Harvest Home 1 :Before The Rain.

Early Sunday morning. The only sound that can be heard is a church bell tolling.

 Early October. It's  my favourite time of year. The mornings are fresh with a light breeze. The afternoons are pleasantly warm- British summertime.








But the summer is long over (mercifully!). This week I watched olives  being collected just outside Giano. (Jano)

Yes its harvest time. And this year the church bells are ringing for me......

The Sound Of September

1. Allegro

It's about 4pm. It's early September. I'm lying on the bed listening to an almost forgotten sound. One that I have been waiting to hear for  3 months. It's the steady drumming of rain on the windows. This signals a  change of tempo, a change of players and a change of season. It's the fanfare of autumn.



Whilst under the scorching sun it was acceptable to chill  in air -conditioned  cafes. Then we merely talked about  future plans over gelato. Now  like bustling  bees gathering up the  last  of  the summer nectar, we must make up the lost time. Suddenly the streets are full. Children return to school, walls are mended, grass is cut, couples are wed and grapes are collected.

2. Andante

It's about 7pm.It's Saturday evening. I'm walking across the English garden of the Caserta Royal Palace. All is quiet; except for a light evening breeze  rustling  the dense tree canopy. I'm heading for the former apairy for a un' estate da re  ( a king's summer ) concert by the San Carlo theatre orchestra. 

I'm heading for the north  part of the  garden that was originally  designed for burbling water, rather than bumbling bees. It is one of the most spectacular structures in the whole garden. It was created by modifying a large unused task, built by Luigi Vanvitelli, the palace's architect. The tank, sustained by solid pylons, was placed on the top of a wooded hill that was to be used in case of damage to the Carolino water system.

It was never used and in the 18th century became the aperia (apairy). How many bees were originally buzzing about we will never know. However we do know that the garden was rich in flora. Indeed the statue of Flora or Cerere was placed there in 1761. And this goddess would certainly have been in her element; amid the orchids, pines, eucalyptus, cypress, gingko, biloba, acacia, ferns, roses, camellias and waterlilies.

And we also know that Italy had a well established tradition in bee keeping, documented by Roman writers like Gaius Julius Hyginus, Varro, Columella and - most famously- Virgil.  Virgil describes the swarming of bees thus:
Hi motus animorum atque haec certamina tanta
Pulveris exigui jactu compressa quiescunt.

• Yet all this life and movement, all the strife
  May with a pinch of dust be brought to silence.

                   Georgics Book IV (29BC):

 In addition the Boubons brought with them the latest techniques in bee-keeping. Indeed it was not until the 18th century that European natural philosophers undertook the scientific study of bee colonies. It was in France that the first glassed observation hive was constructed and queens were observed for the first time laying eggs in open cells. Today certainly  the industry is thriving in Italy, with 45,513 bee keepers who produce 2 million euro worth of honey.


I sit waiting for the concert to begin. The musicians  begin to tune their beautiful instruments. I think  the bees would approve..

3. Scherzo. Allegro

Indeed we were all in for a real treat!  The stunning setting of the tree-lined classical theatre provided the perfect auditorium. Directed by Zubin Mehta, with Stefano Bollani as solo pianist the programme was as follows:

1. Verdi: The Force Of Destiny

2. Mozart: Concert for Piano and  Orchestra N. 23

3. Tchaikovsky: Symphony N. 5

 It was the opening of Verdi's Force of Destiny that stayed with me. The  garden darkened. The  audience waited. The  thundering trumpets called the storm to begin. The   growing crescendo of the strings echoed the responding rainclouds. A perfect storm was indeed conjured up. What better way to demonstrate the power of fate!

4.Allegro

It's about 8pm. It's Sunday evening. I'm helping my husband prepare for his first gig. We are in Maria Carolina's (wife of Ferdinand iv) garden near the Royal Palace for the occasion of the Beer festival.







They break the silence with their opening numbers:
The Sky is crying and Call me the breeze. 
I think of the rain. Have you guessed it yet?
The sound of September?

 1.THE SKY IS CRYING – Ray Vaughan 
 2.CALL ME THE BREEZE – Lynyrd Skynyrd 
 3.COCAINE – Clapton (MI)
 4.STILL GOT THE BLUES – Clapton
 5.THE THRILL IS GONE – BB King  
 6.THE BLUEST BLUES – Ten Years After  
 7.WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS – Jeff Haley
 8.NOBODY KNOWS – Clapton 
 9.OLD LOVE – Clapton  
10. HOLD ON I’M COMING – Clapton, BB King  
11. SITTING ON THE DOCK OF THE BAY – Redding
12. WE’RE AN AMERICAN BAND – Grand Funk 
13. HARD WAY – Johnny Winter (SI) - Riserva

5. Coda

I couldn't finish  without sharing this video with you. This was the scene that greeted us as we left the classical concert.  For me September ended as it had begun: with the sound of water. Despite two excellent concerts, it was to be that simple  sound  that  would stay with me.  For the rushing water was signalling a major change in tempo of my life - as the next ten days would prove!  After months of drought I must learn to embrace a tidal surge.    For without water nothing grows. And now I had a bumper harvest to gather in.

Travelling Shoes

I hate travelling. Anyone who knows me well can testify to this fact. Recently my husband suggested- once again- that he'd like to spend more time on the road. I seized the opportunity to expound the disadvantages of all the common modes of transport. I concluded that my favourite are: the bike, the horse and human feet.


 Perhaps in the future teleporting will become commonplace? Then I'll change my mind. I'll grab my bags and passport and shout 'Beam me up Scotty!' No more hot car journeys. No more frantic platform changes.  No more Ryanair!

Dream on! I write this sitting on 10B on a Ryanair flight from Naples to Manchester. Ahead of me lies the usual Manchester Airport bullying security staff ( lost a bottle of perfume amongst other things for ' passenger safety'). Then on again to Edinburgh. By tomorrow I'll be back in my own village. Two weeks with no travelling shoes. Bliss!

And yet this is not even my first journey this summer. And a number lie ahead. Different scenes. Different people. Different footwear.

Travel One: Tour of The Garibaldi Warship, Taranto

And for my first journey this summer it is not so much the case of finding the right shoes, but finding my sea legs! After three hour car journey to almost the heel of the boot - ( yes - and under the summer sun!) - we reached Taranto. Taranto lies on the coast of Italy between the Mar Grande (Big Sea) and the Mar Piccolo (little Sea). Bridges link the mainland to the old town, on a small island.  They open twice a day: 12 midnight and 5 am to allow large ships to pass out to sea.

It is such a large ship that we have come to see: The warship Garibaldi, Italy's first aircraft carrier. This is the fourth Italian navy ship to be named after the famous Italian general: Giuseppe Garibaldi.

 Proudly I can boast that I have a personal connection to this vessel as it was the ship my husband contributed to built, as a Navy Officer, in Monfalcone's shipyard.

To get all the apparatus working, Garibaldi, which is an aircraft carrier, has got 4 power stations and 6 generators, further than 4 turbines each giving a power of 25,000 HP to propel the ship to a max speed of 30 knots.Operations room, the hangar and the living spaces are spread over 12 bridges and the aircraft get to the flight bridge thanks to two special big elevators.


Impressive or what?! I spend a long time on the flight deck with the captain learning about the amazingly short distances that the planes need  for take-off on the ship's runway. I opt for easier task of steering instead!

Travel Two: Caserta Wedding at the Mulino Reali

For my second travel this summer I certainly needed very different travelling shoes! Unfortunately these were shoes that were not made for any method of travel at all- and certainly not for any of my favourite modes.

 After my long-suffering husband managed to bring the car closer, I managed to at least arrive with buggers on! However with a steady 35 degrees all afternoon,  the evening found me shoeless and in the water once again!

And what a relief that was, I can tell you! All thanks to the clever engineering of those famous Bourbons who had the architect Vanvitelli (see earler posts 'Fit For a King' and 'Sing a Song of Sixpence').

  He constructed a huge aqueduct to supply their palace, the Reggia di Caserta and the San Leucio complex with water coming from the foot of the Taburno,  38 km away!
 I can reassure you that it  is still very fresh when it arrives  from the springs of Fizzo.Translucent and fizzing, in fact, that I was sorely tempted to shed more than my posh peek-toe shoes!!!

Travel Three: Seaside Holiday: Montesilvano

After my third journey this summer, I can finally kick my shoes off altogether to enjoy long walks on the soft sands of Montesilvano.

And who wouldn't! Aurora's flaming fingers beckon you to the balcony. Coffee in hand you are soon watching the fishing boats come in as she dispels the darkness in a blaze of burning rose and amber.
 She continues to beckon until you are down on the beach itself. Sandals are soon off and you are enjoying the feel of the soft warm sand on your feet. Brexit blasts may be disturbing British shores but here its only the quiet purr of sand- seiving machines. Yes here its just Cinque Stelle and clean sand. Who would want to contemplate further travel at all??????

Travel Four: Village Sale in Killin, Perthshire

I must however contemplate one final journey this summer. Back on with the travelling shoes- and soon these will be replaced with sturdy wellies. Yes, you've guessed it: I'm back in Scotland again! And by early September we are already in autumn.
Adorning our favourite woolies like lucky talismen, we are soon back in our stride. Staring into the flames of our chimneas and stovies, we bemoan summers ruined by unreliable weather and unreliable pilots. Seriously , of course, we're welcoming the change of season. And what isn't there to love about fresh crisp mornings and long romantic walks through Van Gogh portraits!

What better place to experience the autumn canvas than the Scottish Highlands with all its glens and forests ablaze with colour!

 It's Open Perthshire Studios week and I'm here to help my family sell honey, produce and paintings. (See Instagram: highland _graphite)


We're drinking Italian Kimbo coffee and munching scones and raspberry jam. I'm trying to forget about the forthcoming two flights I need to face.

But face them I must!The travelling shoes are on my feet once more and I'm trying to cram a large pile of purchases into one small trolley and handbag.






Can I do it? Have I got a magic wand? Have the travelling shoes sprung wings?


No of course not! I have to cough up the £50 excess if I'm not to surrender my bargains. Once again I'm reminded of the myriad of reasons why I hate travelling! I resolve to become more environental friendly and cut my air miles.
I close my eyes and dream of the day when I can travel in a virtual glass of fizz. Hands Free, my baggage will already be there when I reach my destination. The only two things I need to bring personally are: a thirst for adventure and, of course, my travelling shoes.

The Rites Of Spring

 I awake in darkness, listening to the first birdsong. Soon the cockerels join the chorus.  As soon as  I've made the coffee, I 
 am on the balcony.   Contemplating the day ahead, I watch the   dawn  streak the sky with soft blues and pinks. At about  10 degrees it's hardly cold. Safe to say the winter is over and it's time to greet the Spring! 


High above me you can still see the brilliant white moon, the last Supermoon of 2019. It rose 3 days ago, the same day as the Spring Equinox. The moon appears bigger and brighter for the whole of March, due to its proximity to Earth. It's called the Full Worm Moon. At the Vernal Equinox we have 12 hours of light and 12 hours of darkness. The ground  is softening. Worms are moving. Birds are celebrating.


Time for me to be moving too. For there's much I would like to accomplish.Much that needs God's blessing.In past centuries this aid was invoked through various Spring rituals. People gave thanks for their land, performed dances and plays, offered sacrifices to the gods and sought the blessing of their ancestors.These magical rites were performed to regulate the seasons and bring luck to their new enterprises. In these uncertain times of global warming and climate change, maybe these are rituals we should all be performing? I, for one, am wasting no time. Time for me to to begin my Spring rounds 

1. The First Rite: Celebrate The Land & Its Fertility

By late March it's not a difficult task. I cycle between fields of vibrant peach and plum trees, proudly displaying their powder pink and white bouquets.  I capture their beauty and post on IG. Job done!

Maybe not quite? Just to be certain I decide a sampling of some local produce is required. I choose a suitably ancient place, the Mulino Vechio- or old mill- to perform this rite. Arriving there I am pleased to find that it is being guarded well.


 It is not a ritual to be rushed so its quite dark when I finally depart. Under a mozzarella -sorry milk!- white moon I  thank the sacred geese for allowing me entrance.

Indeed they guard Nectar and ambrosia. After imbibing, it is no easy task to cross the pond. A  rite that perhaps  should not be performed too often!

2. The Second Rite: Attend Local Spring Plays

Spring is marching on and the days are lengthening so it's an ideal time to take in some evening theatre.There is two great plays to see. 

One: Madame Butterfly at the prestigious San Carlo Theatre in Naples, the oldest Opera House in the world built in 1737  for the Bourbon royal family. Two: Full 'E Fools at the Palazzo Fazio in Capua, an even older structure built as a family home to the warrior Fazio family in the 13th century, proudly displaying the Mohammedan half-moon in memory of their participation in the Crusades.

And, as luck would have it, two free tickets to Butterfly come into my possession via a friend who plays in the San Carlo orchestra. The reviews promise a great night:' an exciting work that penetrates the soul and movers viewers'
There is even subtitles in English. Unmissable by all accounts!

Therefore I give the tickets to my sister Emma and her boyfriend Geoff who are making a brief visit . It makes their holiday! Instead it's a short walk  to catch Full ' E Fools, a local play  set in early 20th century Naples,  in original  Neapolitan dialect. Ok it's not the easy ride that I would have had at the San Carlo with the English subtitles! 





Do I regret my choice? Not for a moment! From the moment the curtain opens I'm captivated.

No fancy stage set or costumes. In fact all the protagonists are beggars, down -and -outs and the action takes place  around a discarded wooden box that serves a table.
 After sharing what food they gained, they decide to play a sort of poker game.  The booty will be all the beggars' prize possessions. This gives rise to  animated and moving monologues delivered by each, explaining their choice of treasure. For example one chooses a broken piece of mirror, with which he has  viewed himself in all of the scenes of his life. This is his aide-memoire to the sum total  his life experiences; in fact his whole life. Although he had not been a beggar all his life, he had nevertheless led a humble existence. Notwithstanding his impoverished circumstance and lack of education, he had distilled much about the meaning of life from his adventures.



With one ritual to go, then, I have already gained much from my Spring rounds. I have renewed appreciation of the richness of the land  I now inhabit. Furthermore,  perhaps, I already  hold  all the flowers of  experience to distill a perfume to scent the remainder of my life. And I have still one ritual to go!

3. The Third Rite: Invoke The Ancestors

This last rite luckily coincides with a planned trip to find the Casa Particchi, which may have been owned by one of my husband's forebearers.

This trip takes us deep into Samnite country, in South-Central Italy. The Samnites- probably an off-shoot of the Sabines and a confedretion of 4 tribes- were the most formidable of Rome's early adversaries. They spoke Oscan, which is similar in nature to the Latin spoken by the Romans. The latter were eventually forced to grant the Samnites the benefits of Roman citizenship to avoid further conflict.

Perhaps the most famous Samnite is Pontius Pilate, the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judaea (26-36 AD)
 {Interestingly a stone he dedicated to the emperor Tiberius was discovered in 1961 at Caeseraraea, the Roman capial of Israel.}

And so we enjoy a drive through Umbria, the Italian region bordering Tuscany, Lazio and Le Marche., often called the green heart of Italy. Known for its Medieval hill towns, dense forests and of course its crisp Orvietto vintage!


On the way we stop briefly at Orvietto itself. Time to visit the cathedral and Samnite museum, but not to explore the labyrinth of the 1200 tunnels ( used by local nobles as escape passages) , nor indeed to taste the 2018 vintage.

After an extensive search and with the help of some knowledgeable locals we eventually arrive at said Casa Particci, situated near the village of Loro Ciuffena, 600 metres above sea level on the top of a wooded hill. After extensive ringing of her intercom we are finally met at the gate by a nervous owner, accompanied by a number of barking dogs. She is unable to answer our enquiries and we are obviously greatly disappointed. Before leaving we notice an interesting inscription on a boundary stone.


It reads: 'Hic Habet Digitus Dei, Le Sourire Est Deriguer'
'Here is the finger(power) of God,  it is proper to smile'
We discover later that this comes from Exodus Ch8 V 5-7.







We spend the rest of the day searching through various archives to no avail. Having left no stone unturned, we are only with the stone.

So back to Capua and the first  full moon after the Vernal Equinox. April 19th and we are  ready to celebrate Easter in two days time.





Near our house I spot a huge fig tree for the first time. Remember my East Of  Eden post and my quest for I fichi? I feel oddly at peace. God is still smiling in the garden. East of Eden.
 I just need to open my eyes and look.
Tolstoy says 'Spring is a time for plans and projects'. Well I've planted  my humble seeds. Hopefully I'll  see the first green shoots.Now I've completed the Rites of Spring.