Life is full of exciting experiences

There are plenty of new things to try out even when you've been around for a half century.

Members of my knitting community often try to outdo each other on strange places to knit but this beats them all...

where am I?

More white stuff.

Well it's back again! But I didn't let it stop me making my regualr walk up and down to the castle.

And even though I was rather overdressed and had my special 'all weather' boots on, which weigh a ton. It was worth it AND the bar was open.

And I am still knitting hard. The problem is that I have spent so much time and effort obtaining this Noro yarn, (bought online in two occasions, searching out the same dyelot and trying three different patterns) that I want the result to be perfect.

But looks like I've finally got it right on my fourth attempt.

The start of the walking season

We opened the season with a walk around a nearby village appropriatly named Quattro Castella...four hills each one once topped by a castle.

A cold but very educative outing which not only took in one castle (closed)....

and three ruined towers

.,,a variety of plant ecosystems, including this relic olive grove,

...geology...sandstone, a quarry with fossils, and a sulphur spring,

...a LIPU bird sanctuary

but was also a culinary experience thanks to my latest great cookbook (Dolci in Famiglia by Salvatore de Riso) and this focaccia al rosmarina farcita con parmigina di melanzane e provola affumicata

A Sight for Sore Eyes

By a proud mum!!!!

Il paese dei Presepe

My first visit to Bazzano to admire the nativity scenes last year was such fun that it looks like becoming a fixed tradition in our family. Each family sets up a crib. All 134 can be seen on.............

http://www.43020bazzano.it/

But the most original was this one set up in a wrecked Fiat 500.

As you can see another snow shower but glasses of mulled wine kept the chilblains at bay.

And fortunately the snow didn't start falling until AFTER Ambra and Paola had driven to us from ferrara.

Ambra bought me another example of her splendid work, these cosy colourful slippers.

A big thank you to them and everyone else who braved the weather to come to our party on Saturday.

Resort out of season

This New Year was a bit of an experience! Driving three hours down the motorway in the pouring rain to visit our summer hotel .


Nobody was in though!







The beach huts were protected by a ridge of sand














and with trunks this size washed up on the shore you can see why












The local traditional fishing boats in the harbour had nativity scenes onboard

But with three changes of clothes, a warm up by a log oven in a pizzeria (with a steaming seafood pizza) and a film in probably one of the oldest cinemas left we definetly had a night to remember.

And the fireworks? We seemed to have lost them somehow