Walking through Italian villages is like a journey into the past. Another time, another way of life. Everything speaks of times gone by. From narrow cobbled streets, to ancient buildings. The ever-present scent of wood smoke fills the air, transporting the mind to slower days. When whole families gathered round the fire for warmth, chestnuts roasting […]
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. And I think it’s true. But here in Italy a gesture is also worth a thousand words! Because Italy has a second (unofficial) language – hand gestures, and there are dozens of them! So if you come to Italy you don’t necessarily have to learn Italian, […]
Do you rush out to buy new things or have you learned the art of making do? My husband’s hometown is a village where thrift reigns. Where people have long been used to making do. The current trend toward simplicity and frugality is so normal to them, that they would ask “Is there any other way?” […]
As we travel around the countryside, old abandoned houses like this one are a common sight. And they always fill my heart with sadness. A sort of longing for what must have been. I imagine cozy families gathered around the hearth, children playing in the garden. And whole families gathering produce from once-flourishing fields and […]
Hello everyone, life has been a little crazy around here lately. Some days it’s hard to keep up. Especially since we’re planning a temporary move from our hilltop village down to the nearby bigger city. And of course that always turns things a bit upside down. So today, even though the olive harvest is just […]
As the sun wanes in the western sky the cool evening air beckons to all Italians everywhere to take to the streets – for la passeggiata. Young and old, and everyone in between – it’s time for the evening promenade. If you’ve never experienced one, I can only assume you’ve never been to Italy. At […]