Saturday 1st October

We got up around 7 a.m. and started repacking as well as showering and dressing and then went across to the main house for a small breakfast of fruit, yoghurt and coffee. Then we took a walk in the grounds to see the extensive size of the property. Later we talked to one of the proprietors. His partner, Bettina owned the property which extended to 350,000 square meters, (35 hectares or 86.5 acres). Mostly farmland as well as a the small ‘hotel’ business. The area around the main house contained and paved area with flagstones surrounded by a low stone wall, this area which is called an aia is the area where the grain was threshed in olden times. The area is now protected by the Italian Government and the property owners cannot change or destroy it. There are horses in an adjacent field and the rest of of the property seemed to have been ploughed in preparation for planting. All the fields were surrounded by dry stone walls which were amazingly symmetrical; and even. The trulli which had been restored were there from many years ago but when the property was acquired by Bettina’s father, they had all but collapsed but she managed to find some people who could restore these wonderful buildings and they are now cosy and comfortable dwellings, probably a lot more so than when they were built in????!! The earliest records of them being built date from the mid-14th century although some say they are much older than that. According to one source, the reason for their special conical design was to create housing that could be demolished easily, enabling the landlord to avoid taxes  as well as making it easier to evict tenants. Plus ca change, plus the meme chose!!

Some intricate lace hangings

Local livestock

The amazing no mortar stone wall

The Aia threshing area

Loading the car, we were soon on our way and found the highway to wards Bari and set off on the four hour trip to Cugnoli. The drive was largely uneventful except for a sharp rain shower on the way and we made quite good time even allowing for brief stops for gas and bathroom breaks. We arrived at Fattoria di Maria Donata at about 2.45 p.m. It was just so good to be back there again. Stefania and Bruno look great despite the intervening years. Of course, it was not long before she had food on the table, a pasta dish and then meat and some fruit and coffee. There was much catching up to do and although I could discern some of it, I could not get it all. Family, politics and life in general as well as stories from the recent summer visitors. But, sadly, the future is clouded by the effects of the dire world situation of the war in Ukraine and the dramatic effects that this is having, especially on energy supplies and costs in Europe. There is, perhaps, some resentment that it is Europe that is paying the price, in terms of inflation, especially of energy prices, for the US’s support for Ukraine. Mr. Putin has indeed inflicted much pain on many people but it is hard to see how he could be unopposed in annexing another country.

Then we unloaded the car and brought the bags down to Ulivo our small house in the lower area. It was gift time and we unwrapped the Sysiphus, which is a table covered in sand which has a ball which traces patterns in the sand guided by some sort of internet connection. The wise heads of Stefania, Stefano, who helps Stefania with the animals on the property and MAC had so troubles getting the thing to function although it did seem to be working as it should but the set up was not complete. We have sometime here and by the time we leave, it will, we hope, work well!!

You CANNOT put a price on that view

A pomegranate

I think the donkeys were glad to see us!

Elisabetha, Emanuele and Stefania

Stefania had stocked up our little house with an impossible amount of food and supplies!! There is a fruit bowl which to would take us a month to eat as well as a fridge packed with just about everything one could imagine. We unpacked and soon found bed.

Plans for the next couple of weeks are not fixed but there is a festival in nearby Allano and some grape picking at a nearby vineyard are on the table. Maybe a trip further afield top Assisi also. We will see.