Not for your average Wolf !!!

Small knots of green paste made with parsley, filled with chestnut and ricotta cheese and served with Pioppini mushrooms .

A few  weeks  ago, on a beautiful  Autumn afternoon ,we went to meet our good friend Fumo .  He had kindly offered to introduce us to some other local people who kept goats. Our mission was to check out  some possible homes for  Hilda ( regular readers will know the background to this story ).

We agreed to meet at the local cemetery ( in hindsight , I should have taken this to be a bad Oman ). Once there  , Fumo hopped into our car and we started the bumpy journey into the surrounding hills. The Autumn colors were spectacular , orange , yellow and red. Really breath taking . Almost enough to take my mind of the fact that my head was being bashed against the car roof.

Autumn vines around Allerona

After a while, amongst a group of olive pickers we spotted one of the friends we had come to find .Fumo introduced us and we explained our mission. The Signora looked at Nick and began to gravely shack her head. Unfortunately she no longer had any goats . They had all been killed by a mixture of hunting dogs and wolves. “ Un Massacro !! “. Because of this they had decided  not to keep any more . She was very sorry not to be able to help ,but suggested another couple further up the hill.

Off we went again , following an ever more bumpy track. Eventually in the distance we saw three rather large goats with impressive looking horns. . This must be the place. Once there we stopped the car and rang the bell.

We were welcomed in by a very friendly couple and began to retell our story. Again another sad shacking of the head. They were very sorry ,but all their female goats had been killed by wolves and they only had three males left. The ones we had seen on the hill.

O Mamma Mia ! Now I’m pretty sure those three old Billie’s would be very happy to have Hilda as a roommate. But , to be honest with you , she’s getting a bit old for all that . Plus, if the wolves didn’t kill her the three horny old Billie’s probably would !!

We thanked  them and headed back . On the way  , I couldn’t help thinking  how very beautiful  these hills are ,but at the same time how tough they can be. Especially if you’re a goat !

A view of Ficulle village, from our window.

driving back to Allerona

Allerona at dusk

In the end we decided to keep Hilda at home with us. Perhaps , the answer will be  to find  some  chickens. That way she wouldn’t be alone and we’d have a  fresh supply of eggs and the occasional meal.

 Later in the evening , whilst sitting by the fire ,I decided to balance out all this carnivorous activity with a nice vegetarian  dish . Pasta d’Autunno  . Full of Autumn flavor , but not for your average wolf !