Welcome and Benveuti to all my Lovely Followers around the World,
Well, the rain is thundering down on our Tuscan country home. We also had storm force winds yesterday and more are expected. It’s difficult weather because we are having to deal with high humidity too. A digger driver spent the whole of last week digging drainage channels in the valley below us; it’s amazing how canny the Tuscan contadini (country folk/farmers) can be about the weather. Do you consult your local country folk or fishermen/women on the weather forecast?
Meanwhile, we are thick with tourists. No obvious English or American yet, but we don’t really want to encourage them! Covid remains a worry here, although our area on the edge of Chianti has been only slightly affected, it’s the visitors that are the problem. Many are not bothering to wear masks and those that come to the restaurent wearing them, take them off at the table, which is fine, then go brain dead and get up to go to the loo or take fotos without putting them back on again! My man has to restrain me from shouting! But hey ho! This did not stop me from enjoying the first Giant Porcini Cap of the season, grilled over Paolo’s open fire! Wonderful!
Anyway, life eeez good, life eeez now!. We met up with our beautiful daughter and granddaughter at Jam Caffe in Certaldo for coffee in the week and my man had his favourite pastry, Pastina Arancia. Our granddaughter (15) was telling us that her return to school is likely to be on a part-time basis, the rest of the time studing on-line. Her last term was all on-line and she did very well without the nomal distractions of friends. Tuscany has so far provided excellent schooling this way, but obviously the face to face social interaction is important too.
Our Grandson (nearly 20) has just signed up with a South East Rugby Club in England for the coming season. At the moment, the club is only training on Thursdays, but he is very glad to be there. He was desperate to play English Rugby after having played in both Italy and France. As most of you know, Rugby in Italy has much room for improvement including proper investment into facilities and pitches. We are delighted for him!
Back here in our Tuscan country garden, Phil the pheasant is looking so much better and we have been reliably informed by a friend in the know, that his dissapearance and bedraggled return is because the males need to recover from the mating season and moult at the same time. Thank you Hilary for that snippit of knowledge! And, we have another resident, found by my man, curled up tightly in our entrance hall in a nook in the stone steps. A young skinny viper and whilst immature, we don’t really want him inside the house! So he was gently swept out the door and has taken up residence under an earthenware pot outside. foto Animalia.bio
Meanwhile, I’ve been sorting out my music repertoire and am ordering more backing tracks, but this time in the correct key for my voice. Also, we have ordered some better lighting for the Sound Studio from IKEA and whilst I was online, I thought I may as well order more bookshelves, a bathroom cabinet, two bedside tables and more lamps. I know, naughty indulgences! Deliveries here are now fairly reliable if you live in Tuscany and there’s nothing like a bit of shopping therapy to brighten the day! Some of the pricing is also amazing. We bought this great non-intrusive floor lamp a few weeks ago, for just 15 Euros on-line at IKEA.it! What do you think?
Well, I think we will pop out to Paolo’s for lunch again today. I had a funny moment yesterday, forgetting that I had planned to go out to eat! My man came to find me and could not believe that I had forgotten. But he’s always happy to eat a home, bless him.
So, time to get the fotos added and do an edit. I do hope you enjoy my waffling, I blame it on the heat and humidity.
Have a great week and do drop me a line, I love to hear from you. Visit my website at http://www.junefinnigan.website
Salute June x
But that’s all changed! We have been inundated with visitors that don’t seem to understand how important it is to stay at home. Firstly, Phil our resident Pheasant, has invited two hens to stay and was flaunting himself below our bedroom window this morning. He’s obviously feeling very randy as he was fluffing his feathers up to give the impression that he is twice his normal size! When he started jumping his startled hens, I had to look away, what an exhibitionist!
Meanwhile, the garden is full of visitors including the stunning and musical Hoopie. The disturbed earth around our new compost heap seems very attractive to them. Also a pair of Jays, numerous wood pidgeons flocks of redstarts and many other birds whose names escape me.
And, on the subject of Compost Heaps, we are very proud to have completed our very first version of one, yesterday morning. This then created the need for a wine break before lunch. It is rather shameful that we have only just created one after having spent most of our lives living in the countryside with good sized gardens. My beautiful Earth Mother daughter has been growing veg and using compost heaps for years. I am not the greatest of cooks and she asked me very seriously on WhatsApp ‘What are you eating Mum?” “I can cook if I have to!” I snorted. “Oh, I thought you might have ordered a flow of ready made meal deliveries!” She chuckled. Cheeky monkey.
Butterflies before, but they were back and getting very close to where we were sitting. Out of interest we had previously looked up their lifespan and were astonished to read that in butterfly form they only live for ten days! As one almost alighted on my man’s chest he commented “So, they have only ten days to work out if they are male, female or transgender.” He said very seriously. “Mmm. I think that one is female” I grinned. Foto it.123rf.com
Well, I could waffle on but there is one thing I want to mention. London based James Lakeland, who is the brother of an English friend, designs beautiful women’s clothes that are made in Italy. Like many fashion shops, he is really struggling at the moment. He has managed to pay his staff so far and has now reduced his prices so low, you have to get on-line and start buying! I have placed an order, so that’s my next concert outfit sorted, god knows when it will arrive here in Italy (Italy’s postal system is unpredictable), but it is worth it to support at least one deserving fashion house. James also delivers worldwide! Foto from James Lakeland Blogsite. 
Junefinnigan's Weblog 