Seasonal Pictures - Fall

I have often read about people expresing a desire to take part in a culture exchange with a person from a different country. This always made me think to myself, first of all, what would I exchange? I am American. What is our cluture? Hamburgers? Baseball? Then I thought even if I figured out what to share, how would I share it? Should I make a power presentation and bring visual aids? This idea of a cultural exchange was always intriguing, I want to learn about other people's cultures, but also daunting because I did not now what I would give in exchange. This weekend I found out.

I stayed on an olive farm in Tuscany this weekend where there lived a wonderful, little boy named Pietro. Pietro was very excited about Halloween. He talked about it all day Saturday and repeatedly chimed out, "scherzetto o dolcetto" (trick or treat in Italian), usually from the top of an olive tree. He also talked about carving a pumpkin. On the farm they grow many things but unfortunately not pumpkins. After we finished dinner that night, Christina, the farmer, brought in a butternut squash she had picked from the garden and offered it up to be carved. We, five adults, sat around the table thinking how to carve the squash. I must admit that at first I was skeptical. There are many differences between a proper carving pumpkin and a butternut squash. One of the adults suggested to cut the very hour glassly shaped squash into two pieces and at that suggestion the possibilities started to come to life quickly, followed by the jack-o-lanterns.

The squash was cut in two. The seeds taken out and the center cut away. Pietro drew the perfect face on each half with triangle eyes, a small triangle nose, and a sweet little smile. I carved out the pieces and then Pietro, who had the perfect sized hands to fit inside the small squash, removed the cut out pieces. We lit little tea lights and put the two squash faces on top of them and here are the results:

Notice how Pietro even drew nostrils on the two noses

Seasonal Pictures - Fall

I have been inspired by two Australian blogs I read (you can check them out here and here) to begin to post a weekly seasonal picture. I like the idea of slowing down and taking the time to appreciate each season and to find the unique beauty in the ever changing world around me. I think right now, fall, is the perfect time for me to start this; I am absolutely a summer/warm weather person (can you blame me? I grew up in California where, admittedly, it was not warm all the time but it was never COLD) so I have not been welcoming fall with open arms. I am looking forward to beginning to appreciate fall and in turn all the other seasons for exactly what they are instead of disliking them for what they are not. A lesson in acceptance.

the different stages of changing and falling leaves

fall vineyards

the last of the grapes

Each Monday I will feature a new series of seasonal photos. Come back and check out what I find.

P.S. The three pictures above are all from our trip this last weekend to the Piemonte region of Italy. If you like what you see, stayed tuned for the rest of the week. I will be posting, in three parts, about our weekend at the Salone del Gusto in Torino and our adventures in Barolo and the surrounding areas.

Firenze

A few random shots from our recent weekend trip to Firenze...

Ponte Vecchio with a little Venezia flair

Gelato for breakfast - always a good idea!

this was a lovely side room in the gelatoria with molti vini and other fun local products

We had our second (and real) breakfast at a cafe on the main piazza, Piazza della Signoria. It was fun to people watch and see the groups of tourists from all over the world. It was especially fun not to be one of those tourists but to be more of a local.


Another shot from Piazza della Signoria

Look at that room! Isn't it amazing? What would you use it for? I would make it into a super, cozy reading nook complete with a collection of wine and also a hot water heater and a selection of delicious teas (and of course elegant wine glasses and the perfectly, perfect large, round tea mugs).

This place had me and Andrea in stictches....translated it means Pharmacy of the Wild Boar