After a month of what seemed like spring from mid-February to mid-March, the weather took a turn for the worse a few days ago, giving us a winter-like Easter of pouring rain, sleet and snow all around on the mountains. We opened Genius Loci yesterday for its 2008 season with guests from all over the world. Today we received a very special visit from our Slow Travels friends, Chris and Meg who drove up from Casperia. They were our first "tasters" in the new tasting area of the winery. More and better photos of the tasting area will follow soon.
We have cheerfully decorated the Inn for our Easter guests, trying to brighten the days of our brave guests who are braving Siberian winds and the cold rains to visit the sights.
There have been so many comments from our guests on the painted eggs hanging from the olive branches in the Reception: this is a small collection I started many years ago on an Easter trip to Salzburg where we stayed with Austrian friends. Hildegard was a creative, flairful friend who introduced me to the art of "emptying" real eggs to decorate by hand. I still remember so vividly an enormously pleasurable afternoon with her wonderful strong coffee and freshly baked cakes in their beautiful lakeside home, sitting around a large table with Michael, Hildegard and her three children - all of us intent on painting the eggs. At a certain point, the doorbell rang: a young Czech couple was going house to house with a large basket of eggs they had decorated in their style. We bought a few from them which I still have and which you can see in the photo.
Waltraut and Gunther, other dear Austrian friends who came to Genius Loci last August (see a previous blog entry), brought me an exquisite egg with Gothic lettering on an Easter visit many years ago. Others were enthusiastic attempts by Michael at age nine, or by me. Some were purchased here and there in Austrian hamlets, at the Easter Market in Innsbruck, or on the street corners in Salzburg from dear elderly ladies, proud of their artistic creations. Each and every one has a story and brings back the happiest of Easter memories.
Tomorrow, Easter Sunday, we will be gathered together with our guests at the Inn by the fire for an Easter brunch of the typical Umbrian breakfast, a festive Easter egg hunt and to exchange heartfelt wishes of peace and serenity, wishes we extend to all of you as well. The only thing missing is the spring sun! Happy Easter to all!
A basket of alabaster eggs set against an exquisite Brozzetti Textile
