Live Pronto!: Quick First Looks Panicale, 2015

YIP-PEE.

After two flight cancellations, several hours on the phone rescheduling, as well as being put into the hell situation of being "on our own" at 5 a.m. to find our way to San Francisco from Monterey airport

( ok, I get it now. NEVER fly out of Monterey if you have a connecting flight…), we are here, we are happy we are a little jet-lagged….

We got in around sunset, grabbed our key from Aldo at Bar Gallo, as well as a fine Umbrian white as a gift…Thanks, Aldo!…we open the door to a warm home, full of memories and lovely gifts from our sweet hostess, Katia…

So happy we stopped along the way from the train station for some firewood….

Johnny in his 'Happy Place".
I'm fixing dinner.

Welcome "Home" gifts...

After unpacking, we run to Linda's(the local market) for essentials, and then pop back into Bar Gallo for a glass of wine and more greetings from Daniele, Aldo and the few locals that are here. It's a very warm welcome, indeed.

I fix a super simple dinner, we call Mom & Dad to let them know all is well.. Within mere minutes after we've eaten we are both stupid sleepy and falling into comas on the couch as the fire does it's magic.

We are home.

This morning we wake up and fall back to sleep a few times before the birds start singing and we know it's really morning. I go downstairs to start coffee, and take time to peek out the windows...

I know this view, from the kitchen window, so well now, but it's still magic to me.
At sunrise, the light is perfect.

Looking the other way, it's hazy from the smoke
of olive tree clippings.
I will watch these trees come into full leaf over our visit here.

As the coffee does it's thing. I check out our welcome home gifts. They are simple. They are perfect. They are one small reason why we come here, year after year.

Breakfast for the next several days...

Soon to be a frittata, these eggs are from Katia's grandma's chickens.
She is 96, and still tending them.

We arrange to pick up a few things from our very dear friend's nearby home... things they have let us store the last couple of years (love you, Richard…thinking of you more than you will know…), and head back home.

It's Christmas for Johnny..he has forgotten all he has left behind. This includes
a few porcupine quills we've found on morning walks..

…mostly it's art supplies.

We run around to get more things we will need for setting up the apartment, have a small lunch at home…nap, and head out for a stroll around town. I wanted to take some random shots of the little streets and walkways of Panicale. It's our first "walk-about" for this year. The first of many, I assure you.

Some of my pots of flowers are still hanging in there,
though I will change out herbs, and some flowering things...

Typical Panicale street scene.

A favorite set of stairs.

Not wanting to jinx anything…but..the weather is down right beautiful. Cold, sure, but clear and sunny. We'll take it!

We know we'll be getting rain sometime soon, so we'll enjoy this sunshine for now, thank you very much.

Just another turn down another little street...

Beautiful chimney details.

We walk all the way…which is not that far... up to the top of town. The views here are spectacular, and it's not very windy, so it's nice. We often bring a glass of wine up here at sunset.

We love being here this time of year.
There is no one around.
This will change dramatically in just a few short weeks.

Though I haven't actually timed it, it seems like you can walk most all of the walled town in less than ten minutes. We never get tired of doing just this. It's fun to see which windows are open, whether so-and-so is here or not, just who is around?

As I mentioned before…it's quiet.
Really quiet.

Johnny does love this funny shell-shaped ex-fountain….
He is carrying the little bag which holds our GPS thingy.
You think he's lost? Or just lost it?

Next we do a walk around the outside walls. We need to see it all, and check out what has or has not changed. This year, it all seems to be in ship shape.

I love this particular stretch of the walls. It will become a green haven and there will be wisteria all over the place, wafting it's perfume throughout town.

Another view across the way, looking at the "Little Pink House" we rented a couple of trips ago.
Soon our Canadian pals will be staying there.

It's so nice, even the goldfish in the park's pond are out!

Across from the pond, our apartment says hi.

Walking down this road brings back lots of nice memories…
We'll be taking this walk in the morning soon.

Just walking around, getting back into it here. Seeing the views we have come to love. Taking full advantage of this nice stretch of good weather.. Rain is on it's way, we hear. It's all fine with us.