Tag Archives: summer

Summer, Autumn, Olive Harvest and earthquakes in Italy

Summer is over – what next?

This article was published on branded.me in October 2016 You see it here in its original version as a consideration after the summer – but before the huge new earthquake on Oct. 30th in Italy which we could perceive very strongly, but we had the warning and we knew it would come. This changed everything because being prepared takes the fear out of the equation.

As long as I remember I was always looking forward to summer – and then it was over too quickly. Do you know that feeling of needing to dress warm again, no summer nights on the terrace watching the stars, but…..

For many years in my life, there was the new beginning of the season, the school year, courses of all kinds. And the preoccupation: will I have enough students to get on until next summer, the longed for a time in a far distance?

Times have changed, outside in the world, inside in my home and inside myself.

Yes, there will be another winter – hopefully for me, too. No reason why it shouldn’t be, but only a few weeks ago, nearby, 300 people died in their beds, at night, during a 6.2 earthquake. It can always happen, to everybody of us. An earthquake of the one sort or the other.

house fallen down into pieces after the earthquake
After the earthquake
You wouldn’t want to have been in that house!

Spring will come again!

Then in spring, the beauty of the flowers, the warmth of the sun, deeply appreciated. Oh, could it never end!

 sunflower
The first sunflower

Summer Heat

Summer is great, but soon too hot and we wait for some cooler days, not too much over 30°, please. We drag along during the hot days, enjoy the cooler, but beautiful warm nights, one day resembles the other. too hot to do something important – and even the computers go into strike without ventilation.

Looking over the Tiber valley in Otricoli
Looking over the Tiber valley in Otricoli in summer

Autumn: the Olive Harvest is the most important thing

And now, again, almost autumn, the grapes mature, then the olives need to be picked, the year goes on, as always….

The fresh olive oil comes out of the centrifuge
The fresh olive oil comes out of the centrifuge

Life is so precious in its ongoing sameness and evolving differences, Taste it well before the earthquake surprises you.

 

Picking Olives
Picking Olives

PS: (January 2017)We have picked the olives, a German couple came to help us who, previously, had watched the TV program which had been shot some years ago here in my place. We pick them by hand – a wonderful work. I cannot imagine to use vibrating machines to do it instead. The noise and the holding up of the picking stick would destroy the meditative setting in the connection with NATURE.

Watch the video below. It might not be visible in some countries due to YouTube restrictions. Sorry if that should be true for you!

It was a nice time, warm weather and a good amount of olives. We had about 60l of oil, enough for the year and for give it away to family and friends.

If you are interested in helping us pick the olives one year (mid-end of September), please let us know)