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Pasquetta fra amici

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By Melissa Cannavo-Marino and Sara

Non posso decidere ancora (I can’t decide yet) which holiday in Italy is my favorite, but io so (I know) that the celebration of Pasquetta (Easter Monday) is among my top five because it involves three of le mie cose preferite (my favorite things) including spending the day with friends, a car tripand cibo (food)!

Ricordo quando (I remember when) Mamma, nonno and I celebrated our first Pasquetta.  We got together with our neighbors Giovanni and Stefania to talk about the food we would take for our scampagnata (picnic). Gli adulti (The adults) carried everything to the car for our viaggio (trip) to the Monti Lepini so we would enjoy our Pasquetta picnic in campagna (in the countryside). Giovanni knew a great spot to picnic from when he visited there for a geological survey.  So after he buckled sua filglia  (his daughter) little Paolina in her car seat, and I snuggled up in Mamma’s grembo (lap), we took off.

The first stop was Pasticceria Mary’s to pick up dessert (including some ciamballine ruzze (dry doughnuts baked with anise) that are typical in La Ciociaria. There were lots of other great dolci (pastries) too! Mi ha fatto impazzire (it made me crazy) to smell all the great scents in the car but I soon kept busy looking out la finestra (the window) at the scenery. La strada (the road) curved up around the mountain range until we arrived close to the top and parked near a picnic grove. Soon the barbeque was going and la carne (the meat) was grilling while Mamma and I explored the area. It’s very rocky so I had to be careful, but I was having fun until a herd of big cows walked by us. I barked at them but Mamma shushed me and told me to behave.

Soon the blankets were spread and everyone enjoyed the feast, chatting and laughing. Mamma let me have a little bit of salsiccia (sausage) and un pezzetino di ciambellina (a little piece of doughnut). When the sun started to go down it got cold and we got ready to leave.

At home before bed Mamma read me a wonderful poem about Easter and I fell asleep sognando di una bella giornata (dreaming of a beautiful day).

Here is the poem she read to me:

Nei miei sogni ho immaginato
un grande uovo colorato.
Per chi era? Per la gente

dall’Oriente all’Occidene
Pieno, pieno di sorprese
destinate ad ogni paese.
C’era dentro la saggezza
e poi tanta tenerezza,
l’altruismo, la bontà,
gioia in grande quantità.
Tanta pace, tanto amore

da riempire ogni cuore.

In my dreams I imagined
a big colored egg.
Who was it for? For the people
from the Orient to the Occident (West)
Full, full of surprises
meant for every country.
There was wisdom inside
and then lots of tenderness,
altruism, goodness,
joy in great quantity.
Much peace, much love
to fill every heart.

Ragazzi, Buona Pasqua

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