4CarpenterHouse

    We had a free Saturday without kids to return to one of our favorite wineries in Sicily.  We were there early last spring and yesterday we returned for a fall lunch with a new group of friends to experience one of the oldest winery on the island.  We had beautiful fall weather with Etna smoking above us during lunch. Mark and Deanna overlooking the vineyard and countyside.  Etna smoking away, she has been busy the last few days.  The girls happy to be out of the car and into the sun.        Alfonso was our tour guide to the winery.  We had him last spring and strangely enough he remembered Mark ( total joke most tour guides remember Mark).  He walked us threw the operation of the winery and gave us a nice tour of their process to make their wines. After the tour we were seated for a tasting of five wines and a nice lunch. Antipasta course. Past...

      We were able to visit a well known historic site that has the best preserved Roman mosaics.  Fun trip, went with new friends and had a picnic in the parking lot.  Its off season for the large crowds of tourists, but there were small groups of French, German, Italians and us enjoying the day. Kestrel and Laurel finishing up lunch.  The ever helpful Laurel, she is enjoying the new little ones in our neighborhood. Amazing site, huge and well preserved.  About a hour and half drive from our house.  Just amazing how big the villa is and every bit of floor has or had mosaics on it.  What saved this site from looters and damage was it was found in the 1930s and protected.  Dad and Kestrel having some time together.  Kestrel is such a gentle soul who is smart and has a good sense of humor. The Carpenter family, everyone is health and happy.  The girls are growing up...

    We escaped to Malta for the Columbus weekend.  Malta is a easy 30 minute flight from Catania and we have been saving it for a long weekend and for October due to its longer beach season.  We found it enjoyable and had a good time there.  The sea water was still warm and had quite the time visiting with retired English people who winter there.  Someone said its " like Florida but full of English"     We spent time at the ocean that was still warm enough to swim and visited a few surrounding towns. Early morning St Paul's bay.  A little rocky cove below our apartment that we visited in the morning for a swim.  Laurel and Deanna.  Kestrel posing before jumping in.  Laurel waiting on dad to bring some type of treasure back (rocks, sea urchins, shells)  Mark and Laurel. Mdina, a small walled hill town that we wandered through and enjoyed lunch at. After looking for a place to eat...