La Terra Saggia

San Severino , Italy 

    After two months of travel Lisa and I were ready to stay in one spot for a while.  We also felt that after taking in so much we wanted a chance to contribute to something. 

   So through a program called WorkAway we connected with Celeste and Anja who were looking for help to pick their olives.  These two crazy Dutch ladies cobbled together the funds to buy a small hamlet in Marche, Italy last spring.  La Terra Saggia consists of seven building: a church, a school house, a Studio, a two room bunk house, an outdoor kitchen, a main house with 5 bedrooms and a couple other buildings that are in the process of being rebuilt. 

 Each morning we awoke to a landscape that seemed to magically change with every movement of the sun and clouds.  After sharing a hearty breakfast (& espresso) we headed to the orchard to pick olives or a variety of others small jobs.  All our meals were vegetarian and delicious.  We hoped all the healthy food and exercise would help our cloths fit better. But Celeste is far too good a chef and there was a lot of cheese…and wine…and beer.