A Serene Discovery at Bear Cottage

It was on a quiet day in the woods of upstate New York that we found Bear Cottage—a quaint art studio, antique shop, and Marian shrine tended by a delightful Sicilian couple. Tucked beneath the maple and chestnut trees, it breathed of linseed oil and Sunday ragù, the mingled scents of atelier and hearth.

Inside, the artist’s workshop brimmed with curiosities: portrait paintings, carved figures, and relics of forgotten crafts. Amid the sunlight filtering through old glass panes, one piece caught my eye—a weathered ceramic jug topped with a whimsical cork in the form of a naked lady. Somehow, it felt meant for me.

I left the cottage with my newest addition in hand, my belly full, my heart light, and the lingering warmth of new friends and fading afternoon light among the pines.

~ By Giovanni di Napoli, November 7th, Feast of San Prosdocimo di Padova