We're sheltering in the piazza of the nearby village, to get through the hottest day of the week.
There's a delicious breeze keeping insects and being-boiled-alive at bay, whilst the bustle of school bus, morning caffés and everyone catching up on the gossip goes on in the background. Vincent and I are taking a moment, thinking through how to better navigate these hot times.
The trips to the river had a great recharging effect, and we fantasise about having land closer to waters... Maybe more floods will come, and our land will slide down closer to Il Trigno....
The raging heat inside and out is on the one hand debilatating, and on the other it is somewhat galvanising: this is Real Life after all, and (possibly) not a simulation. There are consequences to all our interactions and creative responses. This is both sobering and liberating.
Not having - or not choosing - to participate in financial systems for the greater part, means we do not just throw money at a challenge: we think-feel-gestate long and hard about every tweak we make - even longer and harder about big decisions.
For this reason we do take significant breaks to realign, cool down, get perpective. It's a core aspect of successful homesteading; working wisely and efficiently, not wasting energy by throwing it around willy-nilly, or trying to force things our way.
Going with The Flow.
All major frictions have to be approached gently here; I'm learning this very slowly. I am super-skilled at operating in emergencies, resolving crises. But stabilising everything on our land/ in our houses/ with our health and happiness long-term - this is another level of embodied wisdom that I have to master.
In the meantime, we continue to Chop Wood And Carry Water, though now we're more Dismantling Wells And Raking Hay. In the couple of hours that we are able to actually move around outside. It is exciting to excavate and reconstruct such a beautiful handmade phenomenon. Makes us feel a part of the environment - integral forces working to keep the elements in harmony with the flora, the fauna and the folk. We can share more about that soon.
The piazza is even fuller now, mid-morning rush of elderly expats, folks between shifts working locally, and the shopkeepers of the piazza, who leave their doors open whilst they pop over to merrily socialise. We meet new faces, chat about the river, and think about shopping for essentials (that can survive in a house temporarily over 35°).
We wish you all well, homesteading or not, in these warmest months: may your local waters be abundant, cool and clean!
With Love!
I think of you two often when the thermometer climbs. Good to find somewhere to cool off. We're fortunate to have a river we can access by rope ladder. With the temperatures here getting up to the low 30s these last few weeks we've have the dogs down there every day.
( A nearby river with a ) rope ladder? that sounds pretty cool!
Now I wonder, do the dogs climb that ladder too? 🐩🐾🪜💦
Hahaha. No they can climb down easily with their four legs, while two-legged geriatrics like me need to use a rope we've tied onto a tree stump.
Hahaha! I get it.
I would love to see a photo of that rope 'ladder' :^)
Hahah. ok, when I said rope ladder I meant a piece of rope tied into a tree that you hold onto as you climb down backwards.
Ahhhhhh - looks gorgeous, dear @deirdyweirdy ! We will manifest more water here, in time... 😋🤗💙💙💙💙 Or dig for it 💪💪💪💪
It is so warm here too, and I’ve mostly been outdoors pottering about with my plants, flowers, berries, etc. You are lucky to have a river nearby, it looks really cool and refreshing. Have a lovely day! 🌸💕
This part made me chuckle ( like the young woman in Project Runway who sounds like a donkey being kicked up the billen ).
Let's do it the other way around instead, reverse gravity and bring the Trigno towards us.
🐟🩳🩱💦
Always thinking out of the box, my Beloved Lieverdste - good idea: let's do that.
🤗💙💪
You know it, schatje.
After having had to start the first month of my life inside a box (incubator), I have had more than enough of being boxed in, in any kind of way.
Sending you Ecency curation votes.😉
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It's been pretty hot here this summer too.. many days over 100° F
#hive #posh
Excellent topic. I live in Italy, and the Po River is generally considered Italy's most important river and, without a doubt, its longest. Currently (mid-July 2026), the situation of the Po River is considered worrying, especially due to the combination of intense heat and low rainfall. We're not yet at the extreme emergency levels of 2022 (very worrying levels), but experts believe the situation is delicate. If widespread and abundant rainfall doesn't arrive in the coming weeks, further restrictions on water use may become necessary, especially for agricultural irrigation. I've noticed that summers are getting hotter.
Well we never used to live with air con. Finding creative solutions is where it's at. And it's super hibernation, no? Wet sheets in the doorway to catch the breeze. Working in the dawn, sleeping in the day. I wish you had a river on your land too. Something cold for hot bodies. X