Another hot and dry summer has overtaken us. When the heat is blasting outside, we relax in a darkened, cool house. Then the weather relents a bit and we’re out hiking or working in our yard. No masks needed on the trail or social distancing when it’s just John and I. 😉

As I mentioned last summer, most houses are not air-conditioned here. Walls are thick (stone, brick or block) and windows have shutters (rolldown or hinged). We roll down our shutters just at dawn and they stay down until the sun has progressed low in the evening sky. It’s a bit claustrophobic in such a darkened house but definitely much cooler and how we manage 90+F days. We nap, binge Netflix and Prime, look at social media and eat very lightly. There’s this scene in the movie ‘Hidalgo’ where the actor Omar Sharif, playing a Bedouin sheikh, commands his servants to lift the sides of his tent and let in the light at the end of the day. I feel like I’m in this movie every evening, when we lift the shutters. It somehow makes that daily event even more anticipated and a bit thrilling. 🙂

This year, John put in a small garden out back and it’s gone ballistic. Just a few varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers and onions, but we are happily overwhelmed. I am very proud of him and love the warm tomatoes I can grab at anytime. He uses the lawnmower clippings for mulch, an organic fertilizer that we use for the olive trees, and a soaker hose when watering is absolutely necessary. The plants are now about 9 feet tall and producing all the way to the tops!

There is a memory my mother shared with me when I was old enough to understand. One day, when I was a very young toddler, she and my dad couldn’t find me. Pretty scary I am sure for them. They searched inside and outside the house. Dad had a vegetable garden out back then and there I was found with tomato smeared all over my face and body. I was a very happy baby and the love story, for tomatoes handpicked and warm, continues to this day.

Our tomatoes came in early as the garden was in a very protected and sunny location. Many of our neighbors got to enjoy our abundance until theirs where ready. Now we’re eating, eating, eating…freezing some and eating more and more…

Since lockdown, which ended on May 4th, we’ve been hiking or trekking a few times every week, temperatures permitting. It’s just not fun when it gets over 31C/ 88F, so we pick and choose our days. When we hike with a group, it is usually Majexperience. We really like their guides and tours located in the Majella National Park, with most of their hikes within 1- 1/2 hours from home. This hike below was to the summit of Monte Porrara (2137 m/7011 ft). It was an amazing hike!! It was challenging but oh so very worth it! A must when you visit the Majella mountains… medium+ level hike.

Another tour/hike with Majexperience. A recently reopened Gole di Fara San Marino with the Abbey ‘L’Abbazia Benedettina di San Martino in Valle’. Mysterious and very moving… some others have done this in the evening after sunset where lighting is provided… Just beautiful. Ours was a day hike, about 6 miles out and back. A popular area so plan your hike during the week or early in the morning if a weekend. Very family friendly!

Apart from these group hikes, John and I have been heading out to new towns in southern Abruzzo and northern Molise. Three Abruzzesse towns we trekked between recently were Casalbordino, Pollutri & Scerni (about 50 minutes from our house and a bit closer to the sea.) The architecture is lovely, with each town having a medieval historic center, and the verdant valleys boast endless vineyards and olive groves. We will definitely return to this area in cooler fall weather to better appreciate the endless beauty.

Of the three towns, I like the atmosphere of Pollutri the best. It’s relatively small with about 2200 inhabitants, narrow streets lined with historic townhouses, ancient palaces and churches, beautiful valley and mountain views, friendly people around a couple of large piazzas and some inviting restaurants we’d like to try out.

The other two towns were equally interesting with the much larger town of Casalbordino, 6000 inhabitants and Scerni, about 3600. These two towns also have great views of the Adriatic Sea and the Majella mountains. I’ll give them more of my time in the fall, as we missed some special places, such as the Sanctuary of the Madonna dei Miracoli in Casalbordino and the Chiesa di San Panfilo in Scerni.

There are many more hikes and treks we have taken so far this summer, but we have an ultimate goal coming up next week… Cammino dei Briganti. We will be sure to share some experiences, most likely when we return home. I’m going to do my best to stay off social media and only use my cellphone for those unforgettable images. Sometimes I need to remember to stay in the present and enjoy the experience, without being behind my camera!

But always, I like to leave you with an image from here in Abruzzo. This one was taken about a 5 minute walk from our house here in the neighborhood Serre . Until next time…..