My grandmother loved the sunshine and her chickens, my grandfather took pride in his garden and his fig tree, not to mention making wine, sausage and the most delicious olives in the world. No one could cook quite like my grandmother. That house always smelled like heaven to me. We, the kids, always 'forked' the ravioli, and how fascinated I was watching her cut the pasta. The loaves and loaves of bread that seemed so effortless to her, and polenta on Friday. The canolli and sfengi for dessert, and so many more things I can not spell are all imbedded in my memory.

As a very young teenager I was nearly obsessed with the history of the Island of Sicily. I read everything I could get my hands on and became mesmerized by it's ancient threads from Isis to the Greeks, to the Arabs and the Normans. I thought it was nearly as old as time itself. Then, of course, the history of the Royalty, the King and Queen of the two Sicilies fascinated me. I read every travel guide and history book I could find about the land 'from whence I came'.

I fell in love with Church history on the Sicily. All the saints and monks who wandered the island living in caves and creating orders.

One day very soon I hope to take that journey to see, and touch and taste all the things I have dreamed about.

In my minds eye I can see the gently rolling hills that form a back drop for the spectacular Greek temples at Agrigento. The hill top ledge surrounded by a white mantle of blossoms gleaming on hundreds of almond trees, their fragrance filling the air with the sweet aromatic perfume that has heralded the arrival of spring since the 5th century BC.

I can see the valley below Pollizzi Generosa with it's hazelnut trees in bloom, the goats and cows grazing lazily in the pastures and the majestic peaks of the Madonie Mountains all around.

I can imagine a drive along the edge of the sparkling, deep blue Mediterranean, or over the windy mountains roads climbing to the sky where you may at any moment round a curve and come upon a totally deserted ancient castle, church or temple. I may feel as though I've suddenly slipped through an invisible veil and found myself in a fantasy.

Sicily is a truly magical island drenched in history that can transport your imagination from a modern metropolis such as Palermo to the earliest Greek or Egyptian period in our civilization in a matter of moments.

I can see myself visiting with the real people of Sicily who have plenty of time and inclination to chat about the history of their commue (town) and the Island, and meeting nearly lost relatives who know more of the family history then I ever imagined possible.

I can imagine the look of shock on the faces of cousins I have never seen since they may find me a bit odd considering I am a tall, long legged, fair skinned, blue eyed, blonde. How can this be so you ask? I have no idea but here I am none the less.

I dream of sitting in an opera house and letting my eyes feast on the sight of the Opera house, and my ears feast on the sounds of a production of Puccini ... or Scarlotti drawn back into the creative history of music and song.

I know that life was not easy for the people of Sicily or so many would not have risked their lives to travel to a new world. My mother told me stories of what it was like to grow up Sicilian and the discrimination she was subjected to as a young girl. Nothing seemed easy for them, there or here. But their faith, strength, talent, creativity, charm, and loving natures could not be suppressed, and they blossomed in their new home in spite of the early hardships.

They were told the streets were paved with gold but when they arrived they discovered the streets were not even paved, and they were expected to pave them.

Sicily, the largest of the Mediterranean islands, is a mosaic of art, language, architecture, cuisine, and time-honored customs. It's not quite European or Arab, Greek, Spanish, Norman or Italian, yet all of these at once. Fantastic sights lie scattered under brilliant skies. Good, simple food is made and served by a friendly, gentle people. Artisans labor in time-honored trades, producing papyrus to puppets and ceramics to traditional costumes. Sicily, kaleidoscope of contrasts, is lush and tropical on the coast, abundant in orange, lemon, and olive groves, vineyards and sandy beaches. Inland, it remains mostly uninhabited, rocky and ripe for exploration.

Sicily basks in a wonderful climate year round. Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe, scrapes the sky at over 10,000 feet above the sea. Medieval Taormina is forever suspended between a living volcano and the gentle sea. Siracusa, the most spectacular capital of the ancient world, is the microcosm of Sicily. Its domes and arches reflect every human era this island has ever known.