Ranunculus
And just like that we were in another country. Italia. My sister @marvelousmissyhancock & I took the train from Paris to the French Riveria. After walking the beach we crossed into Italy. Only 11km - less than 7 miles - and we were in a different country. A different language. Different terrain. Different food. My sister immediately felt at home. “These are my people.” She said. “Now you see why I moved to Italy.” I say. Her hands already spoke Italian even if her mouth didn’t. “They are so warm.” she said as we checked into @lariservadicasteldappio. She gasp at the view. We were staying on top of the mountain. “You’re our 1st guest of the season.” the girl at reception said ushering us to our room. “Nonna will be cooking dinner.” My sister is delighted. “There’s a Nonna!!” In Italy there’s always a Nonna. The hotel is wonderfully vintage with retro green terrazzo flooring and starched white table clothes in the dining. The beaded lampshades would have been kitsch if they hadn’t been original. I feel like I’m in the Italian version of the camp in Dirty Dancing. I look around for Johnny Castle. I don’t find him, but I do see the remains of the castle next door. Out the window of our room we see Monaco in the distance. “It’s all so dreamy,” she said. “Let’s take a walk.” I’m itching to explore. “What do you think are in those greenhouses?” she asks. “And those fields of flowers… they couldn’t possibly be ranunculus?” My sister has a special relationship with ranunculus. It’s her favorite flower. When I’m homesick, I buy ranunculus because they make me think of Missy. Arriving the fields my sister exclaims “The universe IS conspiring on my behalf!! We booked a hotel surrounded by miles of ranunculus!!” I Google ranunculus and discover they are cool weather flower growing in temperatures of 50F. It turns out Ventimigliaian gardeners supply florists through out Italy and France with this blossom. I continue reading… the Ranunculus is said to be guarded by a spirit whose express purpose is to help manifest #dreamsintoreality. We’d spend the trip thus far talking about building the life of our dreams. And here we are. In the middle of a ranunculus field. #dreamsdocometrue
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