Junefinnigan's Weblog

Benvenuti and Welcome to all my Lovely Followers around The World

Yes, we are still here, not quite melted into the Tuscan countryside yet, but at forty degrees it has been a close run thing!  Thankfully, we have just enjoyed a couple of days respite after high winds and rain cleared the stifling humidity.

Packed like beached sardines on the Tuscan coast. La Repubblica.

I sincerely hope that you have not booked the next two weeks anywhere on the Tuscan coast.  This week is Ferragosta, when thousands and I mean many thousands, of Italians have flooded the beaches on their annual exodus to Al Mare.  If you want standing room only, well OK, but if you are hoping to stretch out and relax, forget it!  Anyway, It is not so hot inland now, so if you have booked an air-conditioned self-catering place or Agriturismo in this area, you should be OK.

Back in our lovely little bit of Chianti I spotted an interesting bird through the bedroom window, landing in our ancient fig tree and obviously after the young fruits.  But it was so well camouflaged once it was there, I struggled to locate it through my camera lens.  It’s only by chance that I got a picture, I just happened to be aiming in the right direction.

Fig Tree and Mystery Bird. Photo J Finnigan

If you slightly enlarge the photo of the fig tree and look three-quarters of the way up in the middle you will see it!  A beautiful and fascinating sighting of an unusual bird.  I wondered if it was a Piculet, a type of Woodpecker, but I am no bird specialist.  I saw a flash of stripe on its underbelly or wing and a longish beak.  If any of you clever clogs can tell me what it is, I will send you a signed copy of ‘The Italian Connection’!  Otherwise, you get to see our lovely fig tree…..

More gorgeous fashion from Gaudi. La Repubblica.

Meanwhile, I was enjoying my morning coffee in our local village of Fiano and found some beautiful Autumn Italian fashion in La Repubblica.  I must say, that Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year and I just love the colours.  The flip-flops get thrown into the washing machine and we once again start thinking about shoes; yes I know, I love shoes almost as much as I love handbags and living in Italy, were they make the World’s most beautiful creations, it can be hard to concentrate.  What is your favourite season?

Holiday Music in Florence. La Repubblica

But lets bring you back to Tuscany and those of us who have not gone ‘Al Mare’ or to the mountains, will be enjoying lots of music over the next week or so.  Every day up until the 20th August, you can enjoy live music in the Giardino dell Orticultora, a lovely cool green place to chill out in Florence.  Go to http://www.firenzetoday.it/eventi/location/giardino-dell-orticoltura/  They do all sorts of great events throughout the year too!

Pink Floyd releases new live album recorded in the Roman Amphitheatre in Pompeii. La Republica

And also on the subject of Music, Pink Floyd, who are celebrating fifty years of the release of their first album ‘The Piper at The Gates of Dawn,’ are regularly in Tuscany.  They can always rely of their Italian fans to turn out in the thousands and a whole page news article is no surprise.  The big news is that a new album is being released called ‘David Gilmour Live at Pompeii’ recorded in the Roman Amphitheatre in front of 2,600 lucky fans last year.  It was the first ever rock concert performed there and the audience stood exactly where the gladiators would have fought to the death.  For more information and to watch some excerpts that will give you pins & needles, go to http://www.pinkfloyd.com/news/

Well, I think that’s my roundup for the last week and may the month of August be really cool for you in every sense of the word. (Errr, unless you are in England of course, weather wise.)

Do drop me a line, I love to hear from you.

Salute June x

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