Cherry House B&B

One of the joys of living in Italy is that we are constantly learning new things. Over the past couple of months due to an enquiry regarding our property Casa Marzana (which we are trying to sell) we have been learning a great deal about truffles. Our PP (Prospective Purchaser) was interested in starting a truffle farm on our land and arranged to have soil tests done to assess its suitability for growing truffles. We became very involved with the process and certainly more knowledgeable. However, as much as we enjoyed surveying our property with the agronomist and observing how the soil samples were taken and seeing him continually shaking his head, it was not to be. Our soil, thick and full of clay is great for growing lush green grass- every cow’s delight, but it definitely is not suitable for growing truffles. A truffle plantation - trees can be various types of oaks and hazlenut The friendly agronomist and his truffle expert companion suggested taking the PP to visit an

Two Countries, Two Wars - Celebrating Anzac Day and Liberation Day on  25 April Celebrating ANZAC Day has always been an important date of remembrance in Australia, not only honouring those who served but also celebrating the first time that Australian and New Zealand armed forces marched off to war in 1914 under their own flags, instead of that of the United Kingdom. For Italy the twenty fifth of April is also a very important day as the country celebrates Liberation Day – the end of the Fascist regime and the Nazi occupation, the end of the Italian Civil war plus the victory of the Resistance movement. In both countries it is a public holiday and in all the large cities, smaller towns and hamlets it is a day of remembrance of those who lost their lives during both WW1 and WW2. As a ‘new’ Australian child growing up in Perth, Western Australia, I remember learning all about ANZAC Day and the story of Simpson and his donkey and his amazing courage. Each year we were

Make the most of your Italian holiday experience – an opportunity to experience the uniqueness that is Italy, two very different, yet personal visits to opposite ends of this enchanting country. Stay with us, David and Winnifred, at Cherry House in Italy BnB in the Appennine Modenese, an hour from the elegant city of Modena in the region of Emilia Romagna. Savour the crisp, clear mountain air, the mountain foods and local wines. Then travel to the warmth of Puglia in the far south of Italy to stay with Valentina, at her late grandfather’s house, Casa dell’ Arte Veglia , in Salento, near the sea and the beautiful capital city of Lecce. Each location offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in distinctly different aspects of Italy, its local history, culture, foods and wines. Located in the small town of Polinago, facing majestic Mt Cimone, Cherry House BnB offers a relaxed and quiet location with the opportunity to hike ancient paths, take leisurely walks along quiet

After l iving in Polinago for  almost eight years, there still remain   new discoveries to be made. For a small town I never cease to be amazed with the number of different things which one doesn't necessarily know about, and certainly aren't widely advertised. The other day was a case in point. Last year as I was helping on the refreshment stand for the annual Panoramic Trail Fun Run, one of the other volunteers whom I had seen and nodded to over the years, approached me and asked if I would like to visit his family Balsameri (a distillery for making balsamic vinegar) in Gombola. Over time we  have driven through Gombola, part of the Territory of Polinago, at least several times a month and I had never seen any evidence whatsoever, or heard about a balsameria located there. Due to one thing and another, David and I finally had the opportunity to take up William Facchini's invitation and yesterday afternoon we paid a visit. It was obvious why we had never seen it as th