This morning I woke up around 7:30 before Christer had left for work and before Christine and Jameson had woken up. I decided to venture out and go for a run after I got some coffee in me (because if you know me, you know you don't want to be around before I've had my morning coffee). Christer had shown me 2 roads nearby that would be good for running or biking, as they have little traffic and are close to the house. I laced up my running shoes and headed out on the road that runs along the side of our house back towards the mountains. Christer had warned me that there was a "pretty good hill" along this road that will eventually lead to the entrance of where they're mining on the side of the mountain (that big sandy spot you see in the pictures from the back of house). I brought my camera so I could take pictures along the way; I felt like Jim Carrey on his "jogging photography" adventures in "Yes Man," but I just didn't want to miss anything. As I've said before, nearly every house around here has farmland, and poppies grow as weeds in every available plot of land. These bright red heads poke out amongst the crops and are so pretty and Italian looking.
See the cute little scarecrow?? There was one in every plot of land on this particular piece of property.
Poppies might be my new favorite flower. They just look so poignant poking through the wheat fields, and they're everywhere around here.
There's an old abandoned farmhouse at the end of Ida and Elia's property that I can see from my window. The road I was running on took me right past it, so I ventured in for a look around.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm a chicken, so it was a little spooky walking around through somebody else's abandoned home. The house was so old and so worn down but still so beautiful in it's own rustic way. If you look at some of the older pictures I've posted, you can see the house at the end of the fields.
This "pretty good hill" Christer was talking about seemed to be taking me straight up the mountain. I'll admit that I'm a Florida girl and haven't experienced any incline aside from the on and off ramps on the highway, but boy this baby was tough! I'll need to build my stamina before I can make it all the way up, but there's supposed to be a pretty cool view of Caneva from the top. I'll make it up one of these days, and until then, the "jogging photography" will continue.
Jameson, Levi, and I played outside this afternoon and I was able to take some pictures of them in action. Levi is an adorable 20 month old golden retriever who loves to play outside and eat apples and bread. Ida (next door) LOVES Levi and Jameson, and every day she brings out day old baguettes and says to Levi "passantino!" Either Levi knows the routine or he's a bilingual dog because he always sits when she tells him and he promptly gobbles up his bread. Ida always brings apples over for us, and after Jameson finishes nibbling on his, Levi fetches it from the yard and gobbles it up as well, core and all.
Jameson and Levi are best friends and both momma's boys. Levi is so tolerant of Jameson's abuse and even shares his toys. Actually, some of Jameson's favorite toys, aside from his broom, are Levi's balls.
If you can't tell, Jameson has Levi's squeaker ball in one hand, a car in the other, and he's watching ants on the sidewalk. Watching and playing with bugs and ants is one of his favorite things to do outside. He also likes to lick anything and everything. I was blowing bubbles today and gave him the bubble wand so he could try. He stuck his tongue out, licked the bubble solution, looked at me and said "mmm!" with a big smile on his face.
Jameson is (as you can tell) an ADORABLE 17 month old who loves to run run run. When he's awake, he's either running around the house outside with Levi, or watching "Up" and reading books. He has lots and lots of energy and loves to get dirty outside. When we were playing outside today he walked up and plopped down on Levi and started laughing. I'm not sure what was so funny, but it was just too cute.
Instead of going out for dinner we just ordered pizza delivery. There were SO many choices, and if anyone knows how I am with decisions...let me just say it wasn't easy. I settled on "Peperoni" pizza, which is not at all like the pepperoni pizza at home. It had thin crust, mozzarella cheese, tomatoes (which is basically tomato sauce), and red, yellow, and green roasted peppers. And it was goooood. I would take a picture but it's all gone. :)
It's Friday night and we're just staying in and going to bed early. Christine isn't feeling well and we need to rest up for our eventful day tomorrow...GROCERY SHOPPING! I kid, I kid. But seriously, all 4 of us are going to the grocery store (which is located inside a mall), and then we have a barbeque at one of Christer's co-worker's house. If I figure out a way to take pictures in the grocery store without making a fool of myself I'll post 'em. Hey, I've done it in Publix, I should be able to do it again, right?
Today my favorite thing about Italy is: Picturesque running routes. Running through the rolling hills surrounded by wheat fields, poppies, Italian farmhouses and the Dolomites is a bit different from the neighborhood routes and Seminole Trail at home.
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