Umbria Day 2

Today was all about olive oil.

Umbria is known for its production of olive oil.

The town of Trevi

We stopped at the market and some bought some rusted keys. They are really into 'rusting' fabrics after hanging out with Al Coté during my Verona trip last year!

After a slow morning we walked to a very small town, Bovara...

....while we sketched and enjoyed the valleys covered in olive trees giving the landscape a beautiful soft green colouring.

We stopped to view the oldest olive tree in all of Umbria. We sketch its negative space .

Photo of part of the tree

From there, we walked over to a friend's agriturismo for a lesson on olive oil making.

She still has all the original equipment used by the Benedictine monks from the 1500's.

What a perfect garden she has for us to relax in after our 3 km walk. Her mom prepared a snack for us.

Dinner in Trevi was super! Such a lovely atmosphere.

(Again the internet isn't repaired. I am at a coffee shop and can not upload more pictures because my camera cord is back at the house. Please keep checking back for more pictures)

Typical Day

What is my typical day when I am in the south of Italy on holidays?

Well, I walk down to meet the fish guy early in the morning. He drives around to the smaller paese to sell fresh fish.

He often says hello to me through his van loud-speaker which always makes me laugh!

Then I walk down to the beach and as I do, enjoy the views.

I swim for a few hours. I actually think of nothing when I swim!

I meet up with friends. The older folk always like to tell stories of their interesting past. I am glad to listen and laugh with them.

I come back home and on the way I knock at Signora Rosa's house and ask if she has anything from her garden she wants to sell. I use that fresh produce for lunch.

She sometimes gives me a recipe suggestion- like today: grated Tropea onion with grated zucchini in a pan with some oil. Let it cook and reduce. Add zucchini flowers and cook till creamy texture. Add cooked pasta and mix well. Add a handful of grated cheese.

After lunch, I sew or sketch or record stories I heard at the beach. My balcony has an amazing view of the sea and a breeze which is much appreciated on hot afternoons. I sometimes go back to the beach.

In the early evening some locals gather near the only store in town. We sit outside and chat...think Dolce Gabbana ads... and I sometimes knit. We wave to friends in the passing cars. There is lots of laughter.

It's summer and I have no clock to run my day. It's un-thinking time. It's just ...being.

Journaling

I am diligently setting aside some time to make journal entries, even though I am in "holiday mode".

Towards the end of the day,  I climbed down about 150 steps to a beach...

....to draw rock sculptures that someone had made.

Panting on the way up, I swallowed a bug!! I stopped at the bar which over looks that beach to wash it down with a glass of prosecco. Ahhhh, holidays.

Art Class

Every year I sign up for some sort of class. This year I chose an art class from the Toronto School of Art. It is a sketching class.

My teacher, Iris Häussler, is a conceptual artist. Her approach and her way of teaching is very new to me.

We sketched for 1 minute and then the model changed position. I just had to keep sketching without thinking of the final product- there was no time. "Process" is what we were doing.

My first try.
One minute is too fast to sketch a person!

It was interesting to compare the first attempts
 at capturing a position and the later ones.
This one I did towards the end of the class. I did get better!

It is very energizing to try new things, learn new skills and new ways of thinking.

I am not sure how it will influence my textile work but I know it will.