Rosemary Connelly and her late husband Bob had been kicking around the idea of an extended escape to Italy for quite some time. A series of unexpected deaths in their friends and family added fresh urgency to the dream, and one spring day they began plotting their Italian odyssey.

Together they hatched a freewheeling plan: Two years in il bel paese, renting furnished apartments in four different regions, pursuing their respective artistic passions (Rosemary painting, Bob photography) and documenting their travels in a blog.