Photos From Umbria 2017 ~ Happy Easter!
We just returned to Umbria this week for our typical season here, and after spending a few days cleaning and organizing our home, we decided to take Saturday off and enjoy ourselves. Our first stop was to Perugia for the weekly Saturday market, and after driving around for what seemed forever, we finally found a spot to park in and went shopping.
Almost every market stand was overflowing with piles of fresh artichokes, spring peas, fava beans, strawberries, and asparagus. I am embarrassed to admit that even though we’ve only been back for a couple of days, and there are just two of us, my refrigerator is full. I went a little crazy buying a little of everything, but how could I not with all this glorious produce available? Upon our arrival in Umbria, we were sad to hear that we lost one of our chickens over the winter, but we have three new young ones so are up to eight chickens. I will be very busy this year finding recipes to use up all these eggs!
After heading home to drop off our vegetable bounty, we headed over to Montefalco for their Terre del Sagrantino market. 
Local produce from the region along with Sagrantino wines was available for tastings and purchase.
We walked through the exhibit and then headed for lunch at one of our favorite Umbrian restaurants L’Alchimista. The restaurant was fully booked outside, but since it was cool, we had no problem sitting inside. We had an excellent meal as usual, and at the end of the meal, I checked my iPad to see what April the giraffe was doing.
I have been watching this giraffe for a month now waiting for her baby calf to be born along with millions of others around the world, and I was shocked to see that hoofs were showing which is the first sign of active labor. My husband told me to go outside to get a better internet signal, and there I sat in the main piazza in Montefalco, watching April the giraffe in Harpursville, NY giving birth. It was a surreal moment!
Our next few weeks will be busy ones as we plant our garden, open up the other house, and prepare for our trip to Puglia May 3rd. Happy Easter to everyone who celebrates, it looks to be a sunny, warm day here in Umbria!
Perugia Market
Overflowing Market Stands With Spring Produce
Some of My Market Purchases!
Artichoke Heaven!
Six Of My Eight Chickens. Impossible to Get All Eight In One Photo!
Montefalco Wine Shop
Walking Into Montefalco
The Commune in Montefalco
A Spritz Before Lunch. Life is Good!
April The Giraffe’s New Baby Boy! (Photo courtesy of Dr. Tim)
Deborah Mele
Easter, 2017
I can vouch for L’Alchimista as we were there for the first time on Tuesday.
Delicious lunch, friendly staff, and just a little bit different food using local and seasonal produce.
We needed a good lunch having undertaken the adventure of travelling for 1 1/2 hours over the mountains to do what used to be a 12 minute trip to Visso before the earthquake.
Lulu, so the road isn’t open yet? l’Alchimista has always been one of our favorite places to dine.
Oh, how I long for the Italian market — so much yumminess in one place. I also watched April the Giraffe finally give birth and what a beautiful boy — how appropriate to be born so close to Easter! Read the post from Lulu — it sounds like there is still much to be done after the earthquakes during the winter — wishing everyone all the best and a safe summer.
Thanks Maria!