Ferragosto ~ rustic mountain style

INSPIRATION

‘You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day!

Dr Seuss

We have just celebrated the most important Summer holiday in Italy with our friends in their mountain home…Ferragosto. This is the house they use through the Summer months to graze the livestock and the cows, goats, chickens and geese are watched over by Anita. She stays here by herself and assures me that she likes the quiet even though the house has no electricity, running water or sewerage. She is one of my favorite people in the valley, with a quick wit and great sense of humor.

We had the best day and Carina and Luca had a ball herding the cows, feeding the miniature pet goats, chopping wood, picking blackberries and raspberries along the road, bike riding and just being kids. A very simple celebration shared with true friends, I hope you’ll enjoy sharing our day.

The men handled the BBQ and we even toasted some marshmallows I bought back with me from Australia. It was no surprise that nobody liked them apart from us Aussies, they are not big on trying new pink singed sweets on a stick here in the valley.

Anita supervised the wood chopping and later in the day caused me major concern when she and I walked up the mountain. Everyone had gone off in the 4WD to see the view from the top of the mountain but I stayed behind as I hurt my back swinging Ester into the air.

I went for a walk and was on my way back down when who should be coming up the road but Anita. We walked on for a bit, stopping every so often for her to have a rest, each time I asked if she wanted to return to the house. Camina she replied ‘walk’ and I followed along trying to understand what she was saying.

We headed towards an old borgata and she seemingly collapsed on the road, she ended up laying down propped up on an elbow and I had no idea what to do. Luckily Paulo arrived on the motorbike and didn’t seem at all concerned so I figured she must be okay.

Claudio arrived shortly after and just bent down and picked his Mum up and set her back on her feet, I pictured broken bones but off she went, hopped in the 4WD and they headed back to the house leaving us all to walk back. I can’t help feeling protective of her as I think of my own Mum but boy is she tough, and laughs with a twinkle in her eye at my concern.

We picked blackberries along the road and ate them later in the afternoon with a sprinkle of sugar, just delicious and the wild raspberries were more intense than anything I’ve ever had before.

The pet goats decided to clean the rock BBQ and jokes flew about lighting the fire, these two characters are Paolo’s pets and I think I must have dozens of photos of them taken by Carina.

The views are spectacular the company generous and the food incredible….a wonderful Ferragosto in the mountains.

Did you celebrate Ferragosoto?

and the gang x

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Sarah Shearer says:
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Hi Lisa,
What an amazing experience, you all look like you were having a ball. The valley just gets more beautiful the higher up you go.
I am looking forward to seeing all Carina’s photos when we get back, might even make her my official photographer.
Love to you all.
Sarah, Ellie and Kia
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Oh she’d love that!! I’d love to go exploring some of the higher borgata’s. One day, One day!!
  we’re looking forward to all your stories when you get back as well
  xxx
jann says:
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Wonderful photos, Lisa. I’m so glad Anita was OK. It would be great to get her stories with a tape recorder. Happy Ferragosto back to you…xxxx
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  She almost gave me a heart attack and I was just heading to the nearest house to see if someone could come to help. It was just hysterical when her son picked her up by her clothing and set her back on her feet, I thought she’d end up with broken bones but off she went. ciao ciao love lisa x
Wynne says:
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I think this is one of my favorite blog posts ever! Absolute perfection. THIS is the Italian Life I’ve dreamed of living. The photo of Carina face-to-face with the little boy is just precious. I love the goats – so cute and I would so love to meet someone like Anita and listen to their stories for days.

Ciao!
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Well you should meet Anita if you’re here in November although she told us that one year she didn’t come down the mountain in time and got snowed in. This is our Italian Life, certainly far from the tourist trails and right in your face! Carina is a bit smitten at the moment with the little boy and those tiny goats belong to him and are so cute and cheeky. Can’t wait to meet up and hope you know it will most likely be very cold brrrrr ciao lisa xxx
Anne says:
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Wow what an amazing woman Anita is , No way could I even imagine living like that , NO Water , Electricity or Sewage ,, we live in a totally different world , and to bring up your children like that too ,, WELL done , she is amazing but also it is quite worrying ,, but they keep going , don’t they , healthier than most of us .. surprisingly ,, and just how they eat etc..

I have Blackberries in my garden , they were not planted by me either , just growing wild .. and at the moment they are plentiful and enough to share with my direct neighbour and my friend’s mum .. I don’t put sugar on them though ,, no need too ..LOL

I am loving all your photos of your new life .. WEll done to you both for following your dream ,, my husband is too English to do that lol ,, take care and have a great weekend x
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  and I see you have artichokes as well, although I couldn’t seem to comment at your blog. (No user/url option? Just today Luca and I went and picked blackberries they didn’t make it to the house as we ate them all. Anita does seem to keep well although I don’t think I’d survive that lifestyle. She is so tough! I lived in England for a few years in my 20’s in west sussex with my aunt and uncle and loved it all x ciao ciao xxx lisa
Catherine says:
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Beautiful shots of an untouched world. If I think of the madness of the rest of Italy! We spent Ferragosto in Corsica on the water, looking out for shooting stars and dodging the big fireworks in the next town. I cooked couscous n chick peas for 12 Italian teens n adults for lunch – how un-Italian!! And they loved it..
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Oh shock horror something un-italian sounds delicious! Cooking for 12 would be completely beyond me but Sam loves to entertain and have friends over for long lunches.It is such an untouched world here I sometimes forget that in other parts of Italy people are fashionable and delighting in a gelato at the beach. Your ferragosto sounds wonderful did you see any stars?? ciao ciao love lisa x
head in the sun says:
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So wonderful to be able to have a sticky beak into your Italian life.
Love scanning the photos for interesting little details
(I’m especially taken with that shelf in photos 2 & 5).
Had to laugh at your friends’ reluctance to try those marshmallows!
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  It’s great isn’t it, I pointed it out to Sam as we are planning open shelves in the kitchen. Ours will be a little more solid though. I bought back three packs of marshmallows and they were only tried out of sufferance which made me laugh. One day we had the local kids over and Sam made pancakes and they wouldn’t even try them. They are not overly adventurous but happy to stick with what they know. Anita said she liked them but I think she threw it away when we weren’t looking. The life here is certainly off the tourist trails, wild and rustic and I just love it all ciao ciao lisa x
- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  ps I went to leave a comment at your blog (gorgeous by the way) but couldn’t find a name/url option? x
Tonya Russo Hamilton says:
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Ciao Lisa,
The photos of Anita are so fascinating! They evoke much emotion and lead me to wanting more of her story! This is a beautiful post.
Grazie mille,
Tonya Russo hamilton
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  She is an amazing woman and one with so many stories, when she comes down from the mountain she has promised to show me her photo albums and treasures of the past. She looks a little scary in these photos but she is just the dearest lady and full of life. Grazie for your thoughts and I share your fascination xx ciao lisa x
- Tonya Russo Hamilton says:
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  Seeing her as a child would be absolutely fascinating. I saw in your earlier post that she was there through the war…do you mean WW2 and how old do you think she is? She reminds me of my own grandmother who is from Roccarainola, NA. Ciao, Ciao & Happy Renovating!
  Tonya
- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  Yes WW2 and she’s in her early 80’s and was born here at Malpertus. She has such a lot of stories and I wish I could understand all she is saying as it just doesn’t work having Sam translate. I’m hoping she has some images from her childhood but I have to wait till she comes down from the mountain. She often reminds me of my own Mum with her independent ways and determination to do things for herself without any help. Such a strong generation of women xx sending love lisa x
Francesca Muir says:
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Lovely post and wonderful photos – You look great and have lost so much weight. It definitely agrees with all of you. Ciao F xx
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- head in the sun says:
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  I’m an idiot!
  I clicked on this link to look at the Cretin Cats!
- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  well now I’ll have to go and check them out lol x
- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  I think it was just the camera angle but it gives me a hint of what is possible. The lifestyle agrees that’s for sure Francesca and I have so many photos it’s getting to be a full time job just sorting them all xx
  Ahhh and you’re the Cretan Cats culprit how funny…xxxx
Jennifer says:
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Hi Lisa, Great blog. Love the photos and that goat is adorable. I can certainly see why you all love Italy so much. What a great life!
Cheers, Jen
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  It’s an Italy that most people don’t get to see, one that often seems lost in time xx ciao lisa
Laura says:
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Nice post and great photos! I forget to check your blog, so good idea to remind us on Facebook.

Anita looks like someone with a story. What a treasure she must be in your lives.
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- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  She is such a puzzle to me Laura, I can’t imagine my own Mum living her lifestyle. She has lived here her entire life and raised her children alone after her husband died. She was here through the war, and has so many stories of the valley and it’s history.
  I’m finding that just letting people know about the blog on my fb page helped to have them come and read the stories here. I always just assumed they knew I had a blog d’oh xx lisa
- Laura says:
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  It would be cool if you could record some of her memories and stories. Such an interesting life, I’m sure.
- Lisa Chiodo says:
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  I have taped a few of our conversations but getting Sam to translate them is hard as he is so busy. A good project for us to undertake through the winter months. I do worry about her up at the house on her own but she has done this for many years and tells me she loves it xx