27 November 2007
finding fall in southern italy

I grew up in the mountains of Pennsylvania, so finding fall was as easy as walking out the front door anytime after late September (and sometimes even before). From the unmistakable chill in the air to the red, orange, yellow, and brown leaves hanging onto the trees for as long as they could keep their grip, fall always found me.


Here in southern Italy, it's not so easy. Yes, our temps get cooler and some trees even manage to lose their leaves, but you have to pay attention. You have to really look; blink and you'll miss it. Fall can easily pass you by--and that would be tragic for me as it's my favorite season.

Fall here, though, isn't all about things dying as there's a lot of new growth too. I mentioned the citrus fruits the other day, but there are also some flowers who are just making their appearance as well.

So while I miss fall from back home, I have an all new fall to appreciate here. I found her yesterday.
And she sure is pretty.

fall in southern italy
fall in southern italy
fall in southern italy
fall in southern italy
fall in southern italy
fall in southern italy
fall in southern italy
fall in southern italy
30 days of thanks
Today I'm thankful for:


Please see above photos.

P.S. Don't forget to visit Ilva's Lucullian Delights and see what she has made for the Dolce Italiano Contest--and leave a comment over there to enter the drawing to win a free, signed copy of Dolce Italiano by Gina DePalma!

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38 Comments:

Blogger Jeni said...

Girl, you sure are right about the difference between fall in Pennsylvania and Italy and you sure did find some really pretty things growing in your neck of the woods. It was a cold, gloomy, very wet day here today -not the kind of weather the deer hunters love and cherish for the first day of Buck Season - that good old sacred day in the minds of the majority of hunters in the state!

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Lovely photos! Just look at those pretty oranges. In Positano, we have to cover them with heavy nets to protect them from the 'Tramontana' winds in winter. They look very tempting. What kind of a lemon is that?

Rosa.

*Hi Jeni! You know missing fall at home is made easier knowing that others are appreciating it for me.

And your comment about deer hunting made me laugh--my mom called me yesterday and put my niece on the phone. I said, "Why isn't she in school?" First day of buck! As if I could forget ;)

*Rosa, sorry, I don't know what kind of lemon it is. I don't know much about it anyway, but it's also not our tree. I haven't taken any photos of ours yet this year....

I don't see anyone putting anything over the trees around here even though we get some pretty nasty winds too; I think they've basically planted accordingly over the years to minimize the effect. Of course on a balcony, you don't have a choice--and I think that's why P's parents put up a little protector on the side of theirs (two big lemon trees are up there) ;)

Anonymous Anonymous said...

you have been tagged nablopomo by www.snarkattack.info/gracenotes

Rules:

1- Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog.

2- Share 7 random and or weird things about yourself.

3- Tag 7 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs.

4- Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Nice Italian Fall!!! Love those clementines and that lemon the size of a safotball!!!!

Blogger qualcosa di bello said...

you sure did find fall...a very beautiful fall!!! there is something about the slant of light that i can see in your photos that remind me of fall here.

now i have this sudden urge to go zest something for my dessert!

Blogger Stefanie said...

Oh, I miss the pretty leaves already, and they have only been gone here for a couple of weeks.

Also, I am confused about the oranges in winter thing, but maybe I just don't know much about citrus growing. (I definitely don't know much about citrus growing.)

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Looks like a pretty gorgeous fall to me!

Blogger janet copenhaver said...

I grew up in snyder county Pa., Middleburg to be exact, curious to know where you grew up.

In Southern California I don't really notice fall at all. Looking forward to enjoying the seasons again.

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Just beautiful!

Blogger erin said...

beautiful photos - We were just admiring the fall colors outside Florence this weekend - absolutely gorgeous

Blogger jennifer said...

I love reading your writing about Italy. It reminds me of all of the best things there.

Blogger Barbara said...

I too miss the changing of the colors I was used to in Kentucky, and it's turned into an annual post on my blog. This year I'm a little more accepting of the differences, having decided that the beautiful reds and golds of the grapevines substtute quite nicely for the sugar maples.

Blogger Karina said...

Beautiful photos. Fall is almost gone here...the trees have changed from the glorious reds, oranges and yellows to...well...to nothing. I'll miss the Autumn leaves.

Blogger all over the map said...

My favorite photo is the first one. it looks like you could jump in and land on a bed of cushiony orangeness, red and yellow heaven. I'm guessing that wouldn't be the case - ouch!
My favorite time of year also.
xo

Blogger Jen said...

Beautiful pictures. I'd love to see a fall like that!

Blogger Taffiny said...

I am glad you found her. (she sure is pretty)

Anonymous Anonymous said...

It is not fair that you get fall too, that you get to see the fall colors in Italy. You have everything already -- can't you leave something to the rest of the world? Some bit of beauty to call our own?

The shots are lovely. For some reason, I just love the fourth shot. Not the most obvious choice but it seems very common, yet lovely.

Happy Fall, Signora Sognatrice.

*Oh Snarkattack, I'll do my best--I do have some questions people have asked still floating around.

*Robin, actually that's nothing compared to some of the lemons around here. A bag of lemons can be seriously heavy!

*Qualcosa, if I'm not mistaken, our weather actually is similar b/c of our geographic positioning, so it wouldn't surprise me that you recognize our light ;)

*Stefanie, yes citrus fruit also grows in winter--same in Florida :)

*Nino, I can honestly say this is the first fall I've even noticed around here...I'm sure I have the blog and my camera to thank for it!

*Janeywan, I'm from Northumberland County, not far from the Susquehanna River :)

*NYC, you're going to love it!

*Bella, thanks :)

*Erin, I'm sure you have even more brilliant colors there :)

*Jennifer, so happy to be of service! It definitely helps those of us still here to look for the beauty as well ;)

*Barbara, it does take some getting used to, doesn't it? I'm so happy that I'm finally appreciating the fall here after years of just yearning for my old autumns ;)

*Karina, yes, "after fall" isn't so nice...until the snow starts coating everything :)

*Cheeky, hah! I agree with you that it does look cushy. It's funny because that's really the only pocket on that whole mountain that is changing colors, so it makes it extra-comfy looking ;)

*Jen, come on over!

*Taffiny, me too :)

*David, that's my favorite shot as well! I took it quite by accident, just panning around with the camera and snapping, but when I saw it on the viewfinder, I just loved it.

That's a streetlight in the background if you can't tell. At first I thought, aw, that's too bad that I can't get this shot without the streetlight, but now I rather like it. It's man mixed with nature, and yet it's such an old-fashioned streetlight--progress, sort of...what does all that say together? Hmm....

Great photos! I just said to my husband this morning, "isn't it great how citrus fruits come into season just when we need the Vitamin C the most?", as I was eating a mandarin from our tree!

Blogger Becka Robinson said...

BEAUTIFUL! I'm coming to visit you! :) (I wish)

SIGH....

I am on my way over. That's too good to pass by!

AH! If only!
Thanks for sharing, they are lovely photos, I quite enjoyed them.
Thanks for brightening my day!

Scarlett & Viaggiatore

Anonymous Anonymous said...

The change of color on your trees are so pretty. I wouldn't have thought you could find that there. I'm in NY and always have the change of season, but I never take it for granted :)

Blogger Dave said...

Great pictures; but, four out of seven look like spring or summer, which I guess is your point.

Gorgeous pictures!

I also miss Fall in all its glory, my favorite season in the Northeast, where I grew up.

In Northern California, there are scattered Maple trees that turn red, gold and purple, but you have to know where they are.

It's always surprising that some things are just blooming at a time when my history has shown me that everything dies back for another year.

Every place has its wonders if we look for them.

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Looks great from both perspectives.
BEst wishes

Blogger Karen Cole said...

The world sure is a beautiful place, isn't it?

Where in Pa.???

*Jeni, great minds :) Enjoy those mandarins!

*Miss Mrs, the more the merrier :)

*Scarlett, always a pleasure to see you here!

*Maryann, believe me, I'm surprised myself! Glad you appreciate your gorgeous fall :)

*Dave, crazy isn't it? We can have all seasons nearly at once :)

*Heart, we were spoiled in the Northeast, weren't we? I'll always miss it, but like you said, if you know where to look, you can still find some lovely sights :)

*Maddy, thanks!

*Karen, it most definitely is :) I'm from the middle of nowhere, along the Susquehanna River in Northumberland County--about 50 minutes north of Harrisburg.

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm a bit late to comment on this, but I wanted to say you've got some beautiful photos. Autumn has some of the best colours of the year (of which you gave excellent examples). I'm glad to hear you did find a pleasant, albeit different, autumn here.

Luigi

*Luigi, not late at all! It's hard to keep up when I'm obligated to post every day ;)

And yes, I have definitely found a lovely autumn here, thanks :)

Blogger Stelle in Italia said...

ahh! beautiful fall photos! i'm so glad you've found fall--it took me the longest time to find her here in le marche, but turns out she was just around the corner :). i love fall too--it's different here in italy, not better or worse, just different.

Blogger ~ej said...

pretty photos!!
and i think the fall in PA is different even within the state(i'm in PA btw).
but it's good to see some fall colours when you're away from "home". the roses and fruit are lovely :)

*Stelle, I think it's important that we just pay attention; like you said, she's here, we just have to look :)

*Elena Jane, absolutely! I grew up in central PA and also lived in Philly for 5 years--HUGE difference there (in just about every way come to think of it) ;)

Blogger Kerith Collins said...

that is gorgeous...all we have is ice...and some yellow snow...man-o-man...i feel bad for neglecting my shewhoblogs buddies.

*Kerith, no guilt trips allowed here! Life gets in the way for all of us sometimes ;)

Blogger Laume said...

I grew up in Minnesota and Wisconsin where seasons were clearly defined. When I moved to a Mediterranean climate (Sonoma County, California), it took me years to understand the subtle but beautiful green winters. Now I live in the mountains and I'm back to a more traditional seasonal display - autumn foliage, winter snow - and although I enjoy their beauty, I miss the rich wine harvest and dusty end-of-summer autumn scents and the lush, rainscented winters.

*Laume, I think the key is appreciating the seasons no matter where we are; looks like you've found a nice balance...missing is always a good sign, isn't it?

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