Thanksgiving in Italy

~Happy Thanksgiving~

We created our own turkey trot through the tuscan hills.
It was a beautiful morning with a slight chill, perfect for running.

Before our Run...

After our run...

Breakfast: Chocolate Chip Pancakes and Tea

Italian Thanksgiving Lunch

 We celebrated Thanksgiving with about 80 people through an international studies 

program out of Siena, Italy. There was a great mixture of people and all the traditional foods.

It was a wonderful evening. 

The three of us at our Thanksgiving dinner 

Dessert:  Pumpkin pie, apple crisp and gelato!

November 17th-A Sunny Day

At the end of the day, I realized Nate and I had taken 115 pictures all in one day

AND we didn't even leave our property. 

It was a beautiful sunny day...

This is our wonderful breakfast spot,
it overlooks a valley full of
vineyards and forest.
We took a pot of tea outside to
bask in the sunlight, write letters
and journal.

                Then we went on a hike.

We have had rainy days followed by really sunny days, 

I think the flowers think it is spring. Wildflowers are

popping up all over. It is really amazing because we have

fall colors mixing with spring flower colors. WoW!

Then we stopped by the stream to listen to some of natures music.

This is the cold plunge pool.

The cats here are great. This one is Blackie and she went on the whole hike with us. 

After the hike it was definitely time for lunch.

Kale, butternut squash, quinoa, tofu and salad.

Nate harvesting the cauliflower right from 

our garden for dinner. 

Teaching our Brazilian friend, Fernando, to make a lattice top for our apple pie.

The finished product. Oh yah, soooo good!

Sitting down for dinner.
A couple bottles of Biodynamic local wine, fresh salad, mixed
vegetable cauliflower curry and of course the apple pie.

A wonderful day spent with wonderful people,
exploring and enjoying nature.

This past week, so much delicious wine! :)

Biking down the hill from our house heading out for a mid-day mountain bike ride

The view from the top of Siena.

We climbed 400 stairs in the center of town.

The piazza below is used for annual horse races.

Me pulling money out of the oldest
bank in the world.
It still functions.

Nate at the Duomo in Siena.

Vegetables from the organic market in Siena

Pouring wine from a concret barrel.
Fresh 2012 Sangiovese vino.

~Swishing the vino to allow it to breath before tasting~

 The most beautiful glasses of wine. Yup the one above is 

sparkling wine. It is almost like a beer, it has spontaneous fermentation...

the most refreshing wine I ever drank!

These are both biodynamic wines grown in the Chianti region.

 A photo with the wine makers of the wine you see above.

An adorable couple that makes delicious wines.

~Photo opp at sunset~

The fall colors are amazing!

Cracking walnuts outside on a beautiful day.

A.C. Siena football stadium. Nate and our Brazilian winemaking friend Fernando.

Smallest soccer stadium in the Italian Serie A, there is not a bad seat in the house.

The italian bakeries are so tasty!

:)  Pizza  :)

The tuscany region is so beautiful, everyday I am in awe of the colors all around me, sunrise, 

sunsets, moonrise, fall leaves.

Again I tell you, I feel so blessed to be living here!

Our New Home

Currently Nate and I are living in the perfect paradise.  Our home 

for the next 7 weeks is 20mins by car to the closest small village.

We are surrounded by the changing colors of the nearby forests, vineyards and

olive trees.  My first few nights here I struggled to sleep because it was too quite but
now I have fully settled into the peace and serenity that is all around me.

The pictures don't do justice but I figured I'd share what I could.

 Nate with a garden harvest.

The morning tea spot that looks over the valley field of vineyards.

Yup this is our driveway

That's our house

A hike through the vineyards out our front door. 

Organic Boxed Wine~ grown and produced 20km from our house.

The expansive countryside filled with fall colors.

~Our personal yoga studio~

Nothern Italy and Switzerland

Lake Como, Italy

Taking the ferry across the lake in order to drive into Switzerland.

Chocolate factory in Switzerland.

Of course you find me at the tasting section of the chocolate factory.

Lunch in Switzerland.

The traditional way to drink your wine in Southern Switzerland.

Out of a bowl type glass.

Nate and his aunt with the Swiss countryside in the background.

:) Swiss flags :)

Our 5 Star buffet breakfast in Bellagio, Italy.

When you stay 5 Star you must wear white robes with matching slippers.

~We travel light~  ;)