Remembering My Dad...

My Father was a man that loved his Motherland.
He was born in Messina in 1925 and from infancy was raised in Cinquefrondi, Reggio Calabria.
He studied medicine and came to the United States...he left behind his parents his brother and his Motherland.
He met and married my Mother and they lived in New Jersey and raised my brother and I. My father always instilled in me a deep and profound love for the Motherland that oozes from our veins.
Aside from being an extremely skilled physician -my Father loved to write his thoughts and feeling on paper.
I wonder what he would have done if he had the pleasure of living long enough to have his own blog!
My Father passed away in 2002 at the age of 77.
Among the many memories he left us is a powerful collection of his thoughts and feelings...on paper!
I wanted to share one of his poems with you...
I hope you enjoy it! I hope it moves you as it moves me!

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O Patria Mia
By Paolo Valvo

Italia, O Patria Mia
Madre feconda di si’ nobile parole,
Il tuo desio m’assale
Se la vision di te mi torna al cuore.

Vedo I tuoi monti austeri,
Il mare accarezzar le dolci sponde,
I vasti piani e laboriosi campi
Dove perenne par che v’ondeggi il grano.

Dall’alpi alla trinacria
Dall’una all’altra sponda
D’insigne tua progenie
L’opra sublime annonda,

E l’ecodella Gloria
Di tua Romana gente
Nell’aere spande
Qual luce che risplende,

Ovunque l’occhio vaghi
Bella tu sei o cara patria mia,
Bella nel corpo e l’alma,
Si dolce, si’ desiata Madre Mia!

Potessi ancora mirare
L’azzurro del tuo mare…
O potess’io vagare
Ancor sulle tue sponde…

E poi ancor mirare
Le cupole tue belle…
Sentir le tue campane
Scoccar nel cielo al vespro!

O Paria Mia Diletta
Pottesse l’esser mio’
Esser da te
Nel tiepido calor del grembo tuo!

Da si’lontana sponda
Spesso al guardar m’indulgo
Di la’dell orizzonte…
Ed il pensier di te
Carezza l’alma mia…

Il sussurrar m’e’ d’uopo:

O Cara Patria Mia!


© 2008 SMVALVO

Little Apple /Pastry Delights

Well I got inspired. Thats what happens when I sit at my computer and read all the different blogs I subscribe to.
Sooooo I pulled out whatever I had in my fridge to use.
Pastry dough (already prepared)
Apples
Cinnamon
Sugar
and of course my Silpat mat!

I cut up the apples and sprinkled them with cinnamon and sugar- then I filled a pastry circle and pinched all the edges so they would not leak.












Well- they were not contest worthy but they were not half bad and my hubby loved them.
Oh course for my darling son....(who won't dare eat an apple) I made dough stuffed with chocolate and another stuffed with Nutella....

I served it with mini scoops of vanilla ice cream.
It was a big hit!