Church Bells

The 5:55 A.M. call to pray has been replaced with the 7:30 A.M. ringing of the church bells. It is clear,  we are not in Istanbul any longer but are now in the heart of Italy. We are staying at what can be best described as a medieval village in the Tuscan region of Italy.

Narrow cobblestone streets lead you up the hill to our home, which overlooks the Apennines Mountains. Our farmhouse is three stories high and built into the side of the mountain. It is made of large stone and old thick wood.

The sink is made of stone and we do have a little gas oven that almost always works. There are two ‘markets’ one post office with a mailbox, and one ‘restaurant’ which is closed until next month. The butcher is two doors down and people form the village come by on daily basis to pick up fresh meat, homemade cheese, fresh bread, and eggs.

I must admit that he has the best cheese I have ever tasted. At the other end of town is the small market, which is about 10 x 25 feet. Here a young woman conscientiously works in the market to provide great care for all who come through. This is the place where people stop everyday and exchange the latest news.

One young woman is about to have a baby and all the ladies are excited for this event. As a newcomer to the area we are noticed and greetings exchanged. They know where we are staying and heard of our arrival before we even showed up. Everyone who comes by to purchase meats, cheese, olives, bread, and olive oil can get all that they have purchased into one small bag. I think that there are a couple of reasons for this.

One, walking up and down the cobblestone streets would mean you could only carry a small amount at any given time. Secondly, each person only seemed to buy enough for what they needed each day. They seem content to know that their needs for the day had been met and they needn’t worry about tomorrows needs until then. Besides, going to the market is probably one of the highlights of their social life.

We purchased a few things ourselves and have made ourselves at home. We made a big pot of chicken and fresh vegetable soup, which awaits each evening when we return.

Walking through the village,going to town for a haircut or just reading and resting fills our days. We are very close to Pisa and Sienna so in a day or two we may venture out. For now we are content in our little abode, reading and sitting by the fire and enjoying where we are.

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Tom and Nancy Stoeckel

One thought on “Church Bells”

  1. I can more than understand and agree with the statement, “..going to the market is probably one of the highlights of their social life.” I have come to enjoy our daily trips to the market here in our small Belgian village!! I love your posts!! xx Jessica

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