Casa la Vite, our First Month – June 2, 2013

It seems amazing that it’s already been a month since we moved out of Florence and into the countryside living of Casa la Vite (casa-la-VEET-a;  “House of the Vine”).  

Our time in our new apartment, set in the outskirts of the small town of Impruneta, has been a welcome respite from the burgeoning tourist population of Florence; and truth be told, we got out of Dodge none too soon.  We realized we'd made the right decision the moment we turned off SR69 and onto the private road that winds its way back to our apartment inside the renovated farm house in which we live.

This last month has ranged from balancing the slow pace of country living with the hustle and bustle of  moving in, then packing up for a 5 day road trip to Alsace France, then going on various excursions with Teresa during the 8 days she was here (see previous posts). Ultimately however there is no shaking the profound sense of idyllic peace and tranquility in which we are immersed; living in the middle of vineyards and olive groves sort of does that to you….

We are reminded of the tangible nature of this harmony every day; every evening ends with the cooing of doves and every new day dawns with the cackle of pheasants, nature’s own, all natural alternative to the rooster.

Our landlords, Andrea and Donatella, epitomize the spirit of Italian warmth and hospitality, and take every measure to ensure our stay is enjoyable.  They both speak English and have very quickly become counted among those we call our friends here.

The apartment they have provided us is bright and cheery, its large windows spill sunlight into every room.  Our main entertaining area has our kitchen, dining table and couch.

Both bedrooms are spacious with plenty of closets

It’s the loft, though, that is Angie’s favorite room; it offers a quiet retreat for reading, checking emails, or watching a movie on TV. 

And the swimming pool is perfect for a relaxing swim or lying out under the Tuscan Sun – 

or for serving a poolside dinner.  Tonight we had salad, BBQ chicken and roasted potatoes and carrots. 

But it is the breathtaking scenery that dominates your senses here, especially when you step outside the front door – because then you are in it.

We are blessed that over the next two months we will continue to have family and friends come to visit and stay with us.  After that we will spend our time here through November traveling Tuscany, hiking, and enjoying both the vineyard and olive harvests, however, whether we were here a week, a month, or an entire summer, our stay at Casa la Vite will surely be a memorable one.

For more information about Casa la Vite you can go to http://casalavite.com/
or you can email Donatella directly at dona.zolfanelli@alice.it