Mid-Week Musings

I'm making a few small changes to my blog. I am going to use Wednesday's post to feature things that have caught my attention and that I want to share with you. Sometimes it will be a story, another time it may be an observation or a link to another blog that has a special recipe or has something really interesting to report. I'll also be sharing utensils or appliances that make work in the kitchen easier or the finished result prettier to look at. The important thing for you to know is that whatever appears here on a Wednesday will not be a sponsored post, and if I'm sharing a book or a product it is because I want to, not because I'm being paid to do so. I have several interesting things I want to share with you tonight, among them a book review and two crafts that are perfect for the Easter holiday. Let's get started.

Bruno Cassini - A Florentine Tale

by

Rosalind Trotter

Every week I have the good fortune to join a group of writers for coffee, camaraderie and a discussion of craft and trade. One of our members, Rosalind Trotter, has published her first novel and I wanted to let you know about it. Like her title character, Bruno Cassini, Rosalind was raised in post war Florence, Italy. Bruno's story and the rich weaving of his dilemma are told with Florence as a backdrop. Those of you who are familiar with the city and its history, including the disastrous Arno River flood, will have a rush of déjà vu as you follow Bruno through the streets of Florence. Those who have never visited the city will be charmed by Trotter's descriptions of its streets and the people who populate them. The story, however, is much more than a travelogue. Bruno is the son of a philanderer who makes no attempt to hide his liaisons. Listening to other men in the family, who fault his father's behavior only for his lack of discretion, Bruno concludes that no damage would have been done if his mother did not know of the affairs. He promises himself that his wife will never experience his mother's pain and swears he will never be like his father. Bruno becomes a teacher, marries and has a child, but a chance encounter with a former American student leads to a passionate affair and a pregnancy, that causes him to re-evaluate the man he has become and the value he places on family and tradition. The role of women and the mores of American and Italian culture are also compared as the affair progresses. There are no great surprises in this book, but that makes for an easy and interesting read. Rosalind Trotter handles dialogue and plot progression well and I think you will enjoy her first book, Bruno Cassini. It can be found here, on Amazon.

Eggheads with Cress Hair

I found these darling "eggheads" at the Nurture Store and thought you might want to consider them for the Easter holiday. They are awfully cute and I wanted to share them with you. You can find instructions for making them, here.

How to Make Vibrantly Colored, Naturally

Dyed Easter Eggs

Holiday Project from the Kitchn

Instructions for these vibrantly colored eggs can be found, here. The dyes are made from food and spices that can be found in every kitchen. The vibrancy of the colors is amazing. Why not give it a try?

                    

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