LIFE IN UMBRIA (MONTEFALCO MEMORIES)

not many words in this post,

but about a million pictures

& a zillion memories behind them

from a week in the small Umbrian hilltop town

of Montefalco last summer.

a glimpse of the piazza above

turned into that fantasy setting

for velvety Italian evenings,

people gathered for a spritz 

before dinner,

while dark-haired, chocolate-eyed children

dart around on the square.

it's where we headed every night.

our home was down this little vicolo

about two minutes from the piazza.

the stone walls hid a simple, charming paradise.

after a week in Tuscany,

we loved the slightly more authentic vibe,

less tourists,

living more like locals.

x

all images shot in Montefalco.

MONTH OF THE WILD FOLK

At last came the golden month⁣
of the wild folk⁣
~ honey-sweet May, ⁣
& the flowers come out, ⁣
& the air is full of the sunrise scents ⁣
& songs of the dawning year.⁣
⁣
Samuel Scoville Jr., Wild Folk⁣

from a spring shoot yesterday,

model: Anastasiia Lokkila

LIGHTLY

Easter break.

we've been taking it slowly,

eating well,

overdosing on chocolate.

an excursion to the sleepy town of Loviisa

with its rows of wooden houses.

Ali Smith's Spring

on the go. 

and catching up on Unforgotten

with Nicola Walker

~ she has a fan right here. 

beyond this little holiday bubble 

I'm happily cocooning in right now,

 things do seem in balance.

after a tough start to the year,

now a nice amount of work

without the stress.

a clear head

after a flu of a lifetime.

 so much LIGHT!

a date scribbled in the calendar 

for a creative shoot

that's all beauty

and about pursuing a dream of my own. 

I can easily beat myself up

for not pursuing my own thing enough,

but I'm learning to take that lightly, too.

the small steps taken with joy

leading wherever they should. 

just as long as they don't get forgotten along the way. 

“It’s dark because you are trying too hard. 

Lightly child, lightly. 

Learn to do everything lightly. 

Yes, feel lightly 

even though you’re feeling deeply. 

Just lightly let things happen 

and lightly cope with them... 

...So throw away your baggage 

and go forward. 

There are quicksands all about you, 

sucking at your feet, 

trying to suck you down 

into fear and self-pity and despair. 

That’s why you must walk so lightly. 

Lightly my darling, 

on tiptoes and no luggage, 

not even a sponge bag, 

completely unencumbered.”

― Aldous Huxley, Island

With light,

lightly... 

x

AU NATUREL

well hello again, light & life.

that's what it feels like

on this quiet Friday afternoon

when a fever has subsided

& the flu taken a more mellow form. 

today, my lens seeking 

natural tones & forms,

the body a slow pace,

the mind some rest. 

with these,

I wish you a light-filled weekend.

x

DEAR SPRING

... I'm ready

for your new winds to blow,

 listen attentively

to your soft call,

 stop,

take heed,

get lost in wonder.

"It is spring again.

The earth is like a child

that knows poems by heart."

~Rainer Maria Rilke

x

SEASIDE SLUMBER

oh boy

has it been a while

since I've shown my face over here.

despite my best New Year's intentions

not to get too swallowed up in work,

I got gulped right down...

but I'm resurfacing.

last weekend we gathered our little family

& headed over to a sleepy seaside town

on the south coast.

the air was thick

in mist, drizzle & hanging clouds

as we walked

around the area of villas

still deep in slumber.

we had a swim

at a newly-opened spa,

where the vast windows 

opening towards the endless grey sea & sky

made the swim in the soft water of the indoor pool

feel like you were part of infinity. 

dinner in a quiet, candlelit restaurant

feasting on delicious local harvests

rounded it all off.

I swear I left kilos of stress

right there on those silent beaches

ready to hitch the next wave.

good riddance I say.

ready for fresh winds.

x

all images shot in Hanko last weekend.

P.S. There seems to be an issue

with commenting right now.

I'll look into it! 

FEBRUARY FLOWERS

it's 3.30 pm.

i just made the bed.

holiday mode.

yesterday my daughter & I

did a shop crawl.

she picked out decorations 

for her birthday party,

i went a little mad

in the flower shops.

had to finish off

with coffee,

hot chocolate

& cake of course.

it's been a week 

of not doing much of anything,

which has felt like everything right now.

it's cold,

but the light that floods in

whispers s p r i n g.

i'm sensing vibrancy in the air

that's opening up the senses.

tomorrow it's time for a sleepover party.

she'll be thirteen

& i can't quite believe it.

for me,

a few more days of relishing

the light,

the flowers,

the coffee that overflows,

pages of a book 

that beckon. 

wishing you a lovely weekend!

x