Posts Tagged ‘Montone’
The Mediterranean Del Verziere Lifestyle Diet
Introducing our version of the Mediterranean Diet; it’s called the Del Verziere Lifestyle diet! If followed properly, it will lead to an increased level of personal satisfaction and well-being, maybe a longer life, and possible weight loss.
The Del Verziere Lifestyle Diet goes like this: eat fresh food instead of prepared food, preferably food from your garden, drink red wine, put olive oil into everything, and volunteer for anything that will keep you engaged in your community. And ladies, you should also learn how to walk in high heels on cobblestone because if you can do that, you can live to be 100…with great legs and a firm behind.
Drums, Flags & Sausage: Festa in Montone!
It’s August, so it must be Ferragosto, and if it’s Ferragosto, then it must be festa time in Montone! We are in the midst of our annual, week long medieval festival, the Donazione della Santa Spina.
August 15 is the official Ferragosto holiday in Italy, but one can go ‘on ferie’ (fair-ee-a) or vacation, anytime during the summer. We can all thank Emperor Augustus who, back in 18 B.C., thought it was a great idea to take a little break from work during the dog days of summer.
Read MoreWater, Water Everywhere and All of It to Drink: Bring Back the Town Wells
A funny thing happened last fall, maybe even in the middle of the night. We woke up one morning and there was a “Casa dell’ Acqua” in the Montone parking lot over by the elementary school. And another one had sprung up in the nearby town of Umbertide. When you live in Umbria, you get used to certain things: horrifyingly bad roads, spotty internet, wonky electric, and now, no bells in town. The story is always the same: no money and a fatalistic shrug of the shoulders. So when something new and shiny shows up, everyone notices.
Read MoreBells & Balls, Part Two
Now onto the bells and balls. Those, unfortunately are missing.
Last October the bells started getting erratic, and apparently over the winter, the music died. The official rumor is that there isn’t enough money in the town coffers to fix the bells. The unofficial rumor is that someone with clout thought the bells were annoying and they won’t be repaired.
Cocktails & Comrades, Bells & Balls A Blog Post in Two Parts
When we landed back in Montone, the party was already in full swing. It was a kick to catch up with our Italian friends: the winter was long and wet, the spring has been cold and wet. A few of our transient comrades were already here, a few more arrived as we touched down. Of cocktails and comrades we have plenty!
Read MoreDonazione della Santa Spina 2012
Congratulations to Borgo del Monte on winning this year’s Palio! Maybe we didn’t win…but we sure had a good time!
Being a part of the community of our del Verziere rione is a precious honor. Being the Castellana of our rione will be a memory I cherish forever.
OK, and now it’s time to start planning for next year! Viva del Verziere!!
Read MoreFesta in Montone: The Die is Cast
And so, in the words of Julius Ceasar, crossing the Rubicon, “Iacta alea est”. The die has been cast. Each rione has given its all, its best effort. A year’s worth of plotting, planning, scheming, writing, painting sets, and rehearsing lines is over. The plays have played, and tonight, with much drumming and fanfare, the winner of the Palio will be announced.
Read MoreFesta Time in Montone
Raise your glasses today, and salute the Commune di Montone, who really know how to throw a Festa..and may the best rione (Del Verziere!) win!
Read MoreThe Sensual Seduction of Fall
Mother Nature is giving us one last sensory overload before the dark and quiet of winter. Colors are vibrant but tinged with decay. The air carries the scent of earth and smoke; the smell of sunlight and freshness is relegated to the back of the closet along with t-shirts and sandals.
Our Umbrian fall smells of abundance.
Read MoreFall Touches Montone
Summer Supper “I am a camera with its shutter open, quite passive, recording, not thinking.” –Christopher Isherwood, Goodbye to Berlin.
My camera went on the fritz and had to go to the hospital. I found I didn’t want to blog without my camera; it’s as if I’ve lost my ability to see. The camera isn’t really passive, the camera operator chooses what is shown, how it shown, what tale the photo should tell.
To share Montone life with you, I’ll have to tell my tale with words and maybe some old photos.
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