The hour is drawing nigh here in Italy … girls and boys are dressing up and looking forward to a roaring “vigilia” (eve); a lot of them wearing red underwear for good luck and some of them already brandishing what will be very noisy New Year’s crackers (“i botti”) and/or fireworks that are so frowned upon because they can be dangerous and because they frighten dogs. I remember when my father and my uncle used to draw out a hunting gun (sorry, I can’t remember what brand it was) and shoot a few rounds after midnight (yes! from the balcony of an apartment in the middle of a town!) and we all thought this jolly good fun. All that incredible overwhelming display of emotion via boom boom boom extremely loud crack crack crack ta ta ta ta ta noise. There is something orgiastic about New Year’s eve and we shouldn’t pretend otherwise. The end (death) of one year and the birth of a new. Who can know what atavistic sentiments are at play in our consciousness, who can account for the effervesence of our hope that is yearly renewed on this occasion, why do we so blithely fall for the numeration of time as though time “existed” other than in the now?
Who cares!
Have fun everybody. Thank you for reading my posts and for commenting when you do, thank you for making me feel I am not the only one who is obsessed with the importance of (good) food … to the point that I have to write about it as well as cook and eat it! Only today I came across a quote of Rudyard Kipling’s which furthermore endorsed my blogging propensities:
“Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind.” (Speech, quoted in The Times (February 15, 1923).
I enjoy reading the “words” of many many fellow bloggers and confess to being an absolute word junkie. If words be the food of love, then, …. write on everyone, right on!
Happy New Year — sending you all happy thoughts and good wishes, and may pleasant surprises dot the backbone of your 2014!
These were last year’s fireworks overlooking Rome:
My Home Food That's Amore 
Lovely post Jo and a very happy new year to you and your family!!!
Great post, Happy New Year, look forward to your posts in 2014!
Happy New Year, Jo. I have tried to call a few times but no one was home. I will try and reach you tomorrow. Love, Sandy
Love the Kipling quote and your take on the Bard x HNY x
Reblogged this on Home Designs Master and commented:
To my friend Josephine, I will add my words. It is true, on De. 31 we celebrate the death of one year and the birth of a new one and we celebrate it with food. Food feeds the soul and brings people together. In this new year, please bring good food into your life and not diets, “good food to put you in the mood” as Josephine says. In this end of the year, don’t forget to wear something RED and to make a wish at midnight, it will be the one to come true. Thank you all for reading me and for sharing your life’s experiences with me. It’s a load of fun and learning. Happy New Year, wishing you all a splendid 2014.
A very happy and health New Year to you and your family, Jo!
Happy New Year Jo! 😀
Great quote from Kipling. Happy new year.