Valley Of The Moon Lodge #1959

VISITING MY ITALIAN FAMILY

In 2002 my cousin Rino, kind and intuitive, brought me around to visit family...when I was in Italy in 1962 my father brought me to visit many on his mothers side of the family...Rino brought me to visit my grandfathers side. There were 10 children, which was one of the reasons my grandfather came to this country...

The small town of Azzano Decimo in the Province of Pordenone, was our starting point (at the time 12000, now about 15000. inhabitants)

My grandfather’s home was updated.. there was a gate locked at the entrance and we were unable to visit...
Next there was Adreano. A cousin. He made wine in his basement and prosciutto and a variety of salumi, of which he raised and grew all the ingredients.

Cousin Anna (Anna was the baby I held in my arms 40 years prior) and her husband were cooking on the BBQ ...Italian style...pulling the wood coals under a short grill....

A bakery was one of our stops..Panifico Garbo.

Also a Calzolaio...(shoe repair) when I returned in ‘05 the shoe repair shop was empty of shoes and became a fancy dress shop.

The Paint store had a very busy display, there was no guessing what it sold!

The mail was delivered on motor scooters.

ATM’s always had a guard standing by, no funny business there!

Rino had a birthday while I was visiting...
A typical birthday cake a little different from ours.

In the driveway of my cousins home, a fellow was putting in a stone drive way...he was in the Alpini Mountain Military.

Several cousins lived in very old stucco style homes.

When we had our supper...everyone sat at the table....a table clothe was spread out and bread rolls were set out along the center of the table...a bottle of wine...a bottle of water...oh my, and a bottle of coca cola......and our table ware. Afterward we had expresso. (sometimes with a little grappa added)

In the evenings we would walk to the town square and purchase ice cream and sit and visit.
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It was a time to remember always.
Nothing warms the heart like being with family.
Ciao