- Michelle's Shop with Daniella, Gloria and Colleen
- Enrico reluctantly lets his picture be taken.
- Anna with the Warmest Welcome
- Matteo and supplier tending business at the grocery
Michelle, the butcher was closed much of the time I was in Piegaro while he was on vacation, but made up for it with his gracious, warm presence as I went with Colleen as she shopped for a meal to be shared with Villa guests. He artfully carved the meat to a sweet thin slice that would melt in the mouth and in a way that no meat cutter, only a true butcher could master. All the while he was greeting the constant flow of people who entered his shop for their daily meats, or one for daily meets, just to visit. On my last, sad morning in Piegaro before I left Michelle was one of the 3 people who purchased part of my breakfast at Caffe Via Roma, I was truly touched by his warmth and generosity.
His next door neighbors are Anna and Enrico a delightful couple who operate adjoining businesses, a flower shop and a news/magazine shop. At any given time, other than siesta of course, you will find one or both attending the shops and doing their best to help out even the most crazy American visitor. Anna's shop is always perfumed with the most beautiful live flowers and cut flowers, and if you really want to see some amazing crafting of bouquets, just wander past the shop on Domenica dell'Ascensione as Anna prepared flowers for baptisms, confirmations and weddings. Anna can best be described as a person who truly throws herself into everything, whether exuberant welcomes, or the crafting of beautiful bouquets, all is done with great flourish and wholeness of heart. Anna lives large! By contrast her husband Enrico is quiet, patient, and so shyly helpful that no matter what one asks for and the length of time it takes to translate/figure out what this crazy American is asking for, he's with you doing the best he can, with a sweet smile.
Finally in this little cluster of shops is the grocer, Matteo. Matteo has movie star good looks who seemed to have a wonderful knack of stumbling into my path at several points in my journey in Piegaro. After our initial meeting when Colleen was giving me the village tour, I literally ran into Matteo as he was heading to the shop, apparently late one morning and I was wandering about taking a morning walk. The next encounter was quite humorous as Colleen sent me off to get Carrots, and I didn't know what they were called in Italian and could not find them with the fresh veggies. "Carrots?" I asked, "Carrots?" he questioned back....."nyaaa What's up Doc" I said doing my best Bugs Bunny impersonation. "Ah, Carote" and he found a very Trader Joe's package of the orange delicacies for me. I think that established my street cred as a weirdo, and I truly appreciated that he always seemed amused after that...perhaps waiting for another imitation...hmmmm perhaps next year I pull out Mickey Mouse for something, except I know Formage ???
Finally something that touched my heart in the center of old town was the amazing Museo Del Vetrio, the Museum of Glass. Piegaro has been a glass town since the 13th century, with a rich tradition of bottle making. In the last few years they have opened this wonderful museum, but my understanding it came to life under the leadership of their new curator, Chiara. We entered the museum on Mother's Day, with the children outside selling their glass wares, made in classes taught at the museum, and others selling Italian traditional azaleas as a breast cancer fundraiser. Wow, great community builder before stepping into the building! But once inside the building there was a wonderful array of historical displays mixed with art created from the village glass to artfully presented arrangements of glass. The museum is a place of education, community and beauty, truly one of the best "industrial" museums I have ever seen. When I mentioned how wonderful it is, and that she is a great curator, Chiara blushed and said, "I am blessed to be able to do the work I studied for and love." Truly blessed are all who get to experience this place, and Chiara's blessing is ours as well.
So ends the blogs on the people of Piegaro, it ends where it started, with my deep awareness that the answer to the tourist's question to me in Assisi, "what was the most wonderful thing in Italy for you?" It was, is, and will always be the people, the heart and soul of this country of heart and soul. It is a people rooted in centuries of community, work and worship. It is people who bring beauty to the sacred, and acknowledge the blessings in their lives. It makes me wonder if a country like ours, with such a short history and an average of citizens moving every 3 years, can go as deep into community and relationship. And finally how do we make the most of our spirituality within our culture - in Christian terms, how can we most love God and neighbor - to the fullest in our daily life and in our neighborhood, being the most wonderful thing about our neighborhood, community, city, state and country.
- Museo del Vetro displays over 700 years of glass making in Piegaro
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