Il Poggiolo Tuscany

21/05/2023

Parco Carrabe, in the middle of the countryside. The best ice-cream in the Valdarno and a lovely view of the unusual geological formations known as the 'Balze'.

02/02/2023

8 AM on 2nd February, the "Candelora." Legend has it that the bear wakes out of hibernation today. If there is a bit of sun, it stays awake as winter is almost over. If bad weather, it goes back to sleep as there will be 40 more days of cold. Let us hope that there will be brilliant sun!

27/01/2023

" I giorni della merla" = the days of the blackbird (Italian version of groundhog day). If cold, Spring will come early, if warm, Spring will be tardy. Legend has it that blackbirds were originally white, but during a great frost at the end of January they hid in sooty chimneys and became black.

12/08/2022

Great basket made from chestnut. The handle is made so that you can sit on it if you need a rest when picking mushrooms in the woods or whatever. This basket was bought at the annual fair in Terranuova Bracciolini over 40 years ago and looks still new despite decades of service!

05/06/2022

There is now a NEW wall holding up driveway with the same 100 year old bricks recycled from the old wall (each brick individually scraped, soaked and re-laid...) Many many thanks to Luciano, Behar and Nicola!!

01/05/2022

Wonderful presentation by Lara Roney. I am so pleased that women artists are now being showcased in world class museums.

Lara Roney, research assistant of Italian Art at the DIA, discusses “By Her Hand: By Her Hand: Artemisia Gentileschi and Women Artists in Italy, 1500–1800.”W...

22/04/2022

Montevarchi, where you can leave strollers (and bikes) parked in the street.

27/02/2022

February seems to last forever... I can't wait to see flowers once again in the terracotta pots !!

07/01/2022

Um .... we have a bit of a wall problem on the driveway. Fingers crossed it will hold for a while until we can get it fixed.
Nonetheless I feel accomplished that the terracotta pots are all nicely stacked on the opposite side of what used to be a "concimaia" (place where dung was kept to be used for fertiliser).

12/12/2021

Lunch in the sun today.... not bad for 12th December!

06/11/2021

What a glorious long autumn we are having here in Tuscany!

23/10/2021

Even Tuscany has Autumn colours !!