These are stories about major events that take place in and around Tuscany. They can involve many people and are publicized in some way, or they can be private gatherings of only a few. In any case, they are events that have the power to shift perspectives and possibly even change lives.

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A large white envelope arrived in our mailbox yesterday. Our friend, Susan, sent Il Bollettino della Piccola Italia, The Little Italy Bulletin for us to check out and enjoy. We were expecting a flier or an announcement in the local newspaper, but no . . . instead we got the special supplement to The Daily Clintonian newspaper—a full 32-pages, recapping the events and festivities of the 45th annual celebrazione, celebration of the Italian heritage enjoyed and shared in that special mid-western town. (more…)

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Everybody wants to watch the sunset, don’t they?

Whether we want to or not, it won’t happen for us because we live on the shady side of the hill. That means the days seem much shorter because shadows start creeping in early from the late afternoon sun. Sometimes it feels like dusk, yet when we drive around the hill there’s a beautiful sun-filled day still underway, with seemingly hours left to go. (more…)

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Rolling fog. Watch and wait. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, you have to be ready. There can be nothing more important. Drop everything you’re doing, just let things fall where they are because something very special is about to happen—lasting only minutes at best. I quickly needed to move into position because the fog was rolling in. Usually, it works its magic when no one is watching, so only those alert and ready can actually bathe in its cleansing mist. (more…)

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“Maybe we should collaborate! After Scott’s wonderful 10-day visit with us in Tuscany, that simple phrase about a collaboration appeared in an e-mail. Hmmm . . . our curiosity was piqued, so we tacked on a p.s. at the end of our response saying, “By the way, what is it you were thinking when you mentioned a ‘collaboration’?” A week later a message appeared in our mailbox, punctuated with an attachment, entitled Proposal. (more…)

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The crumbling stone walls needed a new cap and so the work began!

Alfonso asked us for a piece of the old tile to check the dimensions. We looked at each other with a shrug as Cheryl said, “il cotto vecchio non è qui, the old clay tile isn’t here.” Whoops! Since he was at a critical point in capping the wall, we jumped in the car and tore down the hill to Gionni’s salvage yard to pick one up. We hoped to get back in time before the cement set. Cheryl dialed the cell phone to tell Gionni that we would be there in 30 minutes while Em negotiated the twisting, narrow roads on the shortcut route. (more…)

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Lucca is an unforgettable Tuscan town. As if time has stood still, in many ways. The ancient brick walls enclose the old city, keeping their promise to protect it. Now rather than being closed off with enormous wood and iron doors, the wall is punctuated with open arches through which people flow freely to enjoy the unique beauty both inside and outside the wall. Whether going for lunch, an afternoon stroll, window shopping, or antiquing, Lucca offers a soulful brush with history and a guaranteed good time for all. (more…)

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The Mugello is an incredible region of Tuscany. It begins just up the road from us to the north around Borgo San Lorenzo. But the really amazing stuff happens about an hour north of there, where the low mountains climb higher into spectacular peaks, enclosing deep green valleys. Known as the Alpi Appuane, Apuan Alps, they provide an endless panorama with inspiring views all around—known for its world famous Carrara marble, it is a place where hiking and trekking expeditions abound. (more…)

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There are some people in this world who are absolutely unforgettable. Even if the encounter is brief, the experience becomes indelibly etched in memory. Perhaps you meet someone with a big and charismatic personality. Maybe their line of work has a memorable quality as well. And then there are those who combine the two. Dario Cecchini is one of those people. (more…)

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Today we begin the process of writing, blogging and filming!

Here we go on this wild adventure of writing our book (working title: Under the Tuscan Thumb—10 years of trying to live in Italy as true Italians). As usual, one of us begins a story then the other rewrites it any way they think might improve it—no questions asked. Then back to the other for further revisions and so on, until we agree that there is nothing left to change. At that point it is finished. (more…)