Sunday 3 October 2010

Finestate - End of Summer

Since the last blog post we have had to switch from lumberjack and maintenance into host mode with a succession of guests. Thanks - Carol-Anne, Jenny & Julie from Leeds, Bradford and Burley-in-Wharfedale, Sue from Leeds, Jim & Sharn and Bee & Tony from our old stomping ground of Knaresborough and Malcolm & Darren who have their own Bed and Breakfast in Vellano near Pescia - for a very convivial September.

The end of summer is marked by myriad festivals and celebrations in towns and villages across Tuscany. Thematically food looms large with festivals of Porcini, Wine and Grapes, Tomatoes, Olives and even sometimes specific dishes like the festival of Potato Ravioli! Serendipitously we came across a slightly different festival in Lucignano last weekend: The Festival of Days Gone By. We wanted to show a couple of our guests this picturesque little backwater whose thunder is usually stolen by the neighbouring tourist magnet of Monte San Savino. We also wanted to visit the BioCafe – an Organic not-for-profit concern – which I am reviewing for the next edition of Tuscan Living Magazine. Streets were decorated with piles of pumpkins and lined with stalls selling foods and crafts and all through town locals were dressed in Victorian costume and giving demonstrations of old trades ands ways of life. Wood turning, cane weaving, grape pressing, pottery, spinning and knitting and pasta making were all represented to name a few. Music was provided by accordians and home spun percussion instruments.

Festivities continue later in the month with a whole slew of Chestnut celebrations and believe it or not, we have a couple of guests from Yorkshire coming all this way for those! Marvellous.

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