Village Games: Part III
It’s been a while since P and I played “Dove cazzo è?” (Where the **** is it?), but last weekend’s photostroll with the dogs (while wearing my new official photostroll boots) gave me a perfect chance to round up some photos.
For past rounds of this game, see Village Games I and Village Games II.
The rules are:
(1) I roam the village taking random shots of things.
(2) P has to tell me where I’ve found them–all of them.
(3) Loser cooks dinner and cleans up afterwards.
I started with an easy one, just steps from our house:
Turned up the heat with the door of one of the village’s 13 churches:
Which P got immediately as this is the church nearest the house he grew up in.
Then some random ruins:
P struggled a bit but described the general area, so I gave it to him. But then, the toughest one of all:
He had no clue that it belonged to this house:
Hah! Victory was mine!
But then I remembered another photo I had and wanted to ask him about:
P solved the mystery for me as to what this was used for, so we agreed to call this third edition of Village Games a draw.
Do you know what that pointy object is/was for?
Buon weekend--any fun plans?
35 Beans of Wisdom to “Village Games: Part III”
Michelle Kaminsky is an American attorney-turned-freelance writer who lived in her family's ancestral village in Calabria, Italy for 15 years. This blog is now archived.
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If it was meant to be used in the position it is in in the photo, it was probably a hanger used to hold up rain gutters. If it was just placed in the crack, I think it was a hand tool used a a lever or fulcrum to raise heavy objects. Not fair making us work our brains!
Well look at this. Very first guesser, and he got it 100% right…but which one? Hmm…I’ll let more of you guess before I tell you the final answer.
Hmmm, could be for tying up animals like horses and burros? Or, could be step? You know how those Italians were always having to fend off those darn Saracens/pirates and the like. So, they didn’t always make it easy to get into the house. Those are my 2 guesses.
Great guesses–the animal thingees are rings though. I love your pirate thinking too!
Is the pointy thing for digging?
As for the finne settimana, catch up on sleep! This was a short and packed work week, so I’m looking forward to resting. Maybe have lunch with Mom….Oh, and I definitely have to study. We’re almost there!
Have a great weekend, Michelle 🙂
Could be used to dig, but not its original use…have fun this weekend! I’m looking to catch up on sleep too 🙂
Is it a bottle opener?
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Nope, although I’m sure it’d work as one!
Hanging game after the hunt? Not sure why but that’s the first thing that came to mind – wonder what Freud would have to say about that.
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Hah, great guess, although those are S shaped….
What a cool game idea. Is it used to hang up something? Like lights for the local festa? Buon weekend!
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Hah, that would probably make too much sense for around here…nope, sorry 😉 Thanks for stopping by!
I with Gil on this one.
What a great game.
Buon weekend!
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Smart girl 🙂
Great game, and I don’t have the slightest idea about the pointy thing.
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I love playing this game…we definitely have to do it more often 🙂
Looks like a giant can opener for those LARGE cans of roma tomatoes 🙂
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Hah, excellent guess. But nope 😉
Uhm. No idea, but fun game! Bring your camera to CZ and we will see how he does here! lol
Hah, I’m sure horribly since he rather hates going to CZ 😉
I thought the same as scintilla and my mélange…a giant bottle opener 🙂
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I wouldn’t doubt that some bottles have been opened on it over the years, but nope….
I agree with the last few… I think it’s an opener of some sort.
Great game… I love the idea…
Dana
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Glad you enjoyed Dana!
Great game!!! I love the idea!!!
sometimes we just have it trying to remember old photo’s on trips.
will have to make it contest!
So true…best to label photos immediately 🙂
A hook for cauldrons of boiling oil of the sort you toss over the ramparts on your enemies?
A rung in a funny minimalist ladder?
Or a hook for street lighting?
Was I allowed more than 1 guess?
LOL.
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Hah, absolutely you can have more than one guess. They’re all wrong, but creative! 😉
What an awesome game! 🙂
I have no clue what that thing is so I’m not even gonna try 😛
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It is rather fun since P’s such a show off 😉
since my brain is fried like an egg on hot summer’s day today. I will agree with what everyone says above…lol
Fun plans for the weekend include cleaning the house, washing floors, going to a birthday party in -20 celcius conditions, and watching movies all day Sunday while a roast cooks in the oven!
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OK I’m in for the roast but you’re on your own with the rest 😉
GREAT game, but NOT as good as sleeping with strangers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lmao
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Well that *is* hard to compete with 😉 Thanks so much for stopping by!
Isnt the big hook thing to cut grass? Sorry for teh non-technical term. Love your boots. 🙂 This weekend I am spending time with my husband, getting my hair cut and seeing a friend – am trying to figure out where to fit in a yoga class too.
Ooh I should do all of those things too…but no, not a grass cutting tool. Great guess though!
I had absolutely no idea what the pointy thing was, until I read Gil’s comment. I love the idea that it could be some kind of random bottle opener just in case you got caught short and were in desperate need of a swig of vino! That’s such a great thought.
The photo’s are great Michelle, I love the house and the chimney, the colours are gorgeous.
Have a great weekend.
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Thanks Amanda, and would you believe that now I notice them all over the place–in use? Too funny!
Perhaps it was used in the wheat harvest.
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Great guess! But nope….
Have a good weekend Michelle! It was great to see your blog among the 2009 Weblog Award nominees. I voted for you today! Best of luck! ; )
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Thanks so much Anali!
It’s kinda scary looking, like a scythe.
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Definitely resembles one, but it’s not….
I love viewing photographs of old Italian towns. Each unique, but with a unifying aspect to their design.
So true, Gennaro. So true.
Sure, that’s a whatsit! See those everyday (not)!
Love the perspective in the photo of the house. Really makes it look tall and precarious. I like living in a very, very flat area…nothing to fall off of!
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Hah, I’m not sure I’d make it in a flat area anymore…so used to walking all these hills!
The pointy object looks like it was lodged there by the grim reaper!
You definitely have to be careful walking around here, I tell ya….
this is such a cute game! But, please don’t tell my husband as he does all of the cooking and I don’t want to start 😉 hehehe
Works just as well with laundry, dusting, sweeping, whatever 😉
Great idea for a competition. I’ll have to try this with my wife … but then we already share those cooking duties pretty equally. Thanks for the idea!
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P and I share pretty equally too, but not with cleanup…I’m almost always stuck with that, so I love this game 😉
Michelle, thanks so much for your visit the other day. And congratulations back! Lovely blog and wonderful photos – kudos!
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My pleasure! I look forward to reading more of you 🙂
Very cool game! I would have to agree with Absolute Vanilla. It also reminds me of the grim reaper.
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Hah, I can definitely see that!
Fun game and what a lovely little house in a romantic setting. I wonder who lives/lived there. Looks like a fairy godmother should be sweeping the steps, or maybe a witch – Befana, of course.
I don’t know what the thingy is – to hold a shutter open, perhaps?
I’ve always loved that house. I used to sit and imagine the family that lived there all the time….
As for the object, Gil got it (first answer).
I like that game! And, you took some lovely photos. You inspire me to go out walking and looking for noteworthy shots here, but I’m not finding them.
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Thanks so much Shelly! Will be over as soon as I can…Internet issues here….
Every time I see pictures of your village, I can’t believe you live there. Seriously, your life is right out of a movie or a story book, right?
And I have no idea what that pointy thing is.
Sometimes I don’t believe it either…until I’m without Internet for a couple weeks because providers are so horrible with customer service. But I’m not bitter!
Check out Gil’s answer if you’re really curious as to what that thing is….
I’ll go with Gils’ first guess – the rain gutter holder.
100% correct! And I see them all over the place now 😉
Hi Michelle! this is such a wonderful game…and i just love the photo of the wooden slats on the door!
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Definitely cool for a church door, eh?
Though you are sure the pointy thing is a rain gutter holder, I would have gone with “pig holder” for slaughtering the annual pig. Nearly every farm household had one. My mother and father were raised in Calabria and visited a few years ago after living in America since 1935. She pointed out the metal hook on the house where she was raised (currently in ruins) and explained how it was used to hold the pig after slaughter. The meat was cured and used throughout the year. I can attest to the absolutely fabulous “gravy” made with the local pork because my cousin Macculata made me the best Italian sauce I ever had when I visited Calabria in 1974. Of course, my Mom makes the best gravy in Brooklyn, but nothing ever came close to that Calabrian sauce with the homegrown meat and tomatoes fresh from her garden.
So I’m going with the “pig holder” theory. Maybe you can find a photo of a real pig holder?
The only thing I’ve seen dead animals on (ahem) is an “S” hook, but I’m sure some people have hooks as you describe. This thing, though, was on the outside of a house right next to a door about at eye level, so definitely not for hanging pigs 😉 I’ll ask around to see if I can get a photo for you though!