Everything turns green

Everything is turning bright green: beautiful! These trees are in via Pozzi Romani (Roman wells street), they are majestic, tall and very green! What you see "under" the trees, those sort of domes, are coverages for another archaelogical site: in this street there are a couple of Roman domus (private houses). You can see their walls and also parts of pavements made of amazing mosaics.

After the elections

This is what remains after the elections we had two weeks ago. Ads for one or the other candidates are slowly tearing apart, rain and wind are doing the rest. By the way, in Concordia we voted also for the election of the town major: the nice thing of living in a small town is that you really get to know the First Citizen personally and you can easily talk to him!

P.S. it's raining again ... in 29 days of April ... we have had 2 days and 2 afternoons of sun. I'm fed up.

Nice view

This is the beautiful view I can see looking out of my office window. The company I work for is located in a very beautiful renovated building that used to be a farm, in the middle of vineyards and grassy fields.

Ulisse

Today somthing different than usual: I want to introduce you to Ulisse, my parents' cat. He is a big, totally white cat (no pedigree, a common street cat) and as often happens with white cats, totally deaf. It is so funny: to call him, it is normal to say "Uliiii???" ... and then I remember that he is deaf (this by the way makes him nice to play with for my children because he doesn't hear when they arrive to get him!)

You can read more about white cats and deafness here and here too!

Teenagers in children's playground

This is a wooden locomotive for children to play with at the public playground. Unfortunately, teenagers use it too and also here, in Concordia, graffiti mania is very popular. So this train, red and brown, so pretty to play with, now is full of writings saying "Maria I love you" or "Marco and Giovanna forever" in the best case but also with obscene words.

25 Aprile

Today is San Marco, the 25th of Aprile, Giorno della Liberazione that is liberation day, it celebrates the end of World War II here in Italy. In this part of Italy, it is tradition to go outdoors for a pic-nic and to eat omelette (either brought from home or cooked directly outdoors).

As you can see, all the eggs in our fridge are still there: no omelette for us, but a very good barbecue .. and then fast home because it is going to rain soon (AGAIN!).

Buon 25 Aprile!

Mamma mamma! I pompieri!

... "mamma mamma! run! firemen are here!"! Firemen arrived and parked right in our street (they just stopped by a bar near us for a coffe, no emergency!). I had to dress the kids and run downstairs to take a detailed look at the fire-engine.

You know what I did one day? I just stopped by their headquarters and asked if my children could pay a visit ... and a very kind fireman introduced himself telling the kids that he's a father too and that he would answer to all their questions. They got to go on a fire-engine, put helmets on and so on. That has been a day they will never forget.

Pretty flower beds

One of the things I like of Concordia is that many details are carefully taken care of. For example, flower beds that are renewed. Streets and sidewalks are always very clean. Garbage cans on the streets are almost always empty and clean.

Earth Day

I think we are definitely lucky to live on such a beautiful and multi colored planet. We should always remember and be grateful to be here.

This is my son, here he just stood up from his bike, ran in the grass field and started blowing out those fluffy flowers ...

Have a nice Earth Day!

Old house, old cat

I saw this house and cat while taking a walk: an old house, no glass on windows but (broken) plastic, paint coming off from the walls ... and sitting there, an old cat, its fur all messy ...

Senior center

This is where seniors gather here in Concordia. This building was totally renovated by themselves many years ago. Retired painters, retired bricklayers, retired balcksmiths, retired electricians and plumbers all worked for the same goal: the creation of a place to gather, play cards, chat, play lawn bowling. And they made it!

My neighbor, an 80 year odl lady, dresses up on each Sunday to go to play tombola (bingo) there with other ladies; I just saw her going out: a black skirt, a red blouse, pearl errings and a pretty necklace, her purse under one arm and her walking stick in the other ... later I'll ask her how it went!

Bronze portal on the right side

Again a bronze portal, this one is on the right side of the Cathedral. I'm sorry, I have a lack of inspiration today, so the picture is quite similar to yesterday's one ... forgive me!

Have a nice week-end!

Bronze portal for the Cathedral

The former parson of the parish of Santo Stefano decided to use all his mother's inheritance to renovate the Cathedral's doors (three entrances). He asked a local famous sculptor to make three bronze portals.

This is the front portal, representing a long row of people going towards Christ, source of light.

Bell tower

The Bell Tower of the Cathedral ... actually the reflection of the Bell Tower!!!

Inside the Baptistry

A view inside the Baptistry: this is the dome with original frescoes showing Christ with angels, prophets and Evangelists with their symbols.

The Baptistry of Concordia Sagittaria is the only Baptistry of the XIth century in Europe having still the original decoration and the frescoes still crearly displayed.

Another view

Again a view looking out from the old Town Hall: this time looking towards the Cathedral and the Baptistry (the round construction). The Baptistry is a beautiful example of Bizantine Art. It was built at the end of the XIth Century and its internal walls and ceiling are richly decorated with paintings representing Saints' lives.

Finally no rain

Finally yesterday it stopped raining after one week of rain rain rain. Of course we went out for a walk and enjoyed our small little town. My almost 3 year old son by bike, my almost 5 year old daughter with a baby carriage for her dolls. It has been a pleasant afternoon. In the picture: Piazza Roma seen from the old Town Hall. The river Lèmene on the left side.

Friends' messages before the wedding

On the day of your marriage, friends put messages on the streets that go from your house to the Cathedral where the wedding is taking place. Things as "are you really sure?" or "it's the beginning of a life in prison" or so on!

This one says ormai te gà scelto, tanti auguri W gli sposi (half in dialect and half in Italian) that means at this point, your choice is made, best wishes cheers to the couple.

Does this happen also in your town?

Old engines

At the Spring Flower Market, last week, there were also old motorcyles and cars. My children loved them but we too: it was a funny and interesting sight!

Have a nice weekend!

Parco dei Signini

A very unusual picture today: the public playground with no kids nor mothers! During weektime, in the afternoon, this playground is full of children, mostly aged 1 to 6 climbing, running, screaming, hiding and mothers chatting chatting chatting chatting!

In Concordia's typical style, also at the playground there are Roman ruins here and there (what you see close-up is a Roman column's base) and for children it is normal to play among them. This playground is located in the Parco dei Signini, where Signini recalls Roman domus (houses) with pavement made in opus signinum (white pavement with inserted mosaics). All around the playground there are sites with domus walls (now fenced to prevent people walking on them).

This is were we play!

Against grayness

Today is a very gray day here: gray sky, damp and humid with some rain. Horrible. So against this weather, today I'm posting a picture of beautiful blossoms and a happy blue sky: lets hope tomorrow will be beautiful!

Flowers, finally

I keep posting about the Spring Flower Market but I never showed you flowers! Here is a first picture of flowers: the man that sold these (do you know what there are? I don't) had only this kind and it was a very pleasant view ... a big green and orange spot in the market.

Fancy birdhouse

At the Spring Flower Market, a man was selling fancy birdhouses, this was one of the cutest. On the backside, the hole to let the birds in, on the front side this very realistic decoration. I wonder if birds would appreciate!

Again, mamma????

To start out with the pictures I shot yesterday at the Concordia Spring Flower Market, I'll show you ... myself!

This is how I usually stroll and walk around: wind jacket, pockets full with things my children could need (a small bottle of water, paper tissues, chapstick, some times band-aids ... plus of course keys, some coins, my ID card) and my camera hanging around my neck!

The pink spot at the right side is my 4 and a half year old daughter. I told her "can we stop one moment? I'd like to take a picture" .. and of course she said "AGAIN MAMMA????????"

Preparing the Spring Festival

Today (Sunday 6th April) in Concordia there will be the Spring Festival: basically a flower market but also a moment to gather and chat with school's teachers and friends. All the shops downtown started the preparation alredy many days ago and the prettiest thing I saw was this decoration made with thin sticks and flowers above every shop.

A(sort of) winter tree

Doesn't it look like a tree in winter, all folded on itself and naked?

Actually this is a big sort of tent that in summer gets opened for shadow and where you can sit and eat an ice cream or so on... When will it open???

Pretty windows, again

Another nice window: happy flowers and pretty curtains. I see many pretty windows here and they are really a pleasant view.
I tried hard to do the same thing at home (I mean in my house) but you know what I found out? That it takes a lot of effort and passion to keep up with all of this! I'm not that good with plants, so up to now ... I just admire other people's windows!

Mulberry tree

This mulberry tree grows in the middle of two twin houses. I like this spot very much (I also lived there for a couple of months and it was a very happy period of my life). Right now the tree has been pruned but soon it will be full of leaves and later on full of delicious mulberries: have you ever tried them?

By the way: my father puts mulberries in alcohol and makes a wonderful liquor!

Under the Cathedral

How does it look like under the Cathedral and its square? This picture is taken underneath the main church. Here you can literaly walk on mosaics and take a look at the old Basilica.

It's impressive if you think that above your head there is a Church, people walking, bicycles coming along and so on!

Here are some more pictures shot the same day.

A Sunday afternoon walk in ...

Not really a picture of Concordia today, but a picture of something you can easily do if you live in Concordia: take a walk in Venezia, one of the most beautiful places in the world! About one-hour ride by train, and there you are. We go to Venezia two or three times a year and each time I feel as if it was the first time: so many things to look at!

Want more pictures of our Sunday afternoon walk in Venezia? here