Beauty in Simplicity
Life is so good here!
Our mountains are blanketed in the first powder of snow, the sun warm but weak, a bit like the cappuccino I’m sipping.
A large yellow tractor goes by, stopping for an elderly lady walking with a stick and large white shopping bag. The tractor parks and the driver swings down heading to the café, leaving the motor running.
The old men on the bench chat soaking up this late autumn sunshine.
A rooster crows, the leaves scatter in the breeze dancing as if to some unheard music.
The autumn leaves are so thick on the ground that you can lose a small child in them.
They crackle and crunch underfoot.
The French man from the Comune pulls up in his tiny van, leaving the motor running and heads to the same café.
Lunch time in a tiny Italian village.
A black pony follows the old lady along the fence line, he is begging for an apple.
Now I know what she keeps in her big white bag.
Another truck, a large blue Nestle truck this time, the council truck’s motor has cut out, only the tractor engine is still turning.
A galloping child, the swing he just left still moving behind him.
The sun is warm, the day beautiful, the sky a soft blue, the air a little crisp, the colors all washed out, no jarring electric color here.
The colors are mirrored in the birds egg I found in an abandoned nest. The antique apples growing in our orchard.
I place it gently back into a nearby tree.
No sound other than the barking of a dog, the crunch of footsteps as the French man returns to his truck and heads back to work, the tractor departs, the nestle man checks his phone and disappears from view.
The voices of the old men carry across the square, three now in deep conversation.
Laughter and tickles and crunching leaves in the park.
The swing taking Luca as high as he dares go.
Life is so good here.
A plan is forming for our future, one that will include sharing our life here in the valley and encouraging others to quit the rat race and find a simpler life again.
To find the beauty in simplicity.
and the gang x
I really enjoyed this Lisa. I always try to remember this when I am having an ‘off’ moment and you say it so well (plus I love your photos!). I’m happy to have found your site and am really enjoyed catching up on your posts 🙂
Georgette
Thanks so much for that Georgette, we’ve just come out of the doldrums with all the sickies in the house, now the kids are back at school and full of beans again. It’s those little things that keep us going right! Happy you found us and a big welcome to you xx
ciao ciao lisa and the gang x
BY EMAIL
Hi Lisa
I couldn’t find the place for a comment in your blog, which is most likely a comment on my status as a NON geek – so forgive this comment as an email. Whether you repost is up to you! J I have been wanting to write to you for awhile and hope that you have the time eventually to read it. J
I found your blog when doing a Google search on renovating in Italy. I became a FB follower and get your posts by email. Even though we are not at all in the same stage of life, I find the life that you are carving out for your family a lovely and healthy contrast to my world and often think of your quest for a simple life and it makes me happy. I felt that you should know.
I too, made a decision to leave where I was born to bring up my family in a different country. A decision that was based on values and principles and one that I do not regret for one second. It has not been a simple life – absolutely the opposite – but it has been a life that I believe gave and give my two daughters – now adults with their own families – an actual sense, understanding and appreciation of life that only comes from knowing and seeing the opposite.
When I moved to Israel, I did so because I believe that the Jews are a civilization. We have a history, a cultural, a language and a religion – all the elements of a civilization and now we have a country. I am not saying that we know how to run one, but we certainly need a place to call our own with world history as it has been through the ages.
Certainly, this has not been a quest for simplicity. This was a conscious decision to bring up my children as Jews first, not as I had been brought up – being Jewish just meant that we didn’t believe that Jesus was God’s son. That was until I was myself faced with unreasonable and hateful anti Semitism as a young student in Europe.
Now going into more a retirement phase and wanting a place for my children and grandchildren to vacation – not far and not expensive to get to.. I am looking for a property in Italy – one that needs to be renovated and brought back to life slowly as the budget permits. Not in the mountains and not too isolated. I found something in Abruzzo but the legalities didn’t pan out.. now I am looking south of Rome and maybe in the northern areas of Tuscany – somewhere not far from the Rome or Milan airport .. we shall see where this journey takes us and this is why I was Googling renovating and Italy.
So, just a note for Sunday, to know that the life that you are carving out for your family that you so generously share with the world , is appreciated and admired.
Kind regards,
Kim
Hi Kim
So wonderful to hear from you and I love the story you shared. My Mum is also a NON geek and hasn’t worked out how to use the computer yet. When you want to leave a message on the website you can just scroll down after the post and will see a place to comment. I’ll re post this one for you if you like I think the things you share are so relevant.
It was important to me that our children discover their heritage first hand, and I wanted them to be able to speak Italian fluently and have a deeper understanding of Italian life. I admire this decision for your own family, and I can only imagine the decision to move to Israel would not have been made lightly.
As you say the history and culture are ancient and I imagine fascinating. I know very little about the struggles of Israel but am happy your children are able to embrace their culture just like ours.
Being Australian I’ve never experienced anything like the awful racism you have faced, it is beyond comprehension or true understanding until you’ve faced it yourself. I hope that future generations will learn to live together in peace worldwide.
Vacations in Italy sound perfect and I’m sure the right house is just waiting to be found, have you tried subito.it they list property here in Italy and it’s where we found out house. Most property in Italy isn’t listed with agents and is sold privately. You might need to hide your IP to access the site as I think it is only open to Italians (yep crazy right!)
I’m so happy you wrote me and appreciate all you shared, it makes my writing all worthwhile xx
Ciao ciao
Lisa x
Such quiet, beautiful, affirming moments. XO I’m so thankful the stress of my last few months is over and I can sit, linger, and enjoy the beautiful quiet moments in my part of the world. XO
Now I just need some of those groovy gumboots of yours, so happy to hear you are able to rest and renew after all your big plans with the book. You are a constant inspiration to me dear Krista, sending love xx
I too, could smell the coffee, hear the leaves rustling, the backround murmurings of the old men……my day was spent pottering around my orto netting the pineapple and strawberry guava . pruning or pinching out my tomato leaves ,as taught to me by an old Italian neighbour years ago. Taking my husband for fish and chips at the Pub overlooking Moreton Bay. This afternoon I harvested 4 kg of cherry tomatoes for making chutney tomorrow…after going to the weekly craft ladies gathering. life is good …in 10 days I will be in Tasmania for a week visiting my Mumma and Dad who are both both 91 …
And the funny thing was as I was sitting having a coffee a man walked past with about 12 cows, they stopped to check me out and I could reach out and touch them. Fish and chips arghhh don’t say that, Moreton bay is so beautiful. Your tomatoes are amazing, 4kg, and you’ll have to share your chutney recipe with us. Must be something in the water in Tassie to keep your parents going strong. xx
A lovely post to savour Lisa! Smells and sounds and stories. I can feel the rewards of the Good Life are coming home to you and family. Here terribly slow and simple and we are loving it xxcat
Cat it feels like we’ve been here years, I’m moving towards our simpler life with a sense of flow and it’s taking just the right amount of time. Your postcard sits on my desk and reminds me of all we dream of creating here. Sending love xx
Snow already? I felt so privileged to be there last year in time for the season’s first snow. It was magical, and seeing that orange house in the distance was a wonderful burst of color against the white, snowy trees and mountaintops.
Have a wonderful weekend!
YES snow on the mountains already, it’s been raining steadily for a few days and winter is approaching. I do love the orange house especially in winter, it’s our only bit of sunshine some days. This winter we will be a little more prepared than the last. x
I really felt the autumn and the charm of the village reading this, Lisa. We’re getting the left-over rain from your snow down here, lots of it. xxxxx
Autumn has been something i really missed living in Brisbane, here the seasons change so dramatically. Winter is fast approaching and we already have snow on our mountains. Another year almost over and Christmas just around the corner. Where did the year go? xx
What a lovely description of a beautiful day! It makes me feel I was walking with you.
We’re having fall weather here in the middle of the US – no snow here yet, thankfully, as I’ve still to bring in my hoses and plant a few more fall perennials. We did have a stunning fall with glorious colours of orange, pinks, reds, purples, florescent yellows, and lime greens. For the first time in many years we didn’t have a summer that was incredibly too hot, too dry, too windy, too… Farmers are still combining fields which we can tell here in the city as the wildlife show up in our yards foolishly thinking there will be more food and shelter available.
It’s interesting you found an egg so late in the year. I’ve been watching two little red squirrel siblings who were born late, late this summer. I hope they survive the winter as they are such a bonded pair of energy, delighting in each other as they scamper and leap in my ash and apple trees. I fear for them as they are quite trusting and keep trying to make friends with my dogs. I rescue dogs and train them so there is an ever-changing pack of rowdiness in my house and yard. I am afraid the baby squirrels will think that the friendliness and accepting nature of a few dogs is typical of the species. My neighbors think the only reason my dogs don’t go after most of the wildlife in my yard is that they are afraid I’ll bring whatever-it-is into the house and they’ll be forced to share food and beds with them.
We send warm wishes to your family who have had more than their share of illness and trouble this year. I hope you are all well and ready for the winter months! It sounds like your Italian community is supportive and caring which must be a comfort for you having leapt so far from home on faith. It sounds as though you, your husband, and beautiful children value each other, hold each other, and tell each other you love them every day through both the hard and beautiful times.
Enjoy the lovely season – and hopefully lack of sand and sawdust in your kitchen! Thank you for sharing with us.
Lou what a wonderful delight it was to read this from you. I feel like I am right with you watching those squirrels and funnily our little pair of stray kittens love our dog who looks like a white wolf. They sleep on him, eat from his bowl and generally boss him about. Saving the dogs and raising the squirrels, what a pastime it must be. We seem to keep getting strays and animals that have been poorly treated here living with us, I think they know the kind souls.
Sending love to you and I am hoping for no more dramas this year (although now Luca had a hacking cough and is home from school) I’ll keep sharing as we go along, we are learning along the way and growing closer.
sending love xxx
PS sorry for the late reply, I feel like I am always chasing my tail so to speak xx
What a great advocate you are Lisa for returning to the “simple life’. Your words remind me to slow down and appreciate what is here, now.
Every time I take a moment to just appreciate where I am and the lifestyle we are creating it all seems so simple. I see now what we were missing out on all those years living in the rat race x
How beautiful Lisa. I felt like I was there with you sharing the special moment.
thanks Andreana I’ve been a bit out of sync at the moment and just trying to find my mojo lol x