PhotoHunt ~Rose

The PhotoHunt for today is Rose ~

I love that they plant rose bushes at the end of the row of vines in Italy. It is a way for the farmers to see if there is a problem with bugs that could destroy their entire crop of grapes.
The bugs will attack the rose bush before they attack the grapes.

Besides . . . they look so pretty.

As if the rows of vines aren't pretty enough.

Check for all the other Rose Photos on The Saturday PhotoHunt
Happy Hunting y'all~
Sandi

PhotoHunt ~ Lacy

My photos for 'Lacy' come from our day at the Chianti Cashmere Goat Farm . . . Where pretty lacy patterns are knitted with the yarn made from Cashmere Goats

Nora Kravis is the owner/goat farmer/ inn keeper/ beauty and brains behing the place.

The 'fur' of these special goats is combed, cleaned and then that fiber is spun into cashmere threads. Local Tuscan women do the knitting and create the Lacy patterns.

This is such a happy place ~ even the puppies look like they could contribute a little to the pile of fibers.

Nora also has a villa for rent . . . if you ever wanted to wake to the sound of goats and watch Tuscan sunsets ~ Sounds like paradise.

Check for all the other Lacy Photos on The Saturday PhotoHunt
Happy Hunting y'all~
Sandi

Saturday PhotoHunt ~Cloudy

The PhotoHunt for today is Cloudy

Tuscany is beautiful . . . even on a cloudy day

Fields of poppies are all along the roads . . . The clouds make the photos even more amazing.

Bellisimo
Check for all the other  Photos on The Saturday PhotoHunt
Happy Hunting y'all~
Sandi

Back in Time ~ Civita

This was not the best weather for 'day-tripping'. . . but we headed out with GianMarco our driver, across Tuscany and Umbria to the town of Civita di Bagnoregio

Civita is a mid-evil city built high above the valley on the tufu rock. The only way to get there is a high footbridge that leads across the valley.
Not the easiest walk on a windy and rainy day.

One you pass through the walls, it is like a step back in time. The village is much as it has been for centuries . . . except for the constant erosion of the volcanic rock.  The fronts of some homes lead to nothing but cliff.
Every corner of the village is a postcard (If Walt Disney was to build Italy... this is what it would look like) As the church bells rang, the skies began to clear. . .

The views are breathtaking. Rick Steves wrote this great article about Civita . . . worth a bit of arm-chair traveling .

The skies did clear and we all had a wonderful time . . . this is one of my favorite photos of our 'Spirit of Tuscany' group.

I am also joining Our World Tuesday
Y'all enjoy the ride~
Sandi

PhotoHunt ~ Skies

The PhotoHunt for today is skies.
When you travel with groups . . . you are at the mercy of the weather.

Rainy skies, or Sunny skies ~ We always manage to have a great time.

Remember . . .  we are booking now for May of 2015 Italian Great Escapes  ~ you know you want to go.
Check for all the other  Photos of Skies on The Saturday PhotoHunt
Happy Hunting y'all~
Sandi

Whew ~ Traveling can be exhausting

I am home again . . .
and trying to recover from a bit of Jet lag.

It is a good feeling to know that everything I pull out of my suitcase has a memory attached (ok . . . and a few smells)
I packed for almost 5 weeks in a 24 inch suitcase ~ Using my trusty zip-loc bags.

Luckily, I had help with my suitcase when I needed it most.
We gladly paid Giuseppe to tote them up the flight of stairs to our villa in Positano. Other than that, I schlepped it on and off trains myself.

Atleast now that I am home, I don't have to do my laundry this way ~
Thank God for American washers and dryers.

I have tons of pictures to share, precious friends and memories of Bella Italia.

Once I get those zip-loc bags unloaded.
Ciao y'all ~
Sandi