Pino and I are often invited for a “simple” lunch at Peppa’s, elderly rural friend living here in the Assisi countryside – who quite simply prefers company at mealtimes. When calling me…
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All over Italy, the outoor weekly markets offer tempting local goodness, seasonal and not only… In February, many stands at the Friday morning Bastia Umbra market near Assisi displayted juicy oranges and…
When Italians wish to get a smile for a photograph, they urge “Dici ‘cheese!” Many of the photographed subjects don’t even know the meaning of “cheese” but they obediently repeat it with…
A tractor adorned with fiscoli – those discs used in olive mills during the pressing – stood alone near the medieval church of Spello, Santa Maria Maggiore, an olive tree standing tall…
In late November, nets had been spread out under our olive trees as preparation for our harvest. One of our maremano sheep dogs surveyed the scene: In this video, you can see…
Not just Giuseppa’s generosity abounds – as Doug and Wendy wrote after lunch with her – but so does the goodness! Let Becky and Marcello’s group tell you about the joy of…
A rural feast with Giuseppa in her farmhouse in the Deruta countryside is one of the highlights my Deruta tours. Simply ask George and Michelle. And here’s Michelle’s comment on our Deruta…
During an Assisi guided tour, tour guests often ask me if San Francesco is the patron saint of Assisi. Per niente! (“For nothing”, ie., “no way”). San Rufino, 3rd-century martyred bishop, is…
Tour guests, Kerry and her parents, Judie and Bill, joined in recently for a banquet with rural friend near Deruta, Giuseppa. The family prosciutto with an organic melon was just a tidbit…
Aquamarine and varied shades of blue highlight the waters of the Sicilian island of Ustica, not far from Palermo. Over the years, our many trips to Palermo – hometown of my husband…