Monday, May 28, 2012

Lake District

     After the wedding we headed up to the Lake District, it was my first time in this part of the world, and was super excited to spend some time in a place that is so special to Michael and his love for England.
Unfortunately time was pretty tight, so we didn't get to explore the many walks and secrets the Lake District has to offer, but it was an amazing taster for me and has me so excited to go back and explore this beautiful unspoilt National Park...thanks in part the fabulous Beatrix Potter (when she died in 1943 she left 14 farms, sheep and 4000 acres of land to the National Trust)
This land & space seems to have inspired so many and it's easy to see why...I could lose myself for days  here...hunting out the pack horse bridges and pretty streams to dip my toes in, and breath in the spectactular views...
Daffodils
I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed--and gazed--but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.
William Wordsworth


 Ullswater



We still have so much to explore of this beautiful land where my roots are so deeply nourished.


 Very pleased with our purchases made at Mill Pottery


Lancashire Love

Just got back from a fantastic 4 day break in England, it started with a wonderful family wedding in the Lancashire countryside near Clitheroe. After all the fussing and worrying about what to wear (english weather) the sun couldn't of shone brighter, the location was perfect , the ceremony perfect and so proud of my husband and how beautifully he read this Petrarch poem in church, he made me cry a little...



Il Canzoniere

Benedetto sia 'l giorno, et 'l mese, et l'anno,
et la stagione, e 'l tempo, et l'ora, e 'l punto,
e 'l bel paese, e 'l loco ov'io fui giunto
da'duo begli occhi che legato m'ànno;

et benedetto il primo dolce affanno
ch'i' ebbi ad esser con Amor congiunto,
et l'arco, et le saette ond'i' fui punto,
et le piaghe che 'nfin al cor mi vanno.
Benedette le voci tante ch'io
chiamando il nome de mia donna ò sparte,
e i sospiri, et le lagrime, e 'l desio;

et benedette sian tutte le carte
ov'io fama l'acquisto, e 'l pensier mio,
ch'è sol di lei, sí ch'altra non v'à parte.
Il Canzoniere
Blest be the year, the month, the hour, the day,
The season and the time, and point of space,
And blest the beauteous country and the place
Where first of two bright eyes I felt the sway:
 
Blest the sweet pain of which I was the prey,
When newly doomed Love’s sovereign law to embrace,
And blest the bow and shaft to which I trace
The wound that to my inmost heart found way:
 
Blest be the ceaseless accents of my tongue,
Unwearied breathing my loved lady’s name,
Blest my fond wishes, sighs, and tears, and pains:
 
Blest be the lays in which her praise I sung,
That on all sides acquired to her fair fame,
And blest my thoughts! for o’er them all she reigns.




Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Monday, May 21, 2012

the allotment

Saturday morning we spent 4 hours at the allotment, which I'm still feeling now...a major achievement digging out the channel for our water supply...we have Water!!!
Planted up some tomatoes, peppers, various lettuce, courgettes, leeks, onions.
The crop is well underway and now we have water...hopefully they'll survive!

Weekend

We must remember to sometimes have a weekend of doing nothing....this was discussed first thing this morning, whilst struggling to get out of bed and get going on this dreary wet Monday morning.
The house was filled with the smell of peonies all weekend, fresh flowers on a Friday start my weekend and take away all the stress of the week. I found a new treasure this week too...my new summer lounger, this amazing striped deck chair and the best part it was an absolute steal. I'm ready for my Pimms and Cucumber sandwiches now.
After a heavy morning at the allotment Saturday we headed to ours friends in Asolo...but not missing an opportunity to pick something up for the house, we stopped off at the Used Market & found a shelving unit ideal for our kitchen without having the drill more holes in the walls...
We were awoken at 4.00 am with a earthquake...never fun.
Love my new extra space



Thursday, May 17, 2012

Jubilee preparation

I'm quietly very disappointed that I won't be in the UK for Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee, it's the only Diamond Jubilee I'll ever experience, we'll see at least two Kings on the throne in the next 60 years. My reasoning for my patriotism is unclear, perhaps because I don't live in the UK and such events make me homesick - the Golden Jubilee passed me by, it's strange to think about the Queen,  she's just always been in my life, whether on our coins, stamps, in an anthem or every year at Christmas - of course theres always the reason that maybe I just love to hang up some bunting, drink tea & eat scones!!
We're going to have a Jubilee celebration here in Italy...


Wednesday, May 16, 2012

June vacation

Vacation for June booked!