Here are some photos of "La Libellula" as it is today, before any work starts!
The house is in fact two separate houses, one of which has been abandoned since the 60's and the other since 99'.
The house stands on the valley floor about 1/2 km from the small village of Piosina, which is 4km from the beautiful City of Citta di Castello, which is the northern most town in Umbria, lying about 15km from the border with Tuscany and the famous "alpe de la luna" region.

The area is a traditional farming community and surrounding the house are fields full of Sunflowers, Corn and Tobacco, which all looks enchanting, particularly during the summer months.

The house sits well back from a country road in its own grounds of 1/2 hectare, with assorted fruit and nut trees, and is 200m from the banks of the Tiber River which runs from its headwaters in the mountains of Tuscany on through the centre of Rome.

Along the banks of the river is a well maintained cycle path which takes you right to the centre of Castello, without going near a road, which we hope to promote to future guests, along with cycles for hire!....being flat, even the most sedate of our guests should be keen to take advantage of this peaceful method of getting to town!

Why La Libellula?

Some of you may be interested to know why we have chosen La Libellula and what it means.....translated it means "The Dragonfly" and here is a description of the meaning or symbolism of the Dragonfly.....we thought it absolutley appropriate for our project.....let me know what you think??

The meaning of a dragonfly changes with each culture. The main symbolisms of the dragonfly are renewal, positive force and the power of life in general. Dragonflies can also be a symbol of the sense of self that comes with maturity. Also, as a creature of the wind, the dragonfly frequently represents change. And as a dragonfly lives a short life, it knows it must live its life to the fullest with the short time it has – which is a lesson for all of us.
There are many different representations of the dragonfly; it all comes down to which culture you happen to be in. For instance, if you are in Japan, the dragonfly symbolizes a new light and joy. Some animal symbolism has the dragonfly representing good luck, prosperity, swiftness, purity, harmony and strength. Some Native Americans believe dragonflies are the souls of the dead. There are also many cultures that believe that the meaning of a dragonfly is happiness, courage and subconscious thoughts. It is also believed that if you see two dragonflies paired together that they represent love and maturity.
The dragonfly has been a symbol of happiness, new beginnings and change for many centuries and even though the representation of the dragonfly seems to change throughout the cultures, there are still a few things that are similar; the dragonfly means hope, change and love. Since cultures vary, others may see the dragonfly as a symbol of financial wealth like savings. With the constant changing of the world, it is no wonder that more and more people are adopting the dragonfly as their totem and admiring this beautiful insect.

Introduction

Natasha and I came to Italy in March 2008, after many years of visiting my mothers family here in Citta di Castello, we had decided that this would be the place where we wanted to bring our children up, and escape the pressures and grind of a typically english executive lifestyle!
In December 2009, we completed the purchase of a fantastic farmhouse here in the Upper Tiber Valley close to the border between Umbria and Tuscany.
With the help of my father-in-law Kevin, a builder of 45 years experience and my family here in Italy who are well respected Geometras and Architects, we hope to transform this wonderfull old building into luxury self-catering/B&B accommodation for discerning travellers!
We hope you have as much fun reading about our experiences as we hope to have during the process and we hope to welcome you as guests to our wonderful home in due course ! Ciao for now!