On the evening of June 7, we had a spectacular storm that I watched with friends from their balcony here in Castiglione. It came from the east, unusually, and we could see lightening from Pienza to Radicofani as the clouds rolled toward us at sunset. By eleven in the evening some of us made a mad dash to close the windows we'd left open as the storm broke over us.

There's been a second trip to the nurseries near Montepulciano where I've purchased a Japanese maple among other things. The garden is really taking shape.

On June 10 I met up with Cristina and others for a SlowTrav GTG at a park in Siena. Nice time, especially with the children there.

This week I became the proud owner of a great used car which was such a deal that I could not have possibly passed it up.

My routine was broken up by taking a wonderful trip up to Lucca for three days with G & Z. We were scouting new villas for them to represent up there and were guests at another where I had a beautiful room. Nice break.

Lucca's villas are very elegant, but I was glad to return to the Val d'Orcia.

Today was homebody day: filed my 2004 taxes and had the assistants from the geometra's office in to measure for new windows.

Oh, I forgot to mention that I had my first scorpion in the house last week. He (?) was behind the sponge above the kitchen sink and was pretty docile... an exquisitely constructed creature that I was sorry I had to do in.

posted by Joanna @ 6/17/2005 04:24:00 PM