More Umbrian Dreams…Sigh.

  In reality, my dreams of late are better left in my head…

  But Johnny woke up this morning with Panicale firmly in his brain. He had been dreaming of life on the other side of the Atlantic.

  

  So, Johnny, this is for you, and all the rest of us who have been dreaming it was already Spring 2015. 

  You know who you are……

  This post is all about what Johnny and I wait all year for, believe it or not…..

Going to get firewood ….one of the first things we do.

Making sure this wonderful group of fluff is still  grazing the local hills…
Hi, guys!

Marveling in the local landscape.

  A weekly trip to the nearby outdoor market is a must, as well as something to look forward to.

What will we find this week?

Pretty much everything and anything….
I like finding odd kitchen stuff.

The clothes and plants come to you, in this part of the world.

Veggies, of course. Fava beans rule in Spring.

  Taking that first stroll to Bar Gallo is always a joy...

Just inside this portal, Bar Gallo!

Ahhhhhhh.

Lovely Daniele working the evening shift.
Ciao, Daniele!

Johnny shares some photos of our home and garden
with Carla, a lifelong resident, and regular at Bar Gallo.

The teeniest theatre ever, and we love it.
Tonight, "Radio Garage Rock".

  The weather can be so nasty, so beautiful, so rainy, so gorgeous…it makes for some nice photo opportunities. 

  The drive to Castiglione del Lago is an easy fifteen minutes, and the views along the way can be stunning.

Castiglione del Lago, jutting out into Lago Trasimeno.

  On the road to Castiglione is a favorite place to stop for a snack, lunch, or just a glass of wine.
  There is no place quite like Michele & Co…….

Johnny can't resist the cheese plate here.
Who would?

I go for the savory pastries…
Who wouldn't?

  The day trips are always fun, and you never know what you will come across.

You're killing me.
Do you hear me?!!?
Yeah, I'll take it, please.

Just another parking place in Umbria.

We were stopped one day for over an hour to wait
for a major Italian bike race to zoom by….
It was fun.

Italians have a wacky sense of humor.

We love our annual boat trips to the islands on the lake.

We'll go two or three times each year.
It's so peaceful on the water...

Then there are the little jewels that we find out about. Places my Dad would refer to as:

"The tour buses don't make it down this road"….. sorts of places.

We are lucky to have spent time in Italy with Mom& Dad. They really taught us not to be afraid of going off (way off, most times) the beaten track. 

  A good example is this bar that serves pizza on some nights. But only some nights. And you better get there early, or make a reservation, because there are only a few tables, and everybody stays for awhile.

  The pizza here features super thin crust, my favorite.

What it lacks in ambiance, it makes up for in yummy pizza…..

…..see? We both totally cleaned our plates.

…plus, the house cat matches the floor.
What is not to LOVE?

Speaking of house kitties, lots of restaurants have them.
It's a nice change. They are always friendly, and often
find themselves asleep on Johnny's lap.

  I always seem to have my camera, so I can just grab a shot of whatever catches my eye.

A group of school kids in front of the Duomo in Orvieto.
Gives me all kinds of hope.

We drive by this row of Umbrella Pines all the time.
Magical.

A great example of street art in Rome.

  We all can't wait for the day to day stuff, I guess. I know that's what Johnny and I pine for the most. These days the question of the moment is the ever classic:

  "What are we going to do first"?

  Well, I know we'll be checking in on our local friends….

  And taking drives nearby to paint the beautiful scenery….

  And we may just have to pour ourselves a nice glass of Umbrian "grechetto", mosey on down to the walls of town, and take in the sunset.
  Yeah, this all sounds pretty sweet just about now…..

Hey, see ya soon, Panicale.