This seems to be turning into a bi-annual blog instead of a monthly update for friends and family back home.
Sorry chaps, but there is so much to do here that the days dash past and spring has morfed into autumn with hardly a conversation with any of you who haven't been out to stay. Get your bags packed next year and spend summer here at 40 degrees instead of in the rain.
This chap and all his relations have finally kissed their kith and kin, turned into Counts or Countesses and stopped their incessant row at night. WWF say they are becoming extinct so if they want a few vociferous pair, we sure have a them!!
I wouldn't mind if they courted all day but they sleep when we are awake and keep us awake when we want to sleep!!
Tuscany in August is HOT!
We had the wettest spring in 200 years and now one of the hottest summers in my LONG memory of hot summers!
We are desperate for water and we thank the powers that be, that we sank a new well whilst renovating the farm. There are people in the valley who ran out of water a weeks ago and are having to beg, borrow or buy water for drinking and washing.
Every time I water the garden, which is more often than I would like, I feel a tinge of guilt. The farmer next door came up to see if we had diverted his pipe from the stream as his supply had run out and his cows were thirsty!
I have a feeling he knew the stream had been dry for months and that he wanted to stick a pipe down our well.
Everyone in England must think I am mad after the rotten summer you have all had. I am so sorry for you all but have a nice little warm feeling somewhere deep inside me, that we left some years ago!!!
Elaine Taylor and Annie Hart came to stay early in spring. It reminded me of the holidays we spent together in Spain playing tennis with Mimi Doxford, Maisie Elliot et al. We ate, drank, and talked ourselves to a standstill. Oh, I forgot, we also shopped!!
Stephanie Cochrane also fitted in a visit. She came out with her sister, June, and although we did not have a lot of time with them, they were going on to Florence to meet friends, we certainly loved having them.
Having a drink at Il Falcone. Well about to!
Having a drink at Il Falcone. Well about to!
Next the Askins and Amhursts arrived and their laughter gave me enough endorphins for the rest of the year!! Julian's big love, after Susie that is, are four legged hairy animals. He has three badger baiters himself but Lamu thought she had gone to heaven when Julian and Carolyn put her before any of the other house guests!
GELATO AND WINE IS A GOOD COMBINATION!
I TOLD YOU THEY PREFERRED DOGS TO PEOPLE.
MR. WHIPPY ENTERTAINS!
Back to London for a couple of weeks to catch up with a few friends, doctors, dentists, etc., and then off to Julian's birthday weekend in Bath. The Askins had taken over Luckenham Park Hotel and we joined their family and eighty of his closest friends (!) for a fabulous two days of great food, fantastic company and a lot of silliness.
IT WAS A CELEBRATION OF JULIAN'S 60TH.
LUCKNAM PARK HOTEL
CHARLOTTE ARRANGED THE WHOLE WEEKEND AND EVERYTHING WENT OFF WITHOUT A HITCH. NO WONDER SHE DOES IT FOR A LIVING. SORRY SUSIE, I KNOW YOU HELPED A LITTLE!!
THIS WAS MY FIRST VISIT TO BATH BUT MY FATHER WENT TO SCHOOL AT CLIFTON COLLEGE AND USED TO TELL US HE COULD HEAR THE ROAR OF THE LIONS IN THE ZOO! MUST GO BACK AND FIND THE ZOO. IT IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL CITY. VERY ELEGANT.
ON THE WAY BACK TO LONDON STOPPED OFF AT CANDY AND JONO SIEFF'S NEAR NEWBURY TO SEE THE NEW ARRIVALS!
We gave a summer party for about fifty people. I ordered a suckling pig from one of the porchetta vans in the Thursday market and he arrived with it hot and crackling in time for dinner. We had thought of cooking it in the pizza oven but this route took less effort and I certainly would not have known how to stuff it with herbs and kidneys. It was absolutely delicious. One guy came back for his fifth serving!!
Simo, Hessi and I made lots of salads and puddings. The kids went swimming and the wrinklies just talked and drank.
THEY DIDN'T LEAVE MUCH PIGLET!
Talking of pigs. We are demented by a group of about six little pigs who visit us every evening to see if the ponies have left any scraps of corn. I can get within six feet of them before they stick their little tails in the air and scarper.
I can walk right up to them and they carry on digging up my orchard!! The little chap on the right looked up at me and then just stuck his nose back into the ground and dug on!
HESSI SHOPPING AT FERRAGAMO'S FESTA
ALISON, A GREAT FRIEND OF FABIO AND HESSI. SHE LOOKS AFTER ALL THE FERRAGAMO HORSES AND IS A GREAT COOK
THE FERRAGAMO WEEKEND COTTAGE!
THE ONE PIG WHO DOESN'T DIG UP MY GARDEN BUT JUST SITS THERE AND LOOKS ELEGANT.
WHAT THE WELL DRESSED LADY WEARS TO GATHER WILD FINOCCHIO FLOWERS FOR WINTER STEWS.
MIKE & SOPHIE TEACHING AC TO PLAY BACKGAMMON.
LUNCH FOR LILLIS LYON, HER NIECE AND DAUGHTER FROM AMERICA. THEY WERE OFF FOR A COOKERY COURSE IN TUSCANY.
OFF TO CAPRI WITH TEL & FEL. THE MEN GOT SOAKED ON THE TRIP OVER
BEFORE THE SOAKING LEAVING NAPLES!
INTERNATIONAL JET SETTERS.
THE HARBOUR OF CAPRI.
I really must post this or it will be another five months before publication.
Am off to see to my apian friends now. We have already had about twenty-five kilos of honey and should have double that again. I want to put them to bed for the winter so that when I go to London I won't worry about them going hungry.
It is the most wonderful weather here still and the colours are turning to autumn. The walnuts are ready, the mushrooms are arriving at my kitchen door, the only thing left to bottle is the quince jelly and I am going back to my first love, riding.
We have found a great stable about ten minutes away run by the top dressage rider in Italy. I have signed on with the hope I will get fit and lose weight!!, in time for James and Lisa's weddidng in India late in December.
More on this later.
Am off to see to my apian friends now. We have already had about twenty-five kilos of honey and should have double that again. I want to put them to bed for the winter so that when I go to London I won't worry about them going hungry.
It is the most wonderful weather here still and the colours are turning to autumn. The walnuts are ready, the mushrooms are arriving at my kitchen door, the only thing left to bottle is the quince jelly and I am going back to my first love, riding.
We have found a great stable about ten minutes away run by the top dressage rider in Italy. I have signed on with the hope I will get fit and lose weight!!, in time for James and Lisa's weddidng in India late in December.
