An area newspaper summed it up recently, coining this winter in Italy of snowfalls, earthquakes and avalanches, “a never-ending nightmare.” As I write, 50,000 are without electricity and have been for days and stories of hope mix with stories of tragedies: a woman of 103 years old was safely airlifted by helicopter from her snowed-in home while a farmer was found frozen to death in his animal stall. Rescuer workers – angeli della neve (“our snow angels”) – labor non-stop, hoping to find other survivors of the Farindola, Abruzzo avalanche….
Snow-covered Amatrice, devastated in earthquakes of August, October – and January
The sun has finally came out here over the last few days after weeks of icy, slate-gray mist – and the temperatures are now above zero. Here in Assisi, the “locals” are already looking towards springtime, gathering together to prepare for our early May Calendimaggio medieval festival celebrating the birth of spring.
Over the next few months, our sbandieratori (medieval banner-wavers) will be practicing intricate routines, Assisi’s medieval dance groups will be working on costumes and their intricate dance choreography and medieval theatrical groups will be writing medieval morality plays, creating set designs. Work has already started. Long ago. The medieval drum corps practicing will pick up in a few months.
Thoughts here now turn towards a “springtime resurrection.”
Join us this May for the wonders! Still a few spots open in my second “Inside Anne’s Umbria” Celebration – May 2-12, 2017.
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Click here for more on “Inside Anne’s Umbria” Celebration
See our apartments where tour guests will stay
Read about our Giulia heading to Farindola for avalanhce coverage
Click here to read about – and see! – the glories of Calendimaggio
Read about pre-Calendimaggio “fever”
Click here to read about Norcia and the October 2016 earthquakes
Read about Calendimaggio preparations, usually with Gina…
