16 September 2016, Landschlacht, Switzerland Two days ago I returned from a week´s sojourn in Turkey. (To be mentioned in future blog posts…) Today I am paying for it with symptoms that need not be described here, but suffice to say I am staying home and close to medicine chest and bedroom and water closet. But,… Continue reading Adam in the Abbey 2: The Path of Benedict
Category: History
Adam in the Abbey 1: The Road to New Norcia
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 2 September 2016 / 15 September 2016 Homer once said that all men have need of the gods. And maybe this is so, for since time began we have sought a way to understand, and perhaps even influence, powerful natural phenomena, such as weather and the seasons, creation, life, death and its aftermath. There… Continue reading Adam in the Abbey 1: The Road to New Norcia
Legacy of Shadows
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 3 September 2016 03:32 this morning, awakened by both body and mind… It took me 3 hours to fall asleep again, while I lay on the lawn chair on our balcony, looking up at the stars until dawn, thinking about life and death. In the six years I have lived in Switzerland I have experienced… Continue reading Legacy of Shadows
Moving heaven and earth 3: Job and Virginia in Amatrice
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 29 August 2016 An earthquake, measuring 6.2, hit central Italy five days ago (24 August 2016) at 03:36:32. This quake resonates with me, not only because Canadians were among its victims, not only because the quake was felt in cities my wife and I have visited, and not only because of the massive destruction… Continue reading Moving heaven and earth 3: Job and Virginia in Amatrice
Moving heaven and earth 2: The weekend that wasn´t
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 27 August 2016 This was the town of Amatrice before 03:36:32, 24 August 2016. The town had few claims to fame before Wednesday morning: The museum of Nicola Filoteslo, Italian Renaissance painter and sculptor known for his work on frescoes and facades Above: Dormitio Virginis, Capitolini Museum, Roma Elio Augusto Di Carlo (1918 – 1998),… Continue reading Moving heaven and earth 2: The weekend that wasn´t
Moving heaven and earth 1: Amatrice no more
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 26 August 2016 The village of Amatrice is no more. The villages of Pescara del Tronto and Accumoli lie in ruins. An earthquake, measuring 6.2, hit central Italy two days ago (24 August 2016) at 03:36:32. Its epicentre was close to the town of Norcia, the birthplace of St. Benedict, 75 km (47… Continue reading Moving heaven and earth 1: Amatrice no more
Burkinis on the beach
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 25 August 2016 As I read the headlines of recent newspapers I can´t help but feel a sense of sadness about how much discussion can be generated over themes of relative unimportance while other themes that should be talked about are often marginalized and ignored. More headlines are devoted to athletes and Hollywood… Continue reading Burkinis on the beach
How to build a railroad
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 22 August 2016 As the few but faithful regular readers of this blog may recall, I am in a marriage wherein my wife is away four days out of seven working in Zürich bringing sick children there the love and professionalism by which she is already known in her particular circles. So, while… Continue reading How to build a railroad
The last ride of Vittorio Scarmaglia
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 20 August 2016 As I sit at my desk, up and about far too early on a Saturday morning, I am trying to recapture the enthusiasm and energy by which I am known both as an ESL teacher and a part-time Starbucks barrista for working later today. I will never claim to be… Continue reading The last ride of Vittorio Scarmaglia
Shining through
Landschlacht, Switzerland, 18 August 2016 As those who read this blog regularly know, I enjoy hiking in nature: fresh air, surprising encounters with flora and fauna, the solitude that allows me the freedom to simultaneously think as well as forget about the problems of Life for a while. But I have another addiction, another obsession,… Continue reading Shining through