So, although I am no longer in Italy (*tiny tears*), I have decided to keep writing about things that happened there and things that continue to happen . . . Here is the first. I call it by a simple title...
Suki Meets Frank : Another Italian Love Story ^.^
It was love at first sight. Her beauty struck him by surprise...Perhaps because it was his first time meeting another plant... or because these were his very first shy leaves... or maybe she really is just that stunning of a plant... Time froze and so did he.
Let's rewind a bit, shall we?
This is Frank. Frank is a nice basil plant, basilico to be exact. He was a gift to Emmy Shea, fellow artist/photographer that I got to know by living with her this past month. The first thing she said when she introduced me to Frank (who was at the time nameless) was "What am I going to do with it??? THIS PLANT IS GONNA DIE." I couldn't help but laugh, given my new-found love for plants and keeping them alive, and calmly responded. "No, this plant is not going to die. We are going to name it and care for it and it will even grow new leaves." (Frank had only 4 or 5 leaves at the time...a real baby!). I told her to think about it and let me know what she decided to name it.
"FRANK!!!!!!!"
"...huh?"
"I named the plant FRANK!"
This made me happy. This plant will live after all! ** If you say something is going to happen...it most likely will happen. Give a plant negative energy or ignore it completely, and it's bound to die. I think that's common sense. :)
Naturally at this point, I became a parent too and decided I be the father.
(Sidenote: Technically, shouldn't his name be Francesco? I guess you can tell his parents are American.)
This is Suki. She lives at Le Tre Stanze in Florence, Italy currently... I bought her when I was studying abroad in the Fall. She's kind and delicate, yet strong and self-determined. I know because she made it through a long winter without a single flower or sign of green... Yet when I gave the news that I was coming back this summer, Spring was beginning and Suki poked another green finger out. And now look at her again!!! Bravissima fiorellina!!
As it turns out, Emmy and I only had a short time to spend with Frank and once the month was almost over, she contemplated burning him to spare him the pain of abandonment. I literally came home one day to find Emmy sitting on the couch, staring at him solemnly.
"Good thing you just came home; I was about to set Frank on fire!!"
Disaster! (Emmy loves this word ^.^) I suggested that instead of bringing his life to an abrupt end, he should join Suki living at Patrick's B&B. On the girls' last night in Florence (I also had 3 other lovely housemates), Patrick and I cooked a sumptuous dinner (read: so much pasta!) and we ate in the funny little parlor by candlelight. Emmy brought Frank and we introduced him to Suki. The way his pot was set down made us laugh because he was actually leaning away from her! I turned him toward her for the picture, but put him further away from her for the night so he wouldn't feel too uncomfortable. . . Plants need their space too!
Happy Italian/American/Chinese/Swedish/Peruvian/German/Japanese/Chinese Family Portrait...phew!
The next day, I turned his pot and he didn't put up a fight. In fact, it looks to me that they are either falling in love if not already in love!!
So there it is. This story ends with Harmony & of course...AMORE !
^.^
Phew! Glad I got this all is out of my system...! If you liked it, leave a comment! And as always, there are more photos on my flickr!
