Espresso. Simple. Rich. Satisfying. But how and why? We accepted the invitation to delve into the mystery. We typically begin our day in a coffee bar—specifically, Pasticceria Lorenzo in the little town of Pian di Mugnone,Italy, just north of Florence. The coffee is quick and hot, and balances perfectly with a fresh pastry. When we’re […]
China isn’t the only country that built walls. Italy certainly crafted a few of their own over the centuries. However, there is one very special wall around the old center of Lucca in Tuscany, that might even win first place if we held a “cool walls” or a “most excellent” competition. 40′ high, 60′ wide […]
Everything you need Like a well choreographed dance routine, we simultaneously slipped the straps over our shoulders. Inside each brown nylon cocoon was a collapsible chair. Then we each wiggled our free hand into the black straps of the silver trekking poles, grasping the round cork ends. Cheryl reached toward the weathered wood trunk by […]
everything imaginable—except bags! A brainstorm rewarded us with a great new idea for the garden: a “perch,” built into the slope behind the house, overlooking the grape arbor, the studio, and of course the valley. Besides many heavy stones, we needed some gravel. So, we went to one of our favorite ferramente, hardware stores, Guidotti […]
Nature’s Bounty The ciliegio, cherry tree, in the corner of the garden was full of bright red cherries with that deep irresistable glow. We plucked a couple and popped them into our mouths as we walked by. They were wonderful—as sweet as they could be and just about ready for pickin’. Tomorrow would be the […]
We arrived in Indiana on a Monday afternoon. After a wonderful dinner at Piper’s on the southside, we drove to beautiful Brown County, where we settled in for a good night’s rest. The next morning a brisk walk seemed in order. In less than a minute, Harold single-handedly assembled the “motorcycle” from its pieces, which […]
Yes, they’re at it again. The cinghiale, wild boar that live in our neighborhood. Last week we discovered a few of those husky monsters early in the morning rooting around in the yard and up on the hillside just behind the house. At first, we tried not to scare them because we have always found them […]
What does it mean to become a grandparent? Hmm. Could be a question for the Magic 8 Ball. We don’t remember being asked if we wanted to be grandparents, nor did we ever try to influence the process with pressure or even subtle hints. For us, our children have always been gifts of a lifetime. […]
A brainstorm rewarded us with a great new idea for the garden: a “perch,” built into the slope behind the house, overlooking the grape arbor, the studio, and of course the valley. Besides many heavy stones, we needed some gravel. So, we went to one of our favorite ferramente, hardware stores, Guidotti in Pontassieve. Since […]
Like a well choreographed dance routine, we simultaneously slipped the straps over our shoulders. Inside each brown nylon cocoon was a collapsible chair. Then we each wiggled our free hand into the black straps of the silver trekking poles, grasping the round cork ends.
