It is no surprise that the blackberry question comes from a foreign guest. No, there is no plantation. The local people know well that the blackberries are among the first invaders seen on abandoned Tuscan farm terraces. They are there for the taking, but no one bothers except a few like us. Great for jams, cakes, and to put in the breakfast yoghurt. I think for many here the blackberry bushes symbolize the tough times of farm life and “naturally” they avoid them, preferring to go by car to buy bananas and other fruit from half way around the globe. We like bananas, too, but when there are blackberries….
This is true also for other free gifts from the land: some types of mushrooms, chestnuts, sloe, field salad, rose hip, portulaca, and wild mint and other herbs. Those who do take them are blessed with those things which formed the basis for the rustic Tuscan cuisine so popular today.
I note family reunions in the month’s title because recently we have been reminded that one of the best uses of our facility is hosting groups of friends and families from around Italy, around Europe and points beyond. Casa Cares works well as a combination of starting point for visiting the usual sights and a place to call home to relate, relax and renew.
August again, as has been the pattern in recent years, was wetter and cooler than June and July. When the August full moon passes we now take it as a sign that we are heading into autumn. The cooler weather was useful for a week’s work camp of friends who give us the extra hands to deal with the woods and field cleaning at which we do not arrive normally. Also window washing, painting, small repairs….
With all the work it is not surprising to hear that the Waldensian Church (30,000 in a country of 60,000,000) hesitated for a long time before accepting the gift of this property from the board of the Casa Cares Children’s Home, by 1983 closed already for several years. We say it is like having a Ferrari without money for the benzina/gas! The land and building maintenance comes from another epoch. Thanks to the income of our guest work, to gifts and to our volunteers at least we can do a minimum. The alternative would be an investment which in turn would make our rates unreachable for the majority of our guests.
So we enjoy a simple life along the lines of reuse-recycle-repair-reduce, not appealing to everyone, but values of many of our guests and of a growing number of persons overall.
This is true also for other free gifts from the land: some types of mushrooms, chestnuts, sloe, field salad, rose hip, portulaca, and wild mint and other herbs. Those who do take them are blessed with those things which formed the basis for the rustic Tuscan cuisine so popular today.
I note family reunions in the month’s title because recently we have been reminded that one of the best uses of our facility is hosting groups of friends and families from around Italy, around Europe and points beyond. Casa Cares works well as a combination of starting point for visiting the usual sights and a place to call home to relate, relax and renew.
August again, as has been the pattern in recent years, was wetter and cooler than June and July. When the August full moon passes we now take it as a sign that we are heading into autumn. The cooler weather was useful for a week’s work camp of friends who give us the extra hands to deal with the woods and field cleaning at which we do not arrive normally. Also window washing, painting, small repairs….
With all the work it is not surprising to hear that the Waldensian Church (30,000 in a country of 60,000,000) hesitated for a long time before accepting the gift of this property from the board of the Casa Cares Children’s Home, by 1983 closed already for several years. We say it is like having a Ferrari without money for the benzina/gas! The land and building maintenance comes from another epoch. Thanks to the income of our guest work, to gifts and to our volunteers at least we can do a minimum. The alternative would be an investment which in turn would make our rates unreachable for the majority of our guests.
So we enjoy a simple life along the lines of reuse-recycle-repair-reduce, not appealing to everyone, but values of many of our guests and of a growing number of persons overall.
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