Church. There were some more catacombs I would've loved to explore, too, but unfortunately even church volunteers like to take Sunday off.
We walked down to the lake when we had seen everything at the church and enjoyed the marina bursting with life after a seemingly long and quiet winter. It was so nice to spend quality time with the family in such a beautiful spot. I am truly going to miss them- I can't believe the time is passing so quickly! It's days like these that truly make the experience I'm having here meaningful and memorable.
After an incredible homemade lasagna and pork to die for, there were some household duties to take care of. Normally at this point, my host sister, host brother, and I go off and study while Nonna and my host mom take care of the things that need their attention. However, there was a particular chore in which they wanted my help. I heard a polite, "Corynne, vieni! Dobbiamo prendere le uova!" For those who don't speak Italian, my host brother insisted I help him go collect the fresh eggs from Nonna's new hens and help feed the chickens.
Anyone who knows me knows I am certainly not a farm girl. Sure, I'm all for unique experiences, but the chicken coop is really not my favorite place to be. Nonetheless, Valerio grabbed my hand and we paraded through the unbelievable vegetable garden, all ready for its spring buds, and headed down to the new members of the family. Valerio insisted on picking up a hen, handed me the eggs, and ran around for about thirty minutes trying to grab one of the poor things by the wings. I was squealing and running the same; I'm so surprised the eggs didn't splatter right there. I was in awe at the fact my 73-year-old host nonna can pick up these things without any fear or problem...and I was running the other way...
After some fun with the chickens and hens, we went out for some exploration of the city Bolsena. The family took me to the town's most famous church. It's remembered for the miracle that took place centuries ago where a priest down on his faith performed the eucharist, and the Jesus's blood flowed out. The cloth that was dirtied is still there, and the altar is now a symbol of the city. The miracle is still celebrated and remembered today in the Catholic Church. There were some more catacombs I would've loved to explore, too, but unfortunately even church volunteers like to take Sunday off.
We walked down to the lake when we had seen everything at the church and enjoyed the marina bursting with life after a seemingly long and quiet winter. It was so nice to spend quality time with the family in such a beautiful spot. I am truly going to miss them- I can't believe the time is passing so quickly! It's days like these that truly make the experience I'm having here meaningful and memorable.
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