Easter, Weather, And The Ruzzolone

  It's been several days and about a thousand experiences since my last post, and it's hard to pick just what to write about. When I started this bloggy, upon last year's return from Panicale, I had no problem. I had lots of time to go through photos and decide just what I wanted to relive, what I felt would be fun or interesting to share....

  Man, it's tough finding time to sit and blog while actually here! Fortunately, the weather has turned a little, well, funky..... so I have the perfect opportunity to sit, with the fire going, Johnny reading art magazines, view still gorgee-o-so, even when grey. Plus, it smells fantastic, because I spent the morning making a big old pot of soup. I even went out and picked a bunch of chard to throw in.

  So. Weather..... my good friends know about my very irrational fear of thunder and lightening. Can I just say, here in Panicale, the show has been awesome. Big stuff, with loud noise and bright flashes. I'm getting better at it. I think I feel somewhat safer in these stone walls, maybe. No large trees right around us, and the big valley views make it seem so far away. The clouds and sunsets have been amazing, too.

Waiting for thunder in Panicale.

For real. We don't get these where I come from.

The colors in the sky made the town even prettier.

  I am really proud of myself for only freaking out a little bit at Bar Gallo one early evening, when the first of several thunder storms hit. Now I'm getting used to it. They come in, big and scary, then rain, then they are gone and everything is beautiful again. It's all good.

  On Easter morning, we were kindly invited to Katia's family Easter breakfast. A very traditional affair, it was really cool. The food had all been blessed by the local Priest, including the special "Pasqua"(Easter) bread, eggs from the family chickens, and salumi. Chocolate eggs, too. We loved it, and were really happy to have been asked to join such a family event. In fact, we were invited to join them later for the Pasqua lunch, with friends and family. Lovely. I did not feel it was the moment for photos, but I will tell you that the food was over the top, and unending. A true festa style feast. And they so kindly had plenty of options for the vegetarians. These are the nicest, kindest people ever. 

Pasqua breakfast of bread, hard cooked eggs and salumi.

    We went over to the neighboring town for cappucini, and general people watching, to kill time between breakfast and lunch. It was sweet, seeing all the little kids and such. We were dressed in our Sunday visiting clothes, and felt right at home, sitting in the Piazza.

Having a break on Easter Sunday

  

 On the day after Easter, Monday, the whole of Italy is taking a day off for various festivals and events. In Panicale, it's the "Pasquetta", a festival that includes an antiques fair in the main piazza, and an infamous cheese rolling contest called the "Ruzzolone".  I will let you Google it, and find out how and why it happens. 

I'm certain there is some historical (hysterical?) significance, but for us it was just good fun.

  All the young dudes of the area, representing their own neighborhoods, I assume, have to roll this big round of pecorino cheese around the main walls of Panicale. Loads of people are in town for this event.

The Big Cheese. Getting ready to roll...

They wrap this belt thing around to let it fly...

  In the meantime, lots of vendors are selling neat antiques and stuff inside the walls, in the main Piazza.

Antique market on the square, Panicale.

Fun to see so many people around.

  I was tempted, but did not end up buying anything. It was fun to look at all the interesting stuff, for sure.

Tempting, tempting....

  We had invited a few people, last minute, to stop in for some light refreshments, if they wanted. We didn't realize that the cheese was going to roll right past our little pink house! Ha, ha... we were stoked. We had several friends pop around, to have a glass of wine, and watch from the upper terrace... but first we watched from closer to town.

  This footage, below, we took from our little terrace, just too funny! We hoped we would get to keep the cheese, but alas....no. 

  

   I have to say, it was a great holiday weekend.
  But I missed my own family tradition...my phone call from Mom. Good thing we have video chat.....