WHAT’S UP IN UMBRIA!

You might be wondering what we’ve been up to lately, since I haven’t posted much…..a few quick and easy links to YouTube don’t really count do they? We have been fairly busy, at least by our standards, but for some reason writing about everything, editing the pictures, resizing the pictures, posting the pictures….it all just seems like waaaay too much trouble. I don’t know if I’m just lazy, or maybe burnt out, or maybe even fighting off a bout of depression as I watch the dollar sink to all time lows. So now here I am, trying to make myself sit down and write. The picture stuff will be another story…..

So let’s see, where did we last leave our happy couple? Oh yes, blissfully whiling away the hours in the beautiful Umbrian hilltown, sharing their beautiful home (sadly, now for sale) with an assortment of friends. We’ve also visited a few area events, including not one but TWO horse shows!

The best thing recently has been the weather. We had a brief scare at the beginning of September when the temperatures took a sudden dip. We were afraid we’d gone from summer to winter with no stop for autumn at all, but thankfully, those few cold days were just a fluke, and now the weather is perfect once again…warm sunny days and cool crisp nights.

As usually I’m missing the lack of sugar maples in Italy! Yes, we have a few trees that turn yellow, and yes, some of the grape leaves will take on a reddish cast, but for the most part, fall isn’t the wonderful display of reds, golds and oranges we’re used to seeing in the states. Even paradise has a few details that could be improved upon!

On September 1st San Venanzo once again hosted the horse show from Spain, featuring beautiful horses and flamenco dancers.









The flamenco dancers put on a special show during the dinner break, but also danced in the arena while the horses were performing. And yes, there was a break for dinner! The show began at 6:30...well, okay, it didn't exactly start on time, but once it did, the performance stopped between 7:30 and 8 o'clock so that everyone could go home and have dinner! I guess the second part of the show started around 9:30 or so. For those of us close enough to walk home for dinner, that's just what we did. For the others, food was available at the arena, also known as the old soccer stadium.