Still Getting Settled....In An Unsettled World

I've been having a tough time creating my blog posts, or I'd be posting more often. It's poor internet connections, lack of wifi, and a new format that takes forever to upload photos.

So, be patient, and I'll do my best!

At this moment, we are sitting up in bed in a wonderful hotel in Florence. Being here is a gift from pals back home, and we thank them so much! I'll be posting about our days here in the near future.

Since the hotel has good wifi, I've taken advantage and uploaded a bunch of shots from the last couple of weeks back at The Nut, and just day to day stuff we've been up to.

It's such a trip being here during covid. So strange to walk around seeing everyone either wearing masks or sporting them on their elbows, which is what people do here. Masks at the ready, because you have to wear them inside or in crowds. Seems most people have no problem with this....but of course there are folks who are anti vax/ anti mask, just like in the states.

Oh, well.

Mostly, we're settling in. Doing what we do....

Johnny keeps kicking my butt at dominoes!

I keep kicking his butt at foosball!

Working in the garden lots, with my faithful companion, Nemo.

Nemo is starting to show his age....sigh.

We've done some getting around, mostly to our regular places. Johnny has started getting his art supplies together and readying the studio. 

We love having our down time to relax with wine and a good read, mostly.

I've been doing some cooking, but haven't really gotten started yet. It's been hot (for us, that is!), and I just haven't been super excited to cook or eat yet.

The last couple of months were really stressful, and it's taking me some time to settle down and chill out. I'm getting there, slowly.

We had some good fresh pasta with truffles from a friend. Yum!

House sitting for pals with a lovely view... Nice!

 

Dinner at The Nut from a week or two ago..
Grilled veg with toast and soft cheese...some leftover panzanella.
Perfection, man.

Close up....mmmmmmm!

Pizza from our favorite local joint.

Still getting our morning walks in. I love the light, and really enjoy the freshness of the air.

It's a great way to start our days, and my anxious little brain needs the routine.

There is always something to take a photo of....

The tiles are everything...with the green ivy.

Now that's a weeping willow!

I love these blue wildflowers...they are all along the roadsides.

More roof tile action.
Color combo perfection!

Honestly, I never get tired of the views here. Everyday it's different. The clouds, the sunlight, the weather.

Back home it's pretty much the same everyday. Here, it changes by the hour.

We house sat some friend's kitty for a week. That was new. 

It was fun because the house is lovely, with different views than our little place, and we had a kitty for a week that slept with us!

I love the purring bundle of fur in the middle of the night....I miss that.

The sunsets from their patio were lovely, too...

We left straight from the house sitting gig to come here to Florence, and I'm missing The Nut and her little details...

First morning light ....

A bathroom vignette...

We'll be back at The Nut tomorrow, and I know we'll finally settle down. We've been here three weeks already, and we just haven't gotten into the groove yet. Thankfully, we're here for awhile, so there's plenty of time to just relax, cook, read, walk, paint and enjoy this amazing life we've created.

Stay tuned. 

Still Loving The Morning Walks...And Lunch

Well, Dear Readers....I want to thank you for your kind words of encouragement after my last post. I will try my best to keep the posts coming, and get back into my lil' bloggy!

If you've followed over the past 10+ years, you know Johnny & I love to take early morning walks, and this year is no exception.

We walk here in Umbria, as well as back home. We like to eat and we're terribly vain. Enough said. Calories in, calories out!

In the early mornings, we beat the heat. We just aren't used to 80 degree weather, so we are up and out asap. It makes for nice light, too...

Here are views from a couple of walks this past week (What?!? Yes, it's been a week!)

The long drive down to the main road...

One of my absolute fave spots.

Walking in the fields.

Our place is way back there!

Must always be stylish...hehehehehe.

I love this time of year, when the fields have been turned, waiting for the next crop. 

Beautiful light on these grapes.

Morning Glories in a nearby garden.

 

We are not breakfast people. Coffee....yes, but I can't eat in the morning. 

Our routine is walk, work in the garden (me) & studio (Mr.J ), then think about lunch.

We do love our 'lunches with a view' from The Nut's small but mighty terrace! 

New to the blog? We call our little bit of Heaven "The Nut". 

Egg salad & arugula salad with grilled bread. Solar lights are getting juiced up.

A perfect lunch at home. I love egg salad, and we get them fresh as can be.

Later, more garden puttering with an audience.
Johnny & Nemo. A good first half of a day.

I look forward to being more present here. It's been a hell of a year, and I am desperate to get my self back together. I want to breathe more, drink less, stop the constant worrying and learn to relax.

That's a heavy lift, but if there's anywhere I'll get it done, it's here.

Stay safe, Dear Readers.

We Did It!

If you follow me on Instagram (jgistelli44), you already know we've made it back to Umbria.
It was such a stressful chore to get through all the documents needed to travel! 

We had double duty because we flew through London Heathrow. The Uk has it's own set of docs to deal with.
And we were only in Terminal 5 for about two hours....

Anyway, we done did it!!

Yeah, we were the two weirdos with the face shields.

Hey, we didn't want to take any chances.

It was kind of scary, but still exciting to be traveling again.

Once in Rome, we hit our favorite pizzeria. So happy they were still there and as busy as ever...

Jet lagged, but nothing Pizzeria Remo couldn't fix...

Interesting new graffiti all over the area...

The obligatory masked Mirror shot.

The confusing documents and stress of covid tests...all worth it.

So glad to be back at our Nut.

Our first sunrise back home in Umbria. Sigh.

We enjoyed a first lunch on the terrace with tomatoes and good bread from our pals (grazie, J&B), and I look forward to more.

We've just started getting out and about, enjoying some favorite views...

The road home....

I made some pasta on our first night with more of the fresh tomatoes, basil and a bit of garlic with good olive oil.

Simple and simply divine!

We are lucky and grateful to be back. 

I hope I get back into my blog again...we'll wait and see.

Here's a sunset to get me inspired:

 Thank you, powers that be. 

 

Hi. Ciao.

 It's been a very long time.

Let me tell you...we've been through...and we're still going through..Covid.

I lost my Mom. Yeah. The biggest and heaviest event in my life so far. Dad and I held her hands as she transitioned to the other side on May 18, 2021. 

I love you, Mom. I miss the hell outta you. I miss calling you to ask you about cooking this and that. About what you were doing...about what you were reading...about what you were watching on TV...about what gossip you may have collected that day. 

I fucking miss you.

So, I've been having a hard time writing my blog because of all the heavy shit that's been going on over the last year. But...I also know that my Mom would have wanted me to move on and get happy, so I'm really trying to respect her wishes...

So, Ma....I'm getting ready to return to Italy, and I know you would be loving that.

I look forward to posting over the next few months..first as we get ready to go, and afterwards when we are there...living the life.

 I just want to add some pictures I have from a couple of years ago...

These are just a taste of what I love about our life in Italy...

Stay tuned for more, Dear Readers...

A favorite view...

• Doing laundry...

A field near our house...

On a morning walk.

Heading home after a morning walk. It's a pretty good climb up...

Johnny working on some drawings at a favorite bar.

We hope this bar made it through covid, man,.

A beautiful scene.

I love this.

Coolest door ever.

A typical laundry day.

Beautiful olive trees...

So, as we wait to see if we make it back to our beloved Umbria...all I can do is look back o these old photos and dream about returning.

This time I'll be armed with an actual iPhone, and Instagram:

#jgistelli44 #johnnymapodaca # gallery apodaca

Please join in the fun!

Stay tuned, y'all.

oxoxoxoo

me

Thinking Of Spring In Italy....

It's Easter, and I'm sitting here in the gallery, just wasting time looking at photos of Italy...I do this more often than I'd like to admit.

I haven't been here in the gallery on Easter Sunday since 2011...last year we couldn't travel, but we were shutdown, so the gallery was closed. I don't know what to expect...there are plenty of people in town, walking the streets and such.

I think I'll just enjoy this time to remember our 'alternate life' in Italy...springtime especially.

There's no harm. A girl can dream, right?

We've been in touch with friends in Umbria, and it sounds like they are having a lovely 'primavera'. I can just imagine.... 

 

A gorgeous springtime moment in Florence from days gone by...

If you are a regular reader, you know that we love taking walks. Both in Italy, and here at home in California.

I love watching spring come on in Umbria...there is more rain and wind and thunder storms...real weather! It brings on beautiful spring colors....

Walking along a 'white road', just enjoying the wildflowers...

An amazing field of red poppies below Todi, a nearby hill town.

Watching the wheat grow is always fun!

Wild orchids, which I never see here, are a real treat.
These were nearby a field of fava beans, which have their own beauty.

My favorite thing to do is play in the garden at The Nut, the place we stay in Umbria. I love the garden there, and our landlord is more than happy to have me bring in a bit of color. It gives me lots to do while Johnny is in his studio there.

I love visiting nurseries in our area. They also sell lots of color at the weekly farmer's markets. 

It's fun to see what I can find.

Mostly, I plant 'pots of color'.
I've always loved doing this...here I'm at the entrance to our place.

I always love a good mix of violas!

The resident kitty, Nemo, is never far from my side when I'm in the garden.
Nemo!!!!

My herbs and color on the terrace at The Nut, back in 2019...
Sigh.

I just love to stand at the counter in the little kitchen at The Nut, looking out at the terrace and the flowers...and the view. The Nut is small, just like our home here in California.

It's perfect for us, and I can't wait to be standing right there, in the kitchen, looking out at that view...with a glass of wine in my hand. And some good music playing.

Looking out at Wonderland

It's even beautiful in the rain.

We don't know when we'll be able to return to Italy. We will patiently (yeah, right...) wait until the time is right. I can't wait to be on that plane, watching some silly movie with a glass of bad white wine in my hand...

As I've been saying for the past year...I'll never take it for granted. 

This lucky life of ours.

Until we see you again, Umbria- Stay Safe.