July in Panzano

The scent of jasmine still lingers, though soon all the blossoms will be gone. Geraniums and brilliant hydrangeas seem to be everywhere. Roses of every hue line wrought iron fences. Lemon trees are heavy with fruit. A new assortment of wildflowers, including the majestic purple artichoke, color the road as the poppies begin to fade. In the fields you can see budding bunches of baby green grapes among the even greener leaves of the vines if you look closely enough. In the olive groves tender shoots dangle the tiniest bright green hints of that future harvest.

And every night, I look in awe across the valley- the Conca d’Ora- to see yet another sunset painted by the Master of it all. What a glorious time to be in this little slice of paradise!