Back in Italy (alone this time)

I wasn't planning to come back to Italy so soon, but a possibility arose and so I'm back (alone this time) to complete some work that was left unfinished last summer. However, a few unpleasant surprises were waiting.

[@geraldmcnicholstetreault1148]

Good to see you here. As an architect specializing in heritage conservation, I consider these recurring natural incidents to be normal. Traditional homes and estates need a lot of maintenance and love, and this is the main reason why too many people abandon them and why they quickly disappear if no one takes care of them. This house and its beautiful landscape are your family heritage, you have decided to get involved in their preservation and restoration. It is a very noble decision you made, and I am sure it will be good for your own soul and that of your family. I remember that your wife and son both enjoyed this past summer and I truly admire you for your outstanding involvement. I am sure that your many ancestors will protect you and I am not surprised that an apparent danger brought you there as the site needed you. You are working for the past and for the future, all my deep respect. And you do it with a lot of knowledge, talent, and sensitivity with your family team where everyone has their own way of participating and enjoying.

[@dirmfe2]

This is a beautiful and encouraging expression.

[@lauraquigley6403]

I love your channel & your beautiful family. I see many ppl viewed your videos but didn’t comment or hit the like button & we know this helps the algorithm here! 🙏🙏🙏Blessing’s

[@sallieredman7349]

Wow, The camera work was impressive. Lots of interesting angles and shots. Well done!

[@joquartobeans398]

Extremely impressive! He’s so talented & knowledgeable in so many areas. Big kudos to you.

[@gaelicd8328]

That opening shot is incredible. The reality is that you have your work cut out. Stay strong and focused, and you will reach your goal

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

Good thing I have read Marcus Aurelius. 🤣

[@gaelicd8328]

@@SouthernItalyHomestead gret come back 🇮🇪

[@speedbird8326]

@@SouthernItalyHomestead Strength and Honour !

[@danbrown4517]

This is my new favorite channel - I love doing my own tree work and I really feel I'm up there with you in your videos! Great videography and vibe - well done

[@babsoneverything3060]

Wow. You couldn't get me to leave that place.

[@TheOwlsarewatching606]

Nasty shock when you arrived, but admire your ability to speedily get on with the tasks at hand. We have the trees tended in the grounds of my apartment block - I shall in future be able to critique their saw ability and techniques, but maybe shouldn't risk advising them. I like the patterned tiles. A house with so many hidden delights. Best wishes from London

[@georgejones4379]

From a fellow paisan transplanted at a young age to the USA I think it's honorable what you're doing for your family legacy. Stay focused and stay strong!

[@joquartobeans398]

Your time in the trees with a saw scared me to death. How does your wife handle watching you clinging to a branch so high off the ground? You have so many skills, I am so impressed. Please take care from an old grandma.

[@hanaah1111]

What a beautiful scene out the window. I love your stone house.

[@MikeMoraCalifornia]

You are a good filmmaker. The camera angles and music tell a story of their own. The property is compelling. We wish you good luck and look forward to watching all the content you put forward.

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

Thank you!

[@sgrvtl7183]

So Lovely of your neighbors to give some food~beautiful. tree......you definitely are aware of scenarios, still made me a little anxious! Always nice to see your videos~💛💚

[@tonitemperance9960]

I know your area very well. I'm from Irpinia, myself. Still unspoiled and I love it. Good luck with the Casale ❤ in bocc a lupo 🐺Look into the Sannio people, you're in their area 😊

[@guiart4728]

Big props for tackling that tree work!!! I worked for a summer logging and I got hurt one way or another almost every day. I wasn’t being nearly as thoughtful about it as you are. As you said, even experienced professionals get nailed on a regular basis. Bottom line is it isn’t the things that you have figured out. Your wife is quite correct about big trees being unpredictable! You cannot be too safe!

[@josephburgio9843]

It's been a while!!!.....glad to see your back!!

[@carolranes91]

You are a dad and a husband, I hate seeing you take a risk like this while you’re there alone! Please take better care of yourself and don’t take much risk

[@melissahamm8122]

It's great to see you back in Italy the Alone part scares me a little bit you are definitely taking on some very difficult challenges which are not usually done alone I'm relieved that you are taking great safety precautions it may take a little longer but you'll get there be well and remember safety first❤❤😊😊

[@joquartobeans398]

Scares me as well, had to turn off during tree trimming, it was so scary. You are a brave & very skilled individual.

[@foggydew55]

High quality. Underrated, according to the number of subscribers and compared to similar channels 😊

[@airtsuajoy]

So glad you are back. I've been waiting for your next project.

[@marianneryder1661]

Heartwarming to see the effort and work you are putting into renovating your ancestral home, well worth it !

[@Henrik-ls8bq]

Amazingly beautiful place

[@HowardRice]

I would be tempted to pollard the storm damaged oak tree rather than clear fell it. This traditional tree management technique would make it safe and potentially give a mature tree a new lease of life. Eventually, pollared trees are very beautiful and full of character. The fact that it may have internal decay doesn't really matter. Forgive me if you are already familiar with the practice.

[@sofiavalenzuela9782]

That's why I like to read the comments, there's always someone who brings an interesting view, I'll look for information.

[@dottiebaker6623]

Pollarding is a common practice in the area I where I live and over the years I've seen good jobs and bad. In my view, so much has already come off that tree that it will die, even if what's left is healthy.

[@HowardRice]

@@dottiebaker6623 I don't where you live but here in Eastern England it is common for ancient pollards (that were typically cut back repeatedly to between 2 and 4 metres) to be completely hollow in the centre but still healthy and an excellent wildlife habitat. I was merely trying to make a potentially useful suggestion that might be worth considering.

[@dottiebaker6623]

I'm sorry if I sounded less than motivated by being helpful. I need to work on my tone in writing. I live in the Blue Ridge mountains of North Carolina, and have recently seen several 50 -75 year old beautiful and healthy trees killed by less than skillful pollarding. It breaks my heart. Here pollarding is done for aesthetic reasons, not for beneficial landscape management. I'm sure people in your area, where pollarding is an old and venerable rural tradition, are much more knowledgeable.

[@HowardRice]

@@dottiebaker6623 Ah well, yes,sadly, butchering happens here too but tha's not what I had in mind. There is a good Wikipedia article on pollarding it if you are ineterested.

[@irismiranda3118]

Lot of work to do...we did it ourselves. We can be your grandparents, wish you the best, it's very rewarding 😊

[@lorrainevandebrook5007]

Glad you came back! Lots of hard work but worth every minute - lovely place to be. I hope you and your family will enjoy your time there...

[@johnanderson5256]

Any branch hanging over the house needs to go

[@susanneekelund1309]

What a beautiful place your ancestors choose!!☀️💚

[@robertliberski4926]

Well, this could be a special type of "coppo" or "tegula mammata." A distinctive feature of these tiles is the protrusions at one end, which helped in hooking one tile onto another, providing better roof coverage. This type of tile has its origins in ancient Rome and was used for constructing roofs with greater durability and better protection against weather conditions. The protrusions on the tile served to retain water and prevent the tiles from shifting. Today, such tiles are relatively rare and can be an interesting element in historical renovations. I googled it😉

[@fernandomorais4184]

Welcome,and enjoy.

[@asgeirandersen]

I haven’t seen you for long! Welcome back! You discovered some damage on your house you héritéd

[@ПисьмоПомощьОтношениям]

non è il giorno migliore della mia anima, ho incontrato il tuo ritorno! Non appena ho visto che il tuo video è uscito, mi sono sentito subito più facile! Grazie mille! Ti abbraccio dalla Russia!) 🙏

[@NataliaSigauskiene]

❤с возвращением❤❤❤

[@dottiebaker6623]

Very wise to not go up in the tree while a stiff wind is blowing. Your neighbor is a life saver! I agree that the finger indentations in the roof tiles probably have some purpose. Better ability to grab onto the next tile, maybe? I'm impressed with the simplicity of the tile system, but can't figure out why gravity wouldn't allow them to slide off eventually. Is one tile nailed down every now and then? Best wishes to you.

[@daynight4902]

BEST TO YOU

[@LoginusLagonow]

51:24 - I'm guessing that this toothed shape is supposed to increase the amount of air that flows between the roof tiles. In hot climates this will cool the roof and remove moisture. In colder climates (Poland) I have never seen such a pattern on such roof tiles - there is always a thickened edge and an element that prevents the tile from sliding off (a tooth). en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monk_and_Nun

[@fabioc.9905]

Molto bello! 👍👍

[@deeringkendrick8388]

Watching the camera angles from the treetop was nerve-wrecking. OMG, my hands started sweating.

[@charola41]

Great shooting. Beautiful property and surroundings EXCEPT... for those horrible wind things I haven't noticed before... so sorry about that... where I live (NW Spain) is full of them. The house is telling you something.. about compromise and will... Would love to see the whole property come to life, to your life, your family life... Thank you for sharing.

[@karenashworth5743]

I think the wind turbines are beautiful, they look like they are dancing. Much more attractive than a hideous coal or oil fuelled power station.Better for the planet too.

[@ludovica8221]

@@karenashworth5743 Agree!!

[@rossellaruggeri9575]

You have done a great job with that tree. It looks also others need pruning, they are attacked by ivy which is always a bad sign!

[@NancysBungalowLife]

@@karenashworth5743 I find the turbines mesmerizing.

[@DerAlteIre]

Those horrible wind things might just help save the planet from runaway heating

[@timothyward9063]

Love watching your videos with my mom. Voglio comprare una casa in Italia. Great job!

[@ctownsend4600]

Glad to see you back. Felling trees should not be done while alone, and every time you touch that chainsaw blade to dirt you dull it.

[@storiesfromthecascina]

lots of admiration for you tackling that tree, all by yourself too! how are the results of the D2 you applied last summer? the facade looks cleaner from the video but how does it look in person?

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

So there are multiple ways you can use it, one is just spray and do nothing, or you can spray and scrub. We choose to spray and do nothing and just let the weather handle it because we're not pointing soon anyway. What I have noticed is that the most sun exposed part of the building has faster results, I think what's happening is that the heating and cooling each day is kind of popping the dead lichens off of the wall. On the shady side of the building, the lichens are dead but kind of clinging mechanically to the stone still. Even gently touching them, they just fall off. I will also say that there are a few species of lichen that seem to attach very strongly and don't come off, even after they die, but they're very few. Where there is plenty of sun, it seems to work faster. I do think the shady side will end up looking the same as the sunny side, based on what we saw years ago with the small sample we did, but it may just take longer to get to that state. If you look at the first video we posted on this channel, during the part where Rica is using the chainsaw (around 19m13s), you can see a clear line between sprayed part and non-sprayed near the corner of the building, and that side is in shade for most of the day.

[@MimiPet]

Bentornato a casa, ancge se hai trovato tante surprese. Hai un paio di alberi molto grandi e molto vicini a casa. Per la sicurezza di tua famiglia e casa, ti consiglio di rimuovere tutti quelli alberi, anche perche sono vecchi e continuano crescere! Quelli generatori di vento e eletricita sono molto rumorosi, non chiedano proprietarii prima, se li possano mettere?

[@erneststevenson3872]

Sadly, you will have to sacrifice those huge old trees that, one by one, will age out and rot. Repeatedly, branches will fall and damage your vintage home. Make the hard decision to have professionals remove the trees nearest to the structure before the house is damaged beyond repair within reasonable cost.

[@parkdigwig3447]

Your “pure lime” outer top coat may not be plaster but “whitewash” or lime wash which is ostensibly just lime, salt and water.

[@JonOffgrid]

I built a house alone sometimes it was scary especially putting the trusses up

[@GGMASherry]

I could never be that high up in a clearly rotten tree! Scary 🫣 just watching it through the lens of your camera!

[@florentinalily]

The original plaster and mortar in your house will be a hot lime not an nhl? 3.5 is far too strong for your stone unless you have granite? A 2.5 is the max and should be a lime such as St. Astier which has a greater free lime content. Hot lime is now the standard to use in the heritage sector in the UK. It is mixed 3:1 and then 1:1 for the top coat. Lime is never about strength. The stone is the structural strength and the lime always has to be weaker. Hot lime is easy to mix but with care until you get used to the boiling. You might like to google Nigel copsey who is a bit of a guru on lime. I tend to make up a lime putty from hot lime in the winter to use as and when I need it. The longer it matures the fatter and better it gets. Just mix it with sharp sand or fine sand when you need it.

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

Yes, the original plaster is hot mixed for sure. My grandmother told me she remembered seeing it mixed on site. You can also see lime clasts (quicklime that didn't slake fully before mixing) in the mortar. I have Nigel's book and follow him on social media, as well as David Wiggins and many others. For me the hard part is actually getting quicklime around here, I'm not certain I'll be able to. It's also not clear to me how the aggregate was sourced yet. The NHL we used last summer is extremely hard. Due to the high humidity from rain last summer, the hydraulic set was much faster than we expected, and within a day I wasn't able to knock it out with a plugging chisel. Very hard stuff.

[@florentinalily]

@@SouthernItalyHomestead I live in Southern France and its a bit difficult here too; but I now get it from agricultural merchants. You have to watch out for extra magnesium content (which makes it go like a rocket!) but apart from that it works well?

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

@@florentinalily Maybe I will try that approach, thanks for the suggestion.

[@YoureNowOnTV]

😊👍

Penso che con una Scia, cioè un documento aperto da geometra o architetto x poter ristrutturare casa, tu possa fare un lucernario, bisogna vedere le regole della regione, ma credo che un lucernario sia ammesso, non si tratta di cambiare volumi alle costruzioni. Ti conviene sempre affidarti a qualche architetto del luogo che fa ristrutturazioni edili, saprà come muoversi all'interno della burocrazia del tuo comune.

[@osservatore6222]

Per aprire un lucernaio non serve nulla, se realizzato a filo tetto è edilizia libera e non richiede nessuna autorizzazione, però è meglio evitare e non per la questione normativa ma perchè su quel tipo di tetto un lucernaio fa solo danni e comporta problemi continui tra condensa sul vetro, infiltrazioni e ponti termici. Meglio evitare di farlo proprio. :_)

[@wayneNtampa]

I think I would take that tree out. It's a danger to the house.

[@luciodeluca3257]

Just happened upon your channel. Great videos. Wondering what area of Southern Italy the house is in?

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

Near the border between Campania and Molise.

[@luciodeluca3257]

@@SouthernItalyHomestead. Beautiful territory!

[@JonOffgrid]

😮

Ma che sf8ga!!! Proprio sulla casa 😢

[@osservatore6222]

non è sfiga è gravità.... il braccio da staccare andava vincolato al braccio di porto e doveve restare appeso invece di precipitare, lo ha legato proprio male purtroppo... ma non ha fatto troppi danni, tutti quegli alberi sono troppo vicini alla casa, vanno eliminati perchè ormai sono pericolosi quando le querce iniziano a rompersi così e presentano vasto marciume in alto possono essere molto pericolose specialmente quando sono così grandi. Se fossi in lui noleggerei un cestello idraulico oppure chiamerei un manutentore con cestello e farei tagliare tutto in una sola volta. Molta buona legna e finalmente rischi eliminati per casa e persone, così potrei dedicare tempo alla casa e alle murature che stanno andando in malora. :_)

[@gregorygdempsey9519]

Where did you go

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

If you're looking for the follow up to this video, it was posted last week. Title is "Removing a storm damaged tree ... "

[@Kim-J312]

Maybe that decoration on those tiles are ment to be top of roof flashing ?

[@luigit.3428]

@44:45 ...this looks to me quite like the result of a lightning stroke.

[@marcuscicero9587]

welcome back get the chainsaws

[@nelsonsridge]

What saw model is your big Stihl? Also, shit happens haha. You're braver than I doing climbing.

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

462

[@lauratohome]

Cut from top the wood wood not get penched.

[@marciaaranda4205]

Não demora para post seus vídeos.

[@tarynkriebel319]

You sort of remind me of Johnny Depp when you have a hat and coat on

[@PeterLee-zn3jl]

Your trees are retreating...hmmmm

[@speteydog2260]

why don't you sell your house if its too much.? Bet youd get some offers ...

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

Who ever said it's too much? Putting in effort doesn't bother me one bit.

[@speteydog2260]

@@SouthernItalyHomestead sorry you act like it does bother you. Guess I misinterpreted

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

I am a very neutral person by nature. Maybe that comes across in a way that I don't intend. Truth is I enjoy working hard. I do wish I could spend more time on it, though.

[@user-dg7sy8cz3b]

Can I tell you how disheartening it is to see ugly windmills where a forest used to stand??

[@wildstories.7694]

🪵⬆️Top

[@lauratohome]

You should not smoke your child is looking at you.

[@richardpeychers4076]

What a shame to seee those ugly windmills ruining the country scene.

[@mahanly]

Rookie

[@chloeuntrau4588]

Beautiful place! well at least you'll have wood for the winter...

[@Daytona2]

Oh bugger, you didn't need that - poor old tree (and poor old house) 😕(tree surgery is where we came in 💫) Love that fireplace 😊 I guess it's the end tile that can be seen, so a little decorative ? Thanks for sharing it's always lovely to see

[@jeanrichardson2044]

I wonder if the decoration on the tile is the signature of one man, who then could identify his work as he went about his locality. I know that is how some archeologists identify specific clay pots.

[@GregTrap42]

Excellent cinematography and story-telling. I am glad that you are back posting.

[@shar71on]

Sorry to see how much damage was caused during a storm, that tree is really dangerous and im glad you are removing it. Take care

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

I had hoped to keep the tree and just prune it as needed, but looking at the damage it was evident it's in worse health than I realized. Sometimes these problems are hidden and don't reveal themselves until something happens. It's kind of sad because my son loved that tree, and having a shady area next to the house was nice during the hottest parts of summer. We'll plant another oak nearby, but a little further from the house, I think.

[@sempi8159]

That schould definitely have been seen by an arborist ​@@SouthernItalyHomestead

[@ciaobella8963]

@@SouthernItalyHomestead When your grandparents lived there, all of those trees were much smaller of course, and posed no danger to the house. Sometimes a tree just can't stay healthy and has to be downed. It's sad but better than having it crush your house or someone in it. I live in central Italy and the storms and fierce winds just seem to get worse each year. Better safe than sorry. God bless you and your family.

[@MarioFalanteRebelo]

Nice to see you back miss the show the place is beautiful.

[@Juliuss96]

the tree is obviously in bad shape inside, better for fire wood

[@osservatore6222]

Il materiale usato per il muro è semplice "grassello di calce" ovvero: Ca(OH)2 + H2O. In Italia si trova facilmente ed è economico anche se non sono molti gli artigiani e i muratori che lo ricordano e sanno stenderlo bene perchè molti lo hanno dimenticato. Ti consiglio di non installare lucernai nel tetto, l'umidità di cucina con le case in muratura di pietra come la tua non è un problema, al massimo basta una presa d'aria ed un cappa statica senza neppure la ventola. I lucernai su quel tipo di tetto invece sono sempre molto problematici. Ciao e auguri. :_) Osservatore ------------------------ The material used for the wall is simple lime putty or: Ca(OH)2 + H2O. In Italy it is easily found and is cheap even if there are not many craftsmen and bricklayers who remember it and know how to apply it well because many have forgotten it. I advise you not to install skylights in the roof, the humidity in the kitchen with brick houses like yours is not a problem, at most an air intake and a static hood without even a fan are enough. Skylights on that type of roof are always very problematic. Ciao

[@marthamaeda8257]

The landscape from that window is awesome ❤❤

[@rochellezimmerbishop4681]

The music was just beautiful.

[@georgepeat5269iearth]

I will agree with many of the good comments. and thank you for your presentation& peaceful manner.It is needed is this world today. Good Health To You.

[@heatherarthur6232]

So sorry for your troubles. It might be time to hire an arborist and top those old trees for safety’s sake. Also a stone mason would be able to repair that damage in your absence.

[@tomstock9546]

It can be really hard to find those people in rural Italy, let alone specialized arborists are pricey! And letting people do the work while you’re not around requires an additional person to hire to coordinate things… difficult.

[@joquartobeans398]

Agree!

[@TheZsuZsa123]

It is good to have a neighbor with a tractor. My guess on the tiles with the fluted decorative edge is they were meant to be the outside edge for decoration. Thank you for the sunset it was lovely.

[@TheImanuelita]

That roof tile reminds me of pie crust 😂😂😂 now I'm hungry

[@Reet64]

Good to see you back. Have to admit I was a little worried about your tree mitigation adventure, but glad it worked out.

[@lfuentes4098]

I know the trees canopy are beautiful but you might want to fall some the ones closer to your house to avoid future damage. Oh I see you thought the same. Good work up in the tree. With the video I felt like I was up there too. Not a fun thing for me. But satisfying to watch you complete the task safely. Nice neighbor to come and help.😊

[@reginaguedes2769]

Que bom que você voltou, obrigada por compartilhar o vídeo um grande abraço da Regina do Brasil

[@AA-ou8kl]

you seem to have some tree falling experience but you're not a professional as you took a lot of unnecessary risk in doing it yourself and dead and rotten trees are the most dangerous, you were lucky but just leave it the pros

Sono Lampascioni, commestibili, buoni, un po amari, ma prima vanno fatti bollire con aceto e sale. Erano dei contorni contadini

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

Penso di avere visto i fiori nel campo, potrebbe essere che sono lampascioni. Grazie per questi indicazioni!

[@MamaRazz]

Your Nona was watching over that house for sure!

[@amymegginson-uz7jj]

Is there a reason why you didn't clean the terra-cotta before putting it back? Im trying to learn all about this type of rehab.

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

Maybe we will in the future. I don't yet know what the best method would be. The tile is mostly stained by oak leaf tannins. Using cleaning solutions could be problematic if they contain salts - you'll get efflorescence, which happens when salts crystallize and create internal pressure within the clay, causing it to crumble over time. Using a power washer could also be problematic by creating micro cracks in the clay. My suspicion is that the tannins are deeply embedded in the pores of the tile. But, tannins being water soluble... maybe if they were soaked in water, the tannin would leach out. I just don't know yet what would be the best approach, and it's not particularly urgent at this time.

[@selinab8532]

I think you should use experienced loggers/loppers, to bring down such big trees love watching but not from great heights lol you should also always have a second person with you when chopping trees down thanx for sharing

[@OrlandoInfante-p8l]

I sorry for this incident, my father always say me, never #Trees near #home. ✅🇨🇮✅🇨🇮

[@jenv9246]

Oh, the pastoral scenes and soothing musical choices! Then the chainsaw sound. Real life can be a real bummer! Love your channel!

[@morgansidhe3543]

On the tree cutting. Take the time setting up the fall , so you don't end up with more work

[@CherriRobb]

Wow, beautiful property! Good job, good luck.

[@soniayoung5097]

All your trees with vines on them are eventually going to die if you don't get rid of them.

[@lucaspolderman6622]

Good to see you again. Nice video, thanks.

[@christinaeconomou1378]

Beautiful filming and music.

[@lorentayerle7316]

Like your videos, understand the challenge of living so far away. I found this one disturbing though. Doing tree work with chainsaw and roof work, as it appears alone, by yourself. Very risky and irresponsible.

[@SouthernItalyHomestead]

I don't think risk works like that at all. Clearly it depends on the person, their capabilities, their thought pattern, habits, and self-awareness. Two different people doing the same task will have different risk profiles. So clearly it depends on the person. Unless you know the person in great detail, it's impossible to assess the risk of a given act for that person.

[@alessandrarocco1037]

Ben tornato

[@ianwhite4842]

he faked the video

[@CynthiaEvans-i2f]