ranelligregory

http://picasaweb.google.com/librarypictures1305/ItalianMonnoZappa#

2010-08-08T19:18:00.000-07:00

http://picasaweb.google.com/librarypictures1305/ItalianMonnoZappa# Genealogical photos We had our annual Italian family reunion today at the lake pavilion. Probably only 75 showed because of the heat, humidity and temperature of 96 degrees!!!! I made 2 large pans of eggplant parmesan, brought my computer for photo slideshow set up, brought 10 books of pictures from the six trips to Italy I have made, brought the entire family tree printed and mounted, especially their birth certificates, their marriage certificate, their naturalization certificate, the ship they were on and what port they disembarked, and store bought table top books on Portofino and the Italian Riviera, Cinque Terra (the 5 towns of Monterossa al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore. You can only access these five hill towns by water, train, or paying for walking between all of them. I spent 4 days there in 2006 with members of my Italian class. They are the most incredible places in Italy, including nearby Rapallo where we stayed when Gina's Mounds View orchestra performed in a 10 day tour of Tuscany. Jennie Ranelli went along, I chaperoned and Gina played her viola. She started playing in 4th grade. We stayed in Rappalo and took a ferry to Portofino. She played in the Cathedral of Vienna and we almost froze to death. It was spring break for them. Then they played in the best place, Cortona! It was less difficult to chaperone this group than when I did the same thing in the 5th grade. This same orchestra I chaperoned on a trip to Sea World and Disney World when they were 10 year olds, all 64 of them. We went to Cocoa Beach & Cape Canaveral, too. I told they to buddy up but Shruti M. had to go way out into the ocean by herself and I had to go in fully dressed to get her out. I gave her a 10 minute timeout on the beach and her parents came to our home and wanted an explanation. Obviously they didn't get the idea she could have come back in a body bag, or be lost forever in an undertow. Since all of our clothes were packed in the bus, I had to ride from Florida continuously back home to Minnesota in wet clothes. We had 2 bus drivers who traded off driving. This wonderful group of students performed on an outdoor stage next to the water. We stayed in Kissimee, Florida.

Going back to the 2006 trip, my Italian class spent 4 days in Venice. I stayed by myself on Giudecca (Jewish) Island, where the ghettoes were from WWII, in an ostello. My friends were in the high-rent district. I only had to pay 90 euros for 4 nights but I had to sleep on the top bunk with no ladder (I found a chair and used it to climb). It was like a youth hostel open all night. I had a locker for my backpack, breakfast was minimal. I would meet my friends every morning at the Piazza San Marco where they were staying in Venice, by the Doges' Palace. We also took the train to Padua to see the Giotto Chapel art and then to the St. Anthony, where the collonades with the long shadows were phenomenal.

Since I had left my classmates to travel with 2 friends from college who were going to their ancestral home and needed my help translating (Haha!) We went to the Casci home in Filecchio and stayed in nearby Barga. There Kent met his former math student from Hill-Murray High School eons ago. I had stopped because I heard someone speaking in English! None of the Casci's were home. My friends' luggage was almost stolen at the train station. It was being taken off the train by men (dressed in railroad uniforms) who were "trying" to help them and thankfully the real trains men caught the frauds in time. They were pretty shaken about that but by the time we met in Orvieto they were okay. Here we had been on the same train, in different cars, and I spotted them when they got off onto the platform. From there Rick Steeves gave us the idea to stay at Citta di Bagno Regio, a town of just a total of 12 people and no cars allowed. My friends had made reservations long in advance for 2 rooms. You had to haul yourself on a VERY LONG bridge. It looked like a part of the Great Wall of China. It was the most beautiful little town in the world, with only 3 rooms to rent, and the skeleton keys were the same for each room. It was the top of a mountain and very small, obviously, since there were only a few shops and a few homes. Every person seemed ancient and showed us their original winemaking equipment, etc from over a hundred years ago. Bed and breakfast was quaint and wonderful, with church bells chiming in the background.

I only wish I had some relatives to connect with my maternal side. They came from Ateleta, in L'Aquila. Nobody from this large family reunion knows anyone there either.

Some people at the reunion liked the style of photos I had taken: store window displays, open food markets, fish just being caught, nude beaches, bouganvilla falling from windows, green shuttered pink homes, unique doorways and unparalled stairwells, & people. The people watching is the best, the people are so warm if you try to speak Italian to them. The motorcycles are awesome and so are the mini cars. The flea markets are fun, too. I got a Versace scarf for my mom and a Mossino for myself. That was my only splurge, excluding the three week trip itself. I flew alone to Vienna. I

stayed with my cousin for two day until my Italian classmates arrived from Budapest, where their trip started. My cousins from North Oaks had just moved there for work. We went to a Strauss performance, the Royal Palace and its gardens, and then a playground where on child actually drives real excavation equipment and push dirt and trees around. Then we went to some kind of rope climbing equipment sports place where you have to be strapped in like a chair and travel all over the huge equipment. It was scary. After that we had real, Italian pizza.

I am an incredibly lucky person. Then I left the Teibel's and went to Avezzano where my father's extended family treated me like royalty. Gabriele Ciuti, author of La Presentosa, http://ilreporter.splinder.com/ hired an interpreter for the day, put me up at the Principe Torlonia Hotel, hosted a 7 course dinner for over 30 relatives for me at the Pinquino Village, and drove me to Sulmona to see my great Aunt Elsa Fallavolita, and then drove me to Rome to stay with my great Aunt Anna Sorci's grandchildren, Paolo, Erminia, Lavinia Pappa, also her sister, Simona, and husband Roberto Tomassini and daughter Alice.

MINNESOTA Markarita Mark Bicyclist (Twin Cities Bike Club and Arizona Bullshifters, Phoenix bike club)

2010-08-07T07:13:00.000-07:00

Left: Minnesota TCBC for Solvang, California week.

Next: Phoenix, Arizona Bullshifter's Bicycle Club.
Mark shredded $250 spandex bibs, scuffed his $500 new shoes, damaged his week old BRAND new $200 helmet, has to repair his California Triple Crown jersey. He tore up the whole left side and had to get 5 stitches in his LEFT index finger. Thank God he made it though again. He hit a pothole again, just like he did 4 weeks ago.He was on a 63 mile ride on a waterworks parkway near our house, the Lake Vadnais area near Sucker Lake. He is a cat with nine lives and I don't know which life he's on. His page is Mark Gregory on Facebook. Mark earned a California Triple Crown jersey in 2009 by completing three 200 mile races. He completed the Camino Real in Irvine, CA, the Solvang Double in Solvang, CA, and the Mulholland Double in Calabasas, CA. All 200 miles must meet check points and be completed in 17 consecutive hours. The last, MUHLHOLLAND DOUBLE (MEANING 200 MILES) was a 19 hour completion time to get credit. It had 16,000 vertical feet of climbing! He did it by himself and started at 5:00 AM and ended at 10:54 PM. He had to meet the 163 mile checkpoint by 14 hours into the ride to finish officially and get credit for the ride. HE DID IT! He does all this in the 4 months we spend in Arizona for the winter. The Bullshifters nicknamed him Markarita because they share a pitcher of margaritas after some of their rides. So far, Mark went down near Rice Street by our house and fractured 3 vertebrae in his neck and thoracic #9 was compressed. He doesn't remember anything. He was in the hospital for 6 days and in a body cast for 5 weeks until his smart friend brought over a recumbent bike on a trainer that he could ride in the house. That smart friend, Dave Cummings, started walking with him, got rid of the body cast, and literally saved Mark from weeks of rehabilitation, all without the doctor's permission. Dave knew that Mark's muscles would atrophy if he stayed in the body & neck cast. Mark previously had an articial aortic heart valve (St. Jude Medical's 19cm) implanted so he has to take a blood thinner (coumadin) and 81mg of aspirin daily for the rest of his life. If he even nicks himself with paper, it bleeds, because his blood is so thin. A Thai doctor, Dr. Kit Arom, who just died last week, said Mark's open heart surgery's chest scar was so small because his hand was so small and it is true, you can barely see the scar. You can hear it ticking if you listen carefully. Any bump or fall can cause internal bleeding, so when he broke his helmet on the Watermelon Ride fall (he was marking the trail by spraying red arrows with a template and the template went through his wheel). The doctors were concerned with the internal bleeding, espescially on the brain. It was a conflict between his heart doctor to keep him on the blood thinner and the other who was concerned about internal bleeding. Mark has also had a stroke at 8:00 AM in the morning at work and finished his mail carrier route and went to the hospital at 5:00 PM. He was there 5 days and recovered fully, only 1 out of 3 do, 1 dies and 1 usually has severe rehabilitation issues. Then there was the time he hit his head on the garbage container's lid that is not supposed to be move when the lid is open. He did and was hit by the lid through the baseball cap on his head and required 9 stitches in his head. He was bleeding like a pig and called me to take him to the emergency room. He had been cutting the grass. I was only 3 miles from home but the traffic on Highway 96 coming off Interstate 35E made it a 15 minute ride to get there. I thank God every day that we are able to grow old together and hope to live a long life like our parents, his mother, Sadie Gregory, died at 96 in 2006 being perfectly sane and my mom, Jennie Ranelli, is 90 years old.

On Facebook: Donna Gregory

2010-08-05T08:53:00.000-07:00

To understand the subtitle of my blog start with blog Wed, August 10th, 2005. My recent blog is a very religious metaphor about physical love. The Song of Songs, Old Testament Bible, probably wasn't written by Solomon and it is only 117 verses long but it makes very beautiful reading. Of course, the metaphors are biblical, but I believe anyone can enjoy it. I don't expect anyone to post comments. Only one person has ever done so in the past 5 years. I don't even check my own blog. The Porky's photo is on University Avenue in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and the reason it is my profile photo is because the reflection/shadow in the Porky's photo is the real me, a person with a "Hazy Identity" to quote my daughter and somewhat "camera shy" to quote someone else. Check out a blog, Abbey Road, by Terry Nelson for some cool stuff.

Solomon Song of Songs Bible Old Testament Catholic version

2010-08-04T04:41:00.000-07:00

The Song of Songs (Hebrew, שיר השירים, Shir ha-Shirim), is a book of the Hebrew Bible—one of the five megillot (scrolls)—found in the last section of the Tanakh, known as the Ketuvim (or "writings"). It is also known as the Song of Solomon,Solomon's Song of Songs, or as Canticles, the latter from the shortened and anglicized Vulgate title Canticum Canticorum(Latin, "Song of Songs").^[1] It is known as Āisma in the Septuagint, which is short for Āisma āismatōn (Greek, ᾌσμα ᾀσμάτων, "Song of Songs").^[2]

The protagonists of the Song of Songs are a woman (identified in one verse as "the Shulamite")^[3] and a man, and the poem suggests movement from courtship to consummation. For instance, the man proclaims: "As the lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters." The woman answers: "As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among thesons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste."^[4]^[5] Additionally, the Song includes a chorus, the "daughters of Jerusalem."

In spite of the lack of explicitly religious content, the Song is often interpreted as an allegorical representation of the relationship of God and Israel, or for Christians, God and the Church or Christ and the human soul, as husband and wife.

It is one of the shortest books in the Bible, consisting of only 117 verses. According to Ashkenazi Jewish tradition, it is read on the Sabbath that falls during the intermediate days of Passover. In the Sephardi community it is recited every Friday night.

Teaching

2010-08-04T04:29:00.000-07:00

Do not try to satisfy your vanity by teaching a great many things. Awaken people’s curiosity. It is enough to open minds, do not overload them. Put there just a spark. If there is some good inflammable stuff, it will catch fire." Anatole Franc (Barbara Quade Harick) Facebook quote

ranelligregory: Lino Rulli of “The Catholic Guy” broadcasts from Vatican Radio

2010-07-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

ranelligregory: Lino Rulli of “The Catholic Guy” broadcasts from Vatican Radio

Lino Rulli of “The Catholic Guy” broadcasts from Vatican Radio

2010-07-30T15:02:00.000-07:00

July 28, 2010. The first American radio show to broadcast a week's worth of programming from Vatican Radio has returned there for a third time.

Lino Rulli usually records his show “The Catholic Guy” in New York City. But he recently spent five days broadcasting from Rome with the same microphone used by John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

And for the first time 40 SIRIUS XM listeners accompanied the comedic host on a sold-out pilgrimage to Rome, Florence and Assisi.

Lino Rulli
“The Catholic Guy” host
“We thought it could be like a version practically of a reality show. Can we all survive this experience? And it was probably the best thing I've ever done in my entire career. ”

The radio host said he was glad to be a part of their lives and show them the history of the Church, and this time not just through the microphone.

With visits to the Vatican Museums, San Callisto Catacombs and the Holy Stairs, he had plenty of stories to share with his listeners.

After all, his life is the material for the show.

He says he discusses things most people can relate to but that might also keep them away from the Church. He talks about going to confession, going on dates, and juggling football games on Sundays.

Lino Rulli
“The Catholic Guy” host
“What I try to talk the most about at the show is being devout does not mean being boring. Being reverent at Mass doesn't mean being reverent at dinner. Being a devout Catholic who believes everything the Church teaches doesn't mean you aren't supposed to enjoy life.”

He says he wants to encourage people to go to Church, but he will not tell them to go. He says when people listen about a regular guy who goes to Church, they might decide on their own to go back to church.

“The Catholic Guy” host says it can be challenging to provide a funny and sometimes off-beat take on living out the faith because some people may think he is laughing at the Church. But he says he is laughing with the Church and that evangelization does not have to be boring.

Lino Rulli
“The Catholic Guy” host
“I really do believe laughter is the best because when you laugh your guard is brought down and when your guard is brought down you are more open to anything in life like the faith.”

Rulli says the pilgrimage in Italy has renewed his energy as a radio host because too often in media and as a Catholic one doesn't get a chance to interact with listeners. Rulli had 100 listeners on a waiting list for this pilgrimage, evidence that speaking about Catholicism can be entertaining.

Carnevale in Venezia, Martedi Grosso 2008

2008-02-04T00:01:00.000-08:00

Each of the Lagoon City's (Venice) boroughs will explore one of the five senses: San Polo will feature SIGHT; Cannaregio: TASTE; Santa Croce: SMELL; Doroduro: TOUCH; and CASTELLO: Sound. St. Mark's Square (Piazza San Marco) will celebrate the '6th' sense with a rave like celebration. Carnevale officially opens with the procession of the Marias and the flight of the dove, where a whiteclad woman is lowered 90 m from the top of the bell tower. A warehouse has been converted where absolute darkness will take place to heighten the other senses by "removing" sight.

Carnevale dates back to the 12th century but took a break of almost 200 years starting when Napoleon put an end to the Venetian Republic. It was revived in the 1970'sand attracts 80,000-100,000 visitors a day.

Its most distinctive feature is the famous Venetian white mask with a black cloak and a black tri corner hat. Masks are linked to the carnival because during the era of the republic it was one of the few periods when citizens could wear masks and it enabled people of different social classes to mingle and get into mischief without being recognized.

Carnevale, Martedi Grosso in Venezia

2008-02-03T23:58:00.000-08:00

Saint Paul Minnesota Winter Carnival 2008

2008-01-15T00:39:00.000-08:00

This is the 2005 replica of our State Capitol in Saint Paul, Minnesota

Gina and I carved "EskimoKiss:

AC Milan beats Minnesota Thunder in soccer 2-1 (June 23, 2007) at Wayzata HS

2007-06-23T21:49:00.000-07:00

AC Milan's team colors are black and red and numero 6 Ancellotti has been playing soccer (calcio) or European football for three generations. It was the perfect evening for a soccer game, a little too bright for photographing but the setting sun was waning red and lent a warm glow. Shooting at ASA 400 was not easy as I tried to keep the sun at my back. Carolina, Maria Pia and I, Donna Gina, were perched on the front rail, full of anticipation. It was electric. I was trying to format my new 4 Gig compact flash on my Nikon D70s. I had a 70-300 mm telephoto (really 450 mm in old film language) on the digital SLR. Thank God the man who was selling the Italian jerseys had the same camera and formatted the new media chip for me. He also ad his Mac laptop with and was ready to use that to format the chip.
We met many Italians and tried our second language on them. Alessandro's favorite number was 10, also. He was going to visit his father in Torino, where he was born. He is such a ham, but I worried about him getting lost in the crowd of 4,000. He had Juventus soccer stockings. I also met friends who knew Martin Lacey and had coached the English 13 and under boys team who won the 1995 Schwan's USA Cup at Blaine. Gina's 13 and under girls team won that year, too, but not in the USA Cup. Wayne had coached the same team when they were 15's and started naming the roster. He remembered Carl Adams and their family. I told them we had hosted them when they returned the following year, and that in 2000 Gina and I went to Bedfordshire and stayed with the Adams' family. It was the first time England had beaten Germany in 33 years and they said we had brought them good luck. Of course, Italy won the World Cup that year, too, with Alessandro Del Piero, # 10, scoring the winning goal!

Earlier this week we watched the professional cycling teams race a criterium around St. Paul's Mears Park and Ivan from Slovenia won. Friday night, Mama Jennie took Denise and I to Lily Tomlin at Orchestra Hall, but I watched 4 laps of the men's criterium again in Minneapolis. What a wonderful place to live, the arts and sports are alive and well in the Twin Cities! Lily went 2 hours straight, non stop, and was at her best, doing 2 Ernestines and a dark war monologue. She's the best! Thanks, Momma Mia Ranelli!

Porcelain Woman and Coyote Man, 2007 Mother's Day Prologue

2007-05-12T13:23:00.000-07:00

Porcelain and Coyote
(Mother’s Day Prologue)
13 May 2007

Chinese lions danced the day hazy identity met camera shy
Lionesses hunted, tenaciously protecting their pride
Urban beings sought caffeine at Minneapolis's Urban Bean
The lioness warily sniffed coyote man, alpha male?

Dark, brooding Othello loved the porcelain Desdemona
Mistrust blinded both he and the kingly Lear
Tortured by genetic demons

Coyote Man, Porcelain Woman, my daughter chose you
Caged birds cannot fly
Linear man quantifies everything trying to control his wild but virtuous woman
Wild woman loves linear man and knows that coyote and porcelain woman are savant

Bicycling Italian Style: Giro d' Italia, May 12-June 3, 2007 Ivan Basso removes himself because of Operacion Puerto scandal, Discovery Team USA's LOSS

2007-05-06T06:06:00.000-07:00

Arrividerci, Ivab Basso. We are very sorry to lose you. We will miss you. Buona fortuna con "Operacion Puerto." Welcome Yaroslav Popovych, a 27 year old Ukranian! Discovery's new team leader, "Popo," has completed 5 Grand Tours, including 3 Giro d' Italias and 2 Tour d' Frances.The Giro d' Italia (Tour of Italy) bicycle race is May 12th to June 3rd, 2007. The winner wears the Maglia Rosa, a pink jersey. The King of the Mountains wears the Maglia Verde, a green jersey, and the Sprinter jersey is determined by who gets the most points, not necessarily the winner of the stage, and that jersey is the Maglia Ciclomina, or the white jersey. Yaroslav will be moved to a higher position on the Discovery Team USA. As of yet there still is no sponsor!!!

Other great Italian bicyclists include Marco Pantani, Mario Cipollini, Paolo Bettini, and my favorite, Faustio Coppi.

Riders on the Discovery Team USA this year include leader, Yaroslav Popovych. Popovych will be joined by teammates: Volodomyr Bileka, Steve Cummings, Pavel Padrnos, Jose Luis "Chechu" Rubiera, Tomas Vaitkus, Brian Vandborg, Jurgen Van Goolen, and Matthew "Whitey" White.

Padre Pio, Santa Pasqua Recipes 2007

2007-04-03T12:13:00.000-07:00

Padre Pio is held in highest esteem by many Italians, especially now that he is a saint. He has the stigmata, the wounds of Christ. It surprised me to find this statue of him at the San Ines Mission in Solvang, California. He really travels! Some believe that he is a bilocutionary, that he can be in two places at the same time. I know that he was at the Cathedral of Saint Paul, Minnesota, when I was very young, probably about 1954. We have a rosary from that pilgrimage with him on it. This is Holy Week. My maternal grandfather was named Pasquale because he was born near Easter. We make special Easter recipes at this time of year: Easter bread and Easter pizza. Pizza Pasquale Rustica was a favorite. Grandpa Salvatore Ranelli made an open face, deep dish pizza in a 11" x 13" pan. The crude crust was made with eggs, flour and shortening. The filling included 2 lbs farmer's cheese, Parmesan or Romano, grated; 1 lb. Mozzarella cheese, shredded; 8 eggs, 1/2 cup diced pepperoni, 1/2 lb. cooked Italian sausage, salt, and freshly ground pepper. It was baked and served cold. Another recipe is for Easter bread: Easter Bread: 10 cups of flour, 1 dozen eggs, 1 cup margarine, 1 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup milk, 2 Tbsp salt, 1 yeast cake, lemon or orange rind. Knead, let rise and just before baking, paint with pastry brush with egg yolk and water. Scotzal is an Easter family favorite. Filling for Scotzal: 1/2 brick of cheese, dry grated (2 lb); 7 eggs; 1 lb dark raisins; 1 cup sugar; 1 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp mace; 1/2 tsp nutmeg; pinch of black pepper and pinch of salt. Mix together and let stand in refrigerator over night if you want to. It lets the raisins plump up, but it's not necessary. Sour Dough Crust: 5 1/2 cups flour; 1 1/2 tsp soda; 1 1/2 tsp cream of tartar; 1 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp nutmeg; 3 eggs; 1 cup sugar, 1 cup sour milk, use vinegar; 3 Tbsp melted shortening; Mix dry ingredients, beat eggs & sugar together, add milk & shortening, add to dry ingredients and knead. Scotzal looks like a filled, giant, rectangular ravioli with crust pressed together on three sides. The crust for scotzal is a sour dough, and it, too, is painted with egg yolk. This sour dough was also used for a braided pastry that had raw eggs placed in it that would bake along with the dough. Boys would get bird shaped baskets and girls would get a doll with 2 eggs, placed strategically for breasts. Cloves were used for eyes, and a little red food coloring for the mouth. The egg yolk would yield a beautiful glaze. We would make lots of small chicks and rabbits with cookie cutters. My all time Easter favorite is Ricotta Pizza Pie and the crust for ricotta pie is: 2 cups flour; 12 Tbsp butter or shortening; 4 egg yolks; 1/4 cup sugar; 3 Tbsp dry Marsala wine; 1 tsp freshly grated lemon peel; 1/2 tsp. salt Refrigerate for awhile after mixing. The filling includes 5 cups ricotta cheese (2 1/12 lb); 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup cooked rice, 1/2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tsp freshly grated orange or lemon peel, 4 egg yolks and 2 egg whites. This also was an open face pie, made only at Easter. I wonder if my Italian relatives recognize these recipes? Do they still make them? What are their recipes? How are they different? What do they call "scotzal?" I know these are from the Abruzzo region.

Armando from Avezzano in Abruzzo

2007-03-14T10:21:00.000-07:00

Abruzzo is my ancestral province, and home to L'Aquila, its local capital city. Other important cities are Avezzano, Paterno, Celano and Sulmona, confetti capital of the world. Nonno Salvatore Ranelli was born in Paterno di Celano, as I remember him telling me. He was so proud of his roots. He only passed on one name and address to me, that of his niece, Palmina Ulanio, whose address was in Paterno. Thankfully, Gabriele picked up on that and today I actually have contact with relatives who are descended from Giovanni Ranelli and Maria Trotta. Oh, how I wish I hade a photo of them, to see what they looked like. The cemetery in Paterno didn't yield any luck. Unbelievably, though, their descendents have voices that transcended the generations and their stories are priceless, more than diamonds or gold. Gabriele felt my heart crying out for some long, lost information on my family, where they came from, how they lived,what they did, and what they thought. He introduced me to Antonina, Giovanni, Gisella & Emmanuele, to LeTizia, Adelaide & Carlo. We visited il castello of Il Principe. Most important were the remains of the Statue of the Madonna, the Blessed Virgin Mary. In 1915 the area of Avezzano was leveled to ground zero by an earthquake, a terrible terremotto. The broken pieces of the column of the statue still remains. Was Great Nonna's spine broken, too? Figuratively and literally? She went to that statue and threw herself down where she drowned. Was it a canal, a lake? She had lost her husband, Giovanni, in a violent accident on the train tracks where he worked. She had many children, but why no hope? Suicide is a peaceful ending to their pain but the travesty it wreaks on those left behind is unmeasurable. Wasn't there something anyone could do to prevent it? It makes one tremendously guilty. Who raised the children? How many were there? What were there names? Why didn't my grandfather or Great Zio Riccardo ever tell any of us? It must be the stigma, too taboo to talk about it. Their children survived and are healthy, and beautiful, artistic and creative. Their blood runs in my veins and carries the same DNA. Ranelli is a beautiful name, uncommon in the United States, but alive in Italy, and it is Abruzzi. How soon will it be before I return? Thank you, Gabriele, Gisella, Armando & Valeria!

Civita di Bagno Regio, Italia

2007-03-13T11:26:00.000-07:00

After a train ride to Orvieto, you bus to Civita, an Etruscan city with only 15 aging inhabitants. You are entering a doorway to another way of life, after trudging uphill to get there. There are no cars and we were fortunate to have one of the only three rooms for the night. The skeleton keys for the doors were identical, but who cares? I know it's less than the Great Wall of China but it didn't seem so. Thanks, Rick Steves, for the tip.

Paolo Soleri: Charcoal Nude/Bronze Wedding Bell

2007-03-13T11:07:00.000-07:00

Paolo Soleri, b. June 21, 1920,is a visionary architect who lectures at his "School of Thought" at Arcosanti 65 miles north of Phoenix, Arizona. American Frank Lloyd Wright was a contemporary of his, at Taliesin West. Accessing his city in the desert at night without a flashlight was adventurous. We were able to watch a bronze pour where the famous bells and chimes are made of molten fire. That is his modern wedding bell chime with the green patina. If you model for him, he will give you one of the charcoal sketches. I told him that he was lucky I didn't volunteer so, of course, it is not I. He also stipulates a specific age group into which I do not fit. This discourse was in Italian but he joked back that he was glad I wouldn't volunteer! Met his beautiful sister in law, the artist Maria Soleri who was getting ready for her upcoming exhibit. Thanks for the polenta! See you at Cosanti in Paradise Valley, Arizona.

Solvang, California 2007

2007-03-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

Solvang, California, is a Danish community, 35 miles north of Santa Barbara near the Pacific Ocean in the Santa Inez valley. Locals claim the temperature is the most ideal in the world. It is supposed to be springtime but the budding flowers suggest the scent of summer. They tell me it is inordinately warm, another global warning sign, perhaps? Protesters in Denmark have graffitied the "Little Mermaid" pink, student activists protesting the removal of many freedoms. Unlike Solvang where almost everyone seems happy, especially the 5,000 bikers who just finished the Solvang Century. Mark will be bicycling the Solvang Double Century (200 miles) soon. He is warming up with his Twin Cities Bike Club for the week, after January's Marble Fall, Texas, rides and February's Scottsdale, Arizona, rides. The local Phoenix Bullshifters Club would like him to move south permamently, as they have adopted him.

Salvatore Ranelli b. 1889, Abruzzo (AQ) Paterno di Celano,

2006-10-29T07:00:00.000-08:00

Nonno Salvatore had ???? brothers and ??? sisters from Celano. He was the son of Giovanni Ranelli and Lucia Trotta. Their children:
1. Onofrio ?
2. Agnese ?
3. Lucia ?
4. Palmina ? (maybe a niece, not a sister, who are her parents?
5. Vincenzo
6. Domenico
7. Giovanni ?
8. Carmenuccio
9. Maria married Ciutti, daughter Antonina Ciutti, son Gabriele; 10. Domenica
11. Guerrino married Giuseppina Muccio. Their children are Marisa married Elvio Marziale daughter Valeria who married Mario ?;
12. Giovanna ?
13. Elvira ?
14. Crocifissa
15. Riccardo married Sofia Mastrozci and had no children,
16. Salvatore married Concettina Di Nino and had three children;
17. Nicolina ?
18. Luisetta ?

Salvatore Ranelli first came to the United States on April 5, 1911, on the ship Principe di Piemonte out of Naples (Compania). He was 20 years old. He fought for the United States in World War I in France on the Meusse-Argonne front, capturing German soldiers, prisoners of war. He went back to Italy to find a wife at age 31. he married Concettina Di Nino from Corfinio who was 18 years old in the Chiesa di San Pelino, Corfinio. He returned on the ship Presidente Wilson, March 27, 1921, from Naples. He worked in the mines in northern Minnesota, and as a laborer for the St. Paul Water Department. He had 3 children. He is buried in Fort Snelling National Cemetery. His son, Mario, brought Salvatore and Concettina to Italy in the 1970's.

Salvatore's brother, Riccardo, lived around the corner from him on Fred Street. Riccardo fought for Italy in World War I and married Sofia Mastroci. They had no children. Riccardo and Sofia are buried in Calvary Cemetery with flat stones on the side of a hill. Riccardo worked for the railroad. Sofia died first and Riccardo spent the last years of his life at a nursing home. We visited him frequently and brought spaghetti and meatballs to him.

I would appreciate any e-mail addresses, and correct this information.
Donna Ranelli Gregory
317 Oakwood Terrace
Vadnais Heights, Minnesota 55127 USA
ranelligregory@mac.com
Donna.gregory@spps.org

Saint Paul, Minnesota USA
http://donnagregory.blogspot.com
http://homepage.mac.com/ranelligregory

Antonio DiNino lived in Corfinio, L’Aquila (AQ) in Abruzzo and married Maria Di Clemente from Roccacasale. They had 7 children:
1. Rizier Di Nino (Chicago, Illinois USA) one son, Felice Ferzocco (Bianca Di Marzio) one daughter, JoAnne (David) Preng, Sugarland, Texas, USA

2. Anna (Sorci, Roma) children Giovanna (Paolo Pappa & Erminia) 2 daughters: Lavinia Pappa and Simona (Roberto Tomassini) daughter Alice Tomassini, Roma

3. Domenica “Fragoletta” married (Atilio Ciaralli) 2 children: Maria, (Concezio Antonucci) and Onelia (Tony Paschetta) children Nicolo, & Alessia, Richmond Hill, Toronto, Canada;

4. Concettina Di Nino married (Salvatore Ranelli), Celano, Saint Paul, Minnesota USA) and had 3 children: Mario & Jennie Monno Ranelli, Lucia Ranelli & (Robert Carchasky) 2 children, twins, Lori Jean & Mark Carchasky. Lori married and divorced Larry Anderson and has 2 daughters, Angela (John Fox) and Ashley Anderson. John Ranelli (never married and no children.) John was was learning disabled and had diabetes. he never learned to read. John died March 3, 2004.

5. Lina Di Nino never married and had no children., Corfinio, 6.Elsa has diabetes, married (Vincenzo Fallavollita) Corfinio, and had 2 children, Lucianna, a hairdresser who married Giorgio Bartolucci, and had 2 sons, Mimmo (Daniela), son Giorgio II, 4 months, and Anna Maria who married Gaetano and has 2 daughters. They live in Sulmona.

7. Mario married Clara, and has 2 daughters Mimma who married Antonio Gerardi, children Francesco, 22 years, Giulia in Salerno; and Enza, who lives in Salerno & has a son Ottavio; Mario was a carabiniere and has diabetes. He is 86 years old. Their mother was Carmela Guzza & their father was Antonio Di Nino. Antonio’s first wife had died and he had 3 more children.

These are my relatives. Antonio Di Nino & Carmela Guzza are buried in the Corfinio cemetery. Nonna Concettina was married in the Chiesa di San Pellino at age 18 and went to America in 1921. Salvatore was 27 years old and had left Italy the first time in 1911. He fought in World War I for the United States. He was told not to marry Concettina because of her disposition but to marry one of the other sisters.

Abruzzo (AQ) Family Tree: Ranelli, Di Nino, Di Clemente, Ciaralli, Fallavollita,

2006-10-29T06:04:00.000-08:00

Di Nino & Di Clemente Family Tree
The descendants of Antonio Di Nino & Maria Di Clemente
Antonio Di Nino, Abruzzo (AQ)
Antonio’s sister was Mariucci Di Nino. His brother was Alessandro Di Nino whose wife was Christina.
b. March 4, 1876 Corfinio, Abruzzo (AQ) L’Aquila, Italy
d. March 10, 1960 buried in Corfinio AQ Italy
m. Maria Di Clemente first, then Carmela Guzzo
Maria Di Clemente’s father was Francesco Di Clemente. His brother was Nazarino Di Clemente whose wife was Giovanella. Antonio’s stepsister was Elisabetta from Roccacasale. Maria’s mother was Rosalina.
b. Roccacasale, AQ Italy
Children:

1. Rizier Di Nino Chicago, Illinois
m. Conzilia Ferzocco with son Felice
Children:
1. Tony (Antonio)
d. February 1998
m. Theresa
2. Guido Di Nino
m. Gina
Children:
1. Esther
2. John
d. Dec 1999
Children:
1. Felice Ferzocco Chicago, Illinois
m. Bianca Di Marzio, Sulmona
1. Joanne Ferzocco
m. David Preng Sugarland, Texas
Children:
1. Mark
2. Laura
3. Christopher
m. Rae (Sugarland, Texas)

2. (Fragoletta) Domenica Di Nino Corfinio, Italy
m. Attilio Ciaralli
Children:
1. Vittoria Ciaralli Montreal, Canada
2. Patricia Ciaralli
3. Onelia Ciaralli Toronto, Canada
m. Tony Paschetta
Children:
1. Nick Paschetta
m. 2000
2. Alessia Paschetta
m. 2000
4. Nerino Ciaralli, Rome, Italy
m. Maria Rosa
Children:
1. Manuela
2. Donatella
d. Nerino died
5. Maria Ciaralli Toronto, Ontario, Canada
m. Conzezio Antonucci
1. Paola
2.
6. Fulvio Ciaralli, Corfinio, Italy
m. Anna
Children:
1.Gianni
m. 2000
7. Enzo Ciaralli, Australia
m. Dora
Children;
1. Marina
2. Attilio
3. Gerry
4. Daniela
5. Jim
6. Loreta

3. Anna Di Nino
m. Sorci
Children:
1. Giovanna deceased
Children:
Paolo Pappa Rome, Italy
m. Erminia
Children:
1. Lavinia Pappa
2. Simona Pappa Rome, Italy
m. Roberto Tomassini
Children:
1.Alice 2004
2. Umbaldi Sorci Bergamo, Italy

4. Concettina Di Nino
Concettina (Italian translation: little shell) came to America at the age of eighteen. She married Salvatore Ranelli at the Chiesa San Pellino in Corfinio. They lived at 24 Lake Phalen Creek, Swede Hollow, St. Paul, Minnesota where Mario and Lucy were born. Moved to 693 Bedford Street, St. Paul, MN 55101: 1-651-776-2293 John was born
b. January 16, 1903 Corfinio, L’Aquila, Italy
d. March 31, 1996 St. Paul, MN buried at Fort Snelling
m. 1921 Salvatore Ranelli in Corfinio, Italy WWI Meusse-Argonne Front,
Salvatore Ranelli, from Celano, Italy, arrived on April 5, 1911 on the ship Principe di Piemonte, which left from Naples, Compania, Italy. He was 20 years old.
Salvatore Ranelli became Sam Ranelli, U.S. citizen, and returned to Italy to marry Concettina Ranelli, who became a U.S. citizen by marriage. On March 27, 1921, they arrived on the ship Presidente Wilson from Naples, Compania, Italy. He was 31 years old and she was 18.
d. June 21, 1985 buried at Fort Snelling, Mpls, MN
Children:
1. Mario John Ranelli I
b. January 18, 1922
d. October 26, 1997 buried at Fort Snelling National National Cemetery, WWII Army Air Corps, St. Paul Water Department, 35 years, senior foreman, 1940 Johnson HS
m. June 1, 1946 Jennie Angeline Monno, 35 years Taystee Bakery
b. February 12, 1920, Cumberland, WI
Children:
1. Donna Jean Marie Ranelli Gregory, Johnson HS 1967, BA 1970 College of St. Catherine StudioArt, English, Coaching, MA 1995 University of St. Thomas, Educational Technology 35 years St. Paul Public Schools: Washington High School, Como Park HS art, English, teacher, varsity volleyball coach
b. February 9, 1949, St. Paul, St. Joseph's Hospital
m. July 31, 1970 Mark La Clair Gregory, Cretin HS 1964, BA 1968 College of St. Thomas Accounting, US govt. mailman, 30 years, avid bicyclist
b. June 21, 1946
Children:
1. Gina Ranelli Gregory, Mounds View HS 2000,BA 2004 Studio Arts College of St. Catherine, photographer
b. June 26, 1982 St. Paul Ramsey Hospital
m. Ralph Leigh Pennel, b.2/4/1971 Manhattan, Kansas, creative writer, English professor
BA Knox College, MA Hamline University
2. Mario John Ranelli II, Johnson HS 1969, graphic artist St. Paul Technical College 1970
b. January 22, 1951 St. Paul, MN
d. December 12, 1971 buried at Fort Snelling National Military Cemetery (carbon monoxide)
3. Geno Samuel Ranelli, Johnson HS 1969
b. January 22, 1951 St. Paul, MN
d. missing since May 20, 1977, declared legally dead, enlisted US Navy 1969-1971 Eye, Ears, Nose and Throat Specialist, St. Albans Naval Hospital, New York, NY
4. Denise Marie Ranelli, Johnson HS 1976, attended U of MN, Horst Aveda 1977 hairdresser
b. June 1, 1958 Cumberland, Wisconsin
m. September 30, 1988 Michael John Lynch, Johnson HS 1975 Hunt & 3M electrician
b. May 21, 1957
Children:
1.Kyle Mario Ranelli Lynch
b. May 26, 1991
2.Maria Ranelli Lynch
b. July 3, 1994
2. Lucy Ranelli
b. August 18, 1924 #24 Phalen Creek, Swede Hollow, St. Paul, MN
m. Robert Carchasky, Burlington Northern Railroad
b. August 9, 1923 Chaska, MN
d. November, 2 1999 buried at Fort Snelling
Children:
1. Lori Jean Carchasky, Johnson HS 1978
b. January 28, 1960
m. April 24, 19 divorced: September 16, 1987 Laird Anderson
b. March 2, 1957
Children:
1. Angela Marie Anderson, Johnson HS 2000 working on pharmacy degree
b. September 27, 1982
m. John Fox, 8/19/2006 electrician
2. Ashley Anderson, Johnson HS 2005
b. February 12, 1987
2. Mark Carchasky, Johnson HS 1978, self employed
b. January 28, 1960
m. September 19, Beth, divorced
b. October 23, 1962
Beth's Child:
1. Crystal Jensen
b. October 14, 1983

3. John Ranelli, Northern States Power 35 years, street laborer
b. January 15, 1932 St. Paul, MN
d. March 3, 2004 St. Paul, MN Forest Lawn Cemetery

Antonio DiNino
m. Carmela Guzzo (1 st wife Maria Di Clemente died)
Children:
5. Mario Di Nino, Salerno, carabiniere
b. 1920
m. Clara
Children:
1. Mimma Di Nino Salerno, Italy
Children:
1. Francesco
b. 1984
m. Antonio Gerardi
Children:
1. Giulia Gerardi
b. Agosto, 2000
2. Ensa Di Nino Salerno, Italy, professoressa
Children:
1. Ottavio

6. Elsa Di Nino
m. Vincenzo Fallavollita
Children:
1. Luciana Fallavolita Sulmona, AQ Italy hairdresser
m. Giorgio Bartolucci
Children:
1.Mimmo
m. Daniela,
Children
1.Giorgio Bartolucci II
b. 2006
2. Vincenzo (Fiat factory)
b. 1976
2.Anna Maria Fallavolita Sulmona, AQ Italy
m. Gaetano Di Jorio
Children:
1. Lisa Di Jorio
2. Luanna Di Jorio

7.Lina Di Nino Corfinio, AQ Italy
b. Corfinio, L’Aquila, Italy
d. buried in Corfinio; never married

Family Tree: Monno,Zappa,Ranelli,Ricci,Ranallo,Romana,Manna

2006-10-29T05:25:00.000-08:00

Pasquale Monno
The descendants of Mary Romana and Antonio Manna
Mary Romana
Born: 1835 Sicily, Italy
Died: 1922 Sicily, Italy
Married: Antonio Manna
Born: 1835 Santa Lucia Del Mela, Sicily, Italy
Died: 1923 Santa Lucia Del Mela, Sicily, Italy

They had 2 children:
1. Caterina Manna who married Domenico Salvadore.
2. Pasquale Manna

Pasquale Manna became Pasquale (Patsy) Monno in America
b. April 20, 1881 Santa Lucia Del Mela, Sicily, Italy
d. February 15, 1973 (92 years) Cumberland, Wisconsin
m. November 16, 1911 Cumberland, Wisconsin, age 30.

Pasquale had worked about 5 years for the railroad and earned enough money to return to Sicily to marry a girlfriend but a cousin brought him to Cumberland where he married Jennie. He continued to work on the railroad and came home weekends. Jennie’s family decided to make a farmer out of him. In order to marry Jennie, he must farm.

Jennie Angela Zappa was the daughter of Giacomo Zappa and Elisabetta Ricci. Jennie was the 1st of 11 children and arrived in America at age 3 months on April 20, 1890 on a vessel from Naples called Leelibera. Her brother Frank was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The rest were born in Cumberland. Jennie Zappa:
b. December 25, 1889 Ateleta, L’Aquila, Italy
d. April 26, 1960 Cumberland, Wisconsin
m. November 16, 1911 Cumberland, Wisconsin, USA

They farmed and had 15 children in Cumberland, Wisconsin. They are buried in St. Anthony the Abbott Church Cemetery in Cumberland under the name Pasquale and Jennie Monno. A baby daughter, Maria, is also buried there.

The Monno family had 15 children, 45 grandchildren, 70 great grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren as of June 26, 2001. Please make corrections, additions and send to ranelligregory@mac.com or dgregory_vb@hotmail.com
The fifteen children of Pasquale and Jennie Monno and their descendants are:

1. Anthony Francis Manno
b. August 19, 1912
d. November 6, 1988
m. July 27, 1935 (Elfrieda Veronica Butt) b. August 29, 1915
Scottsdale, Arizona (Emphysema)
Children:
1. Jo Ann Marie Manno
b. October 13, 1943 (adopted from maternal brother George Butt)
Children:
Richard Anthony Manno b. May 25,1969
Children 1.

2. James Monna
b. September 26, 1913
m. June 17, 1929 (Annette Serchia) b. February 9, 1917
d. June 2002
Children:
1. Eugene Monna
b. August 26, 1946
m. Sherry Louise Robole (divorced) 1994

3. Joseph John Monno
b. November 29, 1914
d. August 28, 1990 heart
m. May 9, 1942 (Georgina Antoinette Policano)
b. February 22, 1917
Children:
1. Joseph Patrick Monno
b. February 8, 1944
m. October 14, 1975 (Pamela Schneider) b. December 26, 1950
2. Joanne Mary Monno
b. May 4, 1946
m. May 7, 1966 (Louis Joseph Vetter) b. July 12, 944
Children:
1. Christopher Joseph Vetter
b. May 20, 1968
m. February 1, 1922 (Julie Lundquist) b.
divorced
2. Rachel Joanne Vetter
b. July 3, 1976
3. Judith Jane Monno
b. January 14, 1952
4. John Michael Monno
b. November 27, 1953
m. September 3, 1982 (Suzanne Benak) b. April 3, 1955

4. Maria Monno
b. May 16, 1916
d. May 16, 1916

5. Raymond H. Monno
b. August 15, 1917
m. June 29, 1957 (Maxine
d.
Children:
1. Mark Steven Monno
b. June 4, 1958
m. Thelma
Children:
1. Melisa
2. Charelynn
2. Karen Marie Monno
b. January 31, 1961
m. Jim Lockwood
3. Michelle Rene’ Monno
b. January 29, 1965

6. Mary Elizabeth Monno
b. August 21, 1918
m. October 14, 1939 (Anthony Ralph Zappa) b. November 15, 1915
Children:
1. Joyce Jane Zappa
b. December 1, 1942
m. June 10, 1967 (George Robert Baribeau) b. February 22, 1943 d. August 31, 2000 heart
Children:
1. Mark Anthony Baribeau
b. January 7, 1968
2. Gregory Allen Baribeau
b. September 22, 1970
m. Heidi Ann Heselbarth Aug 11, 2000
3. Chad Michael Baribeau
b. June 25, 1973
m. Tammy
Children:
1.
4. Kevin David Baribeau
b. May 17, 1976
m. Brenda Shaw May 22, 1999
Children:
1.Logan David Baribeau
b. Dec 25, 2000
2. Dennis Anthony Zappa
b. March 26, 1947
m. July 20, 1968 Linda Wadell Hanson divorced 1988
Children:
1. Kristi Louise Zappa
b. February 3, 1969
& Kenneth A. Behrens b. June 12, 1966
& Jacob Michael Meyer b. February 6, 1991
m. Todd Lawrence Bjorlin February 18, 2000 b. October 8, 1965
Children:
1. Joshua Anthony Zappa-Behrens
b. July 6, 1989
2. Jacob Michael Meyer Zappa
b. February 6, 1991
3. Olivia Zappa
2. Anthony James Zappa
b. August 10, 1972
m.
3. Gina Marie Zappa
b. November 2, 1973

7. Jennie Angela Monno
b. February 12, 1920
m. June 1, 1946 (Mario John Ranelli I) b. January 18, 1922
d. October 26, 1997 (multiple myeloma cancer)
Children:
1. Donna Jean Ranelli
b. February 9, 1949
m. July 31, 1970 (Mark La Clair Gregory) b. June 21, 1946
Children:
1. Gina Ranelli Gregory
b. June 26, 1982
m. Ralph Leigh Pennel b. 2/09/1971 married September 15, 2006
2. Mario John Ranelli, II
b. January 22, 1951
d. December 12, 1971 (carbon monoxide poisoning)
3. Geno Samuel Ranelli
b. January 22, 1951
d. missing May 20, 1977, declared legally dead
4. Denise Marie Ranelli
b. June 1, 1958 Cumberland, WI
m. September 20, 1988 (Michael John Lynch) b. May 21, 1957
Children:
1. Kyle Mario Ranelli Lynch
b. May 26, 1991
2. Maria Ranelli Lynch
b. July 3, 1994

8. Elizabeth Marguerite Monno
b. December 18, 1921
m. July 25, 1949 (Herbert Herman Korf) b. July 12, 1926
d. Herb Korf March 1, 1999
Children:
1. Patricia Josephine Korf
b. March 29, 1950
m. October 17, 1975 (James Randall Benham) b. July 2, 1949
Children:
1. Nicholas Korf Benham
b. January 23, 1981
m. Nicole Auguston June 10, 2006
2. Rachel Tajin Benham
b. September 21, 1982.
m. Matt Seebold August 19, 2006
3. Chiara Lee Elizabeth Benjam
b. March 19, 1985
4. Nathan Travis Benham
b. August 25, 1987
5. Alexandria Su Shi Benham
b. May 16,1996 Chengdu, China (adopted)
6. Alia Xia Feng Benham (adopted)
b. April 30, 1998 Jiangxi, China
2. Marlene Mary Korf
b. May 25, 1951
m. July 21, 1973 (Michael Thomas Husen) b. November 14, 1947 d. October 13, 1988
Children:
1. Kathryn Elizabeth Husen
b. February 18, 1976
m. June 15, 2001 (Todd Burgess) b.
Children:
1.
divorced
2. Damien George Husen
b. April 7, 1977
engaged
3. Maggie Ann Husen
b. March 5, 1979
married
4. Michael Dominic Husen
b. October 24, 1980
married, divorced
3. Robert Allen Korf
b. August 23, 1952
m. May 4, 1974 (Mary Jane Cotter) b. January 24, 1954
divorced April 1993
4. Deborah Ann Korf
b. April 27, 1954
m. July 3, 1986 (Gene Smeed) b. July 12, 1954
Children:
1. Donald Smeed
b. September 12, 1978
2. Danielle Deborah Smeed
b. January 4, 1990
3. Sean David Smeed
b. March 23, 1992
5. De Wayne Michael Korf
b. August 6, 1955
m. August 9, 1980 (Mary Ann Tschida) b. June 30, 1953
Children:
1. Tiffany Nicole Korf
b. April 27, 1982
2.Jacob Allen Korf
b. June 2, 1986
3.Jessica Marie Korf
b. December 13, 1989
6. Therese Marie Korf
b. March 18, 1957
m. August 8, 1986 (Tyler Stefan Hahn) b. November 21, 1958
Children:
1. Jordan Alexander Hahn
b. January 2, 1987
2. Laura Elizabeth Hahn
b. September 16, 1988
3. Tanner Stefan Hahn
b. June 6, 1990
4. Austin Michael Hahn
b. December 17, 1993
7. Gina Marie Korf
b. March 31, 1958
m. August 21, 1987 (Charles Francis Mosier) b. September 7, 1961
Children:
1. Elizabeth Mary Mosier
b. August 18, 1989
2.Brendan Charles Mosier
b. February 16, 1992.
3.Joseph Mosier
b. 1997
8. Timothy Anthony Korf
b. July 31, 1959
m. October 8, 1983 (Rebecca Grace Turner) b. August 21, 1961
Children:
1. Joshua Matthew Korf
b. July 4, 1984
2. Daniel Edward Korf
b. March 7, 1986
3. James Anthony Korf
b. September 24, 1988
4. Janelle Marie Korf
b. January 1, 1994
9. Angela Lisa Korf (Downs Syndrome)
b. March 17, 1961

9. Anne Laura Monno
b. January 27, 1923
m. September 6, 1947 (Herby Byron Brusletten)
b. March 10, 1917
d. May 25, 1994
Children:
1. Diane Marie Brusletten
b. June 28, 1948
m. August 17, 1974 (William Arthur Kelly) b. December 3, 1944
2. Gregory Louis Brusletten
b. November 29, 1949
m. March 18, 1972 (Judy Rae) b. September 9, 1951
Children:
1. Anthony Louis Brusletten
b. August 17, 1972
Children:
1. Spencer
b. 2000
2. Holly Rae Brusletten
b. December 30, 1974
m. Scott Kjeseth
Children:
1. Bergen Kjeseth
b. 2000
3. Gerald Patrick Brusletten
b. November 29, 1949
m. May 26, 1984 (Julie Anne) b. July 11, 1961 d.
Children:
1. Michael Allen Brusletten
b. June 15, 1987
2. Becky Lynn Brusletten
b. May 17, 1989
4. Ronald James Brusletten
b. September 13, 1954
m. Nancy
died
Children:
1. Luke
b.
2. Matthew
b.
3.Cameron Dean
b.
5. Bonnie Jo Brusletten
b. March 20, 1956
m. July 10, 1982 (Michael James Jackelen) b. January 21, 1955
6. Julie Ann Brusletten
b. May 29, 1958
m. September 10, 1983 (Daryl Leonard Iverson) b. October 22, 1958
Children:
1.Amanda Jo Iverson
b. October 29, 1985
Children:
1.
2. Sherrie Ann Iverson
b. November 16, 1988
3. Darren Thomas Iverson
b. February 10, 1992
7. Lori Beth Brusletten (twin)
b. September 12, 1961
m. September 6, 1986 (Rodney Jay Olson) b. November 10, 1959
8. Lorne Byron Brusletten (twin)
b. September 12, 1961
m. June 11, 1988 (Mary Sue b. May 6, 1962 d.2003
Children:
1. Elliott Byron Brusletten
b. December 9, 1989
2. Courteney Sue Brusletten
b. December 18, 1991
3. Huston Garret Brusletten
b. January 28, 1994

10. Lucy Rose Monno
b. September 11, 1925
m. June 22, 1946 (Richard Phillip Kaiser) b. July 24, 1924
Children
1. Nancy Edna Kaiser
b. February 15, 1949
m. Jay Erdman, divorced
m. Michael Morning d. August, 1975 heart
Children:
1. Michael Morning
b. August 21, 1975
m. September 17, 1983 (Rykart John Sharpe) b. August 16, 1958
Children:
1. Alexander J. Sharpe
b. August 17, 1985
2. Nikole M. Sharpe
b. June 30, 1989 (Korea)
2. Richard Patrick Kaiser
b. December 15, 1950
m. September 12, 1981 (Catherine Jones) b. April 1, 1949
Children:
1. Matthew R. Kaiser
b. September 14, 1986
2. Elliott Jay Kaiser
b. May 16, 1989
3. Robert Michael Kaiser
b. June 4, 1956
m. July 23, 1977 (Ruth Helen Ebert) b. April 4, 1955
Children:
1. Therese R. Kaiser
b. October 28, 1982
2. Geoffrey A. Kaiser
b. October 1, 1984
3. Sarah Kaiser
b. January 1, 1987
4. Brianna J. Kaiser
b. October 30, 1988
4. Jennifer Susan Kaiser
b.
m. Bradley F. Mitchell
Children:
5. Mary Annette Kaiser
b. August 27, 1958
m. June 12, 1982 (Michael Cooper) b. July 20, 1958
Children:
1. Allison Marie Cooper
b. May 10, 1985
2. Andrea Rae Cooper
b. May 23, 1987
3. Jesse Michael Cooper
b. August 30, 1990

11. Patsy Albert Monno
b. April 1, 1927
m. October 24, 1953 (Janet Susan Evelyn Silampa) b. June 20, 1934

12. Josephine Monno
b. March 15, 1928
m. June 9, 1956 (Jack Malcolm Calder) b. December 12, 1922 d.
Children:
1. James Scot Calder
b. April 26, 1957
m. Melissa
Children:
1.
2. Jeffrey Mark Calder
b. December 26, 1959
m. May 7, 1988 ( Jeanne b.
Children:
1. Jennifer Calder
b. November 22, 1989
2. Ellen Calder
b. June 18, 1993
3. Jon Stuart Calder
b. September 18, 1961
m. July 3, 1992 divorced Ansula Liu b. January 4, 1959

13. Cecelia Adeline Monno
b. September 1, 1929
m. July 17, 1954 (Edward Sikorski) b. December 27, 1928
Children:
1. Mary Angela Sikorski
b. May 17, 1957
m. November 24, 1979 (Neil Nelson) b.
2. Diane Marie Sikorski
b. September 11, 1960
Children:
1.Hannah Chun Sikorski (adopted)
b. 2000 China
2. adopted ?

14. Samuel Riley Monno
b. February 3, 1931
d. January 21, 1989 (heart)
m. July 30, 1966 (Carol Jean Everson) Carol died
Children:
1. Steven Allen Monno
b. August 25, 1967
2. Cynthia Ann Monno
b. May 28, 1969
m. June 1, 1991 (Gregory Keith McMurray) b. January 12,
1967
Children:
1. Taylor Dillon Mc Murray
b. October 18, 1992
2. Alec Riley Mc Murray
b. May 21, 1996
3. Bryan Lee Monno
b. February 23, 1973

15. John Julius Monno
b. June 2, 1933
d. January 27, 1994 Down’s Syndrome

Pasquale Monno had only 1 sister. She is buried in Sicily.
These are her descendants:
1. Caterina Manna
m. Domenico Salvadore I
Children:
1. Domenico Salvadore II
m. (Franca) b.
Children:
1. Caterina Salvadore
m. (Antonio)
Children:
1. Nico (Domenico Salvadore V)
2. Baby
2. Domenico Salvadore II
m. (Giulia)
Children:
1. Domenico Salvadore
2. Joseph Salvadore
Children:
1. Michele Salvadore (Mike)

3. Joann Salvadore
m. (Lumbaca) Columbus, Ohio
Children:
1. Alessandro Lumbaca

4. Venera Salvadore
m. (Frank Coppolino)
Children:
1.

Jennie A Zappa
The Descendants of Jennie Angela Zappa

Francisco Zappa
b.
d. September 7, 1910
m. Francesca Ranallo d. May 8, 1908 in Cumberland, Wisconsin
Children:
1. Giacomo Zappa
2. Rosai Zappa
3. Sabatino Zappa
4. Joseph Zappa
5. Benito Zappa
6. Anthony Zappa
7. Angeline Zappa
8. Victoria Zappa
9. May Zappa

Francesca Ranallo’s father was Sabatino Ranallo. Her mother was Giovanna
Francisco Zappa’s father was Angelantonio Zappa and his mother was Lucia.

Giacomo Zappa was the oldest of 9 children born to Francesca and Francisco Zappa. He is buried in Cumberland at St. Anthony the Abbott Church near the former Monno farm.

Giacomo Zappa
b. December 23, 1863 in Ateleta, Abruzzo, Italy
d. November 29, 1938 in Cumberland, Wisconsin
m. February 21, 1889 Elisabetta Ricci in Ateleta, Italy
b. April 15, 1864 in Ateleta, Abruzzo, Italy
d. June 14, 1948 in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Children:
1. Angela (Jennie) Zappa
b. December 25, 1889 in Ateleta, Italy
d. April 24, 1960 in Cumberland, Wisconsin
m. November 16, 1911 in Cumberland, WI to Pasquale Monno
b. April 20, 1881 Santa Lucia Del Mel, Sicily
d. February 15, 1973

2. Francisco (Frank) Zappa
b.Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
m. Anna De Angelo
Children
1. Norman Zappa
2. Liz Zappa
3. Nora Zappa

3. Maria (Mary) Zappa Damiani
b. May 26, 1892
d. August 29, 1978
m. Guiseppe (Joe) Damiani
b. February 2, 1893
August 21, 1973
Children:
1. Frances Damiani
m. Warren Bauerfield
Children:
1. Pat Bauerfield
2. Nancy Bauerfield

2. Jimmy Damiani
m. Alma Ferretti
Children:
1. Jimmy Damiani
2. Tom Damiani

3. Rose Damiani
m. Mel Chicone
Children:
1. Jimmy Chicone
m. Donna
Children:
1. Brandon
b. 1982
4. Anne Damiani
m. Mike Zaccardi
Children:
1. Teri Zaccardi
2. Mickey Zaccardi
5. Louis Damiani
6. Robert Damiani
7. Mary Damiani
m. Lehto
1. Joe Lehto
d. 2000
m. Daralyn Berg
m. Stassen

4. Luigi (Louis) Zappa
m. Lucy Ricci
Children
1. Agnes Zapppa
2. Jimmy Zappa
3. Rose Zappa

5. Giuseppe (Joseph) Zappa
m. Elizabeth Tempesta
Children:
1. John Zappa
2. Betty Zappa
3. George Zappa
4. Mildred Zappa
5.

6. Antonio (Tony) Zappa
m. Kate De Angelo

7. Giovina (Jovina) Zappa
m. George DeDominces
Children:
1. Berniece DeDominces
2. Esther DeDominces
3. Betty DeDominces
4. Art DeDominces
5. George DeDominces
6. Mary Jane DeDominces
7. Judy DeDominces
8. Ann DeDominces

8. Rosa (Rose) Zappa
b. March 7, 1901
d. July 30, 1918 17 years

9. Anna Zappa Giampaolo
m. Louis Giampaolo
Children:
1. Mike Giampaolo
2. Leonard Giampaolo
3. Shirley Giampaolo

10. Sabatino (Sam) Zappa
m. Anna Zaccardi
Children:
1. Sam Zappa
2. Betty Zappa
3. Robert Zappa
4.

11. Carmella (Minnie) Zappa Cotone
m. Joseph Cotone
Children:
1. Buddy (Robert?) Cotone
d.drowned
2. Bobby Cotone
3. Rosemary Cotone
4. Edward Cotone

Festa Italiana, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 2006

2006-07-24T11:31:00.000-07:00

The flag throwers are my favorite of the events of Festa Italiana in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. No, not because they are men in tights. They are a visual art, a culture, a performing art, and excellence in a sport. They volunteer to do this. Marco tried to explain that is was a hobby. It is a select 20 that are given the privilege to represent the sbandieratori of San Gemini.

Italy, soccer champion of the 2006 World Cup!

2006-07-11T20:31:00.000-07:00

Alessandro del Piero is my favorite soccer player. He used to be #10 on the Juventus team but now he is #7. They always bring him in for the shoot out. I bought a jersey with his name in 2000, when he was the star of the Euro Cup. Everybody is still trying to buy my jersey off my back, probably because I wear it so often. Our Italian class watched the finale at Giovanna's house. We had 3 generations watching the game together. Extended family is a big part of our culture. Looks like he is shaving his head these days.

Buffon, our goalie, is the best. His charisma on the field is obvious. Great hands!
A sea of blue as the French "Les Bleu" play Italy's "Azzurri" in the 2006 World Cup soccer final.
Vittoria, Italia, calcio campioni del mundo! Italy is the soccer champion of the world, beating France 1-1, and 5-3 in an overtime shootout. Here, Fabio Grosso has just made the deciding goal. Fabio used to play for Palermo but now plays for Inter Milan. Their colors are blue and black. The last time Italy won the World
Cup was in 1982. Despite the current scandal of 4 top Italian teams bribing officials, and former Inter Milan player Gianluca Pessoto trying to commit suicide by jumping off the roof in Torino, the dark horse team pulled off an incredible win, thanks to the French player "ZZ" Zidane who head butted a trash talking Italian
player and got thrown out of the game. They must have no morals as ZZ got most valuable player of the tournament anyhow. Dio benedicti, Gianluca!

2006-07-05T22:37:00.000-07:00

Sulmona, Italy, in the Abruzzo province is the "confetti" capital of the world. Sulmona is very close to Corfinio, where Concettina Di Nino, daughter of Antonio Di Nino and Maria Di Clemente from Roccacasale, and Salvatore Ranelli, son of Giovanni Ranelli and Maria Trotta of Paterno/Celano near Avezzano, were married in the Chiesa di San Pellino in 1921.
Concettina would be very surprised to know that two of her great grandaughters are in need of confetti this summer! Jordan
almonds, candy coated in pastel colors, are the best. The confetti should be arranged in odd numbers in unique decorations.
They are a festive remembrance of a joyous occasion to come.
Another joyous occasion was the soccer/futbol score of Italy over Germany 2-0 in the last minute of a double overtime. I was estatic when my favorite player Alessandro del Piero finally got subbed in the game preparing for the shoot out. He immediately executed a corner kick that assisted a goal to make it 1-0 and then scored again for the final of 2-0. Italy now plays France Sunday for the campione del la mundo. Viva la Italia!
And another joyous occasion was an engagement, and not between the soccer teams. T-shirts, like bumper stickers, billboards or personalized license plates always seem to have something to say, which is either easy to get on the first read, or gives one something to ruminate over. I found this t-shirt that says "Getting engaged seriously damages your health." Does it come with a Surgeon General's warning. What does it really mean? Should I be worried because a loved one is now in this state of myopic bliss, endorphins flying not just high, but allover the place? Is love blind? Married people are supposed to live longer. Unfortunately, filing taxes costs more, but can't two live more cheaply than one? Is living together before tying the knot a good idea? And how long is a good time to live together? What do you have, after years of cohabitating,if the well runs dry? There are no laws to protect either's rights, or maybe common law does exist? After seven years, one is a "common law spouse." There's still time...to do what? Cut your losses and run? The Runaway Bride didn't run away in the long run. I just realized this post could really be television's author Carrie Bradshaw's column/book for "Sex In The City." The series is probably about 6 seasons old and the reruns are even better second time around. They are so hilarious and provide 30 minutes of escapism at the end of a day. I know, one could tape them, or tivo them and watch at one's will, but seriously, why would you go to all that bother when they package them in DVDs to rent or buy? My chiropractor buys the season of DVDs for a present for his wife. We didn't buy premium cable channels so we weren't able to watch it on cable but now it's on a low cost cable and they show it at prime time, so of course, babies are getting their sex education before kindercare, pre school or kindergarten. It's not enough they see it live and live it, now they won't have to wait until puberty when they offically get a book about it. And that's assuming they'll be able to read. Reading is almost becoming obsolete, at least anything more that text messaging. Somewhere someone just discovered an iconic language. Wow! Maybe another Rosetta Stone! I always did love hieroglyphs or runestones or any pictographic writing. See how difficult it is to keep up with stream of conciousness writing? I don't mean to insult your intelligence, it's just that my truly honest closest friends can never follow my eclectic ramblings from my cluttered mind. Spatial abstract thinkers are great, but when it comes out in language, there's often a problem in extrapolation. Those concrete, sequential learners are very clear in communicating to others, usually in such a SLOW, baby step way, that spatial abstracts already have figured out where the other is going, and finishes the words for them because they are bursting with such speed that it is aggravating and a waste of time to have to wait for the other's words to actually come to fruition. Like the rabbit and the hare.
Everyone that knows me wonders how the newly engaged would survive with me as a mother-in-law. I say watch The Big, Fat Greek Wedding movie. If you're marrying Italian, you marry The Family, a mob, but not The Mob. Are all families dysfunctional? What does it take to survive? That which does not kill you only makes you stronger? I thought an apple doesn't fall far from the tree? If you know better, can you change your destiny, or fate? Or do you repeat the sins of your elders? Is it genetics or environment? You become what you worship. Married couples supposedly start looking like each other, and even their pets.
To be continued...engagements.
A post script, or digression if you please: what is love? Leo Buscaglia is definitely an authority on it, he teaches a college credited class on it. Oops, that's assuming
that an education makes you an authority. Mea culpa. Arrogance is a sin, is it not?, As is pride. What did the Greeks say about hubris? Literary snob, pompous fool. Who said, "Me doth think he doth protest too much." Is it in Shakespeare's Hamlet? Or Macbeth. Take Shakesspeare. That writer knew his audience. He wrote on so many levels that he could connect with all. He had something for everyone, then and now. He had food for the groundlings and gourmet food for the intellectuals, but he knew for whom he wrote, that to have everyone get something out of it, it had to connect. The harder it was to extrapolate from, the smarter you had to be. So why would someone show off one's intelligence? If one was really smart, one wouldn't have to. Language is powerful. Words are carefully chosen for the occasion, tailored to the occasion. Pride goeth before destruction. He who climbs the highest has the greatest fall. You had me at hello. Love is a growing thing. It has to be nurtured and fed, like an ego It needs postive attention and feedback. It should never be destructive or humiliating or competitive. It can never reach its potential. It can grow ad infinitum, but it needs the freedom to grow, or it will wither and die. It should not
be possessive, which means that the one you love is not an object to have, or control, or denigrate, or subjugate, or crush, or belittle, or humiliate. The one you love is human, and human love is not platonic love. Spiritual love is even higher in the hierarchy, it is God-like. And when one reaches that state of enlightenment you will know. I still go back to Mark Twain's line, "Faith is believing what you know ain't so." We don't really "know," so we have to "beleive," and in order to believe, we have to have faith, and man, if you don't have faith, you don't have anything! Faith is trust, and if you are too insecure to trust, you'd better get help getting it. Trust in love, it will never fail. Metal chastity belts and female genital mutilation were control freaks's efforts, but the real truth is, words hurt the most, especially from the ones you love the most. Be judicious with what one says, because it can't be taken back, and usually no amount of apology is really going to remove the indelible stain. Love with abandon, but physical love does not hold a candle to the love of the mind. Frances William Bourdillon said, "The mind has a thousand eyes, and the heart but one."

Pizza, Immigration History Research Center, Andersen Library, Univ of MN

2006-05-09T19:40:00.000-07:00

Roasting chestnuts on the streets is common to Tokyo, Japan, Italy and here in Lisbon, Portugal. The smoky, nutty taste is unique. Thanks, JoAnn, for bringing chestnuts to roast in the oven for Italian class. $4 a pound makes them a delicacy. Carving a cross into them gets them roasted just right.

Taking pictures of those buying street vendor roasted chesnuts in Lisbon can get you some hard looks.
Richard and Ray survey painted lines that warn how much smoking kills, an effective way to raise public awareness.

Making great pizza is an art. Woodfired stoves are the best. "Punch," in Highland Park makes the best locally. In Tivoli, Roberto made a heartshaped pizza for us at Erminia's mother's outside oven that Gina and I will never forget. Fr. John Forlitti went onstage at Mambo Italiano 5/20 and talked about teaching philosophy, cooking and love. His recipes are published much like "Like Water For Chocolate." Pictured here is an island baker who also had an open, laptop that invited me to my first real connection, Midnatsol's dropped connections do not count.
Grazie mille, signor. Now if I only could remember if the island was Elba or Sardegna?
In the Immigration Historical Research Center there are 17 linear feet of Nicolo Odone's memorabilia which include his diaries of sketches and paintings on blue lined ledgers with red ruled margins. He uses ink which is not forgiving at all. He was born in 1868 and died in 1947. He was an Italian immigrant who became a priest at Our Holy Redeemer in St. Paul to minister to the Italians. The writing is in Italian and English. What eloquent drawings. I must find out more. Thanks, Rudy Vecoli, for all of your efforts.
Archive photo of Fr. Nicolo Odone possibly at Holy Redeemer Church in St. Paul, MN.

Goodbye, Tyrone Guthrie Theater! Hello from Lily, Meryl & Michele!

2006-05-07T04:57:00.000-07:00

Michele in Manali, India, enjoying the Himalayas.
The premiere of Prairie Home Companion by Garrison Keillor brought Hollywood to Saint Paul's Fitzgerald Theater Tues, May 2. My favorite was Lily Tomlin. Such a class act, as is Meryl Streep. Horse and carriage rides took them from the St. Paul Hotel to the red carpet at the Fitz. The film will open June 9 locally. Director Robert Aultman, Kevin Kline, John Reilly and Lindsay Lohan also showed up to create a field day for the paparazzi.

Daniel's interior construction of new Guthrie

On May 7, 1963, Tyrone Guthrie presented Hamlet on a new thrust stage in Minneapolis, MN. Today, Hamlet was again presented but it was the last performance ever on that same stage. What energy, what adoration for the spoken word, what greater play. I went in 1963 on a field trip & saw Hume Cronyn in Moliere's Miser. It was a performance one would never forget, as was tonight's. The architect Ralph Rapson was there, as was an actor who played the dwarf in Volpone in 1964 who came to say goodbye. We both shook Joe Dowling's hand & told him thanks. He welcomed us to the new Tyrone Guthrie Theater across the river when it opens in June. Jeanie, a costume maker, is a behind the scene artist for 18 years. It is her dream job. Thank you, Peter Michael Goetz, and Richard I & Stephen Yoakam. Thanks, Isabel Monk. Thank you, Tyrone for being a visionary.

MICHELE IN MANALI, INDIA, by HIMALAYAS
A note from Michele:
Dear Family,
After 15 hours on the night bus, I arrived in Manali on April 30th and cannot believe the beauty and peace of these mountains. Am nestled right into them with no nearby road, just trees, boulders, and terraced fields with little paths running up and down the mountain. Up with the sun and to bed shortly after sundown. Getting my milk from the neighbor’s cow, vegetables from the landlord’s veggie garden, and just enjoying this simple life. No fridge, internet, or TV but daily life fills the day.
It is snowing in the mountains right now so the days are cool and rainy at the moment but I appreciate just being here with the stillness of the Himalayas, cooking at home and finding my way in this new situation. I rented a simple house with a great second floor balcony where I hang out when the weather is good or wrap up in a Manali blanket and sit outside even when it is cold. I cannot resist the mountains and just want to look at them all day long.
Much love to you all,
Shelly
p.s. the photo is the view from my front veranda and there are mountains all around me.

The Best Years by Gail Gregory Ponterio

2006-04-24T19:45:00.000-07:00

GET AWAY

It was a time for
listening and loving-
our togetherness brought
forth and reinforced-
as if we were the only
two people to consider.

Long, lazy days
fulfilling and happy-
blessed by God in their
choice for life.
Giving exchanged freely
and enhanced by doing so;
deepening the existing love
and expanding the depths
of a future together.

These are the best years...
for we can grasp the
realization of what we have,
as we move foreword, connecting and relying
upon each other-never
measuring what we give or take.
but flowing together with
happiness and joy

Gail Gregory Ponterio

Help me identify the women with Captain Herodd. Leave a comment/email, please!

2006-04-13T21:15:00.000-07:00

Marianne was a top notch nurse who had to deal with a fair amount of motion sickness. The Norwegians wear metal wristbands and seem to thwart it. Our chef was the best, too.

Our doctor was par excellance, too. His specialty seemed to be EENT, Eyes, Ears Nose & Throat. That was Geno's assignment at St. Albans' Naval Hospital in Long Island, from May, 1969 to 1971. He wanted to become a physician's associate. So much for dreams.

If anyone can identify any of the women in this group, please leave a comment. They gave me a puzzle block landscape of Norway for a present. I need to email this to them. I tried on the ship but never knowing if the signal was good, I don't know if they got it. Maybe Captain Herodd knows one of them?

Our favorite saxophone player left after one week. Too short! He was responsible for charging my cell phone. Thanks, Lisbeth!

Our favorite wait staff!!!! She was great because she found time to talk with us. We heard that they get paid $25 an hour, and their jobs get rotated.

Norwegians, Princesses and princely!

2006-04-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

Princess Martha Louise of Norway collaborated with illustrator Svein Nyhus in their children's book, "Why Kings and Queens Don't Wear Crowns." An afternoon with a princess did not happen at the U of MN Elmer Andersen Library because she was sick. Svein carried on like a prince.

"Going for the Gold" If you can't have a crown, well, gold is up to $600 an ounce, that's Troy weight, 27 grams. The first time I saw someone wearing this I thought it was the real Olympic medal. I should have known, the real medals look like CD's on a ribbon. This one if the finest chocolate from Torino, Grandiuta. My "football" soccer jersey is the retro one of Alessandro del Piero, numero dieci, #10. Now he is #7, sete di oro, if you play scopa with Napoletana cards.

The brother of Norway's heartthrob is the quietest, most industrious worker & person. He is so sweet.

Look at those blue eyes. His illustrations make each page a wonderful work of art. Welcome to Minnesota, Svein Nyhus!

Maundy Thursday & all things blue.

2006-04-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

Women's history month...what about the rest of the year? We can't even get the Equal Rights Amendment passed. It took until 1920 to get to vote. Why rush?
To be a mother...each culture interprets it differently. It is the ultimate responsibility. Que mujer!
Roberto, Simona & Alice in Roma, Italia. No blue eyes in this group. Big brown ones!
Italian cousins Simona and Alice in Rome checking out USA Ranelli Gregory family photos.
Erminia plans to cook up a storm, especially using veal, with treasures Paolo brings home.

Proudly standing in front of his medals of honor. He warned us not to go to Sicily, because it was dangerous there. He remembered me. He has a box of everything I have ever sent him in the last forty years!!

Eyes of blue, Zio Mario Di Nino, brother of Grandma Concettina Di Nino Ranelli, 86 years old, Former carabinier, highest military Italian polizia.
Streets of blue.
Pockets of blue.
City of blue.
Norwegian stave church & cemetery. Minnesota has its own replica.
Water is so healing & refreshing.
The Last Supper, Maundy Thursday. Washing of the feet. Way of the Cross. Via dolorosa. Crucifixion. da Vinci code? Gospel of Judas? Shroud of Turin, not on exhibit during the Olympics, but went to church anyway. Confession in Italian, absolution in Spenish.
Follow the light. Where will it lead? Doorways into doorways, inviting corridors leading, going where? Spiritual dreams. Medugorje (miracle of the sun), Yugoslavia. Now Slovakia & Croatia. Smell of roses, metal turning gold. Appartions in my unretouched photos. Signs? Only if you have faith. Only if you believe. Dubrovnik, St. Blase Cathedral, blessing of the throat. Why did he still die of multiple myeloma cancer?
Art historical interpretation of the descent from the cross. Golgotha, hill of skulls, necropolis...the killing fields, repeated daily.

http://ilreporter.splinder.com

2006-04-09T20:39:00.000-07:00

Cugino Gabriele Ciutti, La Presentosa http://ilreporter.splinder.com

Cosi, cosi. A little of this and that.

2006-04-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

These figurative bottles are probably in the local dress, something I will be trying to recreate for the upcoming Landmark's Center Urban Expedition 4/23 1-4 PM and for the Festival of Nations May 4-7 at the Excel Energy Center. I will try to "look Italian" though I'm not sure what province, Abruzzo or Sicilia. I think every country has the white lace blouse, vest and skirt look. I've been embroidering, by machine, with the help of Mary Langlois, Como Park's Family and Consumer Science teacher. Everything is being monogrammed with a decorative "G" that only I can recognize. I love white shirts with French cuffs. It's so much fun to find antique cuff links. I have a lot of luck at the North Oaks garage sale that raises $$$ for the Children's Hospital and the St. Odilia jewelry boutique where everything is also donated.

Looking for a place to eat along the Costa Blanca was fun. We'd check out the locale and discover delightful stores. Adding miniature bottles of alcohol to my collection was my pasttime, but I admit the "Book of Wine," with its calligraphic text was greatly admired, though not purchased. Calligraphy is the key to Donald Jackson's St. John's Bible, a major undertaking by this scribe to the Queen of England. It's taken years but is embellished with so much art, it rivals the Book of Kells. The missing Gospel of Judas is being debated tonight on the National Geographic channel. Remember, it is "his" story. Revisionist history might become "her" story. Cosi, Cosi.
Myra & Phil enjoyed the local tap and finally got all the tapas they could eat. We enjoyed the local Monday market and took the train back to Alicante.
Cappuccino, espresso, cafe with latte, tea, or whatever is so much fun, especially if you're sitting outdoors. Of course, getting served was almost impossible, as everybody else was sitting indoors. It took forever to get tapas and drinks OUTDOORS. The summer season hadn't officially started and the regulars were getting served indoors. I was beginning to doubt my language skills, even after I had dragged the waiter outdoors 3 times to show him tht we really were ready to order.

Erik, climbing Gibraltar would be no challenge to you. It is really a big limestone rock around which a ship must navigate. It is hard to ascend through a series of hairpin curves.

Costa Blanca, Alicante & Gibraltar

2006-04-09T07:54:00.000-07:00

Gena is so sweet. She and her sister in law, Ellie, met me in Gibraltar. We were the only three who stayed in the car rather than put up with the wild monkeys who know how to open car doors and purses. We became fast friends, especially at the Gibraltar Arms Pub, where they wanted to smoke and didn't really want an English speaking, non-smoking person hanging with them. I told them I would do whatever they wanted to do. When I needed a place to store my luggage in Barcelona they were the first to suggest I could leave it with them. What kindness!

Robert Berman, USA, with 2 Brits from Somerset, England. He left the cruise early to fly to Scotland. Making him laugh was my goal.
Ellie's first words to me were "I'm from Bergen." Rain was the topic as I fought for the position by the car window so that I could open it and poke my camera lens through. We toured the St. Michael Cave's before ascending to the top of Gibraltar. The water continued dripping through the cavernous hole in the ground, making a dangerous situation even more slippery.
The Costa Blanca, the White Coast, of Alicante, goes for miles and miles. We took a train where construction along the shore was exploding. No one seemed to be in the water but everyone was by it. I met some Americans studying abroad who didn't mind sharing their football and volleyball.

Captain's Dinner on the Midnatsol

2006-04-09T06:39:00.000-07:00

Wendell and the Blue Ridge Mountain group at the Captain's dinner. Also the Somerset English Roger and Ann Coles! Wendell completed the Berlin Marathon October, 2005, and runs up mountains in 51 minutes. He also joined a photo shoot of beautiful women.
Dinners are exquisite events every night: three chefs with tall hats artfully displaying their treasures. "Moose on mousse" was a chocolatier's delight. Many designs looked like abstract animals. In fact, the chefs pour gravies in specific patterns. Presentation is everything. I was
a nuisance because I refused to drink expensive designer water or wine and chose the free tap water. It was presented in a carafe with a bowl of ice cubes and I was warned that it was not safe to drink. Three weeks of their water did not kill me. I just wish that pasta was on their recipe list as we were in 7 Italian ports: Savona, Livorno, Civitavecchia, Napoli, Catania, Elba, & Sardegna. Those Norwegians sure like fish.
Nils Breisten, piano man extemporare, and friend Gert, enjoying dinner before he starts entertaining us in the piano lounge.
Our other vocalist & piano man in the band, No Problem, Sverre W, was intensively searched for customs when we disembarked in Lisbon. It must have been his long hair and his keyboard equipment because he was meticulously dressed in his camel cashmere long coat. Even that new rug from the Berbers in Tangier, Morocco, was under scrutiny.
The other No Problem band member, Jan Heidenstrom with wife, Jannicke, dress for dinner.
Our saxophone player, Jan Harald Sjue and his wife, Lisbeth Sjue, dress for Captain's dinner.
Donna, Valia and our Swiss sister who nursed me through sea sickness. She was very sea worthy as she and her husband sailed their own ship on the Mediterranean for many years.
Here she and her Norwegian sister meet Captain Herodd Widding and tell him that their father was a captain, also.
Six of the eleven English speaking passengers on the Midnatsol include Myra & Phil Toconita, Roseville, MN, Roger and his wife, USA, and Mary & Trevor Starr, Crewkerk, England. We celebrated Phil's birthday which means a singing parade of chefs & staff with Norwegian flags, sparklers and dessert.

Frances Cranmer Greenman, 20th C Amer Artist Opening at Hennepin History Museum, Mpls, MN

2006-04-08T09:52:00.000-07:00

Art show opening nighters include Michele and Marathoner who lust for the painting of turquoise Coventry with the exotic flower.
Openings usually feature wine and cheese. I am wearing a wine splash from that event that the "principessa of photoshop" next to me will take care of. No luck with Oxyclean, though, and it wasn't even me that was drinking the wine! I am one of the few Italians who only like it in recipes; for example, marsala in Sicilian dessert cannoli & red port in wine balls. The pearls are an heirloom from Majorca, Spain, silvery black to match my coloring and baroque white for Gina's June birthstone.

At least I was splashed with wine and not blood. Women Against Military Madness featured St. Kate's Professor Pat Olson's "Mopping" and Sam's American-Iraqi's presentation 4/6/06. He literally was cleaning up debris in Baghdad's streets, something which has not been done by sanitation engineers for over 2 years. Students have less than 3 hours a day of electricity. He believes that if Americans were not there, there would be less violence. Amen. Palm Sunday 4/9 tomorrow focuses on a march at 2:30 in front of the Cathedral regarding the stalemate of immigration issues. There is a House immigration bill that would criminalize church outreach to immigrants that has been denounced by some prominent Catholic bishops.

Meanwhile, Ecuadorean immigrant Maria, lies jailed in St. Paul since 4/3 for being without papers, a WOP. That was a term used for Italians, too. She is in a coma now at Regions Hospital for a preexisting parasitic brain infection.

Christy is the granddaughter of Frances Cranmer Greenman, 2oth Century American artist. Frances, Wanda Gag and Clara Mairs had a three woman exhibition at the Minneapolis Institute of Art.
She had several "one man exhibitions," which is interesting as she is a woman. The opening of the current one woman exhibition was at the Hennepin History Museum, kitty corner from the Minneapolis Institute of Art on Third Avenue. Frances painted the official portrait of Governor Rolvaag, too, and other Minnesota luminaries. Portraits of her two daughters, Christy's mom and Coventry, were alive with signature details such as South American slave bracelets displayed in front of the nude wearing them. Curator Jack's selection of an exotic floral display reinforced the bold flowers in the other daughter's portrait.

Torino, Italia 2006 Olympics

2006-04-07T08:43:00.000-07:00

Galasport, the night before the closing ceremony, was so exciting. The motto for the city, Passion Lives Here, was definitely present. Tickets for the closing were 875 Euro or about $1200. Couldn't try scalping at that price!

The 10,000 meter skate was won by Bob De Jong of Holland but Chad Hedrick, Texas, USA, came in #2! There were just a few Americans at the Oval Lingotto but we united as Olympians! Notice my split personality: I have the Italian flag and "Viva Italia" jacket and my USA Olympic gear! Doubly prepared!

Torino volunteers made the Olympics, even providing umbrellas! Yes, it rained in Torino and snowed in the mountains. I was ushered in and called "Principessa di Torino," I even got a white rose from the sponsor, Coca Cola!

MS Midnatsol Arrives In London 3/25/2006

2006-03-27T07:00:00.000-08:00

Norwegian Coastal Voyage's Newest Ship, MS Midnatsol Arrives in London

25 March 2006
British Summer Time isn't the only arrival in London this weekend - MS Midnatsol, 'Midnight Sun' in Norwegian also visits for the very first time! The Midnatsol is an iconic element of Norwegian high summer, when the sun shines 24 hours a day. Whether MS Midnatsol can do the same is unlikely, but having experienced the coldest March day on record recently, Londoners will welcome any improvement in the weather!
http://www.prnewswire.co.uk/cgi/news/release?id=166976

Back in Minnesota the snow still flies, USA's Black History month (February) is over, and one of my favorite photographers, Gordon Parks died March 7 at age 93.
After Mark biked 32 miles outside today, we went to the University of Minnesota's women's Frozen Four national championship tournament. We lost to neighboring Wisconsin at Mariucci Arena in Mpls. We had been 2 time national champs and lost 0-3 with 2 of Wisconsin's goals scored within 39 seconds. Our goalie had 31 saves to Wisconsin's 19 which means their goalie really won that game for them!
Trina epitomized the U of M's Golden Gopher, even though she's black. She was decked out with her maroon & gold, down to her "Point U" tennis. Paul refs hockey and and he couldn't believe the unwarranted penalties that cost us. I sat next to the Jorissen sisters who play hockey and we continued swapping stories at the Chinese restaurant in Dinkytown Town. Mark downed a whole red pepper in his Sichuan Beef which is a whole lot hotter than Princess Garden's which we had on Saturday. I sure missed pasta and Chinese being on a Norwegian ship for over three weeks!!!!

Erik will begin spring break next week climbing. He even makes his own tools for climbing ice! I make my own tools for CARVING ice.

Can you read this?

2006-03-27T05:50:00.000-08:00

Can you read this?

Olny srmat poelpe can.

cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.

The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

if you can raed tihs psas it on !!

http://www.bt.no/kamera/article239161.ece?lang=en

2006-03-25T10:03:00.000-08:00

Midnatsol passing under the Tower Bridge in London!! Check out its web cam. I enjoyed watching the ship's camera shown on the tv in my room, which is what you have if you can't afford a portal!!! I had it on 24/7 with volume off and if I saw an awesome sunrise I would get up to photograph it.

Shipmate Goodbyes: Johnny, Gert, Donna, Nils & Vallia

2006-03-23T15:05:00.000-08:00

One of the late nighters who loves music!

Jan Heidenstrom, Guitar, harmonica & vocalist from "No Problem" band with wife, Jannicke. Super jokester! Are you married? Meet you in room 214.

Ingvald is a former ship captain. He collected 300+ signatures for a message in a bottle that was ceremoniously launched. He is quite the dancer.

The Brits: Raymond & son, Richard from Shrewsbury, England near Wales.

Richard at Hotel International in Lisbon overlooking City Center.

Vallia & Piano Man's mother who is a music teacher. Her other son is the "Jean Val Jean" opera singer. There's another son, too!

Piano Man, Keyboards from "No Problem" band.

Swede Johnny, Great Gert, Donna from MN, USA, Piano Man Nils, & Fashionista Vallia.

Flying home: Lisbon-Amsterdam-Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN USA

2006-03-23T07:00:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Apungu, graduate of St. Paul Como Park Sr HS, brother of Dan and Joachim (Como current student), is pictured with her sister, Sherry. They came up to me in Amsterdam Schipol Airport on Tue 3/21 while I was waiting for a flight to Minneapolis St. Paul. They had spent 2 weeks in Nairobi, Kenya, visiting their relatives, father's farm, & grandparents. Before they said anything to me, I awakened from a 1/2 asleep slumped over my luggage and said, "Aren't you Aunpgu girls?"
I said that I couldn't believe that they could recognize me, but Elizabeth said it was because I had a black & white warm up suit on. Como colors minus gold for those who aren't in the loop.

Elizabeth played volleyball for Como, is graduating from my alma mater, St. Catherine's, in science. Her mother got her nursing degree from St. Kate's and is working at Fairview Riverside in sub acute, her sister Sherry transfered from St. Kate's to the U of MN and will be graduating soon. Brother Dan is at the U and the youngest should be at Como now. I watched the 10:35, the 2:00 and I finally made the 4:35 flight to MSP. I'm home! I started out at the Lisbon airport at 7:30 PM Monday, 3/20 as I had to check in at 3:00 AM 3/21 for my flight to Amsterdam Schipol Airport. It's my favorite airport as it has a Ryksmusem art museum, casino, internet, cool sports car display and great food: The Mediterranean Cafe with good paninos & prosciutto (Italian ham).

I tried to stay awake to guard my luggage because there were many undesirables lurking around without luggage. This was difficult as I had lost sleep the night before because leaving Tangier, Morocco, the ship had to turn around Gibraltar and head up the Atlantic Ocean to Lisbon, Portugal. Midnatsol met heavy waves again and I & the toilet bowl became good friends again. I decided to sit near 2 other women, one a Brazilian working in London to earn English. Now that's funny!!! The other also spoke Portugese but my Italian got me connected. I was getting rid of extra stuff I was carrying so we shared mini Babybel individual cheese packed in red wax, Pocket Coffee (hits of expresso packaged in chocolate), gummy candy that I won in a music contest on the ship by naming my team of one "Muchos Problemos." I knew the contest was being judged by the band, "No Problem." I won their last contest because it included many questions about American songs and the Norwegians were clueless. Questions included, "What is Bob Dylan's real name?" and others about Elvis Presley & Frank Sinatra.

I also won at Bingo. It was the 3rd win, the following was the Grand Prize of a cruise. I had taken a little nap during the bingo game so Trevor scored mine. (Hey, it's tough when you had a rough night, your prescription glasses were run over in the drive way outside Bruno Gilardi's house and I'm operating with an old prescription. (The first thing I did when I got home was to get my new prescription and try to find frames). Trevor woke me up and & told me to yell Bingo! I was so excited because I thought I had won the free cruise on the Norwegian Coastal Line. I wasn't disappointed with the bootie.

Back to my stash of Bingo prizes. My stash included a ship t-shirt showing the itinerary: 125 Kroner, 3 bottles of Jacob Creek wine: 245 Kroner, Toblerone Swiss chocolate: 45 Kroner, I lb of Mars candy bars: 45 Kroner and 2 lbs ofgummy candy: 30 Kroner. At the exchange rate of 7 Kroner = $1 I was doing very well for sleeping on the job. I gave the wine to Trevor, Phil and Hanne, because she forked over the 200 Kroner to begin play.

The alliance at the Lisbon airport paid off. We agreed to take turns sleeping and guard the groups luggage surrounding us. Marcello, the Brazilian's hottie, was Italian. I also gave away 2 great coffee table books, Rome, City of Popes, and architectural art history. She wanted all of the city maps I was dumping and also all of the literature about the 19 port excursions. Now I will never remember what we did where!!!

Elizabeth & Sherry Apungu

2006-03-23T05:54:00.000-08:00

Last seaport: Lisbon, Porugal - Amsterdam - Minneapolis, MN USA

2006-03-22T02:29:00.000-08:00

To my surprise, and ignorance of history & geography, Gibraltar is very, very British, in speech, pubs and rugby. You may pay in pounds sterling or Euros.As our British friends say: England and the United States are a country divided by 2 languages.

Only three of us, Elli, Gina & I, refused to get out of the van at the top of the rock (Gibraltar) infested with live tailess monkeys who would attack anyhing plastic in search of food. You'd think they were starving. The area is a lush green with hairpin turns to the top. I asked "Where is "the rock?" and our guide answered, "You're on it." The monkeys are much like the black bears in northern Minnesota who search for food, no matter if it's in tents or coolers. Elli, Gina & I became steadfast friends who elected to stay in Gibraltar when everyone else had to go back to the ship to dry off and eat lunch. We had to find a pub which allowed smoking. They weren't very keen about accepting me until I told them they could speak Norwegian, smoke in front of me and I would speak very little English. Once the rules we set, things were fine. We chummed together in Tangier, Morocco, also. They invited me to use their room in Lisbon to store my luggage until I went to the ship. I was very grateful. I ended up using the Brits' room at the Hotel International over looking the city center of Lisbon.

My dear friend, Vallia, was immediately attacked by the monkeys, probably because of her perfume. She is the fashionista model on the ship with 23 kilos of clothes, always wearing something different, down to jewelry, purses, jackets, & accessories. She is fond of feminine fou fou clothing. She couldn't believe that I was such a wimp with the monkeys.

We visited the Saint Michael caves on the rock. It is like an underground Gothic cathedral of stagtites and stalgmites, eerily dripping water, and lighted hauntingly. They have never heard of OSHA here, security of one's life is an airy issue. You could slip over the edge and be impaled a long way down by rock formation. Very, very unusual, with endless numbers of rooms and turns and stairways, no rhyme or reason to view the place. You could easily be lost and NEVER found. Photography without a tripod was definitely a challenge for long exposure settings.

Finished the day hanging out in pubs with the Brits, Richard, 47, and his father, Raymond, 85, who enlightened the Americans, Myra & Phil Toconita, many times on the fine points of British language, culture and idiosyncrasies. It took me forever to tell Richard what the "roof" of a car was. "Close the bonnet" was the trunk door. The loo was the toilet.
I had leeks & potato soup as they drank their speckled red hen beers and ate chips without fish. We watched rugby games with the locals who were very entertaining themselves. And we think we speak loudly. Sports bring out the real personalities, enhanced by the local brew. Some of the finest took the time to explain to use that we were not to use the word soccer.

We get every variety of fish on the ship for every meal, even many caviars for breakfast daily. I survive on a boiled egg, rye crisp, fruit and things I can recognize, which is very little. Seriously, it is amazing what the Norwegians eat, including ox tongue. Since I rarely eat lunch on the ship, I missed the one time they had pasta. Now that is something I am dying for. Thank God for the ports of call in Italy: Savona, Civitavecchia (Rome), Naples (Salerno), Catania (Taormina), Livorno (Pisa, Florence), Portoferraio (Island of Elba), and Cagliari (Island of Sardegna (Sardinia).

We were down to 11 English speaking passengers on the ship out of 500: 4 Americans from the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina, & 2 Chinese Americans from New Jersey.

The Brit, Richard, charted our last day in Lisbon as he had been there for five days previously. He took us up the Elevator which is Lisbon's answer to the Eiffel Tower, on trolley rides which would make San Francisco's Lombard Street a piece of cake. I remember Mark and I driving our '69 turquoise green Pontiac Firebird down the zig zag streets to the wharf, braking every hairpin turn, trying to avoid the flowered layers of fuschia bouganvilla hanging at every turn. Looking back, it was one of the most beautiful street designs in the world, but too close to a Monte Carlo car race. Back to the trolley in Lisbon. The roads were so narrow and brave boys would hang on to the side door and catch a free ride. I couldn't watch for fear they would be pancaked between a wall or parked car. Danger must elicit a high much greater than drugs.

Parting was very difficult after 3 intense weeks of bonding. We will try to maintain long distance friendships and hope to see each other in a different time and place. Thanks for being part of my journey.

Morocco, Medina & Gibraltar's monkeys

2006-03-19T12:31:00.000-08:00

How can 19 ports in 22 days be almost done? Yesterday it was the monkeys in Gibraltar finishing the day with rugby games in 3 pubs and today it was the casbahs, souks, drenching rains and aggressive Arabs! I spent 2 hours in the 9th deck hot tub& got wind & sun burned.
Leaving good friends from all over the world. Will be hard to get wired again, meaning a telephone, computer, internet, email, and 20 inches of snow with spring delayed 3 weeks in Minnesota. The previous blogs were faulty & did not post correctly so don't be surprised if anything works here. The ship is listing terribly right now and the captain's dinner was stellar. I missed the farewell party as my head was expelling the gourmet dinner along with the motion sickness pill into the toilet. I was turning green in the lounge and listing as much as the ship. I knew my room would only make me worse, as I was at the front of the ship over the anchor. When we moved out of the straits of Gibraltar we anchored in the Mediterranean. Not a problem, but cranking up the anchor I discovered at the end of the 3 week voyage that my room was OVER the anchor, and I head it crank for about 15 minutes at 4 AM local time. I met 4 others on the 9th deck, 2 people with Nikons up purposely for photographing the event of the straits and the full moon. Then for an hour the ship turned around Gibraltar and that noise made it impossible to sleep in my room, as with most of the others on 4th deck.
As we had to pack because in a few hours we will be docking in Lisbon. Portugal, for our last time together. Midnatsol, the Norwegian Coastal Lines 2003 beauty will be chartered by Germans as they take over for the swansong voyage from Lisbon to Oslo, Norway, where the summer season of cruising begins.

The bubble will burst soon and I will have to adjust. Every day has been an introduction to a new environment. Thanks for helping make it possible! Your thoughts from reality help anchor my surrealistic voyage.

At Alicante, Spain, we traveled 10 hours and went to Granada and the Alhambra. I shot a record of 1,600 photos in one day. Editing is my favorite past time. I took 4 individual 1 Gig media chips each holding approximately 400 large scale, highest resolution photos with my new digital single lens reflex camera, the Nikon D70s, with a 18-105mm zoom lens and a 70-300mm zoom lens, but only myself as a tripod. I do pretty well lowering my center of gravity and using a stable foot position with one in front of the other, a shoulder's width apart, learned from volleyball and the first 27 movements of tai chi chuan, the pure form of kung fu.

Barcelona, Sardegna, Corsica, Mediterranean Sea

2006-03-13T06:14:00.000-08:00

Wow! Hurricane is Force 12, we were at force 10-11 meter waves. What a 24 hour period from hell. Myra wanted to be airlifted out by a helcopter but others were unbothered. The glass door etched with the Norwegian artist, Edvard Munch's The Scream, shattered. It was the door to the piano lounge and was never replaced. In reality, Edvard Munch's Scream is on the FBI's 10 most wanted missing pieces of art. It was stolen some time ago and has never surfaced. Glad that I saw it in Oslo in 1976!

The 9 foot speaker fell the oppsosite way from me as I was sitting in the piano lounge. I saw chairs with people catapaulting and rolling across the floor. The band named "No Problem" was too sick to play. I lost weight, the hard way. We had one good day and then another repeat. Another night lost.

Many British friends left in Barcelona, especially our chauffeur driver Trevor Starr and his fantastic wife, Mary. Trevor had driven the 5 English speaking shipmates around the entire Island of Elba, after we docked at Portoferraio. It is a Tuscan island where they had vacationed previously and we were looking for a house with a pool close to the street but never found it. It was hilly with cobbled streets and vacant lush homes used for the summer season, which was just about to start. The Mediterranean sun was breaking out earlier this year, much to our delight. What everyone though was cool was warm to us. He drove us all over the French Island of Corsica, too. Ajaccio was our starting point and we ascended to 11.000 feet. Trevor, also known as Mario Andretti, made it s a safe and less hair raising experience, even though we were almost t-boned by a cement truck. Everyone had insurance except me, guess I'll be getting it next time.

Caglari is the port of the Italian Island of Sardegna, another wonderful experience. Superlatives are definitely overused here and everything should be in UPPER CASE, or flaming in the parlance of e-mail. These places are off the charts, each being so different from each other. Speaking Italian comes in handy. Wish I could post my photos!

2006-03-11T19:06:00.001-08:00

Motion sickness in Force 10 waves.

MIDNATSOL norwegian designer ship

2006-03-06T20:55:00.000-08:00

This is the most beautifully designed ship, everything art deco, marble, sleek high maintenance stainless, cowhide black and white couches, bar stools, even 2 hot tubs, saunas, outdoor waterfall showers, art galleries but an antiquated technology internet system. I could come and go as I pleased. Sara, their 9 year old taught me Italian and I taught her photography! There are less than 100 Ethiopians in Turin! Many Moroccans and it is an insult to call them Negroes, you must say Nero. Their food is so great. They are absolutely the kindest, most generous people. Thank Rico for those who see him! This trip is the best present to myself! Torino, Savona, Rome, Salerno, Catania, Taormina, Malta, Tunis, Ajaccio, CorsicaNice, Monte Carlo, so far!!! We still have Livorno, Caglari, Sardegna, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Barcelona, Algiers, Morrocco, Gibraltar and Lisbon. I hardly spend any money. No cell phone reception, no problems. No internet, but hey, that's my addiction. Sorry for the idea that I would have access. Should have brought that new mAC bOOK pro WITH ME THAT I SAW AT THE msp AIRPORT!!!!! lOVE YOU ALL, HIOPE THIS ACTUALLY GETS POSTED. lIFE IS BEAUTIFUL! aSK gINA & mARK! lOVE TO ALL, ESPECIALLY cONFESSIONS of >St. Augustine!

Ranelli, St. Ambrose, East Side, Inheritance

2006-02-20T22:30:00.000-08:00

Concettina & Sam Ranelli, 24 Phalen Creek, Swede Hollow; 693 Bedford Street

Gina Ranelli Gregory, 1998. American Birkebeiner, 50 K (32 Miles) 4 hours 5 minutes, 16 sec. # 1 in 16 & Under, Women. This was the first time that age group was allowed to compete in the Birkie, prior to that one had to compete in the Kortellopet, a shorter distance competition, Cable to Hayward, Wisconsin. Co-Captain of Mounds View Cross Country Ski Team, previously received, Most Improved Skier, and Coaches' Award.

I'm the flower girl for my aunt Celia & Uncle Ed Sikorski, probably 1954. My mother Jennie Ranelli is on the far right holding hands with her father Pasquale. My twin brothers, Geno & Mario II, are in white shorts. My yellow satin dress w/ taffeta was made by Mary Monno Zappa of Cumberland, Wisconsin. She made one just like it for my Ginny doll made by Vogue, which I still have over 50 years later. Ginny also had a chartreuse and fuschia cow girl outfit, a black velvet and red tartan plaid outfit, too. I don't buy e-bay, because mine have to BE the ones I used to play with, not LIKE the ones I used to have.

I was 21, a public school education all of the way, except for college at CSC. St. Catherine's, a private Catholic, all girls college where I received the Louis Dorshow Jewish War Veteran's scholarship. Never getting the Unico scholarship for Italians is a sore subject. I needed it, even when tuition was guaranteed at $1100 a year! My best friend, then & now, Jo Ann Puccinelli, was headed there, too. We were day students. Jo had a car but I took the 14A Randolph-Payne
which was a 45 minute ride from the Italian East Side to the Jewish Highland Park. I bought that wedding dress on the Rue d' Rivoli in Paris with the $100 I had left as I was flying home from Paris. I remade it, added a collar from the round plate sized mantilla tht cam ewith it & made the veil and odd numbered Italian cumbits cancy coated almonds( Sulmona, L'Aquila is the confetti capital of the world), confetti = bonbonieri, sp.

I was leaving the country after five weeks of Eurailpassing (wake up, new verb a la Pioneer Press Bulletin Board style twincities.com) during January term with Deb Hoffman & Janet Dolan. I needed 4 credits of philosophy to graduate so I was allowed to design a course which was based on DBAE (Discipline Based Art Education) critiquing the editorial cartoons of European newspapers. It was awesome because concise language in a foreign tongue involving juxtapositions, metaphors & simile are difficult for some in their own language.

A good rule, never be arrogant. Knowledge is immortality, not deity. Our wedding had 2 colors of invitations, olive green & calligraphy for my friends, & formal white for others. The reception was in the basement of St. Casimer's Catholic Church, a Polish enclave on Forest & Edgerton. There were huge pink pillars and a linoleum tiled floor. It was at 7:30 on a Friday evening, July 31, 1970, & no air conditioning. I fainted on the altar, maybe it was the combination of nerves, high humidity & the high, tight neckline which I designed. I am really Miss Havisham, Dicken's Great Expectations, as I have my dress on a form in my spare bedroom with no bed. The cake below has a photo of St. Ambrose Catholic Church, at 711 Bradley, really Burr & Minnehaha. Grandpa Sam owned a garden up the hill on Rivoli Street, where he was self sustained: a wine bottle buried underground for coolness, a 50 gallown drum to catch the rain for his peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, corn, beans, etc. Having started out in Swede Hollow in 1911, 24 Phalen Creek, artesian well water under Hamm's Brewery, 2 children born there, Mario I and Lucy Ranelli Carchasky, Johnny came later at 693 Bedford Street by Payne Avenue. He was born with rickets and went to special Christ Child schools. He never learned to read, write or drive. He could sign only his name. He couldn't make change, and hid this pretty well as he was employed by Northern States Power on Rice Street for 33 years. Your 1984 will divided the estate equally between Mario & Lucy, but as soon as my dad died, not even 4 months after October 26, 1997, NOT EVEN 4 MONTHS to the date, 3 people walked into the lawyer's office and changed the will to give everything to Lucy, the 693 Bedford Street house which had been my grandparents since 1924, almost 70 years! Grandpa's WWI memorabilia which I framed & proudly displayed for the family. His "souvenir" of war, the Nazi helmet with the spike, EVERY LITTLE THING INSIDE, including gifts we had given, baby, family & wedding pictures. You called Jennie in Arizona the day Johnny died on your door step, waiting for you to get home & told her you had to take the safe to your house because Johnny had broken the lock. You never let us into that house the minute after Johnny died, YET HE HAD INVITED ALL OF US FOR CHRISTMAS 3 MONTHS EARLIER TO SHOW HOW MUCH HE HAD IMPROVED IT, NEW EVERYTHING. Mario died Oct. 26, 1997, the will was changed by 3 people on February 26, 1998, 4 months later. Dad got him the disability from NSP, took care of all his business and finances until the day Mario died, and you let the neighbors take what you didn't want, even when Denise asked for the china cabinet and tools. You said in the affidavit that you gave the table to a friend, but you had to ask Lori Jean what the friend's name was. It was Angela's boy friend's mother. You gave him a daily diabetes shot for 20 years because he was mentally handicapped, a paranoid schizophrenic and suffered bipolar depression, & according to the lawyer's notes he came in with 3 people, his sister & HIS brother (was it Uncle Bob whom the lawyer thought was his brother) great lawyers considering they were my dad's lawyers, too. Your lawyers said that Johnny "read" and okayed the new will by himself. Who was that 3rd person with you two, it could not have been Johnny's brother, Mario, as Mario had died 4 months earlier?

Johnny said he needed an eye exam to get glasses so he could drive, but it was noted in the charts that he couldn't identify any letters. Did he have everyone buffalowed, sp, even YOUR lawyer? You called me up and screamed, "I deserve everything. You and your sister have big houses and you go to Italy" and then hung up on me. You are so lucky that Mrs. Sadie Gregory, Mark's mother, died the same week of the court date. You have to live with yourself. I can't believe it still. No one can. Nessun dorma. Why would you let me help you? Meeting w/ Fr. John Malone with you, letting me pick out the his interment plot, the lot, the kind of Holy Family tombstone design, the flowers, the obituary, the eulogy, the music, the designing, typing, & printing of the program, writing the thank yous in your kitchen, the 100's of obit notices from the school pool of newpapers, typing all yet you wouldn't let us clean out his frig. Dio Benedicti! I should have seen it coming when Uncle Bob died, you didn't even list my mother as a survivor. Even Furby the dog was listed. I took Jennie to see Bob the day before his surgery. He said, "Don't buy any green bananas for me." I even painted Knife Lake, in Mora, MN. for you. We only went there one time in my life, when Geno, dad & I were in the boat. I have the picture I took of Geno with the big Northern Pike. He was shaking like a leaf. Thanks for the entire history of Sam Ranelli in America swallowed up by your achievements. Grandpa Sam lived until June 21, 1995. He was 96, dying at the old Veteran's Home by Fort Snelling, wearing his coin of John F Kennedy, praying to La Papa (the Pope) & Padre Pio. I have a video of him on Memorial Day, 3 weeks before he died, calling Gina, "Ginaginetta." He was so proud of Mario, "Numero Uno," and me, "La professoressa, the maestra." He was so proud of his first grandchild, Donna Jean and his first, great grandchild, Gina. Is that why? Numero due, #2 was a girl, and #2. Grandma Concettina died at 93 in 2001. I read wildy funny Italian jokes to her the week before she died. I remember her laughing so hard about the one where your breasts are like melons, cantalopes.

The city of St. Paul, MN, was divided by the ghettos of those who chose Minnesota, the immigrants. Native, original people included the Dakotah, Lakotah, Sioux, Ojibwe (Chippewa), Winnebago, Midwankan, & Winnebago to name a few. (We name our cars & trucks these names). Our streets, once derived from cow paths have Indian names...Algonquin, Mendota...We also have Mounds Park, Battle Creek, Hiawatha Park, Minnehaha Falls, & Chippewa Falls. Regentrification along the Mississippi River bluffs wants to reclaim Mounds Park but it is the Indian burial grounds. Cemeteries in Italy are handled a little differently,
if the grave site is not tended by someone, one just buries new bones. I was lucky enough to photograph Pasquale Monno's only sibling's grave site. His sister, Caterina Manna, was buried next to her husband, Domenico Salvadore. It is interesting to note that to this day Italian women keep their birth names. Sometimes I wish I had but the alphabetical hyphenated stuff seemed so complicated that I incorporated my 21 year old identity into everything, as did my sister, since we are the only surviving Ranelli issue carried by the male surname, cognome. What's interesting is that I finally had proof of how our mother's family name was actually spelled: Manna, according to the tombstone near Santa Lucia del Mela, between Messina & Barcellona, on the northeast coast of the island of Sicily. One usually crosses from the toe of the boot, Reggia Calabria on a short ferry ride to get to the island of Siciglia, home of the La Casa Nostra & Mafioso. My sister, Denise & I, were warned by the brother of my Grandma Concettina Di Nino Ranelli, not to ever go there, especially alone. Zio Mario Di Nino, currently of Salerno, & about 80 something had been a carabinieri (military polizia). I call this stream of consciousness writing so don't expect perfection from a retired English teacher when I'm streaming, because my brain has too much info that I must share before it is too late. The baby boomers are having a much harder time staying alive that all four of my grandparents. Longevity favors my genes. Paternal grandfather Salvatore Ranelli left Paterno/Celano in L'Aquila and his 17 brothers & sisters to go to America. The only other one that left was Riccardo, but when the Big War (WWI) broke out, Salvatore stayed & fought for the Americans and Riccardo fought with Italy. The Americanized/English version was now Sam, that is, Sam in America, but Salvatore is Italia. Broken Italian language is the norm. We grew up hearing it, but the dialect depended on the province or region. Salvatore went back to Italy at 27 to find a young 18 year old bride from nearby Corfinio, a few mountains over in Abruzzi. Her mother was from Roccacasale (roughly translated as Rocky Castle) & her father, Antonio Di Nino was from around there, too, I think Roccararso. They fathered (I think that's a Mixed Metaphor for sure) son Rizier, who grew up in Chicago, Concettina (little conch shell) (she was never Concetta, oh no!) Grandma was tiny-boned, a shell that carried the fresh mountain waters of Corfinio, the salty Adriatic Sea crossing, next the salty 3 month Atlantic Ocean crossing & finally landing at Ellis Island, welcomed by the Statue of Liberty, hoping they were one of the lucky ones healthy enough to walk down the 45 degree gangplank. (The Steering, by Alfred Stieglitz). I often wonder if I could pick out my ancestors on that diagonal white gangplank against the chiarascuro ship photographed by the father of mother photography & bold enough to show the first Degas, nude scribbles, Picasso & others that were thought to be revolutionary on this side of the Atlantic.

The good old boys club gallery, 291, at 291 East 5th Street, NY, secretly exhibited Georgia O'Keeffe's work without her knowledge. This tall, gangly looking 30 year old later was a smitten kitten over the older, mature married Jewish photographer. He died in 1946 where they lived in New York & she in 1986 age the age of 98 at Ghost Ranch (a dude ranch), in Abiqui, New Mexico, 70 miles north of Santa Fe, in a mission church with a wood door. It took her 10 years to get it away from the Catholic Church, but she had to have that door with a stone patio, isolated from almost everyone. They had no children, nieces & nephews were sufficient. (I digress, but remember you learn more from the digressions than the main stream).

I know it's confusing, but try to remember the rules, I don't care if you understand my streaming conscious (reread the part about entering at your own risk, cluttered mind, journey), I do this for myself in a public forum (Il Foro Romano). Ok, I sometimes try to make sense, but water flows as freely as my streams. Streams puddle and regroup and sink even deeper into the ground.

I designed my fireplace based on one of one O'Keeffe's...black tiles, no mantle or stone still upon which to sit, no clutter! I hung Oriental Poppies, 1927, over it. The U of MN, Weisman, has the original but it was catalogued wrong and hung incorrectly for about 50 years. She didn't care, the compostion worked successfully whatever its orientation was. Wish people would allow others of a "different" orientation to work successfully, too. My paper in grad school for Abnormal Psychology was I'm OK, Your'e OK, and Gays are OK, too.

Written in 1970 this was radical thinking but St. Kate's teaches people how to think, not what to think. I think Georgia may have had a same sex experience, as did Frida Kahlo, daughter of Hungarian Jewish father and Mexican mother. She was Frida Calderon who married the womanizer Diego Rivera, a muralist and they were Communists.

I used to show Frida, the unrated Mexican film in Spanish (& French of her love affair with Lenin) because Salma Hayak's version was rated R, and it might get one in trouble with the administration They would protest, not the administration, but the students because they're were no subtitles but I always interjected. Notice my writing style.

Even now, this weekend, I enjoyed 6 hours of Giordana's, the best of youth, (lower case on purpose) in Italian with English subtitles. There are 10 reels of probably 16mm film. Even my husband was transformed and that takes a lot for a man with graduated from St. Thomas in 1968 with a BA in Accounting. He graduated from Cretin in 1964, a boys military prep school.
Numbers were always the only way he interpreted life, a concrete, sequential, linear learner, probably a High Green/Gold. he was the middle of 6 children in an Irish Catholic family that achieved 629 Summit Avenue at Dale, the one with the Queen Ann round turret and wrought iron Stars of David on the double doors. t The draft #'s were imprinted one his brain. It was the Viet Nam war era, and some went to school only to escape the draft, but when school was over the government was still drafting. He graduate in May, 1968, and the draft board called his #. It was time to fight. Read Tim O'Brien, The Things I Carried, and his other books. Tim was from Macalester and a local. We're definitely a hotbed of radicals hiding out here in the Midwest. Anybody who can survive the cold here (-30 degrees Fahrenheit this week, I think that's about 8 degrees Celsius but my Italian-Irish godson is not here to do the math for me) & the high humidity of summer can survive anywhere. We breed resiliency, adaptability and compromise as a way to exist. We breed SURVIVORS.

Mark's # was up for the selective service but he checked the reserves. He had been on an endless waiting list but the list had now grown short as everybody had already been drafted. He signed up in the Army Reserve and got IN. JOY! They noted his BA and made him an accountant. After basic training in Fort Leonard Wood on the Missouri border, he was assigned to an accounting school at Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indiana. He was gone short of 6 months, they make sure you get out, so you won't get Veteran's Benefits, and served 2 weeks in the summer and one weekend a month for the next six years. He wore a military uniform to an all boy's high school for four years, went to an all male college, spent the next 6 months in basic in a uniform, and uninterested with being a CPA after working for CPA's, he achieved one of the big 8, Taylor, McCaskill when we were married in 1970. He then worked for a non-profit, the Wilder Foundation & then decided to be a mailman, where he will retire in June after wearing lots of government issue blue uniforms. No wonder he's so regimented and linear thinking and has difficulty dealing with his two artistic loves, his wife & his daughter, complete opposites to him (both High Oranges in the True Color Scale of Learning & Life), but whom he shares the same core values. I'm not sure what the order of importance in his life is; sometimes I rate The Bike #1, Any Sports #2 & his testosterone/Gregory competitiveness #3, #4 deer hunting. He trains religiously, at the expense of everyone. No, this is not his eulogy, but it could be, the way he drives himself. At age 60 (June 21) he rides with the Twin City Bike Club as if he's Lance Armstrong & the US POSTAL SERVICE. Greg LeMond, a local Minnesotan was and still is his hero. Lance, divorcing your wife after her devotion to you when you were down, doesn't look good. Gina & I enjoyed seeing Armstrong in Hautecam, France, near Lourdes, freezing in the moutain elevation in 2000. We had just survived watching the Feast of San Fermin, the running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain, and wanted to be in Paris for Bastille Day, at the turn of the millenium. The Eiffel tower was aglow with a big 2000 in lights and the fireworks spit everywhere.

That was the way we were...Viet Nam Memorial & Birds are photos of Thomas Abel

2006-02-20T19:09:00.000-08:00

What is art? Art & Sports...Social Landscapes

2006-02-20T03:02:00.000-08:00

Charlize, "North Country" portrays sex discrimination in the MN Iron Range. She represents ALL WOMEN (not just the feminists, think latent image) trying to get equality & the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) passed. Even black men got to vote before women (1920). Again, Black Male vs White Female.

My Title IX class action lawsuit in 1977 against SPPS & Principal Big Mac was a farce. First it was bogged down by making the mistake of filing it with the State Department of Human Rights, then naively thinking that the Federal Department of Health, Education, and Welfare would also consider it. Ha! Both buried it for years, never to be heard from again. $150 pay difference, but the world to me. The boys Black male assistant coach got the HEAD coach position of the new CO-ED track team; think: submerged, not merged, because he was an athlete in high school & college. The results of who got the head coach position was published before the interview even took place & even though we were the only 2 who applied in September for a March 1st opening, the interview took place on Feb 28th. I was advised to seek a job at a local college if I wanted to coach so badly, but no, I stayed with that program for five years. It was 1982, I was 33, 9 months pregnant, coaching 2 sports, working the finish line judge for state. I took a semester leave of teaching but continued coaching. I had a student baby sit in the locker room (she was only 2 months old, hate those indefinite articles, the baby not the babysitter); continued nursing for 6 months. No infections for that child, she got the first taste of food when Aunt Michele unknowingly gave her a banana. It was time for me to go back to work.

The Title IX lawsuit resulted in SPPS revamping the interview process for hiring coaches. I won the battle, but not the war. We had 9 high schools, 27 possible coaching positions and only 5 women got any of the positions, all asst coaches. Good ol Boys Club. Think: I was a product of SPPS, they didn't even offer girls athletics, nor did St. Kate's, my college. I did win the phy ed class timed races. I did the 50 yard dash in 6 sec at Hazel Park. What were they hiring, a person who had proved themselves as a coach or a jock. Who ever said jocks made good coaches? Yes their is a correlation but it isn't a given. Coaching was my expertise, not being an athlete. No matter what, we all remained friends to the end, each respecting each other. We agreed to disagree, no blackballing me for what I stood for. Well, maybe those character values weren't held by everyone. My volleyball history is even more exciting. My stellar performance as an athlete in intramural homeroom co-ed volleyball, all 9 players on the court at once. My homeroom won! Next chance was 1972. Saint Paul Public Schools were mandated to offer sports for women. They did, but they offered only ONE...volleyball. Rod Magnuson suggested that I apply. I was 3 years older than my students when I started teaching. I got my coaching certification, 30 quarter credits, completing USVBA Level I & II. Immediate success, City Champs were determined by end of season play offs, a Twin City Title in 1973, beating Minneapolis Roosevelt and glory for women in sports! 30 seasons later, City & Twin City titles in 1979 & 1995, and Cretin-Derham Hall's coach telling me he had a 77-1 record in St. Paul, Como being the only City school to beat CDH. I beamed with pride as my peers celebrated me. I walked out of the AP's office as he told me to teach & coach after I retired, walked 10 yards to the AD's office & Billy White Shoes tells me, "It's time for a change." I felt like I had been slapped & cried inside. He had told me that it was time for young blood, that there was too much grey hair on the bench. When questioned later about it, he said he couldn't remember saying it, but immediately added "But change is good." It was documented in the principal's file, but I chose not to invoke it. He was a former English teacher so I figured he knew the precise meaning of what he said. To be politically correct, he should have said, "You have the right to reapply for any coaching position." Mysteriously, I "lost my last hour prep." The new head football coach in the building got it, 2 special ed teacher's got it, a gymnastics coach got it who didn't even want it, the tennis coach got it, but not I, the only one who requested it, lost it, after having it since 1979. Maybe should have applied for Athletic Director instead since "it's time for a change" and "change is good."

What your student's produce reflects what you teach. Please don't hold me accountable for that anymore. I'd flunk, just kidding; they're are some who try, just not the ones I get in SWS, Read 180, Minority Encourgement Program MEP & Reg 9th grade English.

The bottom line: I was a white female coaching 33 girls at Washington with no track and no parking lot, either. I was the only coach because it was the "girls" team, the boys had 2 coaches and just a few athletes. We made it to state & placed, thanks to Sandy Strehlow for Fosbury flopping. I called our training Russian down hill sprinting as we raced up & down the hilly quadrangle of 4 inner city blocks, no paglio here, just my starter flags. Macalester's Roy Griak felt sorry for me and let us on the all weather tracks, God, we never trained on any track in those days, come to think of it, maybe that's why we made in in a field event: the high jump! Sorry, Sandy, that you lost your brother as he was cutting across the cemetery on Dale & Larpenteur. Stop by & visit Byron Dennis Jones, he's by the fence on Larp. They found him this summer in the Mississippi River. You did a good job sending him off at Morningstar Baptist Church even though no one recognized his art teacher from the Class of 1984. I love you, Byron, always did; thanks for being in my MAS, Mutual Admiration Society.

An artist works with HER/HIS HANDS, HEART, and MIND to arrange the elements of art: line, shape,...using the principles of design into an expression that is aesthetic. That was my written answer to my 7th grade art teacher when asked, "What is art?"

Now I know that only humans can make art, eliminating rainbows & sunsets. I know that the Native American vocabulary has no WORD for art, because art is inherent & ethereal in the work itself.

Art (or Beauty) as some would naively call it, is NOT superficial, the frosting on the cake, the frivolous arts & crafts projects, the first budget cut because it is non-essential, fun, anyone can produce. The mandatory art requirement to graduate frustrated the Internation Baccalaureate types, the Advance Placements, the Honors Only variety, the CIS College in the School types because it leveled the playing field. There were no honor points to be earned, and it was hard to find the juxtaposition. The camera is just a machine, a vehicle, like a pencil, computer, or potter's wheel, or paintbrush. There is no one correct answer, which bothered many of those high Green or Golds (True Colors Learning Style, me, a High Orange, 24/24 yes!) Random, spatial abstracts have difficulty teaching concrete, sequential linear learners.

So I compromised: develop lesson playersDevelop a pinhole camera photo. Use a Hypothesis, Collect data, Record results, Analyze, interpret using the vocab of art: Elements of art..color, line, shape Principles of design. Critique it. Mount it. Title it. Write your artistic vision statement. Exhibit. Prepare to defend. Autograph your work with excellence. Yes, you'll probably be like Ralph Ellison, "Invisible Man," but you won't need someone to notice you, because you will be satisfied in knowing yourself. Live life as if each day is a gift and that it might be your last. Be thankful you breathe.

Living wills, DNR? I want to be alive when I die, said Margaret Bourke-White to Erskine Caldwell in their 1937 collaboration "You have Seen Their Faces," my rare original edition which was "borrowed" from my art room, Bermuda Triangle Room 164, as were MANY things, too numerous to list, but I will name a few: my keys (taken by 9th grader and returned by same when a 12th grader, thank you, Billy Barthol); my keys (taken by L. but returned mysteriously by S. who really said that she was someone else, damn, I shouldn't have paid her the $25 cash but with a check made out to the ficticious name she had given me.). Everybody was going to Valley Fair on a field trip that day. L, I forgive you, I know you're in Irag today saving us; B, honesty will & social justice WILL make the world a better place. My keys, to the nth power... you see, the keys always had a lanyard & whistle on them, but I would trust everybody, and eventually pay to get my keys back, which was a good deal for me as school would charge me $20 @key to replace them, and God knows, having been there since the school opened in 1979, I had the keys to the kingdom. Another one who stole my keys, stole them except they took them for the wrong reason. We had mag locks on the exterior doors and I had a mag lock key so we could go outside and extend the perimeters of my art room. A mag lock key looks identical to a computer security key. It was one of the last days of my school career, the weather was gorgeous, my students had permission to go out of the room, but not out of the school to photograph. But they "borrowed" the wrong key. They thought by taking the mag lock key they could let themselves out of the building. Having my computer security key instead they discovered it would not work so they busted the fire alarm. The parent was a lawyer and I begged him to get back my keys as I couldn't secure the computer without it, but that didn't work. WHAT is the matter with SOME parents these days?

One day my cell phone was taken by K. NOT one of MY GOOD students but by a 9th grade earth science student of Gosse's who taught in my room. I rarely had the luxury of being in my class during my prep period. But I met great young teachers, like Gosse & Kate, who would float or travel to other classes to teach. This assignment was usually given to "new" teachers.
Gosse's K, takes my cell, makes a string of calls, & hands it off to another student when she knew I was looking for her. Well, I couldn't prove who had a taken it so I called all of the #'s
she had called and finally convinced a voice that this call was made from my stolen phone & I needed help to prove who took it. Turned out this voice was a former student, Washington Class of '74, and that he agreed to help me. It was not his daughter but she knew who had given it to her so she could make the call. Nailed her, but there's still a warrant out for her arrest as
said thief never showed up for the court appearance.

I often went to the local pawn shop to buy back the exact item which was taken. It was a fraction of its replacement cost. I used my own money. Cameras properly signed out would not be returned because there were never any consequences that could be enforced. My philosophy, you do the crime, you do the time. My personal supply diminished & so did those of all my friends who donated antiquated equipment, SLRs, Twin Lens Reflex, Principal Sorenson's Nikon, science teacher Kathy Kahn's Canon, sister Denise Ranelli's Canon, an underwater Canon, Charlie's Nikon equiment, the counselor's Zeiss, and numerous Gregory vintage collections including a Rolleicord, Leica, Polaroid, Panoramic, Pinhole & Dollar Dianas (it didn't matter what they were worth, they got stolen no matter what). It didn't matter that they were signed out, and that I knew who had them or destroyed them, the bottom line was they possession was 9/10ths of the law. I knew who stole my keys, except they took them for the wrong reason. We had mag locks on the exterior doors and I had a mag lock key so we could go outside and extend the perimeters of my art room.

Sherlock Holmes I became. It got easier when they stole digital. One returned them with the memory of the date & what time the photos were taken. I'd get the camera back when I recognized a person's shoes & bedroom.

The best story was the time the camera was "found" in a store the "day" after it was missing. That worked until I showed everyone that the thief and the returnee was the same person. He had pictures of his home, pet, & truck, dated before the time he said he'd found the camera. And he was my trusted school service.

My other school service had computer & equipment stuffed in the her duffel with her hat, on the last day of school. Never saw her again but I had photographed her wedding with camera grip, Trina, my clone, Como Park Class of 1980. It was in FrogTown & they had a limo. I shot & developed the pictures, one hour developed them, put them in albums, and charged her $30, but I never got paid.

More than the cameras though were my archives of vintage memorabilia, like Leica mags, Aperture, National Geographics from the black & white days, cases full of them. & especially the Aperture of Edward Weston's Green Pepper #30. I remember the U of MN thief who would go into the Archives with a razor and slice out Weston photos, the photographer who he, himself, scratched every neg. His heirs burned them, not to be photoshopped.

Art evokes emotion, passion, action & can be as brutally graphic as a photo by Manual Alvarez-Bravo or as haunting as the veiled Sicilian woman by William Albert Allard.

The introduction of Luis Gonzales Palma was a gift to me from numero uno, aka birkiebabe, photogurl, sportyspice, the bard's date, Nonna Salvatore's ginagianetta. She herself was a gift to me from someone I still want to grow old with, something that I sensed the day we met & still believe today, a relationship that is not possessive, but always under construction with room to grow. Need to see Gail Sheehy who's in Mpls Tues 2/21, author of Passages.

Women's Hockey, Sweden 3 USA 2 2/27/06 & ME

2006-02-18T01:32:00.000-08:00

I have wanted women's hockey for a lifetime, except that it arrived a little later than I would have liked. See earlier post, Hockey at 54, and XX Olympics. The USA-Finland game was the catalyst. Now I had to get to Torino ASAP to support the female version of "Miracle," Herb Brooks, repeat of 1980. It was deja vu, 26 years later happening in 2006, all over again. But it was to be better this time, because the unitiated were women. Women just don't have THE RIGHT STUFF to join THE GOOD OLD BOYS CLUB, never will and never want to, that is my thinking but that is only for about 90% of us. I know many of the other 10%, whom I greatly admire, those who risk life & limb & those whom have not had the encouragement from society to realize that closets are for clothes and not people. Read Middlesex if you really want to be enlightened. Where are the medical tort lawyers? Who gives anyone the right to play God? I am not sorry for this digression, more is learned when sidebarring anyhow. They really listen when they think you're off the beaten path. You digress so fast, they're geo positioning and need a hitchhiker's guide to the planet.

I decide after watching the Finnish game that it's not too late to be there for the WOMEN'S ICE HOCKEY GOLD MEDAL game, followed by a 3 week Mediterranean cruise on the Norwegian Coastal Line ship MIDNATSOL. A nice birthday & Valentine's present to myself. I'm worth it. The yearly birthday roses from Trina, ex star track & volleyball athlete who's trying to make up for the rest of my recalcitrants, and my incredible foresight of my sister, Denise, who gave me Torino Olympic gear are high up on my list, as are the Asian note cards of Chinese brush painting. Someone's vision must be very extra sensory: the association of the Asian New Year of the Dog & dinner at Rice Steet's Princess Garden! Here's to those who see what is not there and read between the lines. And, yes, St. Augustine, my prayers to you continue. Padre Pio, are you listening, too?

Feb. 26 - Mar. 20, 2006 / 22 Nights

Feb. 26	---	Savona, Italy, board MS Midnatsol
Feb. 28	---	Civitavecchia, Italy
Mar. 01	---	Naples, Italy
Mar. 02	---	Catania, Sicily
Mar. 03	---	Valletta, Malta
Mar. 04	---	La Goulette, Tunisia
Mar. 06	---	Ajaccio, Corsica
Mar. 07	---	Nice, France
Mar. 08	---	Livorno, Italy
Mar. 09	---	Portoferraio, Italy
Mar. 10	---	Cagliari, Italy
Mar. 12	---	Mahon, Menorca, Spain
Mar. 13	---	Barcelona, Spain
Mar. 14	---	Palma de Mallorca, Spain
Mar. 15	---	Alicante, Spain
Mar. 17	---	Malaga, Spain
Mar. 18	---	Gilbraltar
Mar. 19	---	Tangier
Mar. 20	---	Lisbon, Portugal, disembark

Imagine 19 ports in 22 days! Immerse yourself in Italian and Spanish cities and more! Cruise the Mediterranean in the spring before it gets crowded with summer tourists.

Feb. 26 Mar. 20 Sample Fares	Per Person Double Occup.	Sole Occup.
Inside cabin or limited view	$2,255	$2,819
Outside cabin Cat. N (deck 4)	$3,166	$3,958
Outside cabin Cat. U (deck 7 & 8)	$4,270	$5,338

Thanks to Rico Ghilardi, Como Park HS and restraurant entrepeneur of The RED SEA in Minneapolis, I will be staying with the family of one of Rico's 12 brothers who are Ethiopian-Italians. Keep those e-mails coming, ranelligregory@mac.com as I have figured out how to access them by phone. I watched the USA-Sweden game in my hockey jersey, screaming to the cable channel. Tied in regulation, tied in Overtime, lost in a ShootOut 2-3. An 18 year old Swede gets the win, even though we had the advantage of power plays in the overtime period. Great athleticism. Maybe some Como Cougars should pay attention, instead of having the most penalty minutes or getting suspended for fighting before the region play offs. Great way to end the season. CJ, you have to answer to me. I've literally stood in your shoes (thanks for letting me wear your skates, even if they were too wide; thanks, also, Kate, another flying Red Tomato, for letting me use yours for the last period of the CSC-Alumnae game at Ridder and to be able to be on the ice when the Alumnae scored, no thanks to me, a sincere liability until I hit the strength training room regularly. Fred Clary, Advanced Injury Rehab is my savior. Acupuncture, massage to break up scar tissue and adjustments for breaking up a fight in my classroom: Andrea, armed with a linoleum cutter retaliated when her male opponent smashed her over the head with a chunk of plywood used to hold the lino blocks when carving.
Andrea is second generation on both sides, meaning that I've been teaching so long I've had both her parents as students. We had 4 siblings at Como at one time. Ron silkscreened his image on a t-shirt in '76, now it's a lost art there. Some think that art is just the frosting on the cake, but in reality, it is the cake itself. Think my tiramisu and pavlova and salivate with passion. Art is so draining of emotion. It eats up all my energy. Then why do I have so much left? Juxtapositions juxtapose. Sleep, you elusive metaphors and similes. Nessun dorma.

The Best of Youth, Grand Prize Cannes Film Festival & Mother Courage, Madre Corraggio, Milano

2006-02-18T00:50:00.000-08:00

The adrenaline rush one gets when watching this makes you think you do not need anything else to satisfy you. It is "a grand look at almost of half century of epic Italian life told through the lives and loves of two brothers like a page-turning novel that you want never to end." Feb 17-23 Oak Street Cinema mnfilmarts.org Part 1 (3 1/2 hours) shown 7:30PM Fri,Sun,Tues,Th 3:30PM Sat Part II 7:30PM Sat, Mon, Wed 3:30PM Sunday 2/23/2006

Madre Corraggio by Bertolt Brecht is finishing 2/26/2006 at Piccolo Teatro di Milano in Milano, starring my favorite actor Francesco Cordella, who plays many parts, one of which is a Lt. I love your glasses, but you look like a high maintenance LA man. Above is a scene from
Francesco's going away party with the cast of Arlecchino, Servant to Two Masters, performed
at Pantages Theater in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA. My Italian language skills are limited BUT I did understand something to this effect, "Now that Francesco is leaving the USA, the National League of Women will find that the streets will be much safer," said by Giorgio Bongiovanni, I think. Everybody agreed and lifted their glasses.

Boss, Blues Brothers & Music that soothes the savage beast or breast?

2006-02-15T04:53:00.000-08:00

Orchestra Hall, Minneapolis, Valentine's Day, 2/14/2005 O'Neill Brothers' dueling pianos & harmonicas, Deborah Gibson singing Les Mis' Eponine's ON MY OWN and playing her own original scores. The violinist, sax player, & guitarist definitely added a high note to the romantic evening. Compliments of JNBA. Thai Thu Ngoan, you are a wonderful French speaking Viet Namese lady. La principessa. Continuing with music: Best concert: Fine Line Cafe's Blues Brothers, Dan Akroyd & Jim Belushi. Payne Avenue never rocked as much, with the exception of Ben Doran's benefit; Bruce Springsteen's Devils & Dust & at the Excel, Iranian music with East Indian dancing. The O'Neill Brothers from Notre Dame also played a similar Irish drum, quite unlike Southern Theater's Japanese Mu Daiko. Kyle, keep up the percussion, marimbas.

Happy Birthday, Aquarians & Aquariums!

2006-02-15T04:27:00.000-08:00

Cugino Roberto's amico, Chef Nicola at Il Ragazzi di Via Panisperna,( forgive me, La Professoressa Gina Rulli, if the article does not agree with the noun)a restaurant near Colosseum, makes a signature creme brulee that stirs in passion, or at least it was in the one he served Gina for her birthday/going home/gala. It was dressed up with eucalyptic spires, but it was the company that night that made the festa. 4 hours later we were still eating what had been live sea food swimming in aquarians, oh, aquariums. Read Like Water For Chocolate to get the idea of food/passion. Or view the film, Chocolat... or the food scene in Tom Jones...maybe someone can think of other films in this category. There's one specific one with that escapes me right now, but I'm sure someone will come up with it. HINT, HINT, please comment, or I'll go crazy wondering which one it was. Thanks to Ruth Chris in Minneapolis for this birthday present.

XX Winter Olympics, 2006 Torino, Italia, Congrats USA Women's Hockey...Going for the Gold!

2006-02-15T03:57:00.000-08:00

Women's hockey has come a long way in a short time. CSC vs Alumnae, Ridder Arena, Nov 13, 2004, part of the 100th year Centennial of CSC. At least I was on the ice when the alumnae scored ...wearing equipment from Washington, Como Park & Johnson HS, Sarah Follmer's (Como '2004 a la Kyle) skates, CJ Hanratty's (Como '2006) skates and finally Kate's skates. Johnson's gloves (Bucky K) and Como Park's vintage yellow & black stockings, breezers and vintage pads from the '70's era Washington HS (Wally Kranz, John Brodrick, Rod Magnuson) I played defense, Billy Schaeffer and Dane Walters! Dec 30, 2005, Team Canada played USA at the Excel. It was awesome, but if you play like you did yesterday against Finland, look out Canada. A memoriam to Herb Brooks: you were my mentor; as is Rod Magnuson, who is currently volunteering his time to Como's team, when he's not smoking up the golf courses, I mean burning them up. Bonnie Brings, keep those drones flying, you epitomize women's hockey! And especially to Como's skater with a prosthetic in the the Lake Placid ParaOlympics!

MN's Tony Benshoof, Luge, 4th Place: Congrats

2006-02-13T21:43:00.000-08:00

The old Fiat Factory in Torino, Italia 2006 XX Winter Olympics

Self Portrait in Frame

2006-02-08T04:46:00.000-08:00

Arlecchino=Harlequin, Ferruccio Soleri

2006-02-07T11:03:00.000-08:00

Ferruccio Soleri, 50 years of performing Arlecchino.

Denise & I with the touring Piccolo Teatro Milano company at Pantages Theater, Minneapolis. Commedia del arte: note white & red slapsticks actually used in comedy. Standing ovation to an incredibly generous cast & performance. Ferruccio Soleri is 76 and this was his swan song. The architect Paolo Soleri at Arcosanti, Arizona,is Ferruccio's cousin. Paolo designed a self-contained community in AZ. Jennie & Mario went there & have one of his cast bronze windchimes. I tried to interest Gina in living there while Paolo was still teaching but that was right after she had spent 6 months with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps as a social service advocate at Bean's Cafe, a homeless shelter in Anchorage. She experienced three to four hours a day of winter daylight compared to 18 hours of summer daylight when she & I were there. Another favorite architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, built Taliesin West in Scottsdale, AZ & Taliesin East in Spring Green, Wisconsin.

Mike

2006-02-02T21:17:00.000-08:00

Mike loves cars, trucks, boats, bikes, and coaching.

Tutti Famiglia

2006-02-02T18:01:00.000-08:00

Kyle, Maria & Denise w/friends

Famiglia

2006-02-02T17:40:00.000-08:00

My sister, Denise, Mike, Kyle & Maria: Easter, Grand Canyon, and Mike's toys.

Alaska

2006-02-02T17:20:00.000-08:00

Ever heard of a snow plow train? Guess it clears the rails for moose, too.

Jennie & Mario

2006-02-02T17:05:00.000-08:00

Left, Mario Ranelli and Pat Monno digging an outhouse in Cumberland. Jennie Ranelli at wine tasting reception for the Italian Consulate.

Hazy Identity, Gina, Homage to Byron Dennis Jones

2006-02-02T13:59:00.000-08:00

Hazy Identity, Gina Gregory self portrait; Byron Dennis Jones, Homage to Modigliani;
Why, Byron? You were one of my only students to go to MCAD. The world needs artists like you.

Wine Balls, Christmas only

2006-02-02T13:40:00.000-08:00

Why are wineballs only a Christmas specialty? And Easter birds & dolls painted with egg yolk? The pizza fritte is great, too. At least we get them all year long.

Mangia, Mangia

2006-02-02T13:29:00.000-08:00

Food, Italian style. Making pizzelles, wine balls, scotzal, and now Anna's pavlova, meringue, w/ cream & fruit! Ana's secret ingredients of lime juice & vinegar...the treasure of Phaidon's Silver Spoon, the Bible of Italian cooking for 50 years and just published in English, my Christmas gift to myself. I usually just ask for a cord
of wood. I hate to burn our white birch. Jennie's secret ingredient in pizzelle is honey. Arlecchino Ferruccio Soleri adored her pizzelle and searches for heather "miele," available only in Europe. We adored Arlecchino, Servant of Two Masters, commedia dell arte by Carlo Goldoni, directed by Stefano di Luca at Pantages Theater, November, 2005. The slapstick comedy was another love story.

My guy, Mark La Clair Gregory

2006-02-02T13:11:00.000-08:00

My guy, Mark, flying on his bike, emulating Greg Le Mond & Lance Armstrong. Jim Pederson took these on a Twin Cities Bicycle Club ride as he was riding. Another 4,000 + mile year for Mark in 2005. Mark finished the Bike Tour of Colorado, suffered a mild stroke the following week, continued working the whole day at the Roseville Post Office, was hospitalized for 4 days & rode the 6PM ride the day he got out, in 94 degree heat with unbelievable humidity. Those Gregorys are definitely competitive. I met him July, 1966, at the Taystee bakery. I was a junior at St. Paul Johnson & he a junior at St. Thomas College. It was love at first sight.

Monno Family, Then & Now

2006-02-02T12:18:00.000-08:00

Pasquale Monno didn't want to be a farmer in Wisconsin when he left Sicily but he wanted Jennie Zappa and in order to marry her that was what he must do. Jennie Zappa was from a family of 10 children and they had 15, most of them pictured at Lake Phalen, St. Paul, MN, in an annual family reunion. Their daughter, Jennie Monno, married Mario Ranelli, son of Concettina Di Nino & Sam, after WWII. Sam fought for the American Army in WWI in the Meuse Argonne front and Mario was in the Army Air Corps in WWII in Nome, Alaska, and Keflavik, Iceland. I am the product of that baby boomer wedding, as were Mario II, Geno & Denise. homepage.mac.com/ranelligregory For family tree Go to Sharing Files Documents Download

Lord, "He's not heavy, he's my brother."

2006-02-02T11:57:00.000-08:00

Pasquale, my maternal grandfather, has a toothpick in his mouth. My brother, Geno Ranelli, is in the plaid shorts. My father, Mario, took this 2 1/4" square negative.
Geno's twin, Mario, was also there. Geno has been missing since May 20, 1977 & Mario died of carbon monoxide poisoning December 12, 1971. Lord, "He's not heavy, he's my brother."

Barcellona, Sicily, is the site of the the Catherina Manna (only sibling of Pasquale Monno) & Domenico Salvadore tomb; their parents were Mary Romana & Antonio Manna of Santa Lucia del Mel, between Barcellona & Messina, Sicily. 4 generations of Monno include Elisabetta Ricci Zappa, daughter Jennie Zappa Monno, her daughter Mary Monno Zappa & daughter Joyce Zappa Baribeau (Wisconsin) & James Monna and his son Eugene Monna

Semester At Sea, Summer 2002

2006-02-02T11:55:00.000-08:00

After the storm in Dubrovnik, Croatia

65 Days, 9 Ports, 12 Credits, Ruined for Life

2006-02-02T11:45:00.000-08:00

Semester At Sea Piraeus, Greece; Cadiz, Spain; Dublin, Ireland; Bergen, Norway; St. Petersburg, Russia; Gdansk, Poland; Antwerp, Belgium; Naples, Italy, Dubrovnik, Croatia;

Http://homepage.mac.com/ranelligregory

2006-02-02T11:37:00.000-08:00

Cumberland's St. Anthony the Abbott Catholic Cemetery with Giacomo & Elisabetta Zappa tomb; Zappa Family http://www.homepage.mac.com/ranelligregory Daughter Jennie Angeline Zappa ( born in Ateleta) married Pasquale Monno, son of
Antonio Manna & Mary Romana Santa Lucia Del Mela, Sicily, near Messina

Jennie Zappa & Pasquale Monno, Cumberland, WI m.11/11/1911

2006-02-02T11:07:00.000-08:00

Nonna Jennie Zappa Monno, Cumberland, WI; Farm house and aerial view of their farm

Concettina Di Nino & Salvatore Ranelli

2006-02-02T11:01:00.000-08:00

Nonna Concettina "little conch shell" Chiesa San Pellino, Corfinio, Fratelli Salvatore & Riccardo Ranelli, Paterno/Celano, L'Aquila Nonna, you left Corfinio at 18 to marry Salvatore & go to America. He had fought in WWI for the Americans & his brother Riccardo fought for Italians, at least Allies on the same side. You were married in Corfinio's Chiesa San Pellino at 18, even though Grandpa was told to marry the other sister, that there was something the matter with you. I wonder what? You never changed, with your dialect and broken English. You stepped out of that place in time & never left it. When your younger sister Anna visited in 1970 she was modern. She cut your hair, and the length of your clothes. You never even wore slacks. You "read" the Sunday St. Paul Pioneer Press, though, and told me the news on television, something I never had time to watch. You would take us on the Vista Dome train to Duluth for the day. You earned every line on your face as I earned every grey hair on my head. Someday it will be as white as yours. Riccardo, with your handlebar mustache, was always a mystery to me. Giovanni, your father, and Maria, had 18 children, and you and grandpa were the only 2 to come to America. So close, yet so different. You brothers both lived on Railroad Island. My father, Mario, was born in 1922 in Swede Hollow, on 24 Phalen Creek. Salvatore (Sam) started out in the mines in Northern Minnesota, thankfully left, but ironically was buried in sand twice while working at the City Water Deparment, where Mario also worked for 35 years.

Cugino Gabriele Ciutti, La Presentosa http://ilreporter.splinder.com

2006-02-02T09:31:00.000-08:00

Gabriele Ciutti, Italian cousin, photographer/poet, wrote La Presentosa, which is an Abruzzo gift to his fiance. My Italian is not proficient enough to read his blog or book, but it hasn't stopped us from meeting our roots in L'Aquila, (Corfinio, Paterno, Celano, Sulmona); Roma, Salerno & Sicily.

Ciao Italiani Abruzzo Cugini: Gabriele & figlio Emanuele (Avezzano), Ottavio, Giulia & Francesco, Zio Mario (Salerno) Ti amo, con affetto.

St. Paul Winter Carnival Ice Palace, Mississippi River Harriet Island

2006-02-02T09:25:00.000-08:00

St. Paul Winter Carnival Ice Palace on Harriet Island.

Hockey at 54

2006-02-02T09:13:00.000-08:00

St. Kate's 2004 Alumnae Hockey at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, MN at 54. It started with a rink in our back yard at 1122 Lane Place, next door to Mikey Jennings'. I grew up in a neighborhood of boys with their homemade chugs, (the Federowski's) and an alley that the sheenie came through with his horse and wagon filled with whatever. We had a park in front of our house where the twins, my brothers, Mario & Geno, actually went out to play (at age 2) without clothes. The Manos' family, Greeks, had the only girls (Connie & Vaciela whom we called Telo). Dad built a gym set out of cast iron pipe, next to Flathman's kennelled hunting dog, a black lab. Gerry was director of Parks & Rec and a great referee. It was the early 50's and we had moved to the East Side. Sports were everything, kick the can, etc. but skating reigned supreme, especially hockey. Duluth & Case was the location of our local playground, where I actually won local speed skating contests. Onto the J-ettes at Johnson HS, our skating unit coached by Sharon Gredvig & Gunnar Sheff. We were issued Army surplus anoraks with fox rimmed hoods for 6 AM outdoor practices before school. The boys had the prime practice times. Johnson was in the State Hockey Tournament many years. No sports for girls, as this was the 60's. No sports at St. Kate's either, thank God for Title IX in 1972! Washington HS (Frogtown) on Rice Street was my first teaching assignment in '70.I started coaching volleyball in '72 and never looked back. Girls were EQUAL! Don't forget that we still haven't passed the Equal Rights Amendment. Started playing on a female hockey team with my students Debbie Covlin, Laurjie Lundgren and Cindy Baumann. It was Kathy Gregory's softball team from Mendota & with a combination of the East Side, North End & West Side, we played in So. St. Paul's arena with practices at 10PM because that was all the ice time that was available. My team jersey was Barry Cartage, a trucking firm. There were only 5 teams to play against: Roseville, River Falls, Normandale Junior College & ? Thanks to fellow coaches Rod Magnuson & John Broderick who actually came to River Falls to see us play. Bob Turner was too busy coaching his girls' team & Washington's boys. Now I play only for an alumnae game.

Ice

2006-02-02T09:06:00.000-08:00

MN State Capitol in ice during the 2005 St. Paul Winter Carnival, carved by Larry Fisher's team. I started carving ice in 1984, a very subtle torso of a nude. I was one of the few female carvers. A National Geographic photographer shot about 27 rolls of slide film on me, an ice sculptress, it was so novel.

2006-02-02T08:43:00.000-08:00

Michele in Bali & India.

MN State Fair

2005-08-14T16:11:00.000-07:00

Photos by Gina

2005-08-10T12:57:00.000-07:00

My guy, Mark, believes in speed, his that is, not that of a machine's, or of a car's.
He is testosterone personified.

Alice is our Italian cousin in Salerno. She looks like her mother, Simona, whom I saw at that age, with her doll "Susina." Roberto, your heart shaped pizza from the Tivoli forno was the best!

Wild Salmon, Hazeltine Golf, "Untitled"

2005-08-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

Wild Salmon Art in Anchorage, much like our Snoopy characters in St. Paul

"Untitled," Senior Show 2004, Gina

Flag Throwers at Festa; Alaska

2005-08-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

Bean's Cafe in Anchorage.

Sorry but the white tailed deer are from Jackie in MN, the orphaned grizzly is in a refuge, and the flag throwers performed at Festa in Milwaukee.

Alaska

2005-08-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

Alaska, Anchorage to Talkeetna, Portage Glacier and Bean's Cafe; Matt, Gina & Rachael in Portland, Oregon, where the Northwest Jesuit Volunteer Corps headquarters are. Gina revisiting her former clients at Bean's.

Is there life after volleyball? The daily adrenaline rush from teaching & coaching in an inner city high school pales in comparison to new found energy. How did I ever find time to work? Life is more than good. Are you flying with me, Jesus? Prayers to the reformed scholar St. Augustine and his worried mother, St. Monica.

Ely, Boundary Waters,

2005-08-10T10:35:00.000-07:00

dream team

Riding the rails in Alaska

2005-08-10T10:29:00.000-07:00

Riding the rails in Alaska on the Midnight Star, staying at the Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, 39 miles from Denali in the cloudy background. Franta & Ze from the Czech Republic told us Denali surfaced the day we left. We never got to fly the summit so we hung around Talkeetna and visited the cemetery of those who never made it. Suzy Mulvaney made this Native coat for sale at the Taos museum.

http://beans.ak.org Jesuit Volunteer Corps

2005-08-10T10:18:00.000-07:00

http://beans.ak.org download winter newsletter 2005 giving insight & dignity to our friends, the homeless at Bean's Cafe, Anchorage, Alaska.

Mia sorella, Denise, hair artist from first class of Rechelbacher Horst and godmother of Gina.

Franta & Ze in Alaska, Mt. McKinley Princess, Bean's Cafe & Wing Young Huie

2005-08-10T10:01:00.000-07:00

Wing Young Huie, Minneapolis College of Art & Design trained photographer, has inspired us. He is an advocate of the strengths of our diversity as seen in Frogtown, the title of one of his books AND where, for 35 years, I taught highschool art, photography, & English. Coached varsity volleyball coach for 30 seasons, track for 8 seasons & filed a Title IX lawsuit in 1977. Something about standing up if you think you're right, even if you stand alone. Welcome to the "Giraffe Society" for sticking your neck out. As I was showing my class Blong, on the cover of Wing's book, I questioned how close his likeness was to one of my students and the student answered "Blong is my brother and he is getting a haircut by my father on our front porch." Thanks, Wing!

Colatrava Milwaukee Art Museum

2005-08-10T09:53:00.000-07:00

Photos include Colatrava designed Milwaukee Art Museum at noon, when it opens & closes. Wearing "Italian girls, best in the world" t-shirt. Cousins Afton & Rachel Snook, Gina's red "Nalgene Abstracts" purchased & on exhibit at Coeur de Catherine, College of Saint Catherine, St. Paul, MN. Michele. Private screening of Boy's Don't Cry at Oak Street Cinema for Como Park HS GLBT Gay Straight Alliance field trip.

Imagine...Gina, the artist

2005-08-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

Gina's center tryptich, "Eskimo Kiss," 2005 ice carving, & her rainbow ballroom at St. Kate's.

All Art Is Metaphor

2005-08-10T09:06:00.000-07:00

Pictures from a trip include a suitcase from the Milwaukee Art Museum...Guerrilla Girls, you're seeing 1/2 the picture w/o the vision of women artists and artists of color. Welcome to my virtual gallery!

Midnight Star Princess Line, Denali

2005-08-10T07:40:00.000-07:00

Riding the rails in Alaska

Festa Italia, Vespa, & Rain

2005-08-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

Festa Italia in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 2005. Love that Vespa. There's a dealership in downtown Minneapolis w/ a Vespa mounted above the door. Going to Festa July 20,21,22, 2006, again. Pazza Donna di Piove, Crazy Lady of the Rain, was my unofficial title. Donna means woman in Italian, but it's also my given name; well, "Donna Jean" is my real first name. I sat by myself in the front row listening to an Italian acapella group sing. It was really pouring but I figured I had only spandex on so it would dry if the sun ever came out. So I had given my umbrella to Angelo Rulli! I then bought a lime green t-shirt & put it on. Later we're invited to meet the singers but of course they don't recognize me w/ a green shirt so I take it off, Brandi Chastain soccer style, & everybody now recognizes me & feels so grateful because hardly anyone stayed during their performance except the crazy lady in the rain.

An eclectic journey through my cluttered mind...

2005-08-10T05:56:00.000-07:00

Enter at your own risk an eclectic journey through my cluttered mind, streams of conciousness, not to be understood by you, but to be freed by me. Hope that I may reach the roots of my existence and my "un cento per cento" 100% Italian-American heritage fuels my wanderings. Gordon Parks, a photographer/poet in his nineties, reenvisions the world digitally. I remember asking Gordon to autograph my 1966 dog-eared copy of his autobiography, A Choice of Weapons. Laughing at it, he gave me me a new copy, but I treasured the old, hanging onto it like this last leaf on our sugar maple tree, not knowing when it, too, will be gone. He is feeling his mortality more acutely but his words and images will be immortal.