How to cool off during a hot, hot summer…
Ciao tutti! I hope everyone is finding ways to stay cool during this hot summer if you live anywhere that it gets hot like Southern Italy. Like in many places, we’ve been experience heat wave and extreme temperature warnings. During the past few days near me there have been road closures causing traffic chaos because of wildfires and my painting progress around the house has slowed down a bit with the need to take more frequent water breaks.
About a month ago, my husband pressured me into getting something that I didn’t want to spend money on just yet with all of our other expenses renovating our home and I am so glad he did too!
Now that I no longer live across the street from the beach as I did before we got married and bought our house in the countryside, getting to the beach has been a more rare occurrence with all the restoration work I’ve been doing. I used to just walk across the piazza and go swimming whenever I wanted during the summer. Now all I have to do is walk out of my back door when painting in 90°+F/32°C+ weather gets too hot…
Our little above ground swimming pool has become the perfect oasis to cool off any time we need to. My husband is the master at scoring good deals and it was no different when he got this gently used pool from a work colleague that was no longer putting it to use. Now he claims that this purchase has been the best investment for us this year. I can’t disagree.
My childhood memories of spending summers in my grandmother’s pool have been flooding back to me as I scoop out the bugs and leaves that fall into the pool in each morning. These pleasant memories are now being shared as I create new ones with my husband and friends when they come over. Soon I imagine that my students will also enjoy our little oasis as we have lunch at the picnic table or enjoy a pizza party making pizzas together in our wood-fired outdoor oven.
Besides all of the painting to get our outdoor area into shape, I’ve also been working on the new classroom workshop, took a vacation break when some friends from America came to visit, finished up a custom engraving order, and finally finalized some details for an enameling workshop with Sandra McEwen planned for next summer that you can now see on the event calendar.
the custom engraving order
Next up: Our big windows to keep out the rain or excessive wind when we need to will soon be installed on our terrace that I am turning into a workshop classroom (I have to finish the painting first). Then the task of getting in the work tables and needed equipment begins. I’ll have to show you a progress picture on that one next time.
Until then, if you do enameled jewelry or want to do enameling, check out Sandra McEwen’s Enamel Art Jam. It officially started on Aug. 1st, but I think you can still join if you want to participate. The theme is poetry and I have chosen one of my favorite poets to create a tribute to - Edgar Allen Poe. So look for me to start practicing my enameled jewelry again with some images inspired by his poems. There will be an online exhibition after the deadline on November 1st for all participants to show off their work. I’m excited to start collaborating with Sandra and to connect with other jewelry artists in this online event.
Until next time, stay cool and have a great rest of the summer!