Simone - on the right - with his mate Salvatore
Simone is one of our favourite people in Ponte a Serraglio. He is the first to offer a friendly smile and a helping hand if you need it.
As well as a full time job that involves shift work, he works constantly in his garden, growing vegetables and fruit and chopping wood for the winter fires he shares with his Mum and sister.
the entrance to Simone's garden
This was also the entrance to the road/track up to Lugliano in years past.
He invited me to visit his garden to see what is growing. I took on the role of mountain goat and headed up the side of a very steep hill. Simone is as brown as a berry from working in the sun all summer. He is also quite strong, which came in handy as I needed to be hauled up to the highest part of the garden.
a very ripe fig
nespole
the last of the summer strawberries
a salad plant that grows wild in the rock walls
a marrow of some kind
Simone’s brother arrived at this point and announced, in English, that the vegetable was “beautiful”. I would have to agree.
the view from high in the garden
wood for winter
Simone is also a bit of a collector and his house is full of things he has gathered in his wanderings around the village.
part of his collection