Mimi Muses: Adaptation

Olive trees and the mountains in the distance

The pool is always enticing ( but cold )

Amazing how humans adapt to the environment. We've been at Capitignano a little over a week and we are settled into a routine of sorts and think little about zipping into Borgo to the Coop to pick up groceries and our new discovery....spumante. We(I am leaving Rider out of this.) both have drunk Spumante in the past but we discovered yesterday when we decided to celebrate (that it was Sunday ) with a mimosa, our .88 € Contri Spumante was bella. This may be the best thing about Italy so far...definitely the least expensive very best thing!

Road to the art studio

One of the main buildings...al fresco dining under the awning

Actually all the wines so far have been good and extremely reasonable. Food is about the same prices as the US except for beef which is more expensive. Clothes are a lot more though probably the really fine Italian brands like D&B, Prada and such are a deal. I certainly wouldn't know because I don't purchase those brands anywhere. I may buy a purse or shoes in Florence because the colors are SO tempting. The jewelry is likewise amazing but I don't think I'll go for that. Paul actually makes the best selections with jewelry.

Driveway at Capitignano...the only straight road in the area

So, how is driving in Tuscany? I have to admit that the countryside is less frightening than the cities though everyone must be on the way to deliver a baby or put out a fire. Maybe it's just Italian men making up for the fact that they are so short but, to generalize, they are exceedingly aggressive on the road. The autostrada was not intimidating but our country lane from the villa to the main road is exceptionally narrow with numerous blind corners. This lane makes Bent Tree roads look like I75! I have visions of headlines about American women with a baby being hospitalized for auto accident. In fact, the resident chef was hospitalized last Saturday night on a nearby, winding road when he ran off the road and hit a tree. Now he had been drinking but it could easily happen stone sober.

Yesterday, we took Rider and joined the others on the "hill" for the festival in town. Locals were dressed in early 1900 garb and there were demonstrations of folk dancing, spinning wool, cooking traditional food, mattress making ( stuffed with wool and we are sleeping on such an item),lace making (tatting), wood printing and various other things.

Everyone involved in the demonstrations were obviously having so much fun and it was enjoyable to be involved though it would have been improved had we spoken enough Italian to understand the explanations. Rider loved the crowd, the music and the general atmosphere though he especially liked looking at the dogs who accompanied their people and the chickens, ducks and rabbits in the cages. PS: we discovered rabbits in pens in one of the outbuildings today and I'm speculating they are not pets. This freaked Betsy as she does not like the idea of eating bunnies. This is definitely a working farm in every sense.

Rabbits live in the building on the right
We sleep right above a large yard where the chickens, turkeys and geese live and once in a while we get a whiff of them though not very often.

Truffle dogs...their only job is to hunt the elusive truffles

The night sounds are interesting to say the least for someone not accustomed. Everything here is kept pretty picture perfect. In fact, cars are parked in specific areas so that the views are not sullied. Each accommodation also has a private patio so that one may contemplate the vistas. No televisions and no telephones except the private cell phones which may or may not work due to the
erratic internet.

We live up the stairs

View of the art studio from the Sacred Grove

No cars in sight

Today was wash sheets and towels day and they are out to dry on the portable drying rack...no
driers. For those of us who remember clothes lines, everything smells wonderful but everything is also stiff and a bit scratchy. Maria delivered us clean sheets for our bed though and they were IRONED. I don't see how she keeps up with all the day to day here. She reminds me of dear Ursula T from school who seemed to run circles around all of us on the staff and still had energy left at the end of the day and a smile on her face.

As you may have surmised, I still haven't puzzled out the photo problem but I continue to work on it. If anyone knows how to insert photos from the iPad to the blog, please email me very simplified instructions. Meanwhile, cin cin in honor of Spumante. Note: All photos were added upon our return stateside.