Coppa-Bartoli

Monte Evangelo/ Tre Croci-Scandiano.



No pleasanter way to spend a Saturday sitting on the top of a hill with a view, my knitting, watching cuclists pant past three times on the Coppa-Bartoli circuit. March 28, 2009 - Damiano Cunego won his second Coppi e Bartali title on Saturday despite being beaten in a sprint finish by Australian Cadel Evans on the fifth and final stage.Evans, the reigning champion, edged out Cunego, also the 2006 winner, and Italian Giovanni Visconti at the end of a 178.5km trek from Scandiano to Sassuolo.The Australian, who finished second overall, had begun the day 28 seconds behind Cunego with Massimo Giunti a further four seconds back.Evans tried repeatedly to break clear of Cunego on climbs in the final 20km but failed to shake off the Italian former Giro d’Italia winner.



















Unfortunately it rained Sunday but very fortunately I had a real find at LYS - bamboo rainbow yarn and it's coming along fine!

The lands of the Paludi family

I love the Tassobbio valley, there are a lot of little medieval hamlets with fortified houses and courtyards. They are all joined together by a network of old mule paths. It was also an area where partisans hid out during the Second World War.

Here I am trying out a couple of poles. One of my rav. groups claims that they help balance, work upper body and boost confidence. In fact, just look at me hopping across the stream!

At some point the map no longer listed the villages we came across, in my husband's words we were lost.

But it did lead us across the church of Santo Stefano set in the midst of a green lawn.

Doubt if I could ever find it again though.

The view in front of the church across to Bismantova Rock with its characteristic anvil shape. And there is still snow way back in the background but you can't see it here.

In fact, we celebrated the first day of spring with our last (?) snowfall of the season.

In the end we left the woods and continued on determined to find our way back. Fortunately the first sign of civilisation was a 'bar' (or cafe if you prefer Sylv). where I started the cuff on my spring tulip socks.

4 hour round trip, 663 metres height.

A new generation of hill walkers

Starting off with a difficult bit















Going up...Isshan last again

















Cuddle and view














Nearly there













Speeding up to get an ice cream

Whoops , short cut

Dritto, Rovescio in Milan

An exhbition of knitted masterpieces. Here 24 knitted dresses are joined together to form one hug FAMILY DRESS!

Who are those pretty young things!

Fancy free in cosmopolitan Milan, I'd forgotten what fun it is to have a girls' day out . Thanks Patty

With warmer weather and drier ground underfoot I managed to get up to the castle without getting too muddy.

But nature is still pretty dormant, not many birds or buds on the trees but...

I did find my first primrose..

Sun at long last!

Made the most of the first sun of year with a couple of hours round trip from Traversetolo to Sivizzano.

Here is the church at Sivizzano where we knew from experience there is a fine bench with breat taking view, in a sunny secluded corner.

No escaping ginger cats, especailly when you're having a picnic.

View from siad bench back to our house, castle Canossa in middle on skyline with Rossena in front in the shadow.

Got home to find Jess, the latest kitty, waiting with Mimosa for Ladies Day