Note: You might remember that in May of last year,  I had a wonderful time with Sasha friends at the SCW in Nottingham, England.  Also, I posted on the blog the portions of my trip before the SCW, during the SCW and afterwards with Tricia and Janet in England and Scotland.  In total, I was away from home for 6 weeks.  After returning home, I later went to the Sasha Festival and posted those happy photos and also posted Janet’s visit in October and the happy times spent with Dorisanne, Anne Votaw, Peggy Livingston, and Mary Righos.  However, somwhere along the way, I did not complete the posts of the wonderful time spent in Italy and in Switzerland.

I hope to share the rest of trip photos of the happy times in Italy and Switzerland intermittently on the blog in the upcoming months.  So, where to begin? ….. Oh yes, …….. it truly seems like yesterday, we were happily in the clouds, soaring….

Flying over the Alps, leaving lovely England with great anticipation of spending time in Italy, Tricia, Janet and I made our way last June 2017.

We landed safely and picked up a rental car to depart the airport in Rome with Janet kindly at the wheel.  We made our way to the beautiful village of Castel di Ieri.    And oh what a village was there….  The next 3 photos together show the most gorgeous panoramic view of Castel di Ieri.

A well worn walkway with a stunning peek to the valley view.

Very interesting views taken from the areas of higher elevation.

An informative sign posted as you walk into Castel di Ieri that shows the area’s topography and roads.

Beautiful wildflowers gathered during a walk.

A beautiful statue of Saint Padre Pio enshrined near the center of the Village.

We drove to visit the town of Sulmona and visited its market place.  We visited it twice during our stay at Janet’s house.  There were many things for sale there but what I most remember buying there were the delicious olives and pecorino cheese.

In the distance, Sisters leaving the market. The walkway was tiered and well worn.

These photos were taken at churches in Sulmona.  All the churches in Italy were so very beautiful and they take your breath away.  I could spend hours upon hours in each church if I lived in Italy.  I hoped to capture the grand architecture and paintings on the ceiling in this photo.

The Blessed Mother Mary greeted us which was warm and so welcoming.

Saint Anthony of Padua holding the child Jesus and his Bible.

Mother Mary with her Son, Jesus.

So very beautiful. I was in awe in each church we visited. I believe we visited two churches in Sulmona.  It was a blessing to be there.

Back in Castel di Ieri. What a beautiful place to see and to be.

A more modern photo showing the grocery store that we frequented in a neighboring village. There is a small grocery in the Castel di Ieri and we went there often. The people there were so warm and friendly.

Morgen and Finn also loved Italy.  The sky was heavenly that day.

Morgen wearing a fantastic outfit made by Janet. You might remember that Morgen is an early Gotz ponytail girl that was painted by Sasha herself.  I never tire of looking at Morgen.

Morgen’s shoes were made by the talented Marti Murphy.

Finn wearing a fantastic outfit made by Janet.  He holds his puppy Fetch and is wearing a red leather back pack that I made at Brigitte’s craft table during the SCW.

Finn, a dear sweet boy.  He absolutely loved Italy and especially Castel di Ieri.

Just outside of the Village, we visited an archeological site that is a work still in progress to reveal its history. The mayor of Castel di Ieri kindly gave us a tour of the site where temples had been uncovered and were constructed In pre-Roman times of III-II century B.C. It was fascinating to see the area.

A striking dome covering for the archeological site.

Tricia and Janet exploring the area. Aren’t they just the cutest gals?

Beautiful mosaics.

Walking back home, you can see in the distance the homes at the higher elevations in Castel di Ieri. We really got our exercise during our stay as we walked about and it felt wonderful.

During our stay, we spent time with Janet’s friends and they were so very kind and hospitable towards us.  They shared meals with us and were very tolerant of my lack of knowledge of the Italian language.  But warmth and affection is felt with the heart and does not need a translation. I felt their goodwill in my heart and I hope they felt mine.  I will always remember their kindnesses and their generosity of spirit.

A better view of the hill area in the Village.

Morgen, Finn and I want to thank you for visiting with us today.  You can see that Italy is a very beautiful place and I will share more of the visit in the next upcoming weeks.  Have a wonderful day and week to come.