About Me

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Recent retiree--35 year's experience teaching reading, English, adult basic education and volunteer leadership skills. Started this blog to exchange ideas and commentary with friends and others having an interest in joining the discussions. Greatest life accomplishments include: 1.organized my 3rd grade class to check out library books for me to get around librarian's weekly limit--Amazon.com, the Mullins Elementary 3rd Grade Class of 1956 is still waiting for "thank you" notes; 2. volunteered in the Peace Corps, island of St. Kitts, West Indies; 3.taught adults to read, earn their GEDs., and speak English as a second language; 4. bought a border collie puppy for $6, got evicted rather than give him up, and began a life-long love affair with all things "Dog"; 5. joined a physical fitness boot camp in my mid-50s--don't mess with someone who's been doing regulation pushups in wet grass at 5:30 a.m.; 6. walked across Northern England with best friend Sally--over 80 miles from the Irish to North Seas; and 7. travelled to many foreign countries for pleasure and work.

Sunday, July 28, 2013

InSPIREd Sunday - in a Tuscan Village


Campanile (church belltower) in a small village near Villa Massei in Tuscany, Italy (2000)

click on collage to enlarge

I just finished reading Chris Bohjalian's The Light in the Ruins about a Tuscan noble family who becomes entangled with the conflict between the Germans and the Italian partisans in 1943 WW II that continued for ten years after with devastating results.  In 2000, I went on a garden tour of Tuscany and was able to stay in or visit many of the places in this novel--Florence, Pienza, several hilltowns, villas and farms.  One villa in particular--La Foce--served as the inspiration for Bohjalian's book.  La Foce was bought by Irish-American writer Iris Origo and her husband Marchese Antonio in 1924.  They farmed with help from the villagers and then during the German occupation La Foce was turned into a children's hospital and orphanage.  Origo's diary, War in Val D'Orcia, where she chronicles the war years and their efforts to help their village, provided the inspiration for the fictional The Light in the Ruins.

Come back tomorrow for Mosaic Monday where I'll be sharing photos of La Foce and the Tuscan countryside--if this brief tale has piqued your interest!
Linking to InSPIREd Sunday .

10 comments:

Elizabeth Edwards said...

i hope to see Italy one day in person ... gorgeous views. so amazing!! ( :

Jan n Jer said...

That is so cool to be able to identify the places in the book and say your were there. Such a gorgeous countryside.

Meggie said...

What a beautiful place...

TexWisGirl said...

really pretty scene!

Sally in WA said...

I enjoy visiting places I have read about. Adds to the fun! Thanks for sharing a piece of Italy in InSPIREd Sunday. Have a great week!

mrsbearfoot said...

Such gorgeous scenery and magnificent church! Italy is definitely on my bucket list.

Thanks for your visit and kind comment on my InSPIREd post.

~Lindy

don said...

A fine shot of this picturesque city. A strong, church picture in it too.

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

I've been to Italy a couple of times, but I visited Sorrento. Tuscany looks so beautiful, I really can't wait to visit.

KarenB said...

Sounds like a great book, Faye. I love it that you've visited the area.

Unknown said...

I am hoping to see Italy in person one day as well. My grandparents are originally from Tuscany so that is why I have always wanted to go there myself. The family and I have been looking at some Tuscany Villa rentals to stay at in or around where our grandparents used to live, maybe even find their old house. Gong to Italy is something that we all have always wanted to do, so I am looking forward to the trip!