Junefinnigan's Weblog

Our parched landscape this morning. Foto J Finnigan

Phew, another baking hot day and no rain.  Forty degrees celsius yesterday and forty-four in Florence!  But we don’t care about that, life eeez good, life eeez now!  Well, that’s not strictly true, we would prefer not to have to water the garden at around six in the morning and shut ourselves indoors all day.  Even the vines have had enough and are producing ready to pick grapes much earlier this year.  Some have already been harvested in the north!  But the view remains beautiful, the contrast of the blond fields against the stripes of the vines and the hardy olive trees remain silver green.  Sadly, some of the other mature trees are starting to wilt, and we are daily topping up two bowls of water for the wildlife.

The big Italian Vacanza. La Repubblica

Of course, as you loyal readers will know, August is the month for the Italians to exit the suffocating heat inland, and go off to the coast or mountains.  A record 34 million have been recorded as having gone on vacation at the beginning of the month.  This then leaves the visiting tourists wandering around ghost towns trying to find anywhere open!  Instead of capitalizing on the influx of foreign tourists, the Italians close shop and head off Al Mare!

Beautiful Autumn trouser suits. La Repubblica.

Now here’s a complete change of subject, Italian fashion has moved into Autumn and I can honestly say that I am looking forward to it.  As I was enjoying my morning coffee in our local village of Fiano, I spotted these trouser suits in La Repubblica.  Beautiful, almost classic designs that only the Italians can truly achieve.

Another thing, I don’t know about you girls, or should I say ladies if I am being politically correct, but I am struggling with my handbags at the moment.  My man thinks I should carry a cross body bag at all times, as they are far more secure.  But I find that they are not usually big enough to carry all my junk.  ‘Shoppers’ tend to fit over one shoulder and I don’t like having a big lump under my arm!  Let’s have your ideas girls (to hell with political correctness) and I will gladly take your views on board!

Yummy pecorino cheese and grilled courgettes marinated in balsamic and chives. Foto J Finnigan

Meanwhile, if you are looking for restaurants that are open near Certaldo, I can recommend C’era una Volta in Lucardo, which is open for lunch and dinner every day except Tuesday.  www.ristorante-ceraunavolta.com  Telephone first as it can be heaving in the evenings, yet sometimes really quiet if you are lucky.  Tel (0039)0571 669 578.  I will finish this blog after Sunday lunch at the above, as I intend taking a couple of pictures…….  OK, I’m back and here is a picture of my antipasti, lovely young pecorino cheese and wood-fire grilled marinated courgettes in balsamic and chives.  Yummy.

Well, time to think about an aperitivo, it’s so hot I have been pouring white wine over ice!  My man will be enjoying a nice G&T, which I love, but no longer agrees with my sensitive system.  Hey ho!

But whats this?  My man rushes into my studio waving a map!  “There’s a lost French family at the gate looking for their holiday accommodation and there is no address, just a map location!  I think I know which house it is, but can you ring the owner and find out for sure?  Not only that, they don’t speak Italian and hardly any English!”  I grab my phone and have a weird conversation with an Italian, who finally works out where we are and says he will come and collect the French.  He arrives ten minutes later, and my man proudly announces that he was right, as he recognised the owner’s son who turned up!  So despite the communication challenge, all turns out well!  There’s never a dull moment during the tourist season, the last lost people were Spanish.

Have a great cool week and do drop me a line, either below or at june.finnigan@virgin.net  I love to hear from you.

Salute June x

Ps  Visit my author site at www.amazon.com/author/junefinnigan