tree that is about 2 years old that will be planted sometime in the future. It needs to get a bit bigger before it can go in the ground. Excited for that to bear fruit as avocado's are expensive here. A cousin has a tree and I get free ones whenever I want. Excited to have my own lemon and avocado tree. Interesting fact - avocados mature on the tree but do not ripen until picked so the fruit can remain on the tree for months.
I brought out the terrace furniture only to have a strong storm and Sirocco winds cover the terrace in sand. Sirocco winds come from the south and bring rain and a cloud of sand with them. Everything in site gets covered. It is an amazing phenomenon. I didn't believe it last year but wasn't surprised when it arrived again this year. Once done there is lots of cleanup to do. Needless to say it is NOT one of my favourite things about spring weather here in southern Italy.
From wikipedia:
"The sirocco causes dusty dry conditions along the northern coast of Africa, storms in the Mediterranean Sea, and cool wet weather in Europe. The sirocco's duration may be as short as half a day or may last several days. While passing over the Mediterranean Sea, the sirocco picks up moisture; this results in rainfall in the southern part of Italy, known locally as "blood rain" due to the red sand mixed with the falling rain. Many people attribute health problems to the sirocco, either because of the heat and dust along the African coastal regions, or because of the cool dampness in Europe. The dust within the sirocco winds can cause abrasion in mechanical devices and penetrate buildings."
My BBQ (new grill) has arrived!!! Have not christened it yet but looking forward to cooking on the grill soon!
I finally finished reading the drivers test book. There are now on-line quizzes you can take so I am progressing through those. Interesting fact - the quizzes can be in multiple languages. That made me curious so Luigi called his "friend" who said it may be possible to take the exam in English but I would have to travel to Salerno. Will keep you posted on this drama - haha!
Early April I had some visitors from Minnesota. The family of a former boss at Honeywell (my employer for 39 years) were on a European vacation and included a few days in my area in their agenda. I was honoured they would take the time to come south and I thoroughly enjoyed showing them around. I am becoming a better tour guide but realised I could educate myself a bit more in order to be more knowledgeable about the history of various areas. Will be adding that to my winter "to do" list.
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| My dear friend Kay Slater, wife of Roger Slater Roger was a former manager and mentor of mine from Honeywell Roger passed away 6 months before I moved to Italy |
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| Kay and her family enjoying southern Italy |
I am pleased to announce the planning phase of the kitchen project is underway. I have had 2 meetings with the architect and designs are beginning. Will use the next few months to finish the design and plans. Would like the work to be completed in the September/October timeframe. Will see if I can make that happen!
Also the village is getting ready for the big celebration in July. The Patron Saint of Acquavella - Maria della Grazie - is celebrated in BIG fashion every 5 years. This is the 5th year so the celebration will be huge. The statue from inside the church will be removed and carried through the village during the main processional. This only happens once every five years. The church bell tower is FINALLY getting cleaned for the occasion. And many people are fixing up the outside of their homes.
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| Church bell tower behind scaffolding |
As I mentioned last month I did go to Ireland for a short trip. My cousin Angela and I spent 4 full days there and had a great time. I will do a separate blog about the trip and will post it in a few weeks. Many of my Facebook followers have seen many of the pictures already but my blog will include more details along with more photos.
In closing enjoy some photos from my gardens.
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| One of many rose bushes I now have in the garden |
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| My new lemon tree |
Buona giornata!!
