This poem is spillover from the March 7, 2023 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from Dreamwidth users Nsfwords and Acelightning73. It also fills the "Women's History Month" square in my 3-1-23 card for the March Is... Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by Dreamwidth user Nsfwords. It belongs to the series Fiorenza the Wisewoman . "Places That Have an Incredible History" It was La Festa in Nocciolaia, the craft festival where everyone brought out their best creations and traveling merchants came to sell their wares in the square. Fiorenza had so much to sell that she needed two tables to hold it all. For the kitchen she had herbal teas, seasonings, infused oils and vinegars. For the bath she had all kinds of soap, salt scrubs, soothing lotions and salves. For the rest of the home she had brought sachets to bring sleep or discourage vermin, wreaths and bouquets of dried herbs and flowers, candles, pinecone firestarters made with old candle stubs, and scented paper. Speranza excelled at making pillow lace. Her table held stacks of napkins and tablecloths, rolls of lace trim for dresses, and tiny christening gowns for babies. Some of those lace patterns had been in her mother's family for generations, while others were Speranza's inventions. Bettina had made ricotta calcioni, which she fried for her husband Arrigo to sell so the shoppers could eat them hot. Sienna the potter put out platters and bowls painted with flowers or scenes from the ancient myths. Zola did woodworking with big branches trimmed from her apple orchard, turning them into fanciful dollhouses and tiny adorable furniture. Traveling merchants came, too, laying out wares that the villagers rarely had opportunities to buy. Allegra made and sold a variety of musical instruments. Most of those were simple wooden ones like drums and recorders popular in folk music, but she also carried a few more complex ones like lutes and violins for discerning customers. Marabella had come down from the north with marbled paper to use in bookbinding, stationery, and similar literary crafts. The cost of that was incredibly dear, but Fiorenza traded some of her petal paper for a bundle to use when she asked Don Candido to bind up the little booklets that she made of herbal recipes and crafts for housewives. Even Giacinto had come from Faggiola, for his village held its fair another day. "You seem so much at home with all the exciting things of the world," Giacinto said when he saw Fiorenza looking over a row of beautiful lutes. "Sometimes I worry you will run away to sea the way that your father once did." "I love places that have an incredible history. I love the Italian way of life. I love the food. I love the people," said Fiorenza. "Why would I ever want to leave all this?" "Well, when you put it that way, I can see why you've stayed," Giacinto said, and kissed her. * * * Notes: Bettina -- The younger daughter of Otoniel the merchant. She asked for Fiorenza's help in creating a husband in "Husband by Hand." She was mentioned in "Cups and Coins" as Fiorenza thought about baking Arrigo. She makes and sells pastries in "Places That Have an Incredible History." Introduced in "Husband by Hand." Sienna the potter -- She makes the crockery for Fiorenza's villages. Fiorenza asked her to make a frog palace in "A Princely Abode," essentially a fancy pot with several inner chambers. Introduced in "A Princely Abode." Speranza -- The bride of Nicilo. She makes and sells pillow lace in "Places That Have an Incredible History." Introduced in "The Sweetest of Plums." Pillow lace is a traditional Italian craft. Learn about making it . Zola -- An older woman in Fiorenza's village, Alberto's wife, Timoteo's mother, and Fiorenza's aunt. She keeps the largest orchard in the village, including Binotto and Decio apples. Before leaving for Urbino, Fiorenza asked Zola to take care of Ercole in "A Small Separation." Fiorenza visits Zola's kitchen to pack Decio apples in "Winter Apples." A griffin nests in the dovecote of Zola's apple barn in "To Its Own End." She makes and sells dollhouses and other applewood crafts in "Places That Have an Incredible History." Introduced in "A Small Separation." Allegra -- She has olive skin, brown eyes, and long curly black hair. She is a traveling crafter who makes and sells musical instruments, primarily simple wooden ones like drums and recorders popular in folk music. She also carries a few more complex instruments like lutes and violins. Introduced in "Places That Have an Incredible History." Recorders , drums , and lutes are traditional Italian instruments. Marabella -- She has fair skin, brown eyes, and long straight hair streaked in lighter and darker shades of brown. Usually she wears her hair pinned up in a bun to keep it out of the way. She makes and sells marbled paper for bookbinding, stationery, and other crafts. Introduced in "Places That Have an Incredible History." Marbled paper is a traditional Italian craft, historically used in bookbinding and other crafts. Explore easy , intermediate , and advanced methods of construction. * * * "I LOVE PLACES THAT HAVE AN INCREDIBLE HISTORY. I LOVE THE ITALIAN WAY OF LIFE. I LOVE THE FOOD. I LOVE THE PEOPLE. I LOVE THE ATTITUDES OF ITALIANS." -- ELTON JOHN la festa noun party, holiday, feast, festivity, fete Le Marche is known for traditional crafts including glasswork, pillow lace, and musical instruments. It's important to keep the old crafts alive . Read about some traditional Italian Instruments . Explore the music of le Marche . Italy is famous for its pastries . Read about ricotta calcioni and enjoy a recipe . Fiorenza's herbal crafts include herbal teas, infused oils and vinegars , soaps , salt scrubs , lotions and salves , sachets to bring sleep or discourage vermin , wreaths and bouquets of dried herbs and flowers, candles , pinecone firestarters made with old candle stubs , and scented paper .