Exploring the Chianti countryside

Another stop on our tour of the Chianti region was at the terra cotta workshop of Sergio Ricceri.

Sergia Ricceri throwing a pot.

Here we learned about the high quality of clay in this region, which produces superior terra cotta pots and decorative items. I was attracted to the planters decorated with lemons and also the roosters.

Sergio’s works are available directly from him (and several people in my group ordered pieces which he shipped–and they arrived perfectly intact).

These three pictures are from Sergio’s website; the painted pieces are hand-painted.

Picture from Sergio’s website.

As we left Sergio’s workshop, the sun was setting, and everywhere we looked, the sky was vibrant pink.

French doors

I often notice doors when I travel, the color or size or ornamentation. Here are some I noticed while traveling around France on my Overseas Adventure Travel (O.A.T.) tour.

This door in Barbizon caught my eye because it was set back into the building and because of the carvings.

Neighbors in LeMans

LeMans door with elaborate carving.

A wide, squat door in Angers

In Lyon, sometimes the door caught my eye, but more often it was the decorative work above the door that entranced me.

Red doors on churches often catch my eye. The one on the left is in Paris and the one on the right is in Bayeux.

Purple is my favorite color, so the doors to this church in Sarlat won my heart.

Thinking of the Cotswolds

I visited Chipping Campden at the northern edge of the Cotswolds a few years ago. I loved Hidcote Garden–and I loved the gardens and flower baskets I passed walking down the streets, the thatched roofs and the distinctive doors.

The Old School House door