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September 23: The Villa

The Wild Writing Women converge in Tuscany

Twelve Wild Writing Women converge on Tuscany. We are in a tiny (tiny!) town in the hills of the High Mugello in an incredibly luxurious villa/castle built in the ninth century (swimming pool is 20th century). We've hired a cook for the first three nights here, and had planned to hike, motorcycle, bicycle, and sit by the pool, but the rain followed me from the north and we have only ventured out to the nearby town of Fiorenzola, where everything but the restaurants were closed because it's Sunday.

We found a local place that served local dishes, Lisa and I split a pasta dish with fresh porchini mushrooms and also a ravioli in butter and fresh sage. The restaurant was full of Sunday diners... families with children, even a little tot crawling on the floor.

After lunch we went for a walk, despite the drizzle, to window shop and to find the church whose steeple we had seen from the road. It turned out to be a lovely old place with a sprangly orchard. Crabapples hung from some of them, deep red and shining in the raindrops.

Lisa, Carla, Lauren, Danielle, Jacqueline, Pam, Linda, Maureen, Alison, Cathy

Church at Fiorenzola

Gelato madness: Lisa, Jacqueline and Jen

After our walk we returned to the town square and found an ice cream shop where we bought cones and a fig and almond tart for dessert. Looking for food supplies on a Sunday is a difficult task as everything except bars (coffee shops) are closed on Sunday's. However, we found a small bar/alimentare in a tiny town on our way back from Firenzola for Monday morning supplies.

Alimentari: Jacaqueline, Alison, Pam

Tomorrow... Firenza (Florence)

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