Finding Bramasole

I found Bramasole! One of my kind readers (thank you, Laura) sent me directions for locating Bramasole and as soon as I picked up the rental car I headed off in search of this illusive treasure and was thrilled to find it on the first try. It overlooks the same valley as my favorite place where I sit to read. I had walked up that road a couple of times but not quite far enough, as the house is up about 1 km further.

The house is absolutely gorgeous! It’s painted a warm pinky terracotta color and is set a ways above the road in a shady grove of leafy trees. That surprised me a bit as I visualized a sunny location overlooking olive groves, but it’s actually very shady and extremely peaceful. Because it sits so much above the road I could only get a glimpse of the property which is beautifully landscaped with brightly colored flowering plants in large terracotta planters and lush greenery everywhere. There is even a little shrine in the wall directly below the house, as in the movie. My next goal is to actually walk to the property. I’ll work on that next week after I’ve returned the car.

I saw a cute little boy today. He was about 2 and had twirled the hair at the top of his head into a little top knot, like a handle, which he was holding as he tottered off down the street sucking contentedly on his pacifier. When he let go of his hair it stayed all twirled up so I could tell that he is in the habit of making himself a little handle. Too cute for words!

I stopped by the coffee shop for an espresso, since Italians don’t drink anything with milk after the morning hours. Holy moly! It was strong enough to grow hair on my chest…probably won’t help the hair on my head though. I also nipped by Casantonio to check on the ceramics I purchased and had shipped 4 weeks ago. The man was nice enough to track the package and it’s due to be delivered today. Hopefully all has arrived safely. It will be just like Christmas for my mother as she gets to open all the treasures, one of which is hers.

Trash has become a bit of an issue. I am not exactly sure what’s recyclable and rather than have Maria go through my trash piece by piece I’ve taken to sneaking down via Roma to the dumpster located outside the city walls, hood up to conceal my identity, in the wee hours while its dark. Not that a hood up would conceal my identity as I’ve been wearing the same distinctive sweatshirt for the past 37 days, day in and day out. I brought a lightweight, maroon, hooded and zippered sweatshirt with a fun design on the front from Dillard’s at 75% off just before I left Texas. I thought I’d wear it around the house if I was cold, but I didn’t expect it to be as cold in Italy as it’s been and I’ve taken to living in the darned thing. No one else has one remotely like it so I am easily identifiable. I do have a spring jacket as well, but its bright turquoise and, while it fits in while I am in the States, here it’s like a neon sign and I just can’t bring myself to wear it.
Its porchetta day tomorrow and then I am off to Siena for the day. I shall take lots of pictures to share with you all!