More Panicale Dreaming

  Well, It's mid February, and I guess my heart is being tugged by Panicale. 

  Fortunately, it's a bit quiet here at work, so I can sneak into my iPhoto files and get a good dose of Umbria. Why not? 

  I can't wait to go back, and because it's getting closer to take-off, I thought I might share some favorite things I miss when I'm away. No, not just the food. How dare you? Ok, it's mainly the food. Who am I kidding…?

  But…..between all the plates of pasta, there are other things I enjoy about being there. 

  Honest.

  I love views of the surrounding countryside:

From the walls of Panicale

A nearby olive grove

Just below Panicale.

  I can't wait to be back in the groove of walking to Paciano in the morning, on this small road….It's a lovely walk, and I love it as the season changes.

Our morning walk.

  Walking around the walls of town is a joy, and we'll do this several times a day,  just for the hell of it. Morning, afternoon, early evening….even at night. It's a simple pleasure, and we embrace it.

Views all along this "promenade" around the walls of Panicale.

It's nice to take an evening glass of wine to enjoy on one of the benches.
Sunset time is perfect.

  The stuff we do every day is pretty tame. I'll try to head over to the bakery a couple of times a week for my most favorite onion and sage "pizza". I know I've written about it before…it's because I dream of this culinary delight all year long.

One of the first things I will do…

  I can't wait to go to the small but so amazing Fontemanna, where we will pick up fresh cheese and yogurts. All organic, all from the sweetest sheep ever….. and the sweetest family!

The little cheese shop with the big heart.

  The every day chores can be challenging because of language difficulties, but it's always fun, and sometimes an adventure. I love it, and it pushes me to improve my speaking skills.

Getting some painting tools at the local hardware store in
Castiglione del Lago

We'll take the train sometimes just for a day trip. I like to use the machines, on the right...
This is the station in Chiusi, near Panicale.

I never get tired of scenes like this. 

  I'm really looking forward to having the chance to make another little "pot garden" on our steps. I loved hitting all the different nurseries in the area the last few trips. I just can't help myself. Plus, I need to have some fresh herbs growing, of course! I'll be curious to see if these pots are still there…my poor hostess, Katia, didn't need the extra chore of keeping them watered, so they may have found new homes. I don't mind starting from scratch again.

Working in my little garden.

What's not to love?

  Having a place in town, or very nearby, is my favorite. We can't help ourselves, we walk up to the piazza so many times a day, it's silly. But that's what everybody does. It's a small place, and you have to keep checking out what's going on. Nothing? Hey, it was only a three minute stroll….we'll do it again in an hour or two…that's why we're here.

We walk to the piazza either this way, or that way. Panicale is laid out
in concentric circles that pretty much all lead to the piazza. Nice.

Piazza Umberto 1, with all the usual suspects.

Same piazza, different angle.

Simone & Lorena's very fine 'Osteria il Gallo nel Pozzo'

Our hang out, Bar Gallo.

  What can I say? Bar Gallo is our place. We'll spend way too many hours and euros here, and enjoy every last second. Sometimes we bring books to read, or Johnny will work on a small painting, or in his notebooks and journal….

  I like to spend some time playing dominoes….a little glass of vino, perhaps...

  If we're really camping out, we'll order one of Aldo's fantastic salads...

  So, of course I'm getting excited thinking about food. I'm always thinking about the food.
  I miss the PASTA!
  (cue pasta music…and go!)

mmmmmmm.

mmmmmmm.

mmmmmmmm.

ahhhhhhhh. mmmmmm.
A must every year, at least twice!
Truffle & Leek pasta at Masolino's.  Sigh.

  We have a few animal pals I look forward to seeing again...

The famous Mitchell.

The infamous ZaZa (left) and Briciola.
Hi, guys!

  Of course, there are all the wisteria and wildflowers to look forward to seeing and smelling….

Right below the apartment...

A walk up the hill above Panicale, this was in late April….

  When we aren't having our late afternoon rest-up at Bar Gallo, we find ourselves close by. We've found some extra special places we'll always go back to, though Bar Gallo is home base.

On nice days, it's fun with a view at Pescatore, down on Lago Trasimeno,
just below Castiglione del Lago. 

Another favorite on the lake, the bar in San Feliciano.
Does it have a name? I'll check this year…
We watched these trees go from bare to this in one or two weeks, late April.

Though quite a drive, we always end up at least once here.
La Porta, in Montichiello.

  Really, though…when I dream about Panicale, I dream of the stone, and the color of the stone at sunset. It's warm, it speaks to me…it calls me back.

 And here I come.