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June 1999
Hello Elizabeth -
I hope you found Pergolaccio in good condition when you returned. Every one of us love the atmosphere you and Domenico have created from the architecture to the furnishings and particularly how the house sits on that wonderful piece of land. It is truely an oasis of beauty and calm. A real soul place for me in particular. We've been home for two weeks, but my mind keeps reflecting back to Pergolaccio and Umbria.
I loved awaking to the soulful cry of the Cuckcoo, the hum of the bees busy at their gathering and watching the amazing variety of colorful butterflies drifting elegantly from flower to flower .
It was a joy eating breakfast down by the pool for the expansive views of the valley and ridges on the horizon line and the patchwork of greens and golds of the fields and forests that seemed to encircle us. The smells so fresh and pure of grass and hay freshly cut, mingling with the perfumes of the flowers and trees. There was such a sweetness about the air and the breezes were soft and cool. Delicious.
And the sky, what a sky. Sometimes a crystal clear blue or maybe filled with angry clouds. And at night, so black it made the stars and planets seem brighter and larger than we have ever experienced them. Then at eye level having the fireflies put on their spectacular light show for us. My god I even began loving the centipedes and milipedes that greeted us every evening as we made our way to bed.
We truely enjoyed the small food shops and the people who ran them. The fruit and vegetable man in Ponte Rio and the young woman and her husband in the small grocery store on the same street. All were helpful and smiling and extremely patient with our attempts to speak Italian. And who could forget the Monte Cristo cheese store, complete with cows in the background. The young man working there sharing in our enjoyment as we tasted and talked about the different cheeses. Wonderful. It was even enjoyable shopping at the Ipersides.
Cooking in your kitchen and on the Tuscan Bar-B-Q was wonderful. It took my husband Bob a little time to figure out just the right amount of coals to build up for perfectly succulent meats, but he and the other men enjoyed the challenge. And we sure did pick those cherries to make preserves for toast and wine preserves to serve with Gelato or over other fresh fruits. I hope you found both and tasted them. The preserves were make without added pectine and were runny I know. But we thought that they were delicious and piled them on our toast every morning.
It never seemed possible to leave the house before 11 a.m. for our wanderings to some mediaval walled village or other to visit its churches, walk the streets, and enjoy a long lunch. As much as we enjoyed our adventures, each of us always breathed a sigh of relief when we returned to Pergolaccio at days end, happy to share in putting together a wonderful supper.
The children loved being at the house. Even the baby was happiest there. We'd take her portacrib where-ever we wanted to settle or carry her around to see the flora and fauna. Kendal our four year old loved the pool and swings and garden and fire-flies and drawing pictures outdoors on the big table. Her only wish was for a peer to collect bugs with and share in her explorations of the property.
Pergolaccio was a happy, happy home away from home for us. It more than measured up to our fantasies of a week in Umbria.
And a special thank you Elizabeth for introducing us to Antonio Margaritelli. Not only is his work incredible, but he is Molto gentile. It was a real pleasure spending time with him. Each of us could not leave without buying something of his to treasure and have as a reminder of our wonderful visit. Of all the shops we visited in Deruta, his was the most remarkable.
Thank you for sharing your home with our family.
All my best. Judy
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