When it’s hot there are only 2 places to be, either on a lilo in the pool or at the beach

End of a long days work in the sun at Maolina

Millie with the wonderful bread from the artisan bakers in Ponte a Moriano and 2 bottles of organic red from Biondi, which is 200m, our side, before the old bridge to Ponte a Moriano.

Italians love their food and so seasons are very important. September starts the porcini mushrooms season, alongside the grape harvest – Vendemia

In November, Tuscans celebrate the wonderful white truffle and during several weekends, the whole hills-side village of San Miniato is surrounded in the aroma of truffle. All the restaurants create menus with the wonderful truffle used in every dish. It is a fantastic experience.
Also between November to March the Italians pick and prune their olives. The weather in November is generally very sunny with daytime temperatures reaching mid 70’s, so lunch (& breakfast) is eaten outside but the evenings are clear and the mercury drops.

Marco, olive picker.

Sunshine on the olive nets

Another successful harvest; the process from picking the olives to seeing the oil appear from the frantioio (olive press) machine is magical and has a lovely atmosphere with all the old boys proudly bringing in their harvests.
Tuscan olive oil is generally considered to be one of the best in the world.

We love escaping to the beach after lunch, walking along the sand and watching the sun setting
Usually in the peak summer months the beach is popular but in the winter it’s empty apart from a few surfers & wind surfers

In Tuscany the Chestnut tree is the most loved & used. It provides all the wonderful beams in our homes, really solid furniture and makes wonderful flour for bread, polenta & pasta

A habit we have acquired from our daughter is having an Aperol Spritz before dinner, whether in Lucca, Ponte a Moriano or at home watching the sun set from the west terrace; its the best way to cool down in the summer and the most beautiful drink with the sun setting
Salute

I love this view; I have spent hours lying in bed looking at the pool, watching mist blowing from the mountains, swallows flying and appreciating the beauty of the valley

As you sip a glass of wine by the pool, terraces or house, you can see a bombed out church on the hill top as you look East.

The church was used in the war by the Germans, who used it for a huge canon emplacement to prevent the American advance along the river.

If you fancy a 1.5/ 2 hour walk to the church, then walk through the hamlet of Gugliano, following the tarmac road through the woods. At the yellow house turn left along the ridge towards Aquilea (not right to Ponte a Moriano / Lucca). As you walk past the yellow house on the ridge, you will see Casa a Corte in the valley on your left. Continue on the tarmac road, which begins to rise & curl to the junction. Turn left up the hill (not right downhill to Aquilea). Continue climbing, the road will become smaller, then become a stone track.

The view to the South West towards Lucca

As you climb and the road winds up the hill, you will look down on the road you have walked on and the local crematorium on the next door ridge

Ar you look towards the church you will see Casa a Corte in the valley below – red dot!.

You can spot Casa a Corte on the left. If you continue past the church on a goat track, you will see the German trenches.

Appreciate the views, it’s now down hill all the way

Marcello is a lovely local resident and lives in the hamlet by the farm. During the winter he prunes our olives, cuts back trees and basically never stops working.

In the summer months you may see him working in his vegetable patch during the cooler evenings. When he goes for supper, a Little Owl generally uses his bamboo’s as a hunting post.