Coronavirus Modifies an Umbria Palm Sunday Tradition

On Palm Sunday, even our goats had a celebratory treat: instead of just their usual hay, also some fresh grass.

Peppa called me just before noon on Palm Sunday, asking anxiously, “Anna, hai i vostri rami di olivi?” (“Do you have your olive branches?”). She was relieved to hear that I did and frantically urged me to turn on the TV to Rai 1: the Pope was about to say the Palm Sunday Mass, concluding with a blessing of everyone’s olive branches.

I know lockdown on Palm Sunday is difficult for Peppa and for many in Italy: traditionally, after Mass on Palm Sunday, blessed olive branches are distributed at church doors but this year, all the churches are closed (and will be for Easter, too).

But Peppa has her olive branches this year, too, although not blessed by the priest in her small mountain parish church. She snapped branches off her own olive trees – and placed them in front of the TV for the virtual blessing of Pope Francis.

To reassure Peppa that our olive branches, too, would be blessed, I placed them in front of our TV and took a photo of the Pope’s blessing. I’ll show Peppa the photo after we exit from lockdown: I know she’ll be pleased.

Pino surprised me Palm Sunday morning, placing a huge olive branch in the old wooden keg we use for storing the wood for our woodstove. Right outside our living room door, under the portico.

I wandered into our olive grove this morning ….

…and I, too, picked branches – for those friends without access on this Palm Sunday to olive branches:

Those olive branches were on our table at Palm Sunday lunch:

For our primo (first course), a tasty Sicilian pasta sauce Pino’s mamma, Signora Vincenza, had taught me, highlighted with cauliflower, currants, and pine nuts:

For our secondo, chicken breasts sautéed in our olive oil then tossed with lemon juice and finely-diced garlic and rosemary:

Potatoes sauteed with garlic and rosemary joined the chicken breasts. But no room for the chicory – that will be for this evening:

Read here about culling the wool of our cashmere goats

Read here about Pino’s goat cheese

Read here about newborn kids as a coronavirus distraction for us

Read about a tasty Pino recipe as a coronavirus distraction

Read about Assisi acquaintances now producing protective masks, rather than high-end cashmere.

Read here about a snowy day in Umbria during our coronavirus lockdown

Cook away a possible CPA (Coronavirus Panic Attack) 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 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