Favoloso Firenze

I'm not sure that my words or photos can accurately capture or portray the beauty of Toscana (Tuscany). I truly had such an amazing experience during my visit to Firenze (Florence) and the surrounding area of Toscana. It reminded me of home...hills with trees abounding in the changing colors of fall...around every bend and over every hill, fields of grapes and olives...and I was told even sunflowers during a different season! Just seeing the soil, things growing, nature all around me, breathing in that fresh country air...I'll let the following picture speak for me :)

I've gotten ahead of myself...I'll back up to our arrival. Maira and I set off for Florence after church on the Sunday after my birthday. Upon our arrival, the McGehee's were already waiting for us at the train station. Randy was kind enough to take our bags back to their van via the tram, and Diane showed us around the city.

Ponte Vecchio

We browsed the shops of Ponte Vecchio...most all of which sell jewelry

We just happened to be in Florence on the last day of an Olive Oil Festival. There was a tent set up with all these olive oil vendors inside, all offering samples of their treasured oil. It was delightful! It was the first time I had ever seen oil that was actually bright green. Some of them were so fresh, they had just been bottled in November. While Maira and I were browsing through the oils and deciding on a few to purchase, Randy called to tell us that on his way to meet us, he ran into a band playing and a new David sculpture being unveiled. Michelangelo's originial David is at the Accademia Gallery there in Florence....the replica is in Palazzo Vecchio...and there in that same piazza we saw them unveil yet another replica of David. Not sure where the final resting place of this statue will be.

Randy and Diane were telling us the exciting things God has been doing with the new ICF church they are starting there in Florence. They had been making connections with other Christians, meeting in their home for bible study for the past several weeks, and praying over the city. They already had about fifteen people coming to their bible study, some of them college students who had found them online. God has provided them with a building to rent for having a weekly church service right there in the middle of Florence...it even has a piano and is all set up for worship also. They said it's been amazing to see everything unfold...that things have been totally different than they had anticipated or expected, but that it's totally His leading and provision. His ways are higher than ours. I will continue praying for the McGehee's, their ministry, and the people in Florence!

Randy & Diane McGehee, Maira, Sarah

The next day was our "country day". YAH!! :) I loved our country day! We drove all around the Tuscan countryside, taking time to stop at a castle and a walled city.

Castello di Poppiano

Inside the castle grounds, we just happened to be able to take in some olive oil production...

Bless their hearts, they just went about their work while we watched them in awe!

I tried taking pictures of the olive "goo" getting mashed up in this machine, but they didn't turn out very well.

And after making it through all the machines, out comes this beautiful stream...I can't even describe how amazing it smelled in this room!

Waiting their turn...

Crates and crates of them!

Maira and I enjoying Toscana and our time together!

The walled city we went to, called Monteriggioni. Inside were cute shops, restaurants, a church...

And outside, they were harvesting some olives. Interesting to watch them use their little "flapper" to shake them out of the trees into the nets they laid on the ground.  

Il Duomo

I've read it holds 20,000 people. The exterior is made of white, green, and pink marble.

Closer shot to show the detail and colorful marble.

And the Baptistery...a separate building next to the Duomo.

What a time we had in Firenze...the city of EVERYTHING, according to the McGehees! :) They provided us such wonderful hospitality and were so kind to show us around the beautiful area of Italy they live in. Thank you, Randy & Diane! May the Lord richly bless you and your ministry there!