The New Pigs in Town

This is a mamma pig.  Behind her are lots of adorable, little piglets, but she didn't want you to see them and I wasn't going to insist.  Sorry.  She may not look it in this photo, but Amore estimated her weight at 500 pounds. 

We went to pick out pigs from our regular pig connection, a Sardo who lives in Umbria.  He has very pretty pigs with long eyelashes.  Reportedly, he has done prison time.  But I'm not sure I believe the story because no one has any real details.  Gossip is Italy's national pastime.  Whoops, did I just say that out loud?

Here are the two lucky winners this year who will be well fed and well looked after for many, many months before becoming assorted and very much appreciated cured pork fare.

Animal Crossing

It's not uncommon here to come upon unsupervised livestock alongside of the road, outside of their fenced area.

Or crossing the road, perhaps headed towards a more verdant pasture when no one is watching.  

Or visiting us from down the hill.  Because as we all know, "The grass is always greener on the other side."

Maltempo

We've had a quite a bit of rain for the past couple of years.  Sorry California, but it's been too much rain.  The ground is saturated and when it rains, the water just runs off.  And downhill. This is not a waterfall, this is the ditch that runs along the road to our house.

Thanks to a two hour, very intense downpour, much of the gravel from our road was swept into the side ditch which blocked the concrete pipe beaneath the road that carries the water away.

So we ended up with a small river running down the middle of the road causing some serious erosion.

Meanwhile back at the homestead there was more run-off.

Which resulted in a small landslide!

And a very unhappy dog.
Please excuse the photo shot of dear Pici's backside, but it was quite amusing to watch her wade through this mess, ears pinned back in displeasure.

It's no rainbow, but it's always nice to be able to find a little beauty in the middle of a small disaster.  Keep smiling!
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Pickin' Out a Piggy

We're late this year in picking out a piggy to raise.  We did actually travel to the pig farm a few months ago, trailer in tow, but Amore's father and the pig farm owner couldn't agree on a price.  It's the same as when you're bargaining at an open market and the time comes to walk away when your final offer is not accepted.  And so we left, pigless.

This particular pig farmer sells his pigs by weight.  The pigs have grown since we last saw them and now cost more.  Amore and I made the trip without his father and paid the price the pig farmer asked.  It was getting too late in the year to haggle.

 

It's a long trip to make twice, but at least it's a pretty drive. Right now the fields are golden.

And cornflower blue. 

And sunflower yellow!
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Auto Shopping

We went auto shopping last week in search of a 4-wheel drive truck for our new house.  My bad, I don't think I've posted photos of the new house yet!  For that matter, have I even posted that we have a new house?  Sometimes life can get overwhelming.  I promise I'll tell you all about it in the not too distant future.  Anyway, the road leading to the new house is dirt and rocks and we really need a vehicle that is built for challenging road conditions -- especially when it snows!  Amore was off viewing actual trucks while I found myself wandering around admiring old European cars.  Cool beans.

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The Fishing Hole

It's fishing time!  Or is it called fishing season?  Whatever. It's an excuse for men to gather.
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 This is a serious fisherman.  Very serious.
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 These are not serious fishermen.  These are spectators.  (That's Amore on the right.)
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  This is breakfast.  Grilled sausages and grilled pancetta.  Served with bread.
And wine, of course.  For breakfast.  Of champions.  And serious fishermen.  And spectators.
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 The Wall of Fishing Fame. 
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A farmer who lives not too far away comes every Sunday to the fishing hole with seasoned pork products, fresh pecorino cheese and his red wine for sale.  His wife accompanies him. She and I were the only women.  It's not unusual.  I am soooo excited to visit their farm when my sister and her husband come to visit this summer!!!

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I Know, I Know....

I have been exceedingly remiss in posting, but I promise to be better in 2014!  I have a big adventure ahead of me and I am so excited that sometimes I feel like I'm going to bust.  I am so grateful that I live in Italy, I am so grateful for my husband and my family, I am so grateful for my life.  And I hope to find a way to share these things with you.  I worry sometimes about what to write because my life seems ordinary, but it's not.  My life here is extraordinary.  It's all in the perspective.  I hope to inspire. 

More Pasta Please

 In any supermarket anywhere in all of Italy you will find several varieties and brands of pasta.

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 Rows and rows of boxes and bags of pasta.  Pasta with eggs, without eggs, pasta made with spinach 

and pasta with whole wheat!  Spiral pasta, pasta shells, pasta shaped liked little hats and church bells.

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But the one thing you won't find is wide egg noodles to make chicken soup.

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I considered smashing up some pappardelle but decided to give these pantacce a try.  

Looks like someone smashed up some lasagna noodles.

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Mushroom Hunting

I went mushroom hunting with Amore!  But on one stipulation, that it was more of a leisurely walk than a death march through brambles along goat paths (like the first time I was foolish enough to have accepted an invitation!)

 

Oh, there were brambles.  But I didn't have to go anywhere near them.

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 Amore offered to let me cut and gather the mushrooms myself, but I was more content to just point them out.

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As much as I enjoyed the day and the fun of finding funghi, the freezer and I pray the season is coming to an end.  

Shhh.... someone still has the fever.

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Tis the Season

I know it must seem that I'm overly obsessed with mushrooms or funghi lately, but tis the season!  Everyone has funghi fever this time of year -- including Amore.  We have a freezer full of frozen funghi.  Say that three times fast!  

He has now taken to drying them on the radiator.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  I love funghi.  We enjoy a simple pasta with fungi and fresh olive oil, deep-fried battered funghi, a very rich pasta with funghi, sausage and cream, and I put fungi in my ragu while it's cooking because it adds an earthy richness.

But my favorite way to enjoy funghi is on bruschetta.  A thick slice of rustic bread toasted over wood coals and then heaped with a generous portion of chopped fungi that has been simmering for hours in the family's fresh olive oil with a clove or two of garlic and a pinch of salt.  It makes my mouth water just thinking about it!

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On My Walk Today

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In My Yard

Because of the long and harsh winter followed by a hot and dry summer this year, the vegetable garden is looking er, a bit pathetic.  Since I'm adverse to showing you photographs of sad looking vegetables, I thought I might instead show you what's looking good in my yard!

Le Madonnine

These small statues of the Madonna are called Madonnine, tiny Madonnas.  

This altar is also called a Madonnina.  They are meant to invoke protection and bring good fortune.

You see them everywhere here in Italy, embedded in exterior walls of buildings, 
 in a stone wall along a road, a single structure on a rural street corner. 

 

 I want one.

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