They loved Toscana. How could one not? Between the food and wine, the Crete Senesi and Val d’Orcia (two famous valleys), the landscape with castle-topped tors and Medieval “cities” dripping down steep hillsides, there is no chance of mistaking this for other parts of the world.

I poked my head in one door looking for someone. Alessia’s familar face appeared, and she reconized me, too.

“Did you get my e-mail?” she asked.

“Yes, but I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.”

“Let me have a few minutes, and I will be back.”

But it was time to head to the hills. There is a classic Tuscan scene that everyone loves to photograph. We stopped at the location so everyone could see the layout, but the light was not yet right. We knew it wouldn’t be, but it gave us time to visit a wine and olive farm and make some photos there. Pierro remembered us from our last visit, and the family welcomed this group, too.

In the shade of a terrace, I found these