Junefinnigan's Weblog

Welcome and Benvenuti to all my Lovely Followers around the World,

Well, this morning’s walk around the boundaries was very soggy indeed!  Just when we thought things were warming up it was back to heavy rain and storms.  Now of course the vineyards and olive groves need rain, but it has become impossible to predict the weather in recent years.  Not much more than five years ago we were having months of drought, one year we went from May through to October without a drop of the wet stuff. Our daughter, who lives near San Gimignano. has just sent videos of the track to her house, which is now a raging river!  So enough of the rain, we want aperitivi in the garden please!

Nevertheless, sodden as it was, the countryside was glowing with various greens that against the grey sky seemed to be luminous and the colour of the flowers were extra vivid.  The dampened perfumes were also wafting over us, so it was still another beautiful day in Tuscany.

Now, you will probably be aware that myself and the Rock Chick Band have had to cancel our concert for this coming Friday, 19 June.  This is very sad indeed as we would have been celebrating our 10th annual concert.  I got together with Stefano our brilliant lead in 2010, he organised the band and we performed our first concert in June 2011, to celebrate my birthday.  I enjoyed it so much we decided to do it every year, until now!  As you can guess, I’m feeling a little bereft, but am really looking forward to the arrival of a complete sound system for my piano room, which will be renamed the Sound Studio.  This means I will be able to sing to my heart’s content at the microphone, with downloaded backing tracks, whenever I choose.  Now my man has threatened to leave me if I don’t consult him first about my timing, as it will be very very loud.  I think thats only fair…..

OK, back to the world outside!  You will be glad to know that all the borders are now open and you can travel the length and the width of Italy without restriction!  However, you must still remember the rules and are in fact laws;  wear masks, keep your distance and wash/cleanse your hands at all times!  Slowly, things are returning to normal but you will still find queues outside the shops, banks and supermarkets due to distancing restrictions.  We have been so well looked after by our local alimentare in Fiano for the last four months that I intend continuing to support the small shops, some of which are struggling, but with our support will survive.    Also, the Saturday morning fruit and veg market has reopened in Certaldo where they also sell locally made cheese.  What more do we need?

Back in the kitchen, I have a recipe for Aubergines called ‘White Aubergine Parmigiana’ the peculiar thing is it does not actually include parmigiana!  Anyway, it looks easy even for a dead head in the kitchen like me.  Aubergines are English for Eggplants or Melanzane in Italiano.  My man gets very nervous when I try something new, it will either be delicious or horrible.  If the latter it goes straight out the kitchen window and we have a liquid lunch.  I’ll let you know next week.

Have a great week and do drop me a line.  I love to hear from my readers!  june.finnigan@virgin.net or visit my website and leave a message there.  My site

Salute June x