Let me take you on a tour of my Italian home. It is in Northern Siena, right in the heart of Tuscany. I have been so happy here and can't wait to return!
Let's start on the road to our home. Every day we take a 30 minute bus ride into town. It's worth it because of the beautiful scenery!
We live in the countryside, surrounded by farms. It's a very beautiful walk.
Our beautiful home in the countryside.
The Front Entrance. Nonna recently made this curtain herself!
Here she is! The hostess of our two months in Siena. We call her "Nonna" which is Italian for grandmother. What a wonderful, hard-working woman. We love her so much! She made our favorite Tuscan dishes, fed us dessert or fruit every night, and made our beds. She does so much for her family and isn't recognized for much. We told her that for us she is a celebrity for all she does!
Oh and did I mention that our Nonna runs a bee farm? Their honey is prized as one of the best in all of Italy.
Stores of honeycomb outside the honey factory.
There are hundreds of plants - decorative and edible - around the house. Literally hundreds. Most of the fruits and vegetables we eat daily come from her gardens. This is our cherry tree right after harvest time!
We had a little photo shoot with Nonna our last week together. Nonna doesn't like taking pictures but she was a good sport!
What a special lady. I've loved getting to know her. She has called me "Rachele" for most of my stay, but lately has tended towards "Amarosa" which, in effect, means "my love" or "sweetheart."
My sweet and beautiful roommate Cierra.
All of the Spring BYU Interns! We had a wonderful group of people!
I loved my time here in Tuscany. I can't wait to come back!
