Welcome and Benvenuti to all my Lovely Followers around the World,
It’s a beautiful sunny Saturday morning here on the edge of the Chianti Hills in our little bit of Tuscany. And, I am inspired to write just for the joy of sharing my thoughts with you at last. Yes, I know it’s been a while since my last blog and I am sorry about that. I have no excuses other than being engrossed in my day job and being exhausted on the weekends. But somehow, this weekend feels different, my head is clearer and I feel very bullish about the New Year.
As a writer it’s so important to keep writing and my fourth novel is in draft form waiting to be completed. So I am very excited to tell you that once I get this blog off to you I will be back in back in the world of Joanna Wilde taking her on new exciting and potentially dangerous adventures.
Tuscany is a wonderful place to be inspired, as a writer and also as an artist. There is not a month when the scenery is dull, even in the depth of winter. Thanks to the late shedding of the European Oak’s leaves, Autumn colour spreads over into January. But it has been unseasonably warm here too and out of any wind you can enjoy an aperitivo outside! It is also the time of year for stunning sunrises and sunsets.
We have just had three family birthdays over ten days, sadly finding a lunch venue is difficult this time of year. So we gathered together for supper (cena) at C’era una Volta Restaurant where Paolo is serving up White Truffles (Tartufo Bianco). My mouth waters as I write this; white gold found by local truffle hunters and their wonderful dogs. http://www.ristorante-ceraunavolta.com
It’s now Saturday evening and we have been to Paolo’s again for lunch. A typical big Italian family birthday was underway and probably at least four generations. We sat in the little back room so had some peace and quiet, then we returned home and enjoyed a nice chilled limoncello. Mmmmm.
OK, what next? Well, January is a good month for walking through the countryside as very few tourists are around and one can spot the early spring shoots that are just beginning to peep out of the ground. It’s also a good month for sorting out the garden and getting the shrubs pruned. Our daughter is coming over to help here as she is the expert having planted our 18 month old shrubbery in the first place, so that’s something to look forward to.
And, what about the next Tuscan Rock Chick Band concert party? I hear you say. Well the date is agreed as 16 June and if you are not already on our invitation list you will need to send me your email address, if you want to come. I have just started on a brand new repertoire and can’t wait to get back behind the Mic.
Well, it’s now Sunday morning and the last of the Christmas stuff has been put away. Gosh, what a lot of dust! And so to tidying this blog up and getting it off to you.
Do get in touch, I love to hear from my readers! Leave a message here or email june.finnigan0@gmail.com Oh, and do visit my website at http://www.junefinnigan.website
Salute June x PS Thank you for buying my books!
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…..
Meanwhile, back in the here and now, we have made the sad decision to cancel the Rock Chick Band concert in June. Whilst things may have improved by then and the restrictions lifted, we do not want to bring together friends and family and to put them at risk. It is particularly sad as it would have been our 10th anniversary as a band and I have enjoyed performing with the guys so much. But lets look to June 2021 and make sure it is a really good party!
And, on a much lighter note you will be glad to know that our lower terrace is ready to welcome you all, the minute it is safe to do so. Yesterday, my man and I enjoyed a bottle of Chardonnay there before lunch and it was glorious in the warm breeze with the perfumes wafting across from the Acacia, roses and cut grass. Whist we have been unable to go out and buy plants, the garden is still looking lovely thanks to nature’s own contribution
Well, the weather here on the edge of Chianti has been glorious. This morning’s early stroll around the garden turned out to be nice enough to stop and sit under the European Oak tree, where one of our English Garden Benches now sits. The Acacia trees are now dripping with perfumed blossoms and the view is fantastic; we will never tire of this glorious vista. There is no longer any traffic smog down in Certaldo’s valley and the view to San Gimignano is as clear as crystal. We are so looking forward to meeting our family there for a nice lunch soon.
What a great evening we had on the 21 June. Thank you so much to Stefano, Lorenzo C, Lorenzo A and Fillipo who, alongwith myself, are the Rock Chick Band. These brilliant guys were once again seriously good at backing me in my performance of seventeen great rock songs. I admit, this is pure indulgence for me, I just adore getting up there and singing with these guys! And, we will be back again next year so diary date June 19 2020 now!
Also taking a turn at the mike was our good friend John Reilly, whose UK stage name is The Bare Guitarist. (Think what you like) His song “zombie jamboree” has a big history and, most of the versions are not the same as Johns (Circa 1966 Sierra Leone) on a white label record which was banned from all West African States as it was more akin to a horror song for juju believers….. Thank you John, despite the history, the audience loved it and you really got them up and dancing! 
And, thank you to our local celebrity potter, Terry Davies, on the left, who was prompted to get up with his guitar and sing a couple of excellent rock songs. Thank you Terry.
And, what a great audience! Well done Fiano for being strongly represented. Fabulous friends came from all over the world, including 
Meanwhile, Andrea and his lovely lady, from Jam Caffe in Certaldo, were busy in the kitchen preparing a delicious buffet and the excellent wine was once again provided by our good friend Claudio Corbinelli. Thank you all!
Oh, by the way, did you leave a nice pair of reading glasses behind? Well, they are perfectly safe, waiting to be claimed. Drop me an email at june.finnigan@virgin.net 
And finally, yes it’s baking hot here and other than the evergreens and vines, everything has turned into crunchy brown crisps. Thankfully, old Tuscan properties have thick walls and are easier to keep cool than most. But we still need the air conditioning and gallons of drinking water. I noticed the local campsite was half empty this morning, more than likely they have headed for the cooler mountain regions, or, if you are a grandparent you are probably at the seaside apartment with your grandchildren, doing your traditional thing, whilst the parents work and go 
What a fabulous evening! On Friday 22nd June we celebrated the 8th Annual Rock Chick Band’s Concert Party in our beautiful Tuscan garden. We rocked the night away with lots of well know covers including George Harrison, Robert Plant, Mathew’s Southern Comfort, The Stranglers, Traveling’ Wilburys, Phil Lynox, The Pretenders, Cream, Peter Gabriel, Mumford & Sons, Dire Straits, Pink Floyd and Patti Smith. You would have been hard pressed not to have found a favourite there! Thank you to Stefano, Lorenzo, Lorenzo and Fillipo, the boys in the band!
Guest performances included our lovely Polish friend Tomek Tryba, who sang the classic Italian song Volare in perfect Italian.
And English buddy John Reilly, who did a stand up comedy song dedicated to me! Bless him. Thank you also to John, for teaching me the first steps in playing the acoustic guitar, my fingers really hurt, but it will be worth it!
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