Cortona- Everyday Things

Is this the last day for photographs fromCortona?  Possibly, but judging by how many I have, I can't promise that.  Most of what you have seen so far are the kinds of pictures all tourists take: landscape, notable architecture, travel companions, special events etc.   I also have a lot of bits and pieces that are indicative of way-of-life in the locale we are visiting.

First, laundry again.  Since I am the one who does our laundry and lots of it is hung up to dry, I admit to a fascination about the way it is done in Italy.  In the photo below, you can see the hardware to which the drying line is attached.  I suspect that laundry is done several times a week since these lines are not very long, but I also think that people who do not have a dryer in house also do not have the wardrobe that most of their tourists have.

D on the far left, DH in the mirror, C in the mirror and seen from the back, as she talks to the mother (far right) of the B&B owner.

A Carnevale mask hung on the wall in Dolce Maria (our B&B).  I found its presence a charming "hats off" to an important time in Italy.

C had told me about the fall decorations often seen outside shops, but we didn't see as many as she expected.  The ones we did see, however, were really attractive.  This one is between the B&B's door and their restaurant's entrance.  I especially liked the combination of fall (pumpkin/gourd) and summer (red flower- nicotiana?).

Although hill towns we visited usually don't permit cars, if there is any way cars can enter the town, residents do drive in.  How they find parking, I don't know.  From my pictures you know that most streets/alleys aren't this wide.

D trekking down to see what was behind that inviting iron gate.  He was disappointed that it led merely to proof of everyday life.  I didn't mind; it makes a good reference photo (figure walking down a hill - note his left foot and the right leg) for my painting/quilting.

And here is another that fits several categories; doorways, windows, reference.  E and I had an exchange of emails recently confirming we both like to have at least a glimmer of human habitation in our paintings (she just sent me a wonderful one of her gleeful grandson on a swing).  The modern bench and the stone one allow me to imagine someone (or ones) sitting and chatting or just enjoying this quiet corner of Cortona.

DH and D looking out at the land below from that wall I mentioned earlier.  Due to the weather, all you really see are the two of them and the wall (the sky is such a light gray with only bit of equally light blue that it isn't highly visible).

An everyday mail box.  How superb!

Unfortunately, none of the postcards I sent from Italy left through this mail slot in the wall.