in Italy, thinking about the store

                                                           in the village of Rocca Grimalda

I have been thinking about my store and particularly the name Country Weekend. When planning, I devoted a lot of time to the name, leaning toward something to do with nature, especially a bird name--perhaps Bluebird, the New York State bird, or Mockingbird because it was the 50th anniversary of the publication of To Kill a Mockingbird. However there are an abundance of stores with bird and bird-related names and I wanted to do something different. 

                             view from Yuri and Vera's house, Rocca Grimalda

My husband and I always refer to going to our house in the Catskills as going to the country. Saying that gives me a particular sense of anticipation--a blend of the smell of woodsmoke, the sound of the brook, bright stars, crisp air... I wanted to find a way to convey that in my name for the store--I knew that most of my customers would be weekenders. I don't think I was particularly successful. It's too long (I figured that out when having signs made), and it doesn't signal what kind of business it is. Is it a travel agency perhaps?

above: closeup of tiles from the roof below, on a building at the dairy farm in Rossiglione.

I've thought about changing the name. I'm probably going to close for a while this winter, freshen things up, so I could do it them. Maybe call it Fern & Moss or Forest. Or something clever. But I have my logo, my business cards, my signs, and it could be confusing to my present customers. So I will stay with it and make the best of it.

Outdoor wood-burning oven at Yuri and Vera's. 

Tonight for dinner we had pizza, lasagna and chicken all baked in this oven, and yes the lasagna noodles were hand-made and practically melted in my mouth. I am finding the country weekend state of mind in abundance here in Italy and hope that I will find new ways of thinking about my store, and my life, while I am here.