The Sun Sets on 2009

Goodbye 2009! You were a good year and I will have fond memories of you! Thanks for all you offered me, my family and friends!

Mystery Revealed, 6

Yesterday's "mystery photo" showed a detail of this antique plow, which is on display at the entry to the Pirro Agriturismo.
At least, I think it's a plow... Well, plow is my best guess!

Here's the whole thing. What do you say? Is it a plow?

Mystery Photo, 6

Every once in a while, I like to play "Mystery Photo." This photo was taken at the Pirro Agriturismo and shows a detail of something larger. Take a guess, what do you think it is?

Pirro Agriturismo, 3

Red hot chili peppers drying in the barn rafters.

Pirro Agriturismo, 2

Here are some views of the agriturismo and the landscape that surrounds it.


This area is known as the Tavoliere delle Puglie.


It is located north of Molfetta near Foggia.

A "tavoliere" is a large, flat area of plains. The Tavoliere delle Puglie is the second largest plain in Italy and is a fertile agricultural region.

The Pirro Agriturismo is located just outside the historical town of Troia.

Pirro Agriturismo

The Pirro family runs an "agriturismo," or restaurant/inn, on their farm. My family and I spent the 24th and 25th there with my husband's family. There are 16 of us in the immediate family, plus the Pirro's as they are extended family of ours. Let me explain the relationship...so, my husband's sister's husband's sister married Ponziano Pirro (did you get that?) and his sons now run the farm/agriturismo.

Buon Natale

Buon Natale a tutti!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Merry Christmas from Molfetta

Buon Natale a tutti!

Osteria

This small restaurant is located in the historical centre of town on Via Piazza. I took this photo through the glass of the front door. What you see is what you get, the photo shows the entire establishment and its four tables.

Duomo

This is one of the twin towers on Molfetta's Duomo (or cathedral) taken from the rear of the church. The church is in the old town and the streets are so narrow that the wall of the building I was backed up against to take this shot has snuck into the photo.

Renault 4

An old car is parked on an even older street, Via Mammone, in Molfetta's historical center.

A "mammone" is a mommy's boy or also a sort of mythical monster. Not sure what they had in mind when they named the street...

City Hall

Detail of the entryway into the Town Council chambers in Piazza Municipio, in the old town.

Lean on Me

...when you're not strong

And I'll be your friend

I'll help you carry on

For it won't be long

'Til I'm gonna need

Somebody to lean on

(lyrics by Bill Withers)

photo taken in Molfetta's historic center

Stone Carving

This face is carved on the rear wall of the Duomo, Molfetta's first cathedral, built in the 1100s.

Molfettans of Note

The walls of the City Hall Board Room are lined with portraits of important men from Molfetta's past. Above we can see His Excellency Lieutenant General Gaetano Pastore, 1778-1849.
Here we have General Giuseppe Eugenio Poli, 1898-1967.

This fellow is another member of the Poli family, local nobility. He seems to have been a scholar of Italian and Foreign literature in the 1800s.

Book Signing

Molfettan artist Vittoria Facchini signs copies of her book "La Santa Allegrezza" after it was presented at City Hall last Saturday evening. Facchini is a successful writer and illustrator of children's books and advertising campaigns and she has designed a line of household objects decorated with her art. Her work has won international awards.

Santa Allegrezza

The "Santa Allegrezza" is the traditional Molfettan Christmas song. A series of events has been planned around the song this weekend. Last night an illustrated book of the song's lyrics was presented at city hall, followed by an exhibit of the original paintings, by local artist Vittoria Facchini, in the old town.

This video is of terrible quality, but at least you can hear the song...

Monthly Theme Day: Waiting

Waiting for the storm...

The first day of each month is Theme Day in the City Daily Photo community. This month's theme is "Waiting." Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Fall Leaves

Very little in the way of red autumn leaves can be found around here, but we do get some nice yellows.

Dusk

Where does the sea end and the sky begin?

Yellow Box

I wouldn't lean on that railing if I were you!

Life has been getting in the way of my blogging recently. Don't you just hate it when that happens? I do hope some of those annoying family-work-social life obligations will ease up so I can get back to taking some photos!

Olive Harvest

It's the olive harvesting season in Molfetta and all of the olive groves around town are filled with people beating, shaking or raking their trees to get the olives down. The fellow in this photo is beating the branches with a long pole. The olives fall down onto the large green nets which are used to carry them to a truck. After all the olives have been harvested, they are taken to a mill to be pressed for delicious extra virgin olive oil.

Last year I photographed the pressing process. Take a look here.

Monthly Theme Day: Doorways

The entrance to the Crusader's Hospital at the Church of the Madonna dei Martiri. For more information on this church, click here. This "hospital" is now used as a gallery space.

The first day of each month is Theme Day in the City Daily Photo community. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

Guardia Costieria

The Coast Guard office on Molfetta's harbour is located next to the Duomo.

Overpass

Molfetta is cut through the middle by the north-south bound train tracks. In the past, to get from one side of town to the other meant waiting at one of the many crossings for the train to go by and the barriers to lift. Over the years, these crossings have all been closed and replaced by under and overpasses. The largest and most spectacular of these links Via 25 Aprile with Via Enrico Berlinguer.

I shot this photo while driving over this overpass which everyone refers to as "the Big Bridge."

At the Rainbow's End

At the end of this rainbow lies the cathedral of Giovinazzo.

The Silver Lining

Can you see the rainbow peeking through the dark clouds?

Reflections on a Rainy Day

The chairs meet to debate on whether summer is really, in fact, quite over and if, perhaps, it would be best to retreat into the garage until spring.

Torre Gavetone Beach Reefs

This photo, which shows the area of Torre Gavetone beach just to the left of the tower, is one that I didn't plan on posting, but some of the questions that came up in yesterday's comments made me think that this shot might be helpful for understanding what "the beach" is like in Molfetta. There's no sand, just rocky reefs. Sunbathers try to find the flattest spot to lie down on and many people bring bamboo mats to try to get somewhat comfy. Sounds miserable if you aren't accustomed to it, I know. But Molfettans hate sand. They think it's dirty and annoying...give them a rocky reef any day!

Today it's pouring down rain here. No chance for sunbathing or swimming in the sea today!

Torre Gavetone

Torre Gavetone was built on the reefs along the Adriatic Sea just to the south of town during the Second World War as a munitions deposit and look-out tower.

Windy Days

Another period without adsl or phone line...ugh! In the meantime, we have had some very cold and windy weather here in Molfetta.

A Fat Plant

This succulent grows along the shores of the Adriatic, poking up between the rocks. In Italian, succulents are called "piante grasse" which translates literally as "fat plants."

Molfettan Faces - Mauro

Mauro is the caretaker at the Circolo Nautico Ippocampo, one of the docks for pleasure crafts in Molfetta. Here he is cleaning mussels fished right off the dock.

Port View

Here's a peaceful image and a wish that you all have a peaceful Sunday.

Torre Gavetone Beach

The Torre Gavetone beach is considered by many to be the nicest free beach in town. The water is almost always clean and transparent. The only problem is the rumor that a WWII ship carrying bombs and other arms was sunk just off the coast here. Children find old metal fuses under the rocks...

But, let's not dwell on these unpleasant thoughts! Let's just envy this fellow working on his tan at the beach at 4 o'clock in the afternoon in mid-October!

Pistacchio Green

...and a supporter of the Bari Soccer team. I think the sticker kind of ruins the scooter. What do you think?

Bomba Banzai

Seen on a border wall of the Parco di Ponente along Via Giacomo de' Medici.

Parking Garage

A detail of the gate to a parking garage on Vico Dodicesimo Madonna dei Martiri.

Conversano - Cathedral of Saint Benedict

Stone lions guard the main entrance to the Church of Saint Benedict, Conversano's cathedral.

Conversano - Historic Center