Wrapping up May 2017, making room for 2018
We sailed into May with decent temperatures, a sweater was enough to keep warm during the day. We had already become spoilt. Later in the week temperatures would drop down and certainly called for more than a summer dress.
Two major events marked this month for me. My friend/colleague photographer Bianca, whom I had met in Paris in 2016 and then in London in January 2017 had told me she would like to come to Italy to shoot her final photos for her graduation project of the Photography School. She also needed a model for her 'Goddess' project and thought me to be the right person to perform that role, if I were prepared to be her model........Of course I said YES!! So after January we had regular phone conversations in which she would brief me on what needed to be done to bring this project to fruition. We had a connection right from the start and for me (being all self taught), it was interesting to see how she planned the project and for me it was a great learning experience in contacting people, go out and check possible locations, find a hairstylist and a makeup artist that would be available at set dates in May etc.
While at home the heater failed again, and we found out we should have cleaned the wood part too, even though we never used it, I combined location scouting with doggy (Bruno and Leo) walks with my friend Susie (looking for water falls with accessibility) and so discovering little gems around the village that I had never seen yet. While treating ourselves afterwards to a nice Spritz al Campari at the local bar in Biforco, we accidentally found ourselves in the middle of the 'premiazione' of the local fishing club, the prizes being the renowned Ceramica Faentina vases. It was a quick job, but interesting to watch.
We checked out neighbour Vincenzo's terrain, and together with Lex they were a great help imagining the possibilities. Little did they know.............😂
I went to the hairdresser and managed to entice her into the project in return for a portrait session for her. She gave my hair a special treatment, which made me feel like new, and did a few trials. I felt like a princess 💃. Later I would spend 5 times in three days in her chair. I have not had so much attention paid to my hair in all my life.....actually the only time I had my hair really done up was on my wedding day! This was sooooooo nice......I should have done it more often, just for a change every now and again.
On other days I ventured out with Lex to possible locations a little further away to unknown nooks in the region and discovered beautiful spots, nice people in hidden restaurant, with an interesting set of signs of 'casini' (brothel). Apparently there were special prices for soldiers, and the client was assured of being entertained by ladies from 'former Italian colonies', i.e. Libya. We found ourselves lost in a little 'borgo' that took us back in time of lost glory and past days. It was one big journey of new views, inspiring thoughts and finding places to go. We even found Il Vulcano! A natural gas leak in the middle of nowhere. Apparently a few years ago somebody built a protective little wall around it to keep the flame burning. It has become a popular spot to have a picknick on a summer evening without having to build a campfire.
Susie did a makeup trial on me, which made us laugh so hard it hurt my abdominals!
The fields turned into splashes of colour with wild irises, broom and all kinds of flowering wild herbs.
On our daily walks we would go check on the puppies at the neighbour's, which were growing fast into beautiful dogs. I already had found my favourite.
In between I found time to go visit Tiziana, a bridal gown designer in a small town one valley to the North, Riolo Terme. She showed some of her beautiful dresses at the fashion show early April. One of her models was a daughter of our friends, Diletta, and she was kind enough to put me in contact with the designer. I absolutely love her dresses. We had a nice chat and lunch together and I would love to photograph her dresses in the near future. If you are interested or need a beautifully designed dream wedding dress, have a look at her website: https://www.ltsposasartoria.it/Abiti-da-sposa. Meanwhile I took the opportunity to have a look around this village which harbours a beautiful Borgo in the centre. It has a nice wine bar in one of the towers and an regular art exhibitions.
My friend Bianca arrived and five days of intense, unbelievable, beautiful days started. Checking locations, fitting dresses, going to the hairdresser at 7 in the morning, even being served breakfast, makeup artist Chiara doing a beautiful job three days in a row to give me a beautiful goddess, ready to be photographed face, driving to remote locations, having awesome support from Vincenzo and Clizia (the neighbours) helping me trust a horse (I love horses but have always had some fear to approach them, so this was a challenge!), from Lex to drive, hold up reflectors, take care of our stomachs, throwing fabric, together with our friend Susie when we needed four hands, keeping me warm in between shots by throwing blankets and coats over me, because suddenly May put up a wintery hat, and making behind-the-scenes pictures. It was soooooooo cold, but I was determined to withstand it. Bianca did an awesome job in directing me, dressing me and photographing me the way she had envisioned. Together we made a great team, coming up with solutions if things were a little off and we both loooooooved working together! What an adventure! Check her out: Bianca van der Veen Portraiture! She is such a wonderful person and a great photographer. So here's some behind the scenes impressions................
On the last evening we finally had time to relax and enjoy dinner at La Colombaia, where the Tiramisù is to die for! It was well deserved and a great experience to work so hard and then celebrate the results!
The day after we took Bianca back to the airport in Bologna, where we spent a few hours in the city with a nice lunch and a quick walk through the centre, enjoyed some heavenly music, hopped into an art exhibition, where my eye was caught by this cute couple of sisters/friends. The things you do when you are 14-ish!!
And then back to the airport to pick up our sons Joren and Mike. Their visit coincided with the second event, that would keep us busy for the next few months and they were ready for it.
The neighbours had announced it was time to pick up our puppy as they were old enough to leave the mother.......so the day after the boys arrived we headed over to get our chosen baby. The boys went ahead of me, they couldn't wait, and surprise, surprise, by the time I arrived 'they could not pick just one'. Next thing we know.........we were the owners of TWO puppies! Despite all warnings that raising two puppies at the time is way harder than just one..........I scratched my head many times in the months to come, but I have to admit, they were irresistable.
The rest of the month obviously was spent as if you have just had a baby. Get up early, keep an eye on them all the time, eat, poop, sleep, play, eat, poop, etc, etc. Fortunately they slept through the night quite well right away (my kids never did that in their first two years of life!). We laughed, enjoyed, cuddled the first days away getting to know them. We were mostly worried about our cat Sushi, who is not known for her social skills with other animals, but she soon found her way around them, even though she wasn't too happy with those new tenants!
I will not post all the adorable pictures I have, there are hundreds of them........🙀! Just a few. They were crazy busy weeks. They learned to sleep in a bench, to walk on a leash, to ride in the car, to not be afraid of cars in the village, to go in the water, to meet other dogs and all that of course made them very tired. Lots of naps during which we could quickly do some chores. We were totally amazed how quickly they learn............
In the same few weeks we had the Giro d'Italia pass through Marradi. The cyclists were too fast for me, but I made sure I had our Dutch phenomenon on video! If anybody every thought nothing happens in Marradi........
Once a year in May there is also the '100k' run from Florence to Faenza and Marradi happens to be exactly on that road. When they pass through Marradi, the whole village comes and watches. Participants passing through during a few evening hours. Runners, cyclists, walkers, people in wheelchairs, anybody can participate. The fastest runner does it in about 5 hours, the slowest person in about 24..... the time is not important, it's the fact to make it until the end. Traditionally we go eat pizza with friends and watch the passers by in a pizzeria along the track.
I even found time to go out and make some photos for my friend Susie's blog, including while she was getting her hair cut and while she was having her tennis lesson.
Two major events marked this month for me. My friend/colleague photographer Bianca, whom I had met in Paris in 2016 and then in London in January 2017 had told me she would like to come to Italy to shoot her final photos for her graduation project of the Photography School. She also needed a model for her 'Goddess' project and thought me to be the right person to perform that role, if I were prepared to be her model........Of course I said YES!! So after January we had regular phone conversations in which she would brief me on what needed to be done to bring this project to fruition. We had a connection right from the start and for me (being all self taught), it was interesting to see how she planned the project and for me it was a great learning experience in contacting people, go out and check possible locations, find a hairstylist and a makeup artist that would be available at set dates in May etc.
While at home the heater failed again, and we found out we should have cleaned the wood part too, even though we never used it, I combined location scouting with doggy (Bruno and Leo) walks with my friend Susie (looking for water falls with accessibility) and so discovering little gems around the village that I had never seen yet. While treating ourselves afterwards to a nice Spritz al Campari at the local bar in Biforco, we accidentally found ourselves in the middle of the 'premiazione' of the local fishing club, the prizes being the renowned Ceramica Faentina vases. It was a quick job, but interesting to watch.
We checked out neighbour Vincenzo's terrain, and together with Lex they were a great help imagining the possibilities. Little did they know.............😂
I went to the hairdresser and managed to entice her into the project in return for a portrait session for her. She gave my hair a special treatment, which made me feel like new, and did a few trials. I felt like a princess 💃. Later I would spend 5 times in three days in her chair. I have not had so much attention paid to my hair in all my life.....actually the only time I had my hair really done up was on my wedding day! This was sooooooo nice......I should have done it more often, just for a change every now and again.
On other days I ventured out with Lex to possible locations a little further away to unknown nooks in the region and discovered beautiful spots, nice people in hidden restaurant, with an interesting set of signs of 'casini' (brothel). Apparently there were special prices for soldiers, and the client was assured of being entertained by ladies from 'former Italian colonies', i.e. Libya. We found ourselves lost in a little 'borgo' that took us back in time of lost glory and past days. It was one big journey of new views, inspiring thoughts and finding places to go. We even found Il Vulcano! A natural gas leak in the middle of nowhere. Apparently a few years ago somebody built a protective little wall around it to keep the flame burning. It has become a popular spot to have a picknick on a summer evening without having to build a campfire.
Susie did a makeup trial on me, which made us laugh so hard it hurt my abdominals!
The fields turned into splashes of colour with wild irises, broom and all kinds of flowering wild herbs.
On our daily walks we would go check on the puppies at the neighbour's, which were growing fast into beautiful dogs. I already had found my favourite.
In between I found time to go visit Tiziana, a bridal gown designer in a small town one valley to the North, Riolo Terme. She showed some of her beautiful dresses at the fashion show early April. One of her models was a daughter of our friends, Diletta, and she was kind enough to put me in contact with the designer. I absolutely love her dresses. We had a nice chat and lunch together and I would love to photograph her dresses in the near future. If you are interested or need a beautifully designed dream wedding dress, have a look at her website: https://www.ltsposasartoria.it/Abiti-da-sposa. Meanwhile I took the opportunity to have a look around this village which harbours a beautiful Borgo in the centre. It has a nice wine bar in one of the towers and an regular art exhibitions.
My friend Bianca arrived and five days of intense, unbelievable, beautiful days started. Checking locations, fitting dresses, going to the hairdresser at 7 in the morning, even being served breakfast, makeup artist Chiara doing a beautiful job three days in a row to give me a beautiful goddess, ready to be photographed face, driving to remote locations, having awesome support from Vincenzo and Clizia (the neighbours) helping me trust a horse (I love horses but have always had some fear to approach them, so this was a challenge!), from Lex to drive, hold up reflectors, take care of our stomachs, throwing fabric, together with our friend Susie when we needed four hands, keeping me warm in between shots by throwing blankets and coats over me, because suddenly May put up a wintery hat, and making behind-the-scenes pictures. It was soooooooo cold, but I was determined to withstand it. Bianca did an awesome job in directing me, dressing me and photographing me the way she had envisioned. Together we made a great team, coming up with solutions if things were a little off and we both loooooooved working together! What an adventure! Check her out: Bianca van der Veen Portraiture! She is such a wonderful person and a great photographer. So here's some behind the scenes impressions................
 |
| Breakfast at the hairdresser Cinzia Albonetti |
On the last evening we finally had time to relax and enjoy dinner at La Colombaia, where the Tiramisù is to die for! It was well deserved and a great experience to work so hard and then celebrate the results!
The day after we took Bianca back to the airport in Bologna, where we spent a few hours in the city with a nice lunch and a quick walk through the centre, enjoyed some heavenly music, hopped into an art exhibition, where my eye was caught by this cute couple of sisters/friends. The things you do when you are 14-ish!!
And then back to the airport to pick up our sons Joren and Mike. Their visit coincided with the second event, that would keep us busy for the next few months and they were ready for it.
The neighbours had announced it was time to pick up our puppy as they were old enough to leave the mother.......so the day after the boys arrived we headed over to get our chosen baby. The boys went ahead of me, they couldn't wait, and surprise, surprise, by the time I arrived 'they could not pick just one'. Next thing we know.........we were the owners of TWO puppies! Despite all warnings that raising two puppies at the time is way harder than just one..........I scratched my head many times in the months to come, but I have to admit, they were irresistable.
 |
| Meet Boris....... |
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| .........and Lola |
I will not post all the adorable pictures I have, there are hundreds of them........🙀! Just a few. They were crazy busy weeks. They learned to sleep in a bench, to walk on a leash, to ride in the car, to not be afraid of cars in the village, to go in the water, to meet other dogs and all that of course made them very tired. Lots of naps during which we could quickly do some chores. We were totally amazed how quickly they learn............
Once a year in May there is also the '100k' run from Florence to Faenza and Marradi happens to be exactly on that road. When they pass through Marradi, the whole village comes and watches. Participants passing through during a few evening hours. Runners, cyclists, walkers, people in wheelchairs, anybody can participate. The fastest runner does it in about 5 hours, the slowest person in about 24..... the time is not important, it's the fact to make it until the end. Traditionally we go eat pizza with friends and watch the passers by in a pizzeria along the track.
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| Marching band ahead of the first passers through. |
I even found time to go out and make some photos for my friend Susie's blog, including while she was getting her hair cut and while she was having her tennis lesson.
The month ended with a fabulous lunch at La Colombaia to celebrate the season of the Tartufo!
See you at the June episode.
Best wel ellende met de verwarming begrijp ik. Maar de rest van de ervaringen maakt het ruimschoots goed. Pic of the blog...toch de witte sokken :)
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