Last Friday, Liam and I had a date with the pediatrician to rule out an ear infection.  The appointment was at 12:15 and we were, for once, going to be a little bit early.  Just as we were walking down the last block to the office, the bells atop the church across the narrow street began to chime noon.  Moments later, on the next block down the hill, another set of church bells began to chime.  The sound of the bells is so loud that conversation is temporarily impossible, and it’s almost like you can feel the vibrations resonate in your body.  Liam wanted to stop and listen, so we did, and as the first set died out, I could hear, from further down in the valley and up the hillside, echoes of more church bells — dozens, or more — chiming the arrival of mid-day in Vienna.  They followed us all the way down the stairs and into the building.

No noon passes unnoticed here.  Wherever we are and whatever we’re doing, as long as we’re in Vienna, we know when it’s noon.  Time to pick Benjamin up from school, time to make lunch for the family.  It’s another lovely piece of life here.  I love it.