We go to the beach

'rustico' at dawn

rustico

rustico

We got up early on Tuesday and left about 6 to go and sketch this little 'rustico' or rustic farmhouse. Abandoned and empty the farmer plows the field nearly to the walls of it. The little add on to the left was probably for animals or tractor or even just storage. The main entrance is up some steps on the right hand side, now overgrown with vines.

As you can see from the series of photos the light changed quite rapidly.

Jana's garden

When it warmed up we went back to the Retreat and had breakfast. Jana has a lovely garden just outside the studio and the bedrooms. Jana claims she is not a gardener and that she believes that whether the plants live or die is their own choice, she just sticks them in the ground and they go their own way. The lavender grows luxuriantly all about as do several other herbs and roses.

pink rose in Jana's garden

blue flowered herb

John and Jana have two cats that Jana found on the road last year, along with two dogs. Here Chester the dog tries to get in on the cats play.

the beach at Pesaro

After breakfast we rode with Jana and the girls to Pesaro, a seaside town. Here Jana had rented us 'sunbeds'. The Adriatic was much warmer than I expected. I had some bad sinus issues and wasn't very energetic; mostly laying about in the shade. Although I did take a dip in the ocean. The water is pretty shallow for quite a ways out, just up to my waist or so.

There is of course a fortification up on the hill above the beach and we were tempted to go have a look, but everyone was very tired, especially the children, so we decided to go another day and just came back to the Retreat.

Little Ivy enjoys the beach.