Junefinnigan's Weblog

Welcome to all my lovely Loyal and New Followers

Farty Barty lazing around.
Photo S Stobbs

Well, what a hectic but most enjoyable week.  My lovely sister-in-law arrived to beautify the garden pots in preparation for the arrival of a group of American water-colour artists who were coming on the Thursday.  Farty Barty the cat lazed around a lot oblivious the plans we had, and only disappeared off when the ‘invasion’ started.

Mist filled valleys last Thursday morning.
Photo J Finnigan

I awoke on the Thursday morning to the most beautiful sky; the sun was rising and thick mists filled the valleys below us leaving the hilltops peeking out on top.  We popped down to Certaldo for early morning coffee then returned to make a jug of Bucks Fizz.

Book signing for the Artists
Photo J Stobbs

When the group arrived at ten, the sun had risen above the trees and the distant hills had taken on a mix of grey through to blue and lilac.  An artist’s dream in fact and we were so lucky with the weather.  I welcomed them and did a quick book signing before they all settled in around the garden to Paint.

Artists at work.
Photo J Stobbs

Sonja, the art teacher, was such a lovely lady and had them all doing  washes of colour, then drying it in the sun before the next wash.  I was very impressed with the high standard as they were all amateurs.  Individually, the artists were very interesting people ranging from writers to musicians, so I felt completely in tune with them.

Our lovely visiting American artists, me and the Sister-in-law

My own family has been artististic back through several generations and I was able to show Sonya some of my most treasured pictures painted by my grandmother in 1924.  I can honestly say it was the most pleasant ‘meet and greet the English Author’ session I have ever done, and they will be most welcome to return.  Thank you to Jackie at http://www.frenchescape.com for arranging things in such a professional and relaxed way.  To contact Sonya Hamilton, the art teacher who is based in Auburn, California  go to http://www.sonjahamilton.com

Lunch at Il Castello with Julia and David.
Photo J Stobbs

Everyone left around twelve-thirty and the sister-in-law and I rushed off down to Certaldo Alto to meet English friends of hers who were over to buy trees in the famous market gardens at Pistoia that are just a thirty-five minute drive away.   David and Julia run a garden design company in Somerset England and import Cypress and other trees from Italy.  It was fascinating to meet them and to hear that they were first approached by the Italians for the kind of trees they were growing in Somerset.  So a bartering system got set up and now our friends have to come to Tuscany from time to time, to be wined and dined by the Italians.  But it is not that easy, they had obviously spent an exhausting time visiting all the garden centres to select their trees.  We had lunch on the balcony of Il Castello and the food was delicious.  Visit http://www.albergoilcastello.it  Thank you to David for treating us!  My turn next time.

Well, I did say that I would update you on the comings and goings of Silvio Berlusconi.  Unfortunately, I will have to postpone that as I have so much catching up to do.  I am off the England on Wednesday for my mother-in-law’s 90th birthday and to stay one night with old friends in Somerset.  It will be a nice change, however, I will be very glad to get back to my little bit of Tuscan heaven.

Have a fantastic week and do drop me a line.

Salute June x

PS Do visit my author site at http://www.amazon.com/author/junefinnigan

‘My Father, The Assassin’. Book one in the series.

‘The Bolivian Connection’. Book two in the series.