Snow Time

Bella Baita all in white

At long last winter has arrived with a blast of cold that has set our teeth chattering and running to stoke our wood fired stoves with as much wood as we possibly can. This winter has been so mild that it seemed we would just bypass it all together. My geraniums and lavender have put out new growth while lounging in their winter storage spot. We had a variety of strange weather these past few months, dry and warm like September, leaving the forest so dry that it didn't take much for a wildfire to spring up and take hold, just a few kilometers behind us. It was clearly visible and we watched it warily spread out and become unmanageable due to the ferocious winds that fanned the flames for a couple of days. Alas, the fire was contained, thanks to the effort of many volunteers, and then snow arrived. Peace reigns in the kingdom again. Hurrah!  We received about 1/2 meter or a foot and ad a half or so and now we're still waiting for the promised blue skies, but the sparkly white down comforter is a welcome change, not only for it's beauty, but also with the knowledge that our water supplies will be sufficiently replenished. That bodes well for a bounteous porcino season come spring. That alone makes even the haters of shoveling and cold temperatures warm up to our latest weather.

Now you see why the shoveling isn't so much fun

A walk in the neighborhood

Home again, home again, jiggity jog...

The Loss of a Giant

It's sad losing an old friend, even when it's a big ole tree. No it's not on the level of a human life. It is wrenching, at least to me, to see a grand majestic old tree, three of the actually, and some say over 300 years old, lying on its side, roots completely snapped off, almost like they didn't even exist.  A fallen giant. One gargantuan beech tree that had given so much pleasure over the years to many. There were initials carved into the trunk professing love that perhaps still lived on and maybe not. The spread of its limbs and broad green leaves shaded a pilone or way station that housed a serene ceramic Madonna inside where many had laid flowers by long burning candles in tall red glass cylinders over the years. Many stopped by when out for a stroll in the neighborhood. It was hard not to as it had been lovingly decorated with biblical scenes depicting John the Baptist and San Antonio  blessing the animals. A lovely point easily missed whizzing by in a car on the way through to the Grandubbione valley end of our paved road. However, on foot one is easily drawn in for a moment or two of contemplation, perhaps even petition or maybe a little solace on our Serre Marchetto hilltop.

Our almost 300 year old beech tree 

And so it was with great sadness that we discovered this sight when we strolled to the top of our road after a day and night of ferocious winds. The neighbors were already there and beginning to remove some of its limbs as it was blocking the road. The owners of the house were very lucky that the tree didn't fall the other direction or on anyone on the road. It fell about one in the morning according to a nearby neighbor. The most amazing part of this story is that not only did the tree come down squarely on the cement house that housed the ceramic Madonna, completely and utterly destroying the structure, the ceramic Madonna's head and shoulders were still completely intact. The lower half of her body was mostly gone, but her face and head were still in one piece. Very, very surprising indeed. Someone had set her up in front of the tree and now she has been put aside to be restored for the new prayer station that the neighborhood has already begun to discuss rebuilding plans.

The surviving Madonna

 There was a steady stream of people coming up to see the remains for themselves as the story of the felling of this old tree made it into two of the local papers. There was a fair amount of interest for a couple of days afterwards and even a small busload of school children yesterday came up to survey the scene. It's all mostly gone now, cleaned up, cut up and hauled away. It's a big open space now and will take some time to get use to and I must say I am looking forward to the rebuilding process, but the tree won't be able to be replaced, especially not that close to the house either, but it will be replaced and I welcome that.

Here are some photos of the tree and pilone that I took when they were both still intact. It's nice to be able to share this lovely companions in their former glory. I hope you will enjoy them as we have here.

Winter wonderland

San Giovanni Battista on San Giovanni day

John the Baptist 

 San Antonio Abate blessing the animals