Grano a mano

When the future seems grim and it feels like too many tipping points have been reached and left behind that’s the time you realize that Castelvecchio is the place you want to be. There is a clean water supply from the old Roman Fountains and today we saw people that still know how to harvest wheat by hand. Remember this for when the gas runs out.

We heard their was going to be a pasta making contest at 9 a.m. at the pizza place. We took our painting equipment just in case the rumors were unfounded, but instead it turned out it was a harvesting by hand competition. The field had been marked off in equally wide stops of about six feet and 25 feet long. There was room for ten teams. When we first arrived their were two old guys harvesting grain for about six camera people all with big lenses. Since the event was sponsored by Old Holland tractors maybe one of our guys will become an ad. I guess New Holland is not worried about the competition from a few people harvesting by hand.

There were only three teams. A husband and wife assisted by the father of one of them and possibly a grandson. There was the old guy team and a team made up of teenagers with an experienced wheat baler behind them. It was a neck and neck race. Sickles were flashing in the sun and hands with fingers covered by pieces of bamboo rose up and down. Behind came the bailers. they would grab a handful of grain and twist it into a knot. Next the wheat was laid down on top of the knot with all the seed heads facing in the same direction. Then the ends of the knotted piece were wrapped around and tied making a sheaf of wheat. These sheaves followed the harvesters down the row.

 If you thought a wand in your back pocket was dangerous then look at this. The scythes are super sharp and had been sharpened with dry stones only moments before. They are worn from a metal hook attached to your belt. 

 The man in the white shirt has his arm around his friend. You can see the bamboo finger protectors on his left hand.

Mint grows in with the wheat making every swing of the sickle followed by the sweat scent of mint. The smell of Italy one woman told me. When everyone had reached the top of the row, they worked going up hill so they did not have to bend over so far, the reapers went back and gathered anything they had missed leaving a wheat free zone. Nothing was wasted. These bits were added to the sheaves which were piled together: one for each row. Finally the judging. each team had a long list of criteria by which they were judged. Although they were announced I am just guessing as to what they were.
1. speed
2. cleanness of the field
3. quality of the bundles

And the winners were: the husband and wife team. Second was the old guys and third were the youngsters, although I suspect that each team won in some category of the judging.

A woman told me what the traditional field lunch was: bread with a sauce made of fresh tomatoes and thyme, a frattato of zucchini, onions and eggs, and wine mixed with water and lemon so no one would cut off their fingers. This food was prepared by the young people of Castelvecchio including our neighbor’s daughter. It was so delicious: field food. We had our lunch there. After all it is hard work taking 75 pictures while competing with at least ten other photographs all with longer lenses.

The minute Jim sat down by a bale of straw people rushed to take his picture. Me included.

Our inestimable neighbors and a guy that had a sharp scythe and insisted on being in the photo.


As if that wasn’t enough excitement for a day: we got mail! Thanks to Gregor and Josefin for the card from Venice.

AND there might be something else tonight in the piazza at 5pm having to do with the grain event. What really amazes me is that the students are here from America, but they weren’t there and neither were any of the tourists from Denmark. Jim and I were the only ones who stumbled on to this event. In fairness it was not well advertised and the date was changed due to the lateness of the harvest, but it was like being in a Brugel painting except for the cameras with giant lenses.

still working

I was out at 6:30 again today. It is a great time of day to paint. After that I started this painting of the mayor's house. He has moved. We walked up to Castel di Ieri today and there is so much stuff fixed up from the earthquake and so much new stuff being repaired. It is so exciting to see.

Just so you know I am not perfect, look at all the differences. it is a little discouraging. I wouldn't care, except it looks wrong. Tomorrow I will try to fix all my mistakes and report back.

6:30 am. It is impossible not to take the same photo day after day, year after year.

These are the kind of people we have had to put up with for the last four days. Thank god they took us to the beach. (no really, they are lots of fun)

We see the top of the Church for the first time

Yesterday they unwrapped some of the scaffolding and mesh that has covered the bell tower of the church of San Francesco since we moved here. It was an exciting sight as we have never seen the top.

When I went out to paint at 6:30 I saw a rainbow. It was a sign that I should go back inside, but it took two brief rain showers to convince me.

Later we went up to Rocca D Messo and Ovindali with the friends of Jim who are here. They drove down through of all of Italy for two days and will be here for four. It is 66 degrees and quiet chilly. I am not complaining, but we all hope to go to the beach.

 The first thing of interest was a cow who had figured out how to get around the cattle guard and was having some of the greener grass. These cows are really big. She went back inside the fence as I came nearer.

 Next, was a REALLY large cheese at the Ovindali market which consisted of about 6 vendors. It is cold after all.

These are some beautiful small things I saw on doors in Rocca d Messo.

 

We've got Mail!

After 21 days of Jim trying to peak through the little holes in our mail box, finally I can say those magic words: we’ve got mail. The postal person called up to Jim on the terrace to tell him. Equally exciting as the arrival of mail is who it is from. The world’s great living artist: Janet McKenzie. I am including a couple of images from exhibition announcements that she sent me.

 Spectacular, right? I don't have the announcement part with me right now, but you will be lucky enough to see these in person later this summer or fall.

http://www.janetmckenzie.com/

Some people arrived today that I had never met, and they seem quite nice and easy to get a long with. This is good, because you know how I am. I worked on three pastels today, only about 1.5 hours each. All three might get finished tomorrow depending on the weather.

This is my 6:30 am painting. It was actually cool this morning and I loved it. I only worked about 1.5 hours, but the clouds rolled in and the light wasn't good. Hopefully tomorrow.

The usual look for me. Note the snarl.

My friends talking quietly so they don't disturb me and Jim painting on our 4:00 painting. Sorry forgot to take pictures. When they told me they would talk quietly, I told them that would be difficult. They laughed and laughed.

 This is my MAGNIFICENT easel that I got at a garage sale for $10. I really like it and I don't care if I have to bend down and pick up pastels. It has a little tray for the colors I am using most. I don't know if it is still on the market, but here is the label.

I started this painting two years ago and sprayed it at the end of the day I worked on it. Last summer the street had scaffolding so I could not work on it. I finished it today. It is just amazing how off the drawing is when compared to the photo and I try so hard, but now I am thinking that is ridiculous.

 Jim showing our friends his painting yesterday and him working this morning.

Bella goes home

The Danes are back and so Bella has returned to her home where they do not let her sleep with them or take her on four walks a day. Other Danes have arrived so now we are out numbered.

Thanks to Bella I have found a great painting spot and went there this morning at 7a.m. I have just done the drawing so far.

 

 I  have several paintings planned for the next few days. We think people are coming, but we don't exactly have a detailed plan form them. 

After painting it was market and pizza time. We did all that and here is what we got:

 

We were basically forced into buying beet greens, but they were only a euro. There were more strawberries which were also a euro, but they are very ripe so we will have to eat them today. Sad, I know. 

Jim left with a friend to put money in our bank in Rainno. They said that no they could not take money and he would have to go to Pratola. Excuse me, but is that weird? It would be like Community Bank in Barre telling you you had to go to Montpelier to make a deposit. But he was with our friend, Noel who was up for the trip. 

After he left I took a 1.5 hour nap. A nap before lunch. That is pretty bad. I might take another nap now. Who knows? And that is the day so far.

Grindstone

After a day of doing nothing, it is back to the grindstone. How we suffer for our art. Bella is back and she has been for a walk. More laundry has been finished and even more started. Maybe some people are coming tomorrow or the day after or maybe not. We are headed up to the piazza for 2nd breakfast and to start a new painting. Already it is hot in the house and also outside. The sky is a rich blue and there is not a cloud to be seen. There is not much to be seen as the laundry is obscuring the view. I am covered head to toe in bug bites. The tops of my ears have bites as well as between my fingers. This is incredibly annoying and makes it hard to fall asleep, but it is not my outstanding memory of Italy. I had even forgotten how much trouble I have falling asleep here.

This is where I started a pastel this morning and also a picture of the progress that was made. It was so easy to draw compared to other things I have done lately. There were supposed to be 6 doors and I only fit in 4, but so what? I will go back in two days to finish it.

Victorio came by and told me the symbol to the left of the words is a Nazi sign. He said that the words are opera and ballet. I knew it said opera, but had not realized it said ballet. I just thought maybe opera meant something else. I still do not know for sure.

This painting is done on Colorfix and I like it best of all so far. The color is terra cotta and is perfect for Italy. The pastel goes down like the paper has already been sprayed the first time. It does not hold as much pastel and keep the airey look that Wallis does. I have sprayed this twice already and am ready to start the third time over. I like the little white edge which emulates a mat. I have always wondered about doing pastel on a dark board and then using a light mat so this solves that question.

I am working away on both my books and using my blog from the first year to fill in detail in the mystery novel. There is a new and exciting plot twist, but don't hold your breath.

The Beach

We returned to the beach that Gregor and Jim first discovered five years ago. It is Gregor’s first time back. It is the perfect Pebble Beach. We meandered there, spent four hours, and meandered back stopping for the best gelato in the beach town of San Vito. (this is where YOU should buy a house) Jim made Arrostocini for dinner and salad. It was our last day together until the wedding next year.