Le Stagioni della Tuscia (The Seasons of Tuscia)

As I sit at my desk, a wool shawl wrapped around my shoulders, I pose a question. ‘Why am I not in Sicily right now where it is warm and sunny?’  

Covid aside, the answer appears before the question is fully asked. I love the seasons. I am enamored with watching the landscape change and strut its stuff.

Each season, Tuscia offers a unique natural beauty to witness with cultural and agricultural happenings following suit. You may have your own very favorite season, but shake it up a bit! When we can all travel again, try traveling when you normally wouldn’t and delight in the variety.

Here is what you might expect to see and feel throughout the year in our little slice of heaven.

Primavera ~ Spring

La Primavera ~ Sandro Botticelli

Coming out of the brown grey winter, sometime in late March or early April, the first vibrant yellow blooms of the mimosa tree begin to dot the landscape. Color!

Close upon its heels come the delicate blossoms of the apricot and cherry trees. People begin to tidy up their ortos ~ gardens, to get ready for planting. The air is softer, the streets livelier and the outside chairs are filling the caffe.

May begins the planting of zucchini, artichokes, onions, and potatoes soon to be followed by tomatoes, aubergines ~ eggplant, basil, beans, peas, arugula and a variety of lettuces. The heady scent of jasmine fills the air. The first bright yellow zucchini blossoms are ready to pick and cook during their short season. Everyone shares the coveted flowers to throw in an omelet, or to wrap around fresh mozzarella and an anchovy to fry in a light batter. 

The rosemary bushes begin to release their fragrance growing in pots or wild and abundant throughout the hills. 

May winds down with the abundant cherries and lively cherry festivals.

If you stop to admire and compliment the trees you may very well find a  full bag being placed in your arms by a proud farmer. Delicious!

Estate ~ Summer

As the days grow warmer and the nights longer, local sagres, festivals dedicated to celebrating a local food speciality, begin to get underway and continue all summer into the early autumn. Eating, dancing and socializing last well into the night.

The basil, oregano, thyme are getting bigger and the endless varieties of tomato riper. People are firing up their pizza ovens to create fresh from the garden pizza. Sooo good.

The middle of summer can get quite hot and trips to the lago or the beach are a refreshing treat. Fig trees produce their succulent fruit and watermelons are getting ready to sweeten the end of a meal.

The grapevines are lush. The olives are growing, and the green hills of spring time have turned into a thousand shades of amber. 

Starting August 15th is Ferragusto - the start of Italian vacation time to travel and to be with friends and family. A good two weeks at least to let the food grow and take a rest before harvest.

Autunno ~ Autumn

The sagres live on at night and move toward autumn bounties. Castagna ~ chestnuts and cinghiale ~ wild boar dishes abound. Though the heat has lessened there are still glorious warm days for the beach and colorful long walks through the hills. Nature is offering an array of warm red, orange and yellow hues. 

The orto still has much to offer in September and women begin canning tomatoes for winter sauce, and fruits for winter jam.

As September leads into October, the vineyard grapes are ready for harvesting, pressing to turn into the delicious local wine.

Next are the olives to shake from the trees and press for oil. Simply the best!

November yields more chestnuts for gathering, the hazelnut trees are full, and truffle hunting in the woods is in full swing.

November and December bring designated cinghiale hunting weekends to keep down the population of the local wild boar and fill the savory winter stewpots.

Inverno ~ Winter

December begins the season of festivals dedicated to the many saints of Italy. There are fairs, winter markets, Christmas decorations, lights and religious festivals. The harvest is over.

The people have worked hard and it is time to gather wood and gather round the table.

Moving into January and February the air continues to cool and the winter rains return the straw colored hills of summer back to a rich green. It seldom snows, but when it does the little hilltop villages stand out casting their shadows over the rolling fields of white.

It is the time when the land is resting.

It will take some time for us all to travel again, but the steadfastness of the seasons is a reassuring reminder of what endures. 

Rejoice in the season and keep safe!