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Our first medical emergency in Ripatransone
What should you do if you suffer an medical emergency while staying in Ripatransone? Our hilltop village provides excellent medical care!
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Unforgettable stories from the Villa Santi water tap
In the first year, living off-grid, we had one huge problem: no running water. So, a daily routine to the local water tap in Villa Santi started as a survival necessity, but soon became the stories of our lives.
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How to Pronounce ‘Le Marche’ (And Why Its Name is Secretly a History Lesson)
How to pronounce Le Marche? Because of how it is spelled, English speakers often default to a French-style pronunciation, saying something like “Le Marsh”. In Italian, it is pronounced [leh ˌmarkeh].
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What do the signs at the entrance of Ripatransone really mean?
When we first arrived in Ripatransone, it felt like Ripatransone was collecting titles! We wondered: what do these actually mean? Are they just clever marketing, or is there real proof behind the promise?
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Everyone has a Panda
If you’ve ever driven through the winding, gravity-defying hills of Italy, you already know the unwritten rule of the Italian countryside: everyone has a Panda.
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Planting our bee meadow on Italian clay
Instead of a wild flower mix for our bees, we designed a bee island using a zoning and routing method. We wanted the plants to not compete for the little water available and to support the daily work of our bees.
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Finding the perfect beehive site
How do you choose the location for your first beehive on a slope? When we first looked at the map of our land, we identified a few logical spots for our apiary. However, .. we quickly learned that there is a significant difference between a theoretical “good spot” on a paper map and the practical…
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Italy’s best sunset (according to us)
Do you wonder what to do in Ripatransone? For us, the most spectacular experience doesn’t cost a cent and happens every single evening right here at HOMESTEAD HILL. It is easily one of the top 10 things to experience in Ripatransone. Sunset. Sunset at Homestead Hill is characterized by its many layers. From our hill,…
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Wild neighbours caught on camera!
We’ve installed several wildlife cameras across the property. These motion-activated lenses have captured a world that we rarely see live.
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Learning Italian at 50: When Your Uncle Becomes a Backpack
The funniest part of learning a language later in life isn’t the grammar—it’s the accidental comedy. We chose to learn online via Preply, and honestly, it’s the most fun we’ve had as a family.
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A Summer Guide to the Riviera delle Palme
At Homestead Hill, our morning view is defined by the mountains. It’s the first we see when we wake up. However, because the coast is so incredibly close, we often find ourselves leading a double life. Just as the sky begins to turn a dusty pink, we’ll take a ride to catch the sunrise in…
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Sparks are flying: The Cavallo di Fuoco in Ripatransone
Did you know that Ripatransone hosts one of Italy’s most fiery traditions? Literally! The weekend after Easter, we joined the local crowds for the Ottava di Pasqua (the Sunday after Easter) to witness the legendary Cavallo di Fuoco.
