An everyday walk , a never- ending joy

There are a number of walks close to the house where I grew up which are a source of infinite pleasure to me. For one of them,  just cross the lane and a short walk down the footpath then a whole vast beautiful valley opens up before you.  Our little dog could do it on his own. Gently rolling hills, sheep crazing, fields being ploughed, houses nestled along the lane at the bottom, kites swooping in the sky above and the landscape always offering new sights as the seasons change. I ' d go there often after school with my friend and our dogs , filling our lungs with the bracing air to charge us up to do our homework. At other times my Dad would come with me. He was never one for strenuous exercise. He would stand at the top of the footpath while I raced  around with the dog and all the time I could see his comforting figure in the distance. Here are some photos of that walk that I took last week, but this week it will probably look different.

By the light of the silvery moon

The full moon taken from the car window

The full moon from  a bridge

While we were in England we had a beautiful full moon. There 's something really magical about the moon when you're travelling , it seems to be leading the way home. When my Mum was  alive we loved to know that we were both looking at the same moon, it made us feel a lot nearer .

Last week I took a photo from the car window while crossing a bridge.

Whenever I see the moon snippets of songs run through my head that my Mum used to sing and a poem she liked by Walter de la Mare. 1873- 1956

Now the moon riding by, turns the whole world to silver

And the birds in their nests

Sing a lullabye to you

Sung by my Mum to the tune of Brahm's lullabye

By the light of the silvery moon
I want to spoon, to my honey I'll croon love's tune
Honeymoon keep on shining in June
we 'll be cuddling soon
This song was written in 1909 and is great for singing when the moon is silver.

             

                Silver by Walter de la Mare

Slowly,silently now the moon

Walks the night in her silver shoon

This way and that, she peers and sees

Silver fruit upon silver trees

One by one the casements catch

Her beams beneath the silvery thatch

Couched in his kennel, like a log

With paws of silver, sleeps the dog,

From their shadowy cotes the white breasts peep

Of doves in a silver- feathered sleep

A harvest mouse goes scampering by

With silver claws and silver eye

And moveless fish in the water gleam,

By silver reeds in a silver stream.

The full moon shining on the Thames

Celebrating Mums and Dads

Zeppole waiting for Dads

The story of the Zeppole

The story of the zeppole

 Two weeks ago it was Mother's day in Britain and now today 19 th of March is Father's day in Italy and all week children have been made busy cutting, glue-ing and creating various gifts and learning poems off by heart all guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes and make the heart swell with love and pride. In Britain the pubs and restaurants have big signs outside with inviting offers like Mums eat free, which conjure up pictures of Mum tucking in to a huge banquet while the family watches . A hotel in London put an advert in a daily newspaper offering a 3 hour Mother's day spa session for two for £900. When I told my brother this he said 'well the important thing is to give her a hug.' Mums and Dads are being celebrated in Italy and Britain this month and so let's hope there 's lots of hugging going on. In the very moving film "Steel Magnolias " The scene where Shirley Maclaine and her daughter hug and then the daughter says something like "that's the first time that I let go first", is heart-wrenching.
On occasions like this, I like to imagine all the deep unfathomable love that my brother and I had for my Mum and Dad sort of wafting up to heaven and surrounding them like a big, fluffy, soft white cloud. They can bask in it, wallowing and luxuriating in all the love. Italians might think this sounds like a well-known coffee advert..

I brought back a baby doll for my little grand- daughter from England. On the box it proclaims to say 50 words. A great way for her to learn some English I told my son and daughter-in-law.My granddaughter wore a look of growing consternation as we listened to the doll mechanically repeat phrases such as "please put me in my pushchair " or " where is my highchair". Finally the doll said. "I love you mummy" , my grand-daughter 's little face cleared and lit up in sheer delight , she clutched the doll to her in an endearingly maternal way. "Ha detto che mi vuole bene" she said joyfully. "She said she loves me". From the age of about two she has been proudly telling other people that her nonna says "I love you" to her.

One of my Mothers day gifts

The story of the zeppole is from the South Of Italy. At the end of the Winter all the left-over grain is made into a bonfire and burnt at the side of the village square. When it is just a heap of ashes all the men leap over it while the women send prayers to St.Joseph ,the patron saint of fathers.

So however simple or lavish your celebration have lots of hugs and don't be the one to let go first....

A quick note to non-Italian speakers, Ti amo means I love you, but is only used for romantic love, husbands, wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, whereas Ti voglio bene also means I love you, but is used for other family members and close friends. Ti voglio bene literally means that you want the good for the other person.