Cosimo Maria Masini Winery, San Miniato, Pisa,Tuscany, Italy

The winery Cosimo Maria Masini is located on the hills of San Minato, a medieval village in the heart of Tuscany, in the province of Pisa, along the route of the Via Francigena,  the land of wine and white truffles. The estate, owned by the Masini family since 2000, extends over a rolling hillside, with 40 hectares (99 acres) of vineyards, olive groves, fields and woods. 

The rolling hills of San Miniato.

The storm clouds made for a dramatic sky - and a few intense spring downpours.

The winery uses an organic approach and does not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides. 

With prior arrangement, we enjoyed an outdoor luncheon and wine tasting session with a group of ten people on a showery spring day. 

A few of the resident chickens seemed to roam at will, at one point walking inside the building during a particularly intense passing rainstorm.

A neighboring typical Tuscan house on an adjacent hilltop.

The property also has fruit trees now in bloom.

Water droplets after the brief rainstorm.

Even with all the work to be done, sometimes, it's best to put up your feet and read a book, the only sounds the cluck of chickens and melodies of songbirds.

And yes, they make some great wine! And it can be purchased in the United States, too.

Piazza dei Miracoli "Square (or Field) of Miracles," Piazza del Duomo "Cathedral Square," Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

We made another visit to Pisa, this time with Amy's photo group and, yes, the tower is still leaning.

And yes, tourists are still desperately trying to hold it up or push it back to vertical.

Most use just their hands.......

....while others resort to a foot or two.

And speaking of feet, it is still roughly 300 well-worn steps to the top. The marble shows the impact of footsteps over the past 900 years of folks plodding to the top - I like that my footsteps contribute infinitesimally to the patina and wear.

A just reward is at the top - a great view. The seven bells still surround the top level, each one cast at a different time beginning back in the 1200's.

The safety barricades were designed to provide a maximum amount of view for a minimum amount of bulk and restriction.

And oh, what a view!

The Cathedral (Duomo) in the foreground, the Baptistery in the background at left.

The "Field of Miracles" is much more than just the tower. Although the tower gets most of the fame and attention, this complex contains a range of spectacular other features including a Cathedral, Baptistery, Camposanto (cemetary), and Ospedale (hospital).

Inside the Cathedral is stunning.

One of the many statues.

A school group enjoys a history and culture lesson.

Regardless of how you spend your visit, most folks are just genuinely happy to be here and see and experience one of the world's most recognizable icons.  There is a reason that thousands every day visit this site - it is simply an extraordinary and beautiful place on the planet and it feels good to stand here and enjoy the art and majesty.

Villa Conti, Fauglia, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

Perched on high ground south of Pisa in the town of Fauglia, the Villa Conti is a beautifully restored villa that is now a hotel and restaurant.

Location, location, location.

We enjoyed a wonderful lunch and tour of the property by the generous and gracious owners, Nevio and Doris. Nevio was quite a friendly character, joined us at table, and insisted on sharing a round of shots after lunch. Wimp that I am, I passed on both the shots and the lemoncello.

From the tower room atop the hotel, a beautiful 360-degree view is available. The mountains in the distance are the group that separates the Pisa and Lucca areas.

Nearby, the town of Lorenzana basks in the warm spring sunshine.

Olive trees and other crops begin another season of growth in the rich farmland of Tuscany.

Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

Yes, the Leaning Tower of Pisa is still leaning and, yes, the tourists still throng there by the thousands even in early April on a weekday. (You can see the outside for free but must pay to climb the marble steps to the top). Construction began in 1173 and the lean began barely five years later.

Here's a view of the not-Leaning Tower of Pisa.

A local horse carriage driver using hand gestures to help accent his phone conversation.

Downtown Pisa along the Arno River.

This may be why the tower is still standing - thousands of tourists daily holding it up and pushing it ever closer to vertical.

It is an interesting comment on human behavior that hundreds of folks daily perform this very same act - myself included - of holding the tower from falling. It must be effective, the tower hasn't fallen yet.

San Miniato,Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

San Miniato is a small hill town 40km/24mi southwest of Florence and 33km/20mi southeast of Lucca. This view is from San Miniato looking north toward the southern part of the Apuan Alps. The snow-capped peaks are up to 2000m/6000 ft high. 

The narrow town snakes across three adjacent hill spines. Its location was important all the way back to medieval times as it was on the main route between northern Europe and Rome.

The surrounding area is filled with vineyards and farms. And inside this unassuming church.......

...was this unexpectedly elaborate and beautiful interior.

This entire scene on a side wall (except the bottom center altar) is just a flat painting, created using the trompe l'oeil style that creates the illusion of depth and dimension.

Three happy vacationers resting at the base of the tower.

Surrounding countryside.

The vineyard of Cosimo Maria Masini - an organic winery which we visited for a tasting and tour.

A 2005 vintage seasoning in oak barrels.

Two of their wines pose along the entrance driveway (on their way to our car).

Long cypress shadows in the late afternoon. Once again, like almost everywhere we've been in Tuscany - bellissimo!

Tuscan Countryside Drive, Fauglia, Pisa, Tuscany, Italy

No trip to Tuscany is complete without a drive in the countryside. On my last full day in Italy it rained on and off. The day's main activity was this drive in the countryside to the south and east of Fauglia along local roads SP21 and SP13.  It proved to be quite beautiful. The spring rains have turned the land a brilliant green.

It was difficult to drive around a curve and not see another spectacular view. The road was narrow and pull-off spots were few but one must do what one must do......

Olive groves and vineyards dotted the landscapes......

..... throughout the gently rolling fields. I'd like to see this area on a sunny day - and in the fall, too, when the fields are golden, and also in early morning when mist lies in the valleys, and also at sunset, and maybe at sunrise..........

Young olive trees in the foreground. Rows are about 5 meters apart to anticipate the size of the mature trees.

A vineyard and olive grove lead up to the farm house.

A small village is hidden in the woods down this lane.

It's a good thing the day was cloudy and rainy, under a sunny sky, the green may have been too bright to behold.

Here's another benefit of being a point-and-shooter - I can hold an umbrella and a camera at the same time when making pictures in the rain. (Image courtesy of Amy).

Yes, I really do wonder what this place would look like in the golden light of fall.

A view from the small town of Lorenzana.

You astute readers may note that I missed the perfect iconic view of the rows of parallel Italian cypress trees leading to an isolated hillock with a small house on top but, I don't feel cheated at all.  When I consider how little of Tuscany I have seen in these three short weeks, I am eager in anticipation of what other beauties and wonders await me on a future visit(s). Next year? Or, maybe in the fall when everything is a golden color? Hmmmmm?