Spending Mother’s Day in Campagna

It’s not official yet, so I don’t want to *officially* announce that P and I have acquired a campagna (land in the countryside), but we did spend this afternoon up there, and I can’t possibly hold in my joy.

For La Festa della Mamma, P swept me away from all my four-legged babies and did this for me:

While I did this:

And then we both enjoyed this:

Una giornata perfetta.

(A perfect day.)

Happiest of Mother’s Days to all the moms out there, especially mine!

P.S. Yes, there are olive trees! Yay!

19 Beans of Wisdom to “Spending Mother’s Day in Campagna”
  1. 05.09.2010

    Nice pics and a great simple entry, Michelle! The campagna is meant to be enjoyed as you did!

    All the best,
    Vince

    Thanks Vince; I never would have thought the iPod Touch would come in so handy, but it’s great to have e-books to read up there in the mountain air 🙂

    .-= Vince Scordo´s last blog ..Wine Basics: Introduction to Wine =-.

  2. Of course the thing I notice is the book you’re reading….care to share? 🙂

    Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand by Helen Simonson…LOVE.

    .-= Sara, Ms. Adventures in Italy´s last blog ..The largest cappuccino in Italy =-.

  3. 05.09.2010

    How amazing 🙂 Such a wonderful way to spend the day 🙂

    I think you are trying to talk us all into getting an iPod Touch .. might even consider it..

    Anne, I can’t tell you how great it was to have books to read without having to carry any…even music to listen to if we wanted. It’s turning out to have been a great purchase 🙂

    .-= anne´s last blog ..Back home now….and a Postcard Post…. =-.

  4. 05.09.2010

    Buona festa della mamma! Divertitevi!

    Grazie! We had a great time 🙂

    .-= Melissa Muldoon´s last blog ..• buona festa della mamma! =-.

  5. 05.09.2010

    Excellent news. Happy mother’s day to all women…many I know who haven’t given birth are more maternal & nurturing than any birth mother I’ve ever seen…so thanks to them, too.

    ciao

    I second that, Susan 🙂 Hope you had a great day as well!

    .-= Susan´s last blog ..Garden Party Hats =-.

  6. 05.09.2010

    Congrats on the country land! I am lucky that Giuseppe’s family have many a plot of country/old houses so we always have lunches and dinners just like yours in the country.
    Can’t wait to hear more about it. Do you hope to live in the country one day?

    I would love to live in the country, but it’s not likely to happen since there’s no electricity or sewers anywhere up there…would cost *way* too much to try to get that stuff put in, especially after we just saved up for the land 😉

  7. 05.09.2010

    You will get there, darling. One day, you will be swearing at a scavatore who is digging a big hole to put in the fosse biologico at the wrong angle. You will want to kill same scavatore for not putting the electrical line in deep enough. The propane tank you can always set up behind bushes on some cinder blocks.

    It will all happen, on your little piece of paradise. Passo per passo.

    Happy mother’s day, no kidding. (yuk yuk)

    Hee hee, thanks on the mother’s day wishes 😉 I don’t think we’re really looking to live up on *that* piece of land; there’s a small house on there, but it would definitely not be big enough for full-time living, and we’d only be able to build up, not out…another piece of land someday…that’s a possibility if the right piece comes along and we’re in the position to do it. I was just telling P I’d love it if we only had to go into town like once a month…..

    .-= Diana Strinati Baur´s last blog ..Gratitude Friday: Max and His Teddy =-.

  8. 05.09.2010

    Congratulations to you both!!

    Thanks; great to “see” you Chel!

    .-= Chel´s last blog ..a mama ode… =-.

  9. Vanessa
    05.10.2010

    Congratulations!! What a great ‘mother’s day’ gift – Mother Earth.

    Ha ha so you were READING that book? I thought it was something you were writing and i was wondering why on earth (or WHAT) you’d write about golf!

    Last but not least, does today’s lunch mean -1 of your little four legged friends….?

    Yes I don’t do much typing/writing on the iPod unless I have too…I’m not nearly as nimble with the texting stuff as your average teen 😉 Funny too, as the book has nothing to do with golf, except that the main character belongs to a golf club, and that was the first time it was introduced in the book.

    And no, that was not a four-legged friend…two-legged and two winged (chicken) 🙂

  10. Gil
    05.10.2010

    Glad that you had a good day! The bread really looks delicious! Good Italian bread is very hard to find here in the US.

    Yes, that’s the typical bread here…to be honest, I love it when it’s fresh, but after that, I’m not crazy about it…prefer Italian-American “Italian” bread 😉

  11. 05.10.2010

    Your land looks wonderful and you are already enjoying much warmer than us by the looks of it. I love my ipod touch as well, how else would I listen to your podcasts.

    Haha, thank goodness for your Touch! 🙂 The weather here has been fantastic, mid 20s during the day, more or less.

    .-= LindyLouMac´s last blog ..Sunday Song – Festa della Mamma =-.

  12. 05.10.2010

    I looked for the table cloth! I loved going to campagna but only for the night.
    Where we would have a fire and make big pots of pasta!
    Regarding the table cloth…my mother insists on table cloth for the outdoors as well as my indoor table so when I knew that she was visiting yesterday I got out the table cloth! My husband doesn’t like the table cloth on the glass table but I do it. Or else I’d be cleaning it every 5 minutes. So whenever Nonna comes to visit we put on the table cloth! I told him even in Campagna they put on the table cloth! He doesn’t get it.

    Not just in the campagna, Lucy…EVERY table you’re eating on must have a tablecloth. My grandmother was the same way 🙂 To be honest, when I was in America, I was kind of grossed out by the fact that so many restaurants now don’t even provide placemats (cost saving measure, I’m sure)…kind of disgusting when you think of what lives on those tables, on the rags they use to wipe them, etc. 🙁

  13. 05.10.2010

    I swear that heaven exists in the countryside of Calabria. It looks absolutely beautiful, Michelle! I can’t wait for this summer and the picnics I hope to have in the country! I’m keeping my fingers crossed for you and P with your future campagna!

    Thanks LuLu! Fingers crossed for you as well 🙂

    .-= LuLu´s last blog ..Happy 2nd Blogiversary, Calabrisella Mia! =-.

  14. 05.10.2010

    Lucky you! Food always tastes better camping.

    Grilled meat is really a specialty in itself 🙂

    .-= running42k´s last blog ..Damp, but good =-.

  15. 05.10.2010

    Sounds like a beautiful day! I can’t wait to return to Italy in 3.5 weeks! Yeah!!!

    Come on over, Deb 😀

    .-= Deb R´s last blog ..Pizza Margherita =-.

  16. Congratulations on your new little slice of heaven! Lunch looks delicious! And as for the iTouch – I totally LOVE mine. Didn’t think I would, but I find myself doing so much on it – just downloaded an episode of Glee that I loved, have several movies on it, and have the Kindle app so I can share books with my Kindle. It’s AWESOME – I find myself reading on it more than I thought I would – like, for instance, when I’m sitting in the shop waiting on the truck to be fixed!

    Same here, Salena; I thought it’d be just a fun toy, but it’s actually quite useful, especially when waiting at various places, on the bus, etc. I’m so happy I treated myself to one!

    .-= Salena of The Daily Rant´s last blog ..A Mother Of A Flood =-.

  17. 05.12.2010

    That looks like the most wonderful day out! How sweet!!!

    So… you’ll let us know if you get this land; yes?
    Very beautiful, from what I can see.

    😀

    Scarlett & Viaggiatore

    Of course I’ll keep you posted 🙂

  18. 05.13.2010

    I’m in the midst of translating a similar book about Sardinian cuisine… makes me sick with hunger, but the anticipation of returning to Italy all the sweeter.
    Thanks so much for your support. It means alot to me.

    Thank you for sharing yourself and your words with us, Jennifer 🙂

    .-= Jennifer´s last blog ..the God thing =-.

  19. 05.17.2010

    I have given you a reward on my blog!!!

    Thanks Lucy!

    .-= lucy´s last blog .. =-.


Recipes

 

Homemade apple butter
Green beans, potatoes, and pancetta
Glazed Apple Oatmeal Cinnamon Muffins
Pasta with snails alla calabrese
Onion, Oregano, and Thyme Focaccia
Oatmeal Banana Craisin Muffins
Prosciutto wrapped watermelon with bel paese cheese
Fried eggs with red onion and cheese
Calabrian sausage and fava beans
Ricotta Pound Cake