Torre del Lago and Puccini

This year is the 57th Puccini Festival at the open air theatre on the lake. Puccini's association dates back to the late 18th Century when he came in search of a quiet place where he could compose his music. After success with Madame Lescaut and La Boheme, he was able to buy a house,the Old Watch Tower which gave the lake its name.
This year the festival in July and August includes La Boheme, Turandot and Madame Butterfly well worth a visit even for non opera lovers for the spectacle alone. Casa Colleverde is 45 minutes from Torre del Lago.
www.puccinifestival.it

Packing up the garden to be ready to move.

Having spent sometime over the last few days sweating over the computer doing a business plan, I thought "basta" - enough I need some fresh air.


With that in mind I decided to start digging up and dividing some plants in my small garden here in Foiano della Chiana ready for moving to the new house it maybe a little early but with the warm weather the plant are starting to bud.

It was only when I started that I found that I did not have enough plastic pots. So I am going on a mission this week to find some more. So far I have split the large leafed sage (the fresh leaves are great deep fried in a light batter as are the young rosemary shoots). The oregano plant became four smaller plants and I have potted some self seeded thymes which I found in the gravel so I have of four of these to add to those still to be dug up. The new garden is going to be a meditteranean garden with low growing sun loving plants in gravel - rosemary , lavender, rock roses,  thyme etc as well as broom, euphorbia and fico d'india. The centre pieces will be two old olive trees I have yet to buy.So the more I can save from this garden the more I can spend on the olive tree which I know will not be cheap.

Having said I am creating a mediterranean garden I am putting in some roses which I love and also represent my English roots. The roses I ordered from the UK and are healed in in the garden here. I  am hoping the weather does not get too warm too quickly as I will have to pot them up too rather than planting then straight away as the garden which is no way near ready.

If I find more pots weather permitting I will continue tomorrow.

Furnishing a Home

Having sold my house in London and a holiday apartment,3 years ago now,to fund Casa Colleverde; I have as a result shipped two container loads of furniture to Italy to furnish it. I only hope everything gels once all the wrapping is taken off. Some of the furniture has been in my rented garage now for over 2 years and it has been added to during this period and the time is now getting nearer when it will all finally be unwrapped to see if it has survived without being attacked by mice or damp.

Actually to be honest I have forgotten what I have got in the garage, there are lots of boxes with numbers and descriptions, I may end up with too much furniture, paintings or photos, lets hope not. I still have to buy some big items 4 beds and matresses, 4 sofas, 4 wardrobes and some other occasional chairs and  rugs in addition i need to get some of the little things which go to making a house a home.

 Normally when furnishing a home you do it over time its not a hurried process done all at once. You spend time deliberating over what would look best on a particular shelf or in a favorite corner or you may see something particular when you are traveling and buy it as a momento. It seems to me more difficult when your home is also going to be your means of making your living and you have to make decisions relatively quickly. I am constantly having a debate with myself as to how practical a piece of furniture is, is it easy to clean and will it last. Quite often though the decision is out of my hands things self exclude because they cost too much.

In a few months time I will know whether I have made the right decisions or not.