Buongiorno!

Now that the information is officially published to everyone we also want to share the secret that we were keeping. As told previously, our dear friends Stina and Lari visited us, and this visit was their honeymoon! Our friends got secretly married before coming to Rome and their wish was to celebrate the event calmly. So when arriving on the Rome Fiumicino airport we greeted them this way:

Wedding photos we shoot around the Colosseo, look at this beautiful couple!

They stayed in Castelletto, in the "Yellow room":

We want to thank you for your lovely visit and wish you love&happiness for future <3 Come back soon, we are waiting for you...

All of Elina's family has now visited us here, since Mother, Satu and Roni also came two weeks ago. Here mother and Satu are on the beach of Lago Albano...

...when in the meanwhile Jan&Roni stayed in the Lake:

The next photo is dedicated for Jaska, because you were asking if it is possible to hang-glide by the lake. The photo is not very sharp for the distance, but if you look carefully you may spot the hang-gliders above the trees:

Elina has finally won her fear of driving here and is now equally speedy driver with the Italians! Driving with mother=not lacking sound-effects ;)

This week we had the night of San Lorenzo, the night of the shooting stars. According to Italian folklore it is the night when dreams come true. Don't know if the dreams will come true but at least it is a fact that in the beginning of August you may see numerous shooting stars at once on the night sky.

On the 15th August is also another celebration, Ferragosto. Nowadays it is a Catholic feast but originally it was a celebration of the middle of the summer and the end of the hard labour in the fields. The Romans have escaped the city, as August is the month for holidays, and usually gather to celebrate Ferragosto on the beaches or mountains. There are big beach parties for young people but also concerts and other activities for those who are interested on more peaceful ways of celebration.

This photo is taken by Stina from our neighbouring village, Marino. It is a very charming little town that has its own wine, and in September there is held a large wine-festival. During the festival the main fountain in the centre of Marino is filled with wine, and people may come and enjoy it :) How would such fountain work in Finland?

On Mondays we have a big big out-door market here in Grottaferrata. Suppose it is possible to buy almost anything from there, and with very small money. Clothes, shoes, food, handbags, equipment for cleaning, jewellery. This man was selling vegetables there a week ago:

As mentioned before, we have used herbs from our garden only: basilica, rosmarin, salvia, melissa...they are growing a lot, as is everything in the garden. Now we are experimenting the chilis. Here drying those:

In general, the house is not ready yet but it is getting in a form that pleases us. The three guest rooms are ready, so we are now able to take more guests at the same time. The people who have visited Castelletto have said that the atmosphere here is relaxing and the cosy decoration makes it even more relaxing. We have aimed making this a place where no one needs to strech themselves behind tense or formal behaviour. We wish Castelletto will become a place that could be called a home away from home.
Riitta lives in the third floor. The following photo is taken from the second floor balcony towards Riitta's window and balcony.

And the next photo is taken by Riitta from her balcony. More and less active fixing of the banisters on the second floor balcony (it is done now ;)