The View from Il Loggino

Thursday, August 25, 2005

... the impossible happens as a result of whims that turn into obsessions.

posted by Joanna @ 8/25/2005 09:20:00 PM 1 comments  

Wednesday, August 24, 2005

It is the same with almost anything that remains abandoned. Friends, sweethearts, places, homelands, houses, and this castle in my mind. After a certain period of time the roof goes and there is no turning back. Still it is important to see what kind of a ruin remains, for it is my contention that only the greatest works make beautiful ruins.
Jane Urquhart
The Stone Carvers


After some days of rain, while I studied my memories of friends and places I've left behind and wondered what to do with them, I came back from a beautiful sunny day with friends at the communal farm outside Siena and happened upon this passage in a borrowed book. It seems fitting for anything I've left behind that won't stay current.

posted by Joanna @ 8/24/2005 09:35:00 PM 4 comments  

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Here's some progress. Piano, piano, calma, tranquilla.



posted by Joanna @ 8/16/2005 08:14:00 PM 1 comments  

Sunday, August 14, 2005


There were shooting stars last night, la notte di San Lorenzo (or close enough). I saw three before turning in.

Yesterday at the Sinalunga COOP looked like Fifth Avenue on Christmas Eve. The day before the two day holiday marking feragosto and the hordes were stocking up. Me, too. The good news is that my appliance guy is not taking a vacation. Going Tuesday to place orders for the big items.

posted by Joanna @ 8/14/2005 02:51:00 PM 0 comments  

Friday, August 12, 2005

I read about "blood rain" once and couldn't really imagine it. Well, we're having almost daily doses of it now along with the strong winds of the sirocco and thunder and lightening all over the valley. The wind picks up the red dirt in North Africa and Spain and then delivers it via rain to Italy. Sure makes your car look as if it had the pox.

But social life goes on in cafes, under tarps, in gardens, in restaurants, at home. Here's a montage of just some of this month's occasions. Mostly Italians, the occasional Brit, Aussie, Fin or Yank, and one Parisian. We have a lot of fun.

posted by Joanna @ 8/12/2005 02:39:00 PM 0 comments  

Monday, August 08, 2005

It can't possibly be August! It's in the 20's (70's F) and there's a stiff wind blowing. It rained yesterday. The old people are saying that summer is finished. Go know.

Work on the house continues and it's so nice to be able to stay at G & Z's place while they're away. My friends Carmela and Eugenio come to visit with their daughters when I'm not up in Castiglione for them to take care of.

Paolo and Ester had a barbecue for us at the tower in Monticchiello and we all had a great evening - beautiful sunset, great food and Ester's incomparable singing voice. Paolo used to say that Tuscans didn't invite people into their homes much but the people in Castiglione have changed all that.

posted by Joanna @ 8/08/2005 09:35:00 AM 2 comments  

Thursday, August 04, 2005


We have been blessed with rain! I took my car to the Sinalunga car wash to make sure we'd get it. On the way back I saw a deer in the fields below these ruins between Trequanda and Castelmuzio.

Today I decided on the tiles for my bathrooms. All opinions welcome.

posted by Joanna @ 8/04/2005 04:15:00 PM 2 comments