On an Umbria Snowy Day, Coronavirus Set Aside

On this blog, I’ve been writing daily (nearly) notes on ways to (hopefully) ward off what I’ve dubbed a CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack). Nature provided us a distraction today, March 15, 2020: we woke up to our first snowfall.

A bit late this year for snow, but as a napoletano friend wrote, “forse anche il tempo ha il virus..?” (“maybe the weather has the virus, too?”)

I took various photos of the snowy splendor…..

…..and our white Maremanno shepherds blended into the landscape.

As in any Italian kitchen, our refrigerator is not huge – but since we live in the countryside, we’ll keep fruit outside in the winter (onions and garlic, too, so that they don’t sprout):

Those fruits, onions and garlic bulbs were well-chilled this morning:

Our lockdown restrictions allow us to leave home only for groceries and medicinal needs. We were out of bread today, so we headed to the small alimentari of Ristorante Da Giovannino, just about 2 km away, driving down the road, past some of our goats…

…..past our olive trees…

…..and into our woods

Coming out of our woods, Mount Subasio rose up before us….

……and we could spot at the base of the mountain, the bellower of the small church where we married in 1978:

At Ristorante Da Giovannino, a masked Pino went into the alimentari attached to the bar (now closed) to pick up bread, slices of prosciutto and slices of mortadella

The notice on the door announced the mandatory coronavirus regulations, requiring clients to wait outside and enter only one at a time :

I waited outside, mask on – and Pino took my photo when he exited:

As we left, another customer took a photo of us both (attentive to stay over one meter away):

We had a slice or two of la mortadella after our pasta at lunchtime…and the prosciutto might be for tonight..or tomorrow night:

After lunch today, we opened a panettone we’d received at Christmas, deciding a bit of Christmas cheer would also ward off a CPA:

Raising his vino bianco in a toast, Pino also lifted up a couple tangerines (they’d been snow-covered this morning), saying “dopotutto, anche i mandarini fanno parte del nostro pranzo di Natale” (“after all, tangerines, too, are part of our Christmas lunch):

“Salute!” to all.

And – now more than ever – please remember the significance of “salute!”: “to (your/our) health.”

Cook away a possible CPA – with this simple recipe for a buonissima pasta dish

Click here for an easy, tasty recipe

Click here for another easy recipe to ward off CPA

Click here for a recipe of Pino’s mamma, Signora Vincenza (also helps ward off CPA)

Click here  for another “coronavirus lockdown” recipe

Read here about an outdoor market visit to ward off a CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack)

Click here to read about Novella’s vegetable stand during the coronavirus lockdown

Read about new life on our land during the coronavirus lockdown.

Read about how reflecting on Van Gogh helped me see the beauty all around – in simple, insignificant objects

Click here to read about – and see! – a favorite Orvieto eating spot (to ward off CPA)

Read about – and see! – Assisi during coronavirus lockdown

Read about a Pino feast on March 8th as coronavirus distraction 

Click here to read about March 8th – as a coronavirus antidote

Peppa is always perfect distraction from a CPA

Read about a stop for fresh pasta to ward off a CPA