When friends ask, what was my favorite thing about our month in Italy, my answer may be a surprise. For it’s not the stunning Tuscan countryside, the sumptuous food, the laid-back lifestyle. No, it’s not even the delectable Montepulciano … Read more

    Sunrise and moonset. At the same moment; precious and rare. Thus, the morning concert begins: A church bell peals. A rooster crows. A dove coos. A dog barks. And Franco trundles down the steep driveway with his dawn … Read more

    Writing from Montepulciano, Tuscany, Italy, where we have returned for the fourth time.   The learning of names, the remembering of their weight, tone and heft, the who of the where — is not unlike learning new students’ … Read more

Why do we choose to return to Italy? Is it the food, the wine, the scenery, the rich history? Yes, all these things are indeed fabulous. But no, it’s more than that. What draws us back each year? Why, it’s … Read more

  As if to match the event’s somber mood, a light misting rain fell on Montepulciano’s annual Armistice Day ceremony and parade, marking the end of the Great War exactly 100 years ago today which claimed the lives of an … Read more

    Just outside Montepulciano, on the quarter mile drive down the Viale della Remembranza to the elegant Temple of San Biagio, one can’t help but be impressed by the 98 tall and elegant cypress trees, pointing straight to heaven … Read more

Tuscany is not only known for its amazing wines, but also for its world-class olive oil. On retreat in the XII century hilltop town of Montepulciano, we were welcomed by local olive farmers into their green groves and then into … Read more

Reflections on community — and community journalism from afar Or…In which the ol’ perfesser finds that journalism in Italy is alive and well… Isabella’s news stand sells 19 separate newspapers, not including — she is quick to tell us — … Read more

Second only to the fine wines of Tuscany, the olive and the rich golden oil derived from the black or green fruit (and maybe not even second – not if you are an olive grove farmer or a connoisseur of … Read more

  What’s your favorite thing about international travel? The food? The local drinks? The strange new sights? Learning a new language? Navigating the travel challenge? Overcoming your fear of being out of your comfort zone? Well, all that — and … Read more