Benvenuti to all my new and loyal followers
As I prepare to send you this blog, heavy rain is hammering the windows and flood water is seeping under the kitchen door! Farty Barty, the cat, warned me that a storm was on the way by burying his face in his cushion and refusing to go out last night. Just after midnight the thunder started to roll, quickly changing into deafening thunderclaps directly overhead, followed by torrential rain. Shutters banged and clattered in the easterly winds and then the electricity died. When we have storms in Tuscany they are massive and lightning forks can take out whole trees in one mighty flash. Flood water cascades down the hills taking surface soil and plants with it, completely changing the landscape. You may recall that I have mentioned the shifting land, crumbling inland cliffs and landslides. Often roads are blocked and not cleared for several days. It is now eleven thirty in the morning and the storm continues unabated. I dare not think about whether the strada bianca (white track) from our villa to the main road will be passable when the sky eventually clears! Worst of all, I have had to make my own coffee this morning as I cannot get to the cafe bar in Fiano!
But hey ho, let’s look back at what has been a glorious week, which included three lunches in our sunny garden, three at local restaurants and only one in our kitchen. At the Osteria La Sosta di Pio near Barberino Val d’Elsa, my mother-in-law, known as Gi-Gi, on account of her being a Great-Grandma, was presented with a surprise birthday desert with candle and ‘Happy Birthday’ was played in English over the loud-speakers. Her little face lit up as she remembered, once again, that it was her eighty-eighth birthday! Every ten minutes or so, her short-term memory loss kicks in, so we had to constantly remind her what day it was. Bless her. In the afternoon four generations of Finnigans descended on the villa for afternoon tea and birthday cake. GG flew back to England on Sunday with my man and may or may not remember her visit!
Meanwhile, back at our local village of Fiano, the tourists had thinned to a trickle. The unplayed and crushed conkers in the piazza had mostly been cleared away and the horse-chestnut trees were dressed in beautiful shades of red and gold. Offset these against a row of dark cyprus trees and a bright blue sky; very breathtaking. As we walked to the alimentari /bar the intoxicating perfume of red wine wafted over us from a passing truck, loaded high with grape skins. We arrived for coffee feeling very light-headed.
On Saturday morning we took GG to Certaldo Alto, which is the centro storica (historical centre) of Certaldo perched high on its own steep hill. We traveled up on the little funiculare train packed like sardines with Italians, their children, nonnas and cameras. We visited the gallery and were delighted to meet the artist Walter Sarfatti. His work is rather special as he produces ‘original prints’ from zinc plates by the process of etching. No one print is exactly the same as it varies according to the colour and the density of the ink chosen by the artist. We are now the proud owner of a small masterpiece. You may like to visit http://www.sienaart.org/walter-sarfatti .
And so to the Italian Stallion Silvio Berlusconi. Yes, as anticipated, he has been thrown out of political office for two years. Can he still remain ‘high profile’ during this period? We do hope so. Whilst his love life continues to be fraught with scuttlebutt, it is very likely. Watch this space.
Well, I have finished this blog by hand as the storm is still raging. I am reluctant to go on-line as I have first hand experience of a lightening bolt hitting the electricity wires at our old home and destroying the TV and my lap-top! I may have to send this tomorrow….
Heres hoping you are having better weather.
Amore June x
PS You can now find me and my book, ‘My Father, the Assassin’, on http://www.Goodreads.com as well as http://www.firstchapters.net and of course Amazon. Happy reading.
We had the same weather as you! The boys were late to school as I wasn’t walking among all that lightening!!
The birthday weekend sounds lovely for all, how great the family can pop over for the weekend. I wonder what the weather will bring this week?
Ciao
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Weather is a little calmer now. My daughter and grandchildren live near Siena, so visiting either way is easy.
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