Our trip to Italy went very well. We tried to incorporate all forms of transportation to get here and the only ones missing were by donkey cart and by boat. However, we did see the donkey cart go by us in Montpelier while we were waiting for the Greyhound Bus. If it had been Italy I would have for sure taken a picture, but it was just Vermont. 

Rome Airport

Prontobus to Abruzzo

On the way home!

So car to Montpelier, Greyhound to Boston, Silver Line to Logan, airplane to Roma, Pronto Bus to Pratola, car to Castelvecchio. Very symmetrical. 

We arrived at home about 5:30. Everything in our house is fine. The electricity and water popped right on. On the way home we had stopped at the grocery store to get a few things. When we got here, our neighbor gave us an even bigger bag of everything we had purchased. 

Our great Danes, Karin and Bjarne invited us for dinner. Oh those Italian sausage, new potatoes from Bjarne’s garden and a beautiful salad. Oh yes and a modest portion of Rosatta. For dessert: panne cotta. That was delicious and you should invite us over in September so we can make it for you. 

First Italian Cafe: it looks like he needs it!

Today is market day and tomorrow is the Festa San Giovanni. That is exciting as it is my saint day. Of course we over bought today because everything is so inexpensive and so good. The only disappointment was that there were no flowers to be had in the market and no basil plants to buy. Now we have a roller bag like all the Italian ladies so we can buy way too much produce, pizza and roasted chicken. 

We were invited in to Daniello's Basement and to have a glass of his wine at 9am.

Vine Barrel Modern Style

The market

Peaches!

Main Street: the market is small in June.

We also got four new recycling bins along with a complex booklet on how to do it and a calendar for the days and which things are picked up when. A few years ago one of my students said she was against mandated recycling, because the bins would take up the entire kitchen. At the time I thought it was a little bit of a silly argument, but now I get it. The big trade off is that we no longer have the giant carts where people sort their own recycling. They were a horrible, stinky eye-sore and those people from Roma never got it right. They even put food trash in the recycling. Holy cannoli. 

Market Swag

Men playing cards loudly at Komodo Bar

Today I did one portrait and a watercolor of some roses. This year they are the most beautiful we have seen. We managed to get our internet working in the two different places we like to go and I called my mom and we face-timed with Jessie. We also discovered the beauty of a new park with lots of shade and lots of people talking and playing cards. The park has been there for years, but we have never sat in it. 

My Terrace Studio

Roses

Men and Young Men Playing Cards Loudly in the New Park