Fall in Italy

The seasons are slowly changing. The evidence is mounting that fall is here, from the dropping temperatures and raw wind to the changing of the produce at our local shop. The daylight hours are diminishing and this weekend we change back to standard time (a week ahead of those of you in the US). Even during our earlier trips, we were staring at vast, rolling fields of turned soil throughout Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. The harvest of summer crops was completed and each of the little towns and cities held its festival in honor of whatever they produced. Grapes have been harvested and the new wine is pressed and beginning the process of becoming fit to drink. Strange and interesting fall produce has hit the local stores and been the subject of much musing and the occasional post.

One piece that has been missing is the changing of the leaves. Much of this area is farmed and the space within the city walls has little in the way of green and trees. You don't get the vast expanses of colorful display as oak vies with maple and birch to see who can provide the most memorable color. Now I have slightly more understanding why people come to New England in the fall to drive the countryside and gawk at leaves. Don't worry, they'll still be "leaf peepers" to me, but I empathize with them ever so slightly. We hope to see more color during our trip north over the upcoming long, holiday weekend, but it is entirely possible that the peak has already passed in the Dolomites, our weekend destination.

We are blessed in our location to have not one, but two garden spaces within view of our apartment. The garden out the rear of the apartment is actually quite unusual in both its size and uninterupted view into the distance. The vines and trees within the garden are just begining to change, so without further ado I present to you the red, yellow and peach of our garden.