The creche scene competition (Concorso Presepi) is always a highlight of the Christmas season in Assisi – for the first crèche scene was a “living” one created by San Francesco in 1223 in…
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Magnificent illumination highlights Assisi’s medieval monuments during the Christmas season. Quotes of San Francesco – beloved patron saint of all of Italy – are incorporated in the illumination of the splendid 13th-c.…
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…
Don’t overlook open church doors in Spello: one actually opens to the studio of a talented artist who creates his wonders in the de-consecrated church dedicated to San Michele Arcangelo. A poster…
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…
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…
On September 8th – Festa della Nativita’ della Beata Vergine Maria (Nativity of the Blessed Viirgin) – the locals of the area of “upper Assisi” (near the Cathedral of San Rufino) join…
Ah, Italy, land of the endless discoveries. And although we’ve lived in the glorious region of Umbria, “Italy’s green heart,” for over fifty years, Pino and I are still continually discovering new…
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…