from the top of Villa D'Este looking towards Rome

…is up against the Sabine Hills – which I am always staring at while tapping away at the keyboard or watering the plants since I have a direct view of them from the studio and garden – just east of Rome, but this morning we went west, north, east, south and then finally east to go due east, taking the Grande Raccordo Anulare again to short circuit the congested city center on what seemed like the hottest day of the year to visit the town‘s three treasures of Villa Adriana, Villa Gregoriana and, Villa D’Este. (nothing like showy Renaissance waterworks and mossy dark grottoes on a hot Italian afternoon).