Siamo tutti sulla stessa barca

“We are all in the same boat”

Saturday August 8th

I haven’t written in a while. It is so hot. It is still at least 95 degrees until 6:00 PM. I am being generous, not exaggerating. I knew what I was getting into. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. It’s like having a baby, you know it is going to be hard, but when it happens it is harder than anything you could have imagined, and beautiful at the same time. No one here was prepared for this heat. We are all suffering together. Most days we finish lunch and everyone rests for a while. When we all emerge, it’s still as hot as it was. I am not sharing this to complain. In fact, these challenges are part of the reason I chose this journey. Growth rarely happens when everything is comfortable. The purpose of this year is not to relax, but to learn, contribute, adapt, and gain experiences that will help me grow as a person.

We have planted a lot in the garden this week and it is looking really nice. We planted some special tea for Francesco, lots of different salads, and beets. The pumpkins are growing , varieties I have never seen. There will always be weeds to pull, watering to do, and straw to lay. I have been thinking about how much we are like a garden, full of weeds, scars from old seasons, and patches that never grew the way we hoped. Growth doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from tending what remains, pulling what no longer serves us, and trusting that something beautiful can emerge from the mess. The flowers are not remarkable because the garden was flawless. They are remarkable because they grew anyway.

On that note, I am still hoping for more time to practice meditation. I think I am getting better at staying present and I have less negative thoughts.

“Piano Piano”—slowly. 

At the summit of Mount Amiata lies a beautiful beech forest, alongside a small ski resort that is currently closed. I’ve visited several times now, never turning down an invitation to return. The forest creates a transformative drop in temperature; it gets so crisp that I always bring a long-sleeve shirt along. Photos simply can’t do this place justice. Because beech trees are deeply competitive, absorbing all the soil’s nutrients, they prevent almost anything else from growing beneath them. They rise incredibly tall with smooth, pale trunks. Driving through, you are completely enveloped by them—lining both sides of the road and stretching back as far as the eye can see. The air is remarkably fresh, and the forest floor is dotted with large boulders carpeted in vibrant green moss. 

Last Sunday, I had the pleasure of cooking for the family, and my chicken dish was a total hit with everyone.The celebrations continued for Enrica’s boyfriend, Alessio, for his birthday. Dario joined us for the festivities. Basilia had other plans and sadly could not attend. After dinner, we all danced, and I absolutely loved the pure euphoria everyone shared while completely sober. In fact, I haven’t seen a single drunk person since I arrived here, which is incredibly refreshing. We danced on the tables, out in the yard, and to the absolute best music. 

I saved the best part of the week for last.  I had the best pizza of my life.  Laura and Marcello run an amazing restaurant right out of their home. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, they started making pizzas, and people would call ahead or just knock on the door to pick them up. Yes, it was totally illegal at the time, but it was the beautiful beginning of their dream coming to life. They eventually moved to Seggiano and transformed the bottom floor of their stunning house—which actually used to be the local jail—into a unique restaurant experience. The name is Fermento, and you can find them on Instagram under @fermento.seggiano. They initially launched with an intimate indoor concept called “The Table,” which you have to book in advance. It seats 16 people, meaning you get to share the evening and dine alongside other guests. The experience includes eight different specialty pizzas and a single cocktail, with the option to order more drinks if you’d like. Marcello acts as the chef, while Laura plays the host, guiding everyone through the stories behind each pizza and its unique ingredients.  Two nights a week in the summer, they also open up their outside patio, which accommodates about 30 people. For the patio experience, pairs of pizzas are continuously brought out to small communal table all night long until everyone is completely full. They open the patio at 7:00 PM, allowing guests to show up at any time after that—ideally staggered so everyone doesn’t arrive at the exact same moment. While the patio pizza is still incredibly special, it has a slightly more casual vibe compared to the fancy, curated experience inside.  We had the patio experience as Elena’s guest and I am hoping to go again before I leave. Our table was under the oldest Fig tree I have ever seen. I ate a fig and it was deliciously sweet. So if you are anywhere in Tuscany it recommend this experience, it will be worth traveling Seggiano.

Adding more photos to my VSCO