4CarpenterHouse

       We returned the favor of hosting as the Jackson's flew down from Northern Italy.  We had fantastic weather that long weekend and showed them some of our local sites.    We showed them some of our local places, Catania, Taormina and the little towns we spent most of our time in.    The kids having gelato in the main square in Taormina.      Took a quick visit of the Taormina amphitheater     We had lunch at one of our favorite winery close to Taormina.  Really nice meal with wine, looking forward to going back.   We got a tour of their new winery facility.     We attended our last Seabee ball with Deanna being on active duty.  No saying there might be one someday down the road, but it better be casual dress code.  Marks suit that he got married in and used for the Seabee balls over the last 20 years in now at the thrift sto...

      Mark and few friends took a trip out to the beaches of Southern Sicily to visit where operation Husky happen during World War 2. On July 9/10 1943, Americans, British and Canadians invaded the island of Sicily to drive out the Germans and Italians forces giving the allies a foothold into Europe. The beach landing site in Gela. The town of Gela. One of the many pill boxes in the "Valley of death"      We stopped at the battle site for the Dirillo river.  It was an important site due to a bridge that needed to be taken from the Italians and Germans.  There are many pillboxes and gun emplacements all over the island but few have bullets holes on them such as this one. Looking out over the river and bridge from one of the pillboxes. The boy's having fun.    The property owner who is in his late seventies met us and gave us a tour and showed pictures from his family of the...

            We returned to Tuscany in early January to visit some of the towns, cities and wonderful countryside.  We were able to fly directly to Pisa and then by rental car strike out and explore.  We had good weather for this time of the year, cold and windy, but no rain and about ten minutes of snow.  San Gimignano in the distance.  We rented a apartment just outside of San Gimignano and used it as jumping off point for other places to visit. Laurel out exploring the town. Church in San Gimignano  Kestrel out with dad on a morning walk around the town. Main gate into the old town.      Wild pigs  ( Cinghiale ) we spotted on our drive through the countryside.  These were being raised to supply meat for the locals.  We had it several times and it is delicious. Siena  on one of our daily outings.  The duomo in Siena, one of the nicest ...