What I stole from Italy:

The Treasures I Carried Home to the Mountains

This voiceover is an audio version of the newsletter below. It is unedited, so please excuse any um’s or stutters and my butchered Italian. Enjoy!

Treasures from Italy

Looking through the pictures from Italy, I wish I had taken more! The images depict the simple beauty and wonder of the landscape and buildings. I refrained from taking 10,000 pictures. Instead, I used my eyes to capture the moment and to be present.

It has been six weeks since returning from Italy, and it feels like a dream. Returning to the mountains after Hurricane Helene almost wiped away the magic and peacefulness of the trip. Now that things have settled down and the house is more prepared for Winter, I can return to my musings on my trip.

As I carried my newfound easy, breezy attitude with me on the plane to Italy, I flew back with new treasures tucked into my suitcase.

Savoring Connections

This trip was planned over five years ago when my hubby, Rob, reached out to a fraternity brother who lived in Spello, Umbria. Despite the lack of communication between the two for over thirty years, they immediately began to hatch a plan to visit. Through him, we found a small Airbnb apartment right in the old walled city of Spello.

A couple of years ago, serendipity brought another friend of Rob’s to the neighboring town of Trevi. This childhood friend and his wife bought an amazing renovated farmhouse within the old walled city. Rob brought these people together, and they are now close friends. Small world. 🌎

Between them, several unique, local activities were planned.

One invitation brought us to the villa of Virginia Ryan, a local artist living in Trevi. A collection of international guests gathered to watch the three districts engage in a thrilling medieval cart race. Watching from the balcony, the colorful districts were decked out in their colors of yellow, red, and blue. The diverse people in attendance offered stimulating topics of conversation.

While waiting for the event to start, I chatted with an older woman from California who was married to a famous Italian film producer. I enjoyed listening to the stories of her life. I mentioned our plans to visit Assisi the following day, and she insisted that we visit her friend and local artist. She called him up and chatted away in Italian and made a date with him at his shop.

Pottery from Local Artist in Assisi

Spending time with old and new friends deepened our sense of community while traveling. It reinforced my desire to create more community in my life. Despite living in a tiny, rural mountain town, I am reaching out to find and meet up with new friends.

The Winners of the Cart race in Trevi, Umbria

Eating Local and Seasonal Food

Through an old work colleague of Rob’s, we found the lovely agriturismo, Fattoria Poggio Allora, right outside of San Gimignano, Tuscany. This rustic, beautiful farm reminded me of the importance of access to local agriculture. One night, we enjoyed a seven-course meal featuring their wine, olive oil, vegetables/fruit and beef. It was simply amazing, and we savored each course. Our last meal was a simple spread of homemade bread, cheese, assorted olives, and charcuterie. It was served outside on the patio with the city in the distance.

Simple, yet fresh and satisfying.

I love the idea of shopping at the local markets or shops in town and carrying the small bags home. Cooking with fresh ingredients more often is something that I brought home with me. A local farmer is struggling due to the Hurricane, which forced him to close his new coffee shop. Due to the power outage, he lost all the food stored in his freezer and refrigerator. The lack of tourists traveling to the mountains further strained business at this farm store. Each week, I select his produce, eggs, and meat instead of the larger grocery store.

I am also simplifying the cooking at home by reducing ingredients. Focusing on quality and taste rather than the amount. I am bringing in the seasonal foods of Autumn with soups cooked with squash, lentils, and homemade chicken stock.

Slow Travel

I found out quickly that I am not a typical tourist. I follow a detailed itinerary printed out with dates, places, and events listed. Rick Steve’s book Hill Towns of Central Italy was tucked into the messenger bag. Rob studied and marked the pages with bright Post-it notes, earmarking certain sights and destinations. Despite all the research, we made loose plans instead, based on the towns and people we wanted to visit.

It quickly became clear that I disliked busy towns filled with tourist buses and massive groups navigating the small towns and churches. On our first attempt to visit Siena, Tuscany, we turned around once the parking lots were full. The following day, we rose in the dark to arrive while the students and residents were traveling to work and school. We enjoyed our cappuccinos and cornettos (pastries filled with chocolate, cream, or pistachio). Surrounded by Italians beginning their day, we listened to the chatter and enjoyed our breakfast.

We toured The Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta early, enjoying time before the swarm of tour groups entered behind us. I preferred the small towns over the typical attractions. I loved listening and watching the Italians go about their day, living their lives. Bringing slow travel home with me was a simple one as I currently live mindfully and slowly in my home life.

Bird’s Eye View Of Siena

“Dolce Far Niente” – The Sweetness of Doing Nothing

This Italian sentiment was the most important treasure to make the return trip. The idea of embracing the sweetness found in every moment captured the essence of my trip to Italy. This mindset is not about “doing nothing” or idleness but rather reflects the opportunity to enjoy and savor life’s experiences, even the small ones.

It is a reminder to be present, to appreciate, and find joy in your life. I was raised to be a “doer.” My mom rarely sat down while I was growing up. Managing a household of six kept her busy, and she had a yellow legal pad filled with chores every weekend. Being busy equaled productivity in my family, and this was praised and rewarded. Lounging around brought criticism and an unwanted chore. 😩

The relaxed and comfortable pace of life in Italy was something that I craved. In Italy, it is rude to ask people what they do for work at a dinner party. That is the first question that pops out of people’s mouths in America. I much prefer this slower pace, filled with ease, connection, and joy.

Simple ways to embody Dolce Far Niente

There are many ways that I look forward to practicing this attitude now that I am home. Here are some ideas if you’d like to try them out with me.

Gratitude: Tapping into the abundance and joy in your life. Expressing gratitude to those in your community and family.

Release Expectations: Let go of trying to plan and control every detail of a trip or your life. When you have expectations or a desired outcome, this often leads to disappointment and regret. It can lead to frustration when things don’t go according to your plan.

Contentment with Life: Accept the current situation without trying to fix or control it. This one continues to be a challenge for me, yet it brings with it much reward.

Mindfulness: Practicing being present in the moment without judgment. Stopping and focusing on your breath is a tool to incorporate into your daily life. This practice leads to a deeper ability to stay awake and present in your life and with the people around you.

Allow for Slow: Make time to consciously slow down and stop the pattern of autopilot and multitasking. Reducing the external distractions of technology to help find pockets of time to slow down.

Embrace the present and allow time to feel joy.

Thank you for joining me on a tour of my recent Italian trip. It is nice to share and remember the memories.

How do you lean into Dolce Far Niente in your life? Please feel free to comment and share. I love reading your comments and learning more about you and your perspectives.

Talk to you soon!

❤️ Blythe