A Full Day

  Saturday was a long day filled with art and music and beauty and food and wine and friends.

  Whew.

  We started out really early with a long morning walk while the temperature was still cool and crisp.

  Though I have seen this spot, below, many times, on Saturday morning it looked especially fine with the oleander blooming. The crumbling plaster/paint is just gorgeous to me....but then, I don't have to maintain the building.

  In all honesty, I do love this 'look'....

  

  We came across a few bits of flora that we don't see in early spring, our usual time to be here in Umbria-

Castagna (chestnuts) in their spiky overcoats.

Outstanding colors of these carciofi (artichoke) blooms.
Wowza!

Fields of girasole (sunflowers) in the valley below the road we walk.

Wheat fields and more sunflowers.
It's so dry, and such different light.

  After a quick shower and some sweet melon for breakfast...

  A pal had told us about a large international photography show going on in Cortona, so we thought we'd head over mid-morning to see what it was all about. Also, it was market day, and that's always fun.

Mt. Amiata way in the distance. A very clear day.
We are in Cortona, looking across the valley towards Umbria.
About thirty minutes from home.

   

 The photography exhibition is vast, and there are several venues to choose from throughout the village. We decided on two venues, one including many works from Pete Souza, the official White House photographer for the eight years that President Obama was in office.

The banner outside.

  All I can say is this...after viewing only the first two photos, I began crying. I was so unexpectantly overwhelmed with sadness...what we have lost as a country...the bafoon we are now stuck with...

  Sigh.

  I just cried the entire time I was walking through the show. Discreetly, of course. Well worth seeing, and all the artists we saw were good.

  The exhibition is going on for a few weeks, with lectures and workshops...

  For info:

  http://www.cortonaonthemove.com/festival

  

  

  After enjoying the exhibitions, we stopped in at a favorite spot in town, enjoyed a leisurely lunch, and some house wine-

Half liter. Just enough on a warm day.

  A little stroll to check out the view, then back down the hill to head home.

Hey, there's our apartment...way over there across the lake.
Ciao, Umbria!

  Back home, it was perfect timing for a nap before going out to see some music.

  We conked out like babies. Between the emotional photos, lunch, wine and a warm afternoon, well, you know.

  Our pal, Mariolena had mentioned this free concert that was happening in the chapel up at the old cemetery,  the Chiesa di Santa Croce ai Cappuccini-

  We walk up here often. It's one of our regular morning walks. But we have never been inside the chapel itself. It's always closed. We have heard there are music events in the summer, and we didn't want to miss this opportunity to check it all out.

  So glad we did-

Just seeing this space at dusk was amazing!

  It's a small space, with the most gorgeous soft blue ceiling. Folks took time to visit and enjoy the location before settling down for the concert.

I wanted to get a shot of the intimate space, but was stopped in my tracks
by the cobalt blue sky outside...

That view...that view.

    Then it was time to be stunned by the talent of the seventeen year old performer.
    We enjoyed several pieces, all for classical guitar, all from the eighteen hundreds. The acoustics in this place are beyond amazing, and the show was just beautiful.

  It was such a wonderful event, standing room only and at no cost...just a drive up the steep gravel white road.
  A perfect way to cap off a full day.
  Despite the heat and wind, we are really happy we decided to see what summer is like in our little part of Italy.

  What are we doing today, Baby???