Wrapping up March 2017, Welcome 2018

The beautiful weather at the end of February continued for a few days into March. I had to go pick up the photos in Forlì, where a friend/photographer has his studio! I had selected some of my portraits to be displayed at the Festa della Donna. My friend was so enchanted by the idea, that he offered to print the photos for me. I did not expect him to do it for free, but he refused to take payment and I gratefully accepted his gesture.

While in Forlì we discovered an Art Déco Exhibition in the Museo San Domenico. Unfortunately we did not have time to visit that day, but we planned to come back later. Instead we silenced our stomachs while enjoying some spring sunshine and exploring the centre of this nearby city of which we know so little. So far we had only passed by it on our way to the coast! 

On our way back home we took some little side roads and found some almost Dutch looking areas. We were in Romagna after all and once out of the Appenines, the landscape is very flat.

The day after my photos were displayed in a beautifully arranged shop window and to my joy lots of people were very enthousiastic and positive! I even managed to have a stack of business cards in Sandra's shop on time! 

The temperature dropped significantly for a day or two. We have discovered several times last year, that when the weather is windy, grey, rainy, it can be right the opposite just a few kilometers away towards the Adriatic sea. So we decided to take the chance and explore the environment not too far from home, hoping to find the sun. A little we managed, but just a little! 

After a short but very windy walk and the sun disappearing behind the -beautiful-clouds, we decided to get in the car and explore from there. Taking small little rural roads and just see where you end up and what little treasures there are to be found. Taking side road after side road we ended up in a narrow valley with a small church, standing all by itself. Later we found out this was belonging to the  hamlet Boesimo, a name I had seen many times on a sign along the road to Faenza and just because of the name had made me curious. More so after our architect Tiziano told us childhood stories about the time he spent there at his grandfathers' farm. Continuing our journey we just stopped when something caught our eye, which I love doing. Finding inspiration in apparently 'normal' things. 

Looking back I realize we had a pretty busy and variable month. After a stormy night which left us feeling thrown back to olden days because of a power outage, we picked up our son Joren and cousing Freek, who owns a garden design and maintenance company. They offered to lend us a hand to clean up the hill behind the house, which had been neglected for a mere 50 years. Friendly weather and 8 hands working hard with lots of results. To rest in between we had lunch at our favourite spot with a view in Brisighella. From there we cruised the apricot and peach trees in full bloom, followed by a wine tasting at Zerbina wine producers in Marzeno. After another day of hard work Joren used the coals left after burning all the branches that came off the land to grill a mouthwatering fresh Bistecca Fiorentina to perfection. Even for a semi vegetarian like me it smelled really good! 

Cooking by candle light. 

Enrico explaining the different ways of growing vines

Where the magic happens 

In the studio the floorheating has been put in. The builder always has little surprises that make us smile. He found some leftover floor stones and created a beautiful floor in what will be Lex's future wine cellar. Meanwhile his brother built a beautiful outside washbasin from a old animals water bowl that we found when we were first stripping the house.

After the boys left, we had a week to turn the removed trees into decent pieces for the fire place, prune the age old apple trees, hoping to revive them (I think we were too late, but we keep hoping......) and Italy would not be Italy if food and wine are not the centre of attention ;-). We were honoured to be invited to a trip to Valdobbiadene where the lovely bubbly Prosecco originates. We learned there are many different levels of Prosecco (and prices therefore). For us it was a first, to see everyone getting their demijons filled with white wine that doesn't bubble yet. It has to be bottled at a particular day in the moon cycle, for which we got instructions on paper, and then left to ripen and develop into Prosecco for a few months! Ofcourse this was all accompanied by loads of (calorie rich) food, but sooooo tasty. We topped the day off passing by world renowned Prosecco house Foss Marai (where I was merely mesmerized by the interior decoration) and on the way back to Marradi the cars were loaded with crates of Radicchio di Treviso, known for its delicate flavour. 

Valdobbiadene. Cherryblossom.

Collector's item

Instructions for bottling: only when the weather is nice! 

In the few days before we expected our next visitor, we explored some more of our immediate surroundings, with in the back of my mind searching nice locations for photoshoots, in case I managed to set up a get together with one of the London photogroup friends, who happens to be Italian. Spring became more and more evident, although in the darker areas of the woods deterioration in all its beauty continues to break down old treetrunks. 

Sushi enjoying a nap in the sun

Contemplation

The rest of the month was mainly filled with visitors. I love it because it gets me out to explore and I love to show other people how beautiful this relatively unknown part of Italy is. Everything is mainly as it has been for a long time, the natural beauty is overwhelming and the calmness very comforting.
Even though we have been spending many years of summer holidays here, there is so little I know, yet, so for me visitors are an extra incentive to venture out of our immediate surroundings. And those have so much to offer already.
An old friend from Holland Myron came to visit us while on a European trip with his campervan. It was so nice to catch up after many years overseas. While we walked admiring flowers and old ruins, soon to be covered by new growth, we talked and talked and pulled up memories of the times when we all worked at a social work place, where Lex and I volunteered and met for the first time. Myron used to be our team lead.

To compensate for all the natural beauty, we (finally) visited the Ceramics Museum of Faenza. We had been there so long ago I barely remember. It was worth its while, a beautifully curated journey through the local history and the world of ceramics use and production.

The entrance to the Ceramics Museum is a piece of art in itself.

We drove to the valley to the south of us to explore some territory to Myron and me unknown, but ofcourse  my geologist husband, who spent a few years researching this area, did know where he was taking us. Again an eyecatching series of beautiful views and great explanations about the how and why of the shape of the landscape. I was hoping to find a 'vulcano', but that had to wait for another trip a few months later. 

Before we knew our dear South-African friends, with whom we spent so many years in the Middle-East stood on our doorstep. A trip that coincided with a business trip for John and we were very pleased they took out some days to spend with us in Marradi, together exploring the lesser known crooks of the village. 

Duck nest

The Italian way

John&Belinda: bella cioppa

There is room to grow everywhere

Matching your plants with your home is art! 

We had such a lovely time, we decided to join our friends for a few more days, while they were in Bologna. Another first for us. Until then we had just seen Bologna airport side, to fly in or out of Italy. We caught up for all those times, fell in love with this mostly unspoilt city with hundreds of interesting buildings, museums, portico's, great restaurants and above all very friendly inhabitants. Again we were treated to beautiful weather so sitting outside at a terrace sipping cappucino or prosecco was a must. It was graduating time for university students, which added to the atmosphere. Students accompanied by friends and family celebrating the laureato/a who actually wear a laurel crown for the occasion. 

I am afraid Bologna deserves a separate blogpost though......I took so many photos it is hard to choose. I will leave you here with the start of our journey through the city: a nice appartment in one of the few Palazzo's with an original Liberty front. Our very hospitable host Leonardo, showed us the way, gave us some hints and off we were to one of the oldest bars in the centre of the city where you can bring your own food and enjoy it with the best Lambrusco in the world.........Cheers! 

See you at the next episode!