Tuscany with Dog – Part 4

Easter is coming. Davide's parents and his grandmother from Turin have arrived, so all the holiday apartments are on the upper floor In Tuscany proven. At first the dogs bark at the newcomers, but they get used to their new neighbors relatively quickly.

March 29th and 30th: Time seems to stand still

Relaxation is slowly setting in and we have found our holiday rhythm: get up relatively early - between eight and nine - let the dogs into the garden and then enjoy our first coffee or tea in the sunshine on the terrace. Michael has now switched to Italian coffee with milk and is slowly becoming a professional with the espresso maker. The dogs lie lazily around us and are happy when Diego emerges from the neighboring apartment. For them this is a sure sign that a treat is about to arrive. Michael briefly goes to the village to buy fresh bread, cold cuts and cheese from Francesca. Breakfast follows, lazing around a bit and then we go for a big walk by the stream. We wonder what would be going on in Hamburg in such a beautiful place, but there isn't a single person or dog to be found here. The traces of a large flock of sheep in the clayey soil alone show us that we are not the only ones who appreciate this extensive nature. Spring is picking up speed and every day more trees, bushes and the occasional daffodil and primrose are blooming along the way.

We enjoy “trotting” behind the dogs and are amused by Luna, who runs like a little mountain goat down the steep embankment to the stream and up again. Sunny is visibly finding it harder, but standing in the water and sipping fresh water is still the best thing for her. Afterwards at the “witches” we are greeted like old friends and the dogs naturally run towards “our” group of chairs and lie down. On Thursday evening a special surprise awaits us: Francesca invited us to a surprise party Il Morso invited, where we celebrated Michele's birthday at a long table with numerous friends. An incomparable evening where we have the opportunity to immerse ourselves in the Italian way of life. On Friday evening Elisa gave us a table in the restaurant Trattoria La Botteghina reserved, where our dogs once again immediately get a bowl of water.

March 31st: Alessandro, the dog lover

When we woke up on the Saturday before Easter, the sky was full of clouds. It is raining and thunderstorms can be heard in the distance. We prepare ourselves for a rainy day, but during the morning the sun shines again from a blue sky, so we don't have to miss our late breakfast on the terrace. Alessandro, Elisa and Davide's eldest son, comes by and greets the dogs - like almost every day. We invite him to walk with us and the dogs. He is enthusiastic! We start together in the early afternoon towards the stream. In Alessandro, Luna has found a tireless ball thrower and is completely in her element. After the round, our little one sits back in the car with her tongue hanging out as we drive together to “La Locanda delle Streghe” in La Rosa for the obligatory cappuccino and a glass of milk for Alessandro. We also serve cornetti filled with vanilla cream while the dogs lie exhausted around us. “A little refreshment after the dog walk in “La Locanda delle Streghe” with Alessandro. “ © J. Thumser & M. WahlertIn the evening we are with Elisa, Davide, Francesca and Michele Restaurant La Fornace have an appointment. As at the welcome dinner on the evening of our arrival, our four-legged friends were prepared with water bowls and dog blankets. Aside from the incomparable Florentine steak, you feel absolutely welcome as a dog owner!

April 1st: Easter in Italian

We are greeted with a cheerful “buona Pasqua” (Happy Easter) by Elisa and her family in the wonderful sunshine on Easter Sunday. We decorate our breakfast table on the terrace with an Easter basket that Michael's mother gave us well packaged in a box. In the afternoon Irene invited us to drink coffee. We sit in the living room with her entire family and numerous grandchildren, drinking coffee and eating cake. Small children are not really used to our four-legged friends and Italian bambini seem a little more lively to me than the kids at home. But the bottom line is that our four-legged friends are doing quite well in this unusual situation. In the late afternoon we drive - together with Elisa, her sister Sara, Davide and all six kids - to an organic farm in Paganico. After we move into our rooms in a huge holiday apartment, we go to a nearby pizzeria together, where we almost feel like part of an Italian family. It was an eventful day and I think we fell asleep well before the bambini that evening.

April 2nd: BBQ on Easter Monday

While the kids have one right after breakfast Riding lesson near Fiorenza have booked, we take a look at the area with the dogs. Afterwards we meet with the others for an Easter barbecue on the lawn behind the main house. A huge grill and several round tables, most of which are already occupied, stand in the spring sun and give us an idea of ​​the delicacies to come in the next few hours - all organic and all produced here on the farm! After the evening and night together under one roof, even the more anxious kids have lost their fear of our four-legged friends and start playing with Luna or petting Sunny and Lancy. Above all, little Anita, who can't get enough of leading Luna on a leash across the meadow. Then it's time to say goodbye again and we find out what Easter return traffic means in Italian, because we're stuck in a traffic jam on an Autostrada for the first time! Here are some impressions of the “organic farm rascals”: Lots of photos of the rascals in the organic farm