Auguri a me! Today is another bloghiversario– blog anniversary. I feel like we just celebrated 10 years of Un po’ di pepe! In numerology, Undici (oon•DEE•chee), 11 is a master number. It is special because it repeats the #1. 11 is associated with creative energy, independent thinking, leadership and spiritual awareness. Good things for the coming year! I also love saying the word undici. Undicesimo Bloghiversario (11th bloghiversary) sounds even better.
As usual, I attempted to write more posts this past year. It started out well, but for the last few months I have been recovering from a concussion. I did not ski into a tree or anything molto dramatico, I just slipped on icy grass and fell backwards after throwing out the trash! In case you ever need to explain that in Italiano…. ‘Ho sbattuto la testa quando sono scivolata sull’erba ghiacciata, e ho un commozione cerebrale’. ‘Commozione cerebrale‘ makes it sound like there is a party happening in the brain, but that is the term for concussion. Do not ask me how many times I have been told ‘Meno male che hai la testa dura’ or ‘Menumale cà tien a capa tost!’ in the past few months. Those are ‘Good thing you have a hard head!‘ in Italiano and Dialetto. See what useful stuff you learn from this site!
I did finally publish posts on Artemisia Gentileschi, Panzerotti, Il Pumo Pugliese, I Cavalli di San Marco and 3 posts about Torino. The wine anthology I contributed to, ‘A Literary Harvest‘ is finally in print, and for my compleanno I published my piece in a bilingual post In Vino there are Memories /Nel Vino ci sono Ricordi. Mamma loved it! The anthology makes a great gift for the vino lover in your life-purchase information is in both posts.
In July, I will be attending a family wedding in Roma!!! My recent posts have been Roma related- Giubileo 2025 about the Jubilee this year, Acqua Vergine and Fontana di Trevi. There are a few more coming. Anyone else travelling to Roma this summer, make sure to read Beat the Heat-Surviving Summer in Roma. 
I thought I would be celebrating follower #500, but seem to be stuck at 495-so hopefully soon. If you change email addresses, don’t forget to resubscribe to continue receiving notifications of new posts.
April 25th is also La Festa della Liberazione d’Italia, the anniversary of the liberation of Italia from Fascist occupation in 1945. It has been a national holiday since 1946. Viva la libertà!
Grazie to all of you for taking the time to read, comment, send messages and especially for giving me an excuse to share my images and research and write about things that interest me! You know….’Devo fare ricerca per il blog’ (I need to do research for my blog) is my reason to do all the things I want to do! If you have any suggestions for future posts or just want to say ‘ciao‘, leave me a comment.
To those who discovered the blog more recently or visit occasionally, Benvenuto! Find out more by reading ‘Perché questo blog?/Why write a blog?’, ‘About me/Chi sono’ and my bilingual interview with Silvia L’Intervista con Silvia.
Grazie a tutti i lettori di ‘Un po’ di pepe’ per continuare a leggere e per avermi dato una scusa per usare le foto che ho scattato e per scrivere di cose che mi piacciono. Ormai posso usare la scusa ‘devo fare ricerca per il blog’ per tutto quello che voglio fare. Lasciatemi un messaggio se avete delle idee per un post o se semplicemente volete dire ‘ciao’.
Per chi ha scoperto il blog più di recente o lo visita occasionalmente, Benvenuto! Scopri di più leggendo ‘Perché questo blog?/Why write a blog?’, ‘About me/Chi sono’ e l’intervista bilingue L’Intervista con Silvia.
Hopefully none of you will need to use your new commozione cerebrale terminology-but use undici whenever you can! Ciao, Cristina
Un po' di pepe 
Tanti auguri a te!
That cupcake looks mouthwateringly good; I love coconut.
And, thank you for the photo of one of my favourite buildings in Roma, and the Frecce Tricolori. Did you see them in 2014 when they flew over Vancouver?
Grazie! My nipotina Isabella made the cupcake. I love coconut too! She is getting married in July in Sant Maria in Aracoeli, the church right next door to Il Vittoriano! I did not see the Frecce Tricolore in 2014-i believe i was in Italia at the time. Ciao, Cristina
I’m sorry to read about what happened. I hope you will have a full recovery.
Grazie Neil! I am definitely feeling better-it has just been a slow process. It feels even slower when you have to limit screen time so much! Ciao, Cristina
Ciao, Cristina! Spero che tu senta bene! Ero a Roma dieci giorni fa e ho ricevuto il tuo blog sul la fontana di Trevi. Sono andato alla fontana. Avevi ragione: lunedì è il giorno delle pulizie. La fontana era vuota. Questa coincidenza mi ha fatto molto ridere! Grazie per il tuo blog molto informativo.
Prego Daniel! Al meno dico la verità! 🤣🤣🤣. Hai visto la mostra di Caravaggio a Palazzo Barberini? Ciao, Cristina
Ciao Cristina, A concussion is no fun! Take it easy and pay attention to any opportunities for treatment, healing, and rehab. I am glad you are limiting your screen time. xoxVal
Grazie Valf! It is no fun at all, but luckily I am getting better. I have been going to a concussion clinic-i like to call it ‘brain massage’! Ciao, Cristina
Undicesimo Bloghiversario Cristina .
Hard to believe, isn’t it Susanne!
I love your blog Cristina. Your writing makes me fell like I am sitting on your couch , sipping a coffee with you.
You write with passion, enthusiasm, creative and your love for all that Italy 🇮🇹 has to offer.
Your research and pictures are thorough, thoughtful and add a perspective that can only be captured with a photo.
Loved the book ” Literary Harvest” … it captured all the senses, taste, smell, sounds, textures and emotions in every short story in the book. Each story brings the reader to an experience in life that should not be forgotten. Great collection!!
KEEP WRITING AND SHARING!!
Awww grazie Susanne! I would love to really be sipping tea or vino on the couch with you. Wish you lived closer! I will keep writing as long as someone is reading. 😘😘😘. Ciao, Cristina