This was taken of the garden from my bedroom window. It is the only five hours of winter I've seen so far and it was last Friday. Today it's close to sixty degrees F again and tomorrow will be February 1. Very strange.

posted by Joanna @ 1/31/2007 08:05:00 AM 3 comments  

All the predictions are that winter is really coming by the end of the week. I've had it too easy and probably wasted alot of time just enjoying the nice weather instead of doing all the chores and errands I should have been doing. Well, I'll pay. This has been the view from my bed lately. Probably won't be able to see anything once the rain, snow, whatever comes.

A new friend, Santo, sent this picture from our New Year's Eve party. Seems much longer than three weeks ago.
And Molly and Maggie are growing up- into everything, destroying any plant or dried flower arrangement they can get to, and becoming much more affectionate.

posted by Joanna @ 1/22/2007 09:08:00 PM 1 comments  

Where is winter? Today it was again close to sixty degrees. Just like yesterday when Carmela, Eugenio and I took a long drive in the country, through the secret valleys in the mountains, the south side of Monte Amiata. We went to a furniture outlet to browse and then had lunch in Castell'azzara in Grossetto province, the high country of the Maremma. La Tana dell'Orso (Cave of the Bear) is a tiny trattoria with wonderful food- the pasta, bread, etc. all made on premises, run by a young couple. The three course meal with wine and coffee came to under fifteen euro per person. The town has a wonderful ancient center with tiny alleys, arches and bridges over streets and a view of the southern end of the Val d'Orcia including the south side of Radicofani.



We continued back through Vivo d'Orcia where we turned left instead of right and went to the Amiatafunghi factory where we loaded up on all kinds of mushroom, vegetable and fruit preserves and sauces. Arriving home by sunset, cursing myself for not having brought my camera, I was still saying, "Where's winter?"

posted by Joanna @ 1/13/2007 05:49:00 PM 2 comments