Last night’s delicious dinner. Chicken soup, salad, and brochette. Later their was peach granita and Lemoncello. 

I have been a good little artist today. I was out early and have worked on two paintings and it is just now noon. My teacher would be proud, but only if I did two more starts this afternoon. No one ever painted more that Dick Goetz. It is hard to live up to, and why even try? I will just read a book this afternoon. First thing this morning after a sad little, “noooo” when the alarm went off I set off up the little road to no-where. I painted there last summer. It is a great view of CVS as the sun comes up and hits the eastern sides of the buildings. This year I could include the church of San Francesco now that its scaffolding is down. My painting stretched from San Giovani to San Francesco. Only one car passed me. It was the guy who had his truffle dogs stolen last year. Maybe his new dogs are hidden up the road to nowhere somewhere. 

Yes, there are drawing mistakes...

I had forgotten how loud this secluded spot is. A big dog starts barking just before 8. Then a big man starts yelling. A woman is yelling, too. Are they yelling at the dogs or each other? It is scary loud. Then the geese start up providing a macabre laugh track for the screaming and barking. Must be time for first breakfast. They are far away from me, really, but the sound travels so well on the clear, morning air that it feels like I am in the middle of something unpleasant. After second breakfast we had time to talk to the piazza guys. Maybe you remember this funny guy:

He and his wife are back for some weeks this summer. They live up north in Italy somewhere. His English is good and he can help me with the Italian mistakes I make. He said that his English was so good he could not understand himself. I said that I had the same problem with Italian. We both think we are so funny. 

On to Via Sotto Castelo for second painting. All I wanted to do was take a nap, but I resisted. Such dedication, such aversion to feeling guilty for not working. Jim came with me for his first painting since last summer. He did the drawing and then came home to do the water-colour and pastel pencils. 

This is what happens if you are too lazy to take a chair. 

One problem with Via Sotto is that all the best views are in the sun. This is not possible. We found, again, a place I had painted in the shade. I did not really want to do the exact same thing making a total of three unsold paintings of one spot. ( I sold both views of the early morning painting I did last year and that is extremely inspiring when it is time to pick a painting spot and besides now I can see San Francesco.) I decided to mix it up by getting a little farther under the trees so that I could see them hanging over the town. That added to the challenge so I was satisfied that I had added a new element. I will work on both of these paintings again. 

Yes, there are drawing mistakes.