The Cappella della Madonna di Vitaleta on the road from Pienza to San Quirico d'Orcia

In 2001 I came to live in Italy. I had some fun, wrote a journal and this is the blog of my story...

"Tuscany is a state of grace. The countryside is so lovingly designed that the eye sweeps the mountains and valleys without stumbling over a single stone. The lilt of the rolling green hills, the upsurging cypresses, the terraces sculptured by generations that have handled the rocks with skillful tenderness, the fields geometrically juxtaposed as though drawn by a draughtsman for beauty as well as productivity; the battlements of castles on the hills, their tall towers standing grey-blue and golden tan among the forest of trees, the air of such clarity that every sod of earth stands out in such dazzling detail. The fields ripening with barley and oats, beans and beets. The grape-heavy vines espaliered between the horizontal branches of silver-green olive trees, composing orchards of webbed design, rich in intimation of wine, olive oil and lacy-leaf poetry. Tuscany untied the knots in a man's intestines, wiped out the ills of the world. Italy is the garden of Europe, Tuscany is the garden of Italy, Florence is the flower of Tuscany." Irving Stone from my favourite book " The Agony and the Ecstacy" A fictional biography of Michelangelo



234. 37 and White Christmas

37 

Another two weeks of solid rain, Gosford park at the Odeon, end of term party at the library and some last minute Christma shopping (with hot chocolate at Rivoire in Piazza Signoria) and finally we have arrived at our Christmas holiday! Annette returns from a three-day trip to Blighty to see her parents, with bags of goodies and for my 37th birthday evening, my customary smoked salmon and philadelphia.

We have Little Britain season 2 and Ali G - the movie, to watch... 37 is not so bad after all!



White Christmas


After some very indulgent food, including a wicked apricot, 'artigianale' panettone from Cerbaia, cakes from Pasticceria Giorgio, three bottles of Brunell0 wine and champagne, we finally paint the walls of our 'mustard' flat... white of course!

And to top it off nicely it snows on Boxing Day for the first time in Florence for 23 years!

Auguri di Buon Natale


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