Those are from various spring walks. There sure is no shortage of places to walk in Gravagna and I couldn't be happier. The mountains here are so beautiful, so mysterious, and they seem to never end. Most of the trees are chestnut and beech and pine here and there is practically a religion surrounding the chestnut trees. They are beautiful and many are very very old. The really old ones have these little stone walls around them built long ago when that was the main food supply around here and you feel like you can almost see the foletti or wood spirits hiding around them on a cool quiet day in the evening. They make wonderful little pancakes with the chesnut flour here, le fritelle, and you eat them with ricotta cheese.


Ben is in Florence for the weekend restocking painting supplies and my sister came up for the weekend with her various nordic friends. Mafalda and I took the girls up into the chestnut forrest and found some little spring porcini. They are not as dense and big as the fall varieties but they sure are cute. I found three and Angelica found one. I took a picture but I'll have to wait till Ben loads them up to show.

I took the girls to San Rocco this morning for mass and the women sang a beautiful hymn. I'm trying to remember all of it. It was so simple but so pretty.

Tu seì la luce, la nostra goia. Resta con noi Signor, resta con noi.
You are the light, our joy. Stay with us, Lord, stay with us.

Prettier in Italian.

Oh and Sherry I'll try to post a killer recipe soon. (congrats on number two!!!!!)

Z gets a haircut

Arrivato il comupter, finalmente!

Olé, olé olé. I am trying to get used to the wacked out new keyboard on our new italian MAC which finally came today. It has all kinds of fun weird keys that American computers lack. Again I repeat, olé. Ciaò. How fun.

Well, as you can see right when the internet started to work the computer died so then we had internet but no computer which was a rather strange feeling, rather like having electricity but no light bulbs. In any event the most noteworthy event in my absence was Zìta sticking a rather large chunk of eraser up her nose which remained lodged there until Ben retrieved it with tweezers.

Otherwise it certainly has continued to rain alot. It has ceased to be funny and has turned to corner to tedious. So the sun is not shining in Tuscany this year and the presidential elections are dismal at best--but let there be cause for joy because at least the Hatke, excuse me, Hàtke computer is back (with accent marks!)

RAIN AGAIN!

As you can see rainy weather means drying diapers above the stove. (see photo one) However despite an unusually rainy April and May we have more flowers than I saw in Gravagna the last time we were here. It is truly amazing. Here is the feild by the Via Francegina pilgramage trail about a mile walk or so from the house. Angelica and I hiked here today and picked some flowers for our Mary alter.

I have been going down to Pontremoli less this trip as I don't feel up to taking all three kids on my own yet and so Ben graciously watches the two girls for me while I go down with Julia. Teresa has been so wonderful though. I am amazed at the variety of meals I can cook from the botega which is even smaller than the Health food store back in VA. Ben is good to remind me that eighty to ninety percent of the grocery store is junk I never buy anyway. (the whole more vs. better issue once again)

Speaking of which I just love the scale of houses here. Once you get used to the small rooms and little windows they really are so cosy and you really feel like you are in a different place inside rather than out.

Ann and Peter, the English couple, took off today but Ann brought over more baked goods. She has taught culiary classes and has made us the most wonderful magical little tea cakes complete with roses on top. The girls were in awe.


Meanwhile I am trying to walk off the baby fat AND the cupcakes, despite the rain.

just having fun being back online. . . . .

Wow, it is raining again. We went on a family outing last night and I had my first experience at the tiny little cinema down in Pontremoli. Cinema Manzoni. It is actually an old theatre right next to the old seminary that they have converted. It had a lovely vintange feel. The movie we saw however was even more fantastic. I cannot recommend it highly enough. So magical. So wonderful. It was called "Il Volpe e La Bambina." (The Girl and the Fox) Although we saw it dubbed, it was a french film, it is made by the same guy who made "March of the Penguins." It took my breath away! Its the story of a girl who brefriends a fox who lives deep in the forrest. The girls loved it and Zita especially was enamored.


Oh and I have a wealth of photos so we'll just keep posting away here.

The Return of the Internet

I'm back!!!! After a long ordeal involving an intricate tradedy of errors and many days of listening to Telecom Itailia's charming elevator music while I "preggiamo di attendere" We are back!!!!!

Well things are great. Not much has changed in Gravagna. They are putting up a roof-cover on the picnic area at the campo. The English folks finished up their house and we have been enjoying the steady stream of visitors. Today the girls made English scones with Ann. Teresa's wonderful botega has been keeping us fed and there is a fish man and a vegetable man who come up once a week too!

Julia sure is getting fat. All the socks I have now leave a red ring around her non-existant ankles. Everyone here tells me that she is growing so well due to my good milk and the moutiain air. Theres something to be said for folk wisdom.

Mostly I have been learning so many good recipes from Teresa and Carla who have been conducting a scuola da cucina for me. I finially learned how to make a decent Ragu too.

Best of all I think I landed myself some of the lamb they raise here in the village. Right now I am still "pregiamo di attendere" on that one. I'm sure Ben's blog is full of news about the most important thing. . . . the wine cellar!

more to come!!!!!!