Looking up

When you walk around an Italian town centre you have to keep looking up  the prettiest windows, the little turrets and scalloped edges all seem to be on the upper floors. Add to that the clear blue Italian sky and the contrast is sharp and bright. I was thinking of all the architects, stone masons, craftsmen and builders who created these lovely fixturrs hundreds of years ago and what pleasure they still give now.

A recipe for life

My brother is just two years older than me and while we were growing up we were all in awe of him. My mum and dad and I admired him greatly and we were totally united in our aim for him to be happy. In our teenage years I did so many things that I would never have done without his influence. I ploughed my way through the Gormenghast trilogy, I shook my head to "Squeeze my lemons" by Led Zeppelin, crooned away to "World of pain" by Cream and Listened to Leonard Cohen moaning away. Without  my brother I would just have bopped away to Tamla Motown and read Jackie all day long. the one book that he did make me read that has never been far away from me all through the years is "The once and future king" by T.H.White. At first I couldn't really see it's appeal, but the first half of the book is guaranteed to cheer me up every time.

She is not any common earth
Water or wood or air,
But Merlin's Isle of Gramarye
Where you and I will fare

Here is a song from it, a Scandinavian song that you may like.

The Boon of life

Ky-yow replied: the boon of life is health
Paddle-foot, Feather-straight, Supple neck, Button-eye
These have the world's wealth.

Aged Ank answered, Honour is our all.
Path-finder, people.feeder, Plan-provider, Sage-commander
These hear the call

Lyo-lyok the lightsome said, Love I had liefer.
Douce-down, Tender-tread, Warm-nest and Walk-in-line
These live for ever.

Aaling-ung was for Appetite. Ah, he said, Eating!
Gander-gobble, Tear grass, Stubble stalk, Stuff-crop
These take some beating.

Wink-wink praised Comrades, the fair free fraternity.
Line-astern, Echelon, Arrow-head, Over-cloud:
These learn Eternity.

But I , Lyow, choose Lay-making, of loud lilts which linger,
Horn music, Laughter song, Epic heart, Ape-the world;
These Lyow, the singer.

This really meant something to me, a recipe for life

Health
Honour
Love
Eating
Fraternity
Lay-making...that had me giggling at aged 15, but it means having fun, entertainment, singing and dancing.

These are the things we need to have, this is The Boon of Life

Suspended in time

It must have taken some years for this tree to grow out of the wall

Many a day tripper has seen this sight as they made their way home

The setting sun is a delight for anyone anywhere

Olive trees can live for thousands of years

An olive grove is always a peaceful place to be

The ancient Romans would have enjoyed this same view

Sometimes when we go somewhere for the day, somewhere touristy where people go for pleasure like a lake or a river or the sea,it feels like I m suspended in time. I feel like I've entered a parellel world, a sort of Happyland. There are many places like this all over the world. There is no obvious industry or signs of the wheels that keep the country going. Everyone seems to be there with companions of their choice doing pleasurable things, from merely sitting chatting in a cafe to whizzing across the water on skis or flying through the air on some sort of contraption. People have been enjoying these places for leisure for centuries.Some views have probably hardly changed at all since Roman times.Tourist spots seem to me to be happy islands where weekday worries are firmly pushed aside. The trees, the ruins and some of the buildings have seen many people pass through , lightening their burdens with good company and getting comfort from being together knowing that everyone is there to have a good time.The photos I took today show the timelessness of these places.

Lakes,the sea, rivers are all places we gravitate towards on a sunny day

Olive tree trunks can form very interesting shapes

Welcome surprises

Camelia

Camelia

Camelia

camelia

The most wonderful thing about going away, is coming back and the way your loved ones' faces light up when they see you again. Even the baby stretched out her arms for a welcoming embrace. The cat was so overwhelmed she hid under a cushion to hide her emotion.

This morning on the balcony there was a lovely surprise , four beautiful camelias. My gardening skills are not exactly honed to perfection and what blooms on the balcony from year to year is rather haphazard, so it was a great delight to see them there on my return. While I sipped my coffee and admired them I thought of Alexandre Dumas and his La dama delle camelie, how much I enjoyed Moulin Rouge with Ewan Mc Gregor and Nicole Kidman, how wonderful it was to see La Traviata in Verona and the beautiful sunset on the way there,and that there is an island on Lake Maggiore that is famous for its splendid display of camelias.

always nice to see on the door

Trees without their leaves

Here are some photos of Trees full of buds but no leaves yet.

More about Spring

   

 

   

It is only the beginning of March but "Oh to be in England now that April is there" is on everybody's lips. These photos speak for themselves. (I do know it's only March, by the way!)