The Rural Life

Many people share the desire to live a simpler life in a rural environment - to eat and enjoy life based on the seasons, and to share work and festivities with people who really know and care about each other. What an idea!

A Thousand Days in Tuscany by Marlena De Blasi (book #54) recounts about a year in a small village in Tuscany. She describes the grape harvest, olive harvest and pressing, Friday night communal suppers and how the community cared for a woman fighting illness. It seems a very idealized account -but that's not a criticism - I really liked the book. Our move to the Pierce County was driven by many of the same desires...and our interest in moving to Mexico someday, as well.

De Blasi is a fine cook and cookbook author and often shares a recipe for the meals discussed in the book. I'll shelve it in with my cookbooks once Paul has had a chance to read it.

For those of you wondering how Angus is doing...ok, I guess. He barked at a deer this morning and jumped off the bed by himself...as well as ate his breakfast. He pants a lot and barks when he wants attention. He seems a bit better when we give him the doggie aspirin. Who knows?