Springtime at Mr. Ciccone's...Paradiso!

What could be better than hanging out with Mr. Ciccone on a beautiful spring morning?

My friend and mentor, Giovanni Ciccone.

Garlic planted last fall will be ready to harvest in July.

His grape vines are beginning to leaf out. He has the most extensive grape arbor I’ve ever seen with thousands of grapes in the fall.

He showed me this old plow. I remember my grandfather using one of these.

His father made this cane many years ago. The photo doesn’t do it justice. It’s a work of art!

The apple orchard is in bloom.

The blossoms were so fragrant.

I found this Burdock plant growing behind the garage. Many Italians forage for the flower stalks of this edible wild ‘cardoon’ in the springtime. It has a taste similar to artichokes.

Mr. Ciccone explained that this sieve was used to sift small stones out of soil when fine soil was needed for starting seeds.

…and La Madonna watches over it all.