New beginnings at Sant’ Elia
2023 was a year of us having to make some adjustments, mainly due to Brexit! We now have to plan our projects carefully as we have succumbed to the dreaded 90 out of 180 days stay limitation…just as well Jerry has a love of spreadsheets and records almost every minute of every stay!
Despite this problem we did manage to have another wonderful year at Casa Sant Elia.
Le Marche is still undiscovered and we consider ourselves to be part of the ‘real Italy’, with very few tourists and where very little English is spoken…it’s heaven.
As many of you know, we rent out Casa Sant Elia for a limited time each year, either for holiday rental or events, during which time we meet the most beautiful people. The holiday rental guests came from countries within Europe and also the USA, there isn't anything more rewarding for us than to read the amazing comments they all leave in our guest book.
We’ve continued to plant a tree for every holiday booking, which is the choice of the guests. 2023 saw another Norwegian pine, a fig, which we planted nearer to the vegetable plot, a majestic tulip tree, and a beautiful weeping willow. When we return in February we have both a linden and bitter cherry left to plant.
The summer of 2023 was hot! but with the air conditioning, pool, and correct use of shutters, it remains idyllic, it does mean we have to be up and working outside by 05.30 to beat the sun though!
Unfortunately, due to a very unexpected hail storm we lost our entire grape harvest, the hailstones were so big and fierce that the leaves were shredded and grapes pitted. So, this year they really do need some TLC which gives me even more incentive to ignore the family laughter when I suggest playing the vines some beautiful opera, we are in Italy after all where opera is not only in the soul of Italians it has to be in the terroir too…that’s my excuse anyway.
The weather also had an effect on our olive oil, the production was lower than previous years due to such a wet Spring, but as a local farmer told us “that’s nature”, so I guess we have to work around it.
In September we hosted a group for yoga and A Taste of Italy! It was such a brilliant combination. A yoga practice early morning and evening and between times, visits to local vineyards and restaurants, a true Taste of Italy!
We ended the year back in the UK, where we attended and sold our Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamics at some Christmas Fairs.
These varied from small half day school fairs, to the Cotswold Christmas Fair which lasted three days and was in aid of the Wellchild charity, then finally the beautiful Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market for 18 days.
At each venue we met such lovely people, we do tend to chat a lot! but hearing about people's experiences of Italy and watching their faces as they tasted our olive oil and balsamics was sheer joy.