The Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta on the road from Pienza to San Quirico d'Orcia

In 2001 I came to live in Italy. I had some fun, wrote a journal and this is the blog of my story...

"Tuscany is a state of grace. The countryside is so lovingly designed that the eye sweeps the mountains and valleys without stumbling over a single stone. The lilt of the rolling green hills, the upsurging cypresses, the terraces sculptured by generations that have handled the rocks with skillful tenderness, the fields geometrically juxtaposed as though drawn by a draughtsman for beauty as well as productivity; the battlements of castles on the hills, their tall towers standing grey-blue and golden tan among the forest of trees, the air of such clarity that every sod of earth stands out in such dazzling detail. The fields ripening with barley and oats, beans and beets. The grape-heavy vines espaliered between the horizontal branches of silver-green olive trees, composing orchards of webbed design, rich in intimation of wine, olive oil and lacy-leaf poetry. Tuscany untied the knots in a man's intestines, wiped out the ills of the world. Italy is the garden of Europe, Tuscany is the garden of Italy, Florence is the flower of Tuscany." Irving Stone from my favourite book " The Agony and the Ecstacy" A fictional biography of Michelangelo



18. Montefioralle and il Caminetto

It's the beginning of March and all this wonderful apple and cherry spring blossom is starting to appear on many trees. Wild flowers, daffodils and anenomes are springing up everywhere and everybody seems to be going on holiday except us! Work has really picked up though, I have regular work with two schools and Annette has even been promised a full time contract from September with the best school in Florence, so it looks like we're going to be able to stay! We love living at Olmastrino and every time we go to pay Lucia our rent she presents us with a bottle of her wine or oil!





Today we've taken a day out just to relax! We grab a bottle of Lucia's wine, knock up a picnic and take a ten minute drive out to the tiny hill top town above Greve, Montefioralle. We find a perfect spot with this great view and enjoy the sun. As it dips behind a hill we drive a bit further round to Panzano, another hill top town, with an enormous inflatable cow to welcome you! Time to enjoy the glorious view, catch up on some reading and let all the tension drift away...








On a day like this, who feels like cooking? Not me! Deciding on a restaurant is the only difficult decision to be made today!  We agree on 'il Caminetto' - the little chimney, which again is only a 10 minute drive away. The car park is full, so it must be good! The staff are very friendly, great decor and a complimentary Spumante, so good start. I choose the pici (a thick home made spaghetti) with a sumptuous duck sauce and Annette goes for a pumpkin and sausage 'sformatino' (small pie) The house wine is only 3 euro for 1/2 a litre and very nice too! For main course I order the Osso Buco and Annette has some great beef rolled with pocini mushrooms and artichokes, both wonderful. We share a chocolate mousse and finish off a super meal and day with complimentary glasses of limoncello and amaro!




(Original journal entry 3/3/02)
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