La Dolce Vita en Toscana

For some years I have contemplated renting a villa in Tuscany.  I have finally done it, and the result has been superb!  Here is our humble abode.  Cindy, Askale, and I expected a very nice place but it's considerably better than that.  It is called Poggio del Fattore.

The villa is on a hilltop overlooking the valley of the Arno River, about 70 km SE of Florence.  At sunrise following a rainy day, this is the view.

La piscina. 

The guest house, with turbulent clouds over the surrounding mountains.  It is very quiet up here, quite a change from Rome.  The hills are wild and very sparsely populated.  However, on this Sunday we occasionally heard shots from the countryside.  The locals hunt wild boar, as the Etruscans did 2500 years ago.

Poggio del Fattore has 4 hectares of land, most of which are planted in olive trees.  The harvest is next month, and Cindy and Askale have volunteered to stay and help bring in the crop.  The olive oil hereabouts is considered especially good, and we have been using a homegrown bottle and can confirm that fact.  The Benz?  (upper class British accent) Well, when renting a villa, one must keep up appearances.

La cucina.  The villa is 350 years old but had all the modcons...a beautiful combination!  A large pantry has a massive collection of cookware.

The dining room.  Yes, Jack Daniel's is available.

My bedroom. 

Another view of the valley below.  The little town in the foreground is San Leonino, perched on a ridge.  It's a medieval village that you might see if you dreamed about classic Italy.  Word has it that there are many more like it hereabouts.  We will investigate in the coming week.  The beauty and peace of Tuscany are simply amazing!  The air is fresh and clean, the towns are tidy and colorful.  Can't think of words to describe it, really.