Royal Wedding Tribute – Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

 

Best wishes to the happy couple - I migliori auguri alla coppia felice.

It will be no surprise to those that know me that I have spent most of today glued to the television, watching The Royal Wedding of Prince William, now The Duke of Cambridge to Catherine Middleton.

A wonderful and emotional occasion for which I decided to make my own memento of a video of still shots of the day. From the arrival of The Queen at Westminster Abbey, right through the ceremony, the landau ride, to the balcony kiss and then the newly weds leaving Buckingham Palace for Clarence House in the open top Aston Martin.

As I feel proud to be British today I decided it was appropriate to share, thanks to Sky News for the coverage of the event today which we were able to watch here in Italy.

It was the historic fairy tale wedding that was expected, the forecast rain stayed away, the sun shone, London was full with hundreds of thousands of tourists and billions of people around the world were able to watch the live coverage.

In a stunning bridal gown with lace applique floral detail and a 2.70 metre train, which was designed by Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, Catherine walked up the red carpeted aisle with her father, as a commoner. Leaving Westminster Abbey less than an hour and a half later with her husband at her side the former Catherine Middleton became HRH the Duchess of Cambridge. 

I will let my little slide show tell the rest of the wedding story and just say “Congratulations to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge”.

 

LindyLouMac

Photos were all taken by myself but from the television courtesy of Sky News coverage.

Italy in Books – Reading Challenge – April

 

 

                                                               

• Paperback: 426 pages
• Genre: Fiction
• Publisher: Harper Collins 2006
• Source: Purchased Oxfam Bookshop in UK
• Review Quote:   "Deeply satisfying! rich and compelling." -Oxford Times
• A Favourite Quote: ‘the Italian winter is Italy’s best kept secret’.

 

Italy in Books - Reading Challenge 2011

The April post with a list of books that the other people taking part are reading this month has already been posted. April Reviews

 

Prior to picking up this book in an Oxfam Bookshop in the UK I had not even heard of this author. I was attracted to the title because of the Italy in Books - Reading Challenge 2011 that I had heard about early in December for which it seemed a perfect candidate.

It certainly was and I thoroughly enjoyed this easy to read and very atmospheric novel set in a grand but neglected villa on the northern Italian coastline of Liguria in the nineteen fifties.

The protagonists are four complete strangers all named in the will of the now deceased Beatrice Malaspina, owner of the Villa Dante where they are summoned to accept their unknown inheritance in a mysterious fashion. The interaction between them as they slowly learn why they are at the villa makes for I thought an interesting read, not your normal mystery story, but certainly still very mysterious.

George an atomic scientist at Cambridge University, who hates the monster his skills have created. Delia an opera singer who is having problems with her voice. Marjorie a poor and struggling detective novelist with writer’s block and finally Lucius an American banker whose life appears perfect but is in fact in chaos make for an odd group of benefactors. While they wait to learn why they have all been named in their unknown benefactresses will the villa with its overgrown garden, mediaeval tower and faded frescoes starts to have a calming affect on them all. All four of them have family secrets and sadness's to hide but somehow they start to slowly heal and learn to love again as they unravel the mysteries they find themselves presented with.

If you enjoy novels with family secrets, family history and lots of evocative description you will I think enjoy this, even more so if you love Italy.

Elizabeth Edmondson

Elizabeth Edmondson was born in Chile, educated in Calcutta and London before going to Oxford University. Married to an art historian and with two children she now divides her time between Oxford and the countryside north of Rome.

Biographical Information is courtesy of the following websites and from the paperback itself.

Fantastic Fiction - Elizabeth Edmondson

Harper Collins Author Profile

 

I also post these ‘Italy in Books’ reviews on my other blog LindyLouMac's Book Reviews

Favourite articles from the Bloggers in Italy – Easter Weekend 2011

 

 

italytutto’s week of Italy blogs for Easter weekend – 23 April

I am very flattered to be included in this list once again with my Wisteria - Glicine  post for April 19th 2011.

 

• Beautiful Liguria: Ligurian Easter Tradition – A piece of torta Pasqualina
  The traditional Easter recipe from Liguria

• Bleeding Espresso: Making Easter Calabrian Cazzupa with Zia Vincenzina
  A family recipe

• Bolzano Daily Photo:  Easter bunny in a shop in Bolzano
  Well, that is certainly different

• Have Dogs, Will Travel: Painting the Tuscan Spring in Watercolour
  Castiglion Fiorentino, Bologna and the road to Madonna del Bagno

• Italian Reflections: National Car Museum in Turin reopens
  It has just had a four-year long facelift

• Marc Alan di Martino: Rita Levi-Montalcini turns 102
  The oldest living Nobel laureate

• News from Italy: Wisteria – Glicine
  I know we’ve seen a lot of them already, but these are glorious

• Olive Oil and Raspberries: Jean de Florette and the search for H2O
  The water diviner

• Sicily Scene: Red faces at strawberry fair
  “Nothing to get hung up about”

• Torino Daily Photo: Pietro Ferrero
  Thank you for making life sweet.

 

I enjoy reading this feature on a regular basis and through italytutto have discovered lots of great blogs on Italy which I hope some of you will now maybe discover for yourselves.

I have been honoured to have been selected to appear on this list on a number of previous occasions,  I have included the links to the earlier posts.

Our Garden in July,  Montefiascone Fiera del Vino 2010,  Grape Harvest and Winemaking,  Our Garden In October  Friday Photo - Lago di Bolsena  and  Mosaic Monday - Narcissus - Daffodils

Thankyou italytutto for all the sterling work you do towards keeping the wonderful community of Italy Bloggers connected with each other, of which this list is just one example.

Sunday Song – Easter Sunday - Domenica di Pasqua - Amedeo Minghi - Gerusalemme

 

 

Amedeo Minghi, an Italian singer songwriter who was  born in Rome Italy on 12 August 1947 is I think a perfect choice for this weeks Sunday Song with his beautiful rendition of ‘Gerusalemme’  'Jerusalem' a piece commissioned by the Vatican on the occasion of the 'Jubilee 2000'.

Amedeo Minghi – Gerusalemme

Courtesy of maxarini

Italian Lyrics to Gerusalemme  - lyricsmania

Ti mostri al mondo,
schiuso dai Tuoi occhi.
D'oro ai tramonti,
all'alba spunti in fiore.
E' come miele abbandonarsi a Te,
Jerusalem
Jerusalem.
E fuochi accesi ad ardere i Tuoi fianchi,
tracce nel tempo, segni per il cuore.
Ma come è pietra risalire a Te,
Jerusalem
Jerusalem.
Sei Tu la Via
sei Tu l'Idea
l'universo della Vita, sei Tu
Sei Tu la Via,
L'universo della Vita, sei Tu.
Luce che accende le tenebre ai figli,
stella maestra, degli uomini.
Madre di tutte le Madri,
coro immenso,
di canti e preghiere
tessi una tela di pace
dal Tuo aspo Gerusalemme.
Voce di tutte le voci
nel silenzio lenisci il dolore.
Bella, fra tutte le spose
fra le belle desiderata,
fiera, dinnanzi al Sole
porti come mantello il Cielo.
Santa Gerusalemme
Benedetta, sei la speranza.
Confida nel Tuo nome
il respiro di tutta la Terra.

 

Italian to English translation – Google + Italian English Dictionary

'Jerusalem'

You show the world,
hatched from your eyes.
Golden sunsets,
Dawn breaks in flower.
It 's like honey surrender to Thee,
Jerusalem
Jerusalem.
It fires to burn, your hips,
tracks over time, signs for the heart.
But how to go back to stone You,
Jerusalem
Jerusalem.
With You the Way
You're the Idea
the universe of Life, are You
Thou the Way,
The Universe of Life, You are.
Light that illuminates the darkness of their children,
star teacher of men.
Mother of all Mothers,
enormous choir,
songs and prayers
weave a web of peace
Your reel from Jerusalem.
Voice of all entries
Sooth our pain in silence.
Bella, of all the brides
among the beautiful desired
fair, in front of the Sun
ports as a cape Heaven.
Holy Jerusalem
Blessed are the hope.
Trust in Your name
the breath of all the Earth.

The Graphics Fairy

 

Additional  information about the artist can be found by visiting either of these links Amedeo Minghi - Official Website 

 Amedeo Minghi – Wikipedia or the Amedeo Minghi - Facebook Fan Page

 

More Sunday Songs can be found by visiting Sunday Session at Doireallywannablog  an Australian blog that I started linking up with fairly recently, she posts two songs every week, something old and something new.

 

Buona Pasqua – Happy Easter

Buona Pasqua – Happy Easter

 

Our thoughts are with all our family, friends both real and virtual where ever you may be in the world for a Buona Pasqua – Happy Easter

With thanks to The Graphics Fairy for the above image.

I have written about Italian Easter Celebrations on News From Italy before, so for those of you that are interested I am including the links from last year.

Maundy Thursday - Holy Thursday

Holy Week - Good Friday - Venerdì Santo

Easter Sunday, Today we can Celebrate, not only The Resurrection but also The Easter Egg, Uova di Pasqua.

Pasquetta

 

Image with thanks to http://www.roma.confcooperative.it

 

This evening in our neighbouring town of Tuscania the procession for Holy Week - Good Friday - Venerdì Santo  shown in this video will once again take place, it is a very moving event to witness. 

 

Courtesy of Tuseno

Wisteria – Glicine

 

italytutto’s week of Italy blogs for Easter weekend

 

The Wisteria has been absolutely glorious this year, another of my many favourites when it comes to blossoms, as you can see by my chosen header for April.  Although there are hundreds if not thousands of brilliant and beautiful photos presently in the blog sphere, I have still decided it is worthwhile sharing a few of my own and a little bit of the history of Wisteria with you.

Wisteria or Glicine, as it is known in Italian originally came from Asia where it is known as ‘the blue vine’  ‘Zi Teng’ and was not found in Italy until it is thought 1840, although it was seen in Europe from 1816. The story goes that the first ever Wisteria was introduced into Europe by an Englishman, one Captain Welbank after he was invited for dinner by a rich Chinese dealer from Guangzhou, Canton. The dinner party was held underneath a pergola covered by flowering wisteria, never having seen such a beauty Captain Welbank convinced the dealer to give him some seedlings which he took back to England. Three years later, in 1819, the wisteria bloomed for the first time and from there on rapidly spread to many gardens throughout Europe.

There are many varieties and colours now available but the one most commonly seen here is the pale purple, lavender, lilac colour mix. A vigorous and very adaptable climbing shrub that not only withstands the toughest of winters but is also resistant to most pests and diseases.  Wisteria flowers abundantly in early Spring, normally during April here in Italy, before its leaves unfurl and then again but less so around early June.

To learn more about these beautiful plants, click on the links to take you to the full text, some of which is fascinating.

The origin of wisteria

The meaning of its name

Why the wisteria wind and wrap in the direction they do.

A selection of my Wisteria photos showing it in all its glory during the month of April.

 

The photos used here are all my own All rights reserved by LindyLouMac Photo Collection

If you would like to see any of the above photos enlarged or view the rest of the album you may do so by visiting

My Flickr Album entitled Wisteria 2011. 

Also if you are a Facebook User please visit the News From Italy Facebook Page  if you are interested in viewing a video I have uploaded there of the Wisteria.

All other information was researched on the following websites.

Wikipedia – Wisteria   Britannica – Wisteria   Wisteria.it (available in English).

I am linking to Bloomin’ Tuesday and  Outdoor Wednesday to share these images with other lovers of the great “Outdoors”

Its Bloomin' Tuesday

Outdoor Wednesday

Welcome to ‘News From Italy’ to the other participants, thankyou for calling by.

Sunday Song – Jovanotti – Ora - Le Tasche Piene Di Sassi -

 

 

Lorenzo Jovanotti is a very popular Italian singer, songwriter who was born in Rome on 27th of September 1966 and has been performing professionally since his first album was released in 1987.

I have featured Lorenzo Jovanotti before for Sunday Song and have included some links to them at the end of this post. I am featuring him again as this week I decided that I would feature whichever Italian artist was the highest in this weeks Italy Top Twenty Chart and at number two up one place from last week is Lorenzo Jovanotti singing Le Tasche Pieni Di Sassi - The pockets full of stones.

'Ora' – Universal 2011

This single is taken from his latest album 'Ora' which was released on January 25th 2011 and was much awaited by his fans as the last album Safari was released three years ago. 

The first single from 'Ora' was released before Christmas and went straight to the top of the Italian music charts Tutto L'Amore Che Ho – All The Love I Have.

Here is the latest single from the album, ‘Le Tasche Pieni Di Sassi’, which was at the Number Two slot in the Italy Top Twenty Chart  for April 10th 2011, will it make Number One this week I wonder.

 

Lorenzo Jovanotti Cherubini - Le Tasche Piene Di Sassi

Courtesy of JimmaTube00

Italian Lyrics Courtesy of  anglotesti.it

Volano le libellule,
sopra gli stagni e le pozzanghere in città,
sembra che se ne freghino,
della ricchezza che ora viene e dopo va,
prendimi non mi concedere,
nessuna replica alle tue fatalità,
eccomi son tutto un fremito ehi.
Passano alcune musiche,
ma quando passano la terra tremerà,
sembrano esplosioni inutili,
ma in certi cuori qualche cosa resterà,
non si sa come si creano,
costellazioni di galassie e di energia,
giocano a dadi gli uomini,
resta sul tavolo un avanzo di magia.
Sono solo stasera senza di te,
mi hai lasciato da solo davanti al cielo
e non so leggere, vienimi a prendere
mi riconosci ho le tasche piene di sassi.
Sono solo stasera senza di te,
mi hai lasciato da solo davanti a scuola,
mi vien da piangere,
arriva subito,
mi riconosci ho le scarpe piene di passi,
la faccia piena di schiaffi,
il cuore pieno di battiti
e gli occhi pieni di te.
Sbocciano i fiori sbocciano,
e danno tutto quel che hanno in libertà,
donano non si interessano,
di ricompense e tutto quello che verrà,
mormora la gente mormora
falla tacere praticando l'allegria,
giocano a dadi gli uomini,
resta sul tavolo un avanzo di magia.
Sono solo stasera senza di te,
mi hai lasciato da solo davanti al cielo
e non so leggere, vienimi a prendere
mi riconosci ho un mantello fatto di stracci.
Sono solo stasera senza di te,
mi hai lasciato da solo davanti a scuola,
mi vien da piangere,
arriva subito,
mi riconosci ho le scarpe piene di passi,
la faccia piena di schiaffi,
il cuore pieno di battiti
e gli occhi pieni di te.
Sono solo stasera senza di te,
mi hai lasciato da solo davanti al cielo
vienimi a prendere
mi vien da piangere,
arriva subito,
mi riconosci ho le scarpe piene di sassi,
la faccia piena di schiaffi,
il cuore pieno di battiti
e gli occhi pieni di te.

Italian to English translation – With the help of Google and Dictionaries.

Flying dragonflies,
over ponds and puddles in the city,
think we cheaters,
wealth now comes and goes after,
I do not take me for granted
no replies to your fate,
hey here I am all a quiver.
They spend some of the music,
but when they pass the earth will tremble,
explosion seem unnecessary,
but in some hearts will be something,
do not know how to create,
clusters of galaxies, energy,
men playing dice,
remains on the table a surplus of magic.
I am alone tonight without you,
you left me alone in front of sky
and I can not read, Find me, take
I acknowledge I have a pocket full of stones.
I am alone tonight without you,
you left me alone in front of school
I feel like crying,
comes immediately,
I acknowledge I have shoes full of feet,
a face full of slapping,
a heart full of beats
and eyes full of you.
The flowers bloom,
and give all I have freedom,
give are not interested,
of rewards and all that comes,
murmurs murmurs people
flaw silent practicing cheer,
men playing dice,
remains on the table a surplus of magic.
I am alone tonight without you,
you left me alone in front of sky
and I can not read, Find me, take
I acknowledge I have a coat made of rags.
I am alone tonight without you,
you left me alone in front of school
I feel like crying,
comes immediately,
I acknowledge I have shoes full of feet,
a face full of slapping,
a heart full of beats
and eyes full of you.
I am alone tonight without you,
you left me alone in front of sky
Find me, take
I feel like crying,
comes immediately,
I acknowledge I have shoes full of rocks,
a face full of slapping,
a heart full of beats
and eyes full of you.

I have featured Jovanotti on Sunday Song a number of times before, here are the links again as some of you may be interested.

http://lindyloumac.blogspot.com/2011/01/sunday-song-jovanotti-ora-tutto-l-che.html

http://lindyloumac.blogspot.com/2010/08/sunday-song-buon-ferragosto-tribute.html

http://lindyloumac.blogspot.com/2010/09/sunday-song-lorenzo-jovanotti.html

If you are still interested in learning more about the artist Jovanotti, then here is a list of sites worth visiting

Jovanotti – Wikipedia  Jovanotti – MySpace  Jovanotti – Facebook  Jovanotti - Official Website – Soleluna  or  Musictory – Jovanotti

 

More Sunday Songs can be found by visiting Sunday Session at Doireallywannablog  an Australian blog that I started linking up with fairly recently, she posts two songs every week, something old and something new.

Buono Domenica Tutti

Cherry Blossom Time

 

                     

Since the beginning of April I have been closely watching the cycle of nature working on our big old cherry tree. Last year it produced so many cherries that we have been able to enjoy them right through the winter. I like to have fruit and yogurt for breakfast and our own cherries are often on the menu.

Every year I have been amazed at how quickly the process from the blossom first appearing to cherry picking happens. Cherries are tiny fruit but blossom which appears in April which in turn produces luscious cherries ripe for picking around June 1st, is another amazing feat of Mother Nature.

I have taken a series of photos over the last two weeks to try and show this process.

This first collage is of photos taken on April 1st 2011.

Our Old Cherry Tree – April 1st 2011

Collage of photos taken April 3rd 2011.

Bees at work!

Blossom in close up.

So beautiful.

A cherry – April 10th 2011

Cherries blowing in the wind earlier this afternoon 13th April 2011.

 

If you would like to see any of these photos enlarged or view the rest of the album you may do so by visiting

My Flickr Album Cherry Blossom Time - April 2011

I am linking to Outdoor Wednesday today to share these images with other lovers of the great “Outdoors”

   Welcome to ‘News From Italy’ to the other participants, thankyou for calling by.

http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

Sunday Song – Carmen Consoli - Guarda L'alba – Watching the Sunrise

 

Carmen Consoli was born in Sicily, near the city of Catania, in the small town of San Giovanni La Punta, on the 4th of September 1974. She started playing guitar at the age of fifteen and has been an active singer and songwriter since 1996 when she recorded her first album. Her genres of choice vary from rock, alternative pop to folk music.

It was announced on Friday 8th April on her Official Website that Carmen Consoli will be performing at the World Earth Day concert in Roma this year on April 20, 2011, when for 18 hours a free admission mega concert will be held at the Villa Borghese  World Earth Day Concert – Roma      

The song I have chosen today is a track  from her latest album Per Niente Stanca - Not at all tired, her first album of the best of her work which was released in November 2010.

Guarda L’alba – Watching the Sunrise

carmenconsolimusic

My current favourite of her songs. I think it has a rather beautiful melody.

Italian Lyrics

Già Natale, il tempo vola,
l'incalzare di un treno in corsa
sui vetri e lampadari accesi nelle stanze dei ricordi.
Ho indossato una faccia nuova
su un vestito da cerimonia,
ed ho sepolto il desiderio intrepido di averti a fianco.
Allo specchio c'è un altra donna,
nel cui sguardo non v'è paura,
com'è preziosa la tua assenza
in questa beata ricorrenza.
Ad oriente il giorno scalpita, non tarderà..
Guarda l'alba che ci insegna a sorridere,
quasi sembra che ci inviti a rinascere,
tutto inzia,
invecchia,
cambia forma,
l'amore, tutto si trasforma,
l'umore di un sogno col tempo si dimentica..
Già Natale, il tempo vola,
tutti a tavola che si fredda,
mio padre con la barba finta
ed un cappello rosso in testa.
Ed irrompe impetuosa la vita,
nell'urgenza di prospettiva
già vedo gli occhi di mio figlio
e i suoi giocattoli per casa.
Ad oriente il giorno scalpita,
la notte depone armi e oscurità..
Guarda l'alba che ci insegna a sorridere,
quasi sembra che ci inviti a rinascere,
tutto inizia,
invecchia,
cambia forma,
l'amore, tutto si trasforma,
persino il dolore più atroce si addomestica.
Tutto inizia,
invecchia,
cambia forma,
l'amore, tutto si trasforma,
nel chiudersi, un fiore al tramonto si rigenera..

Italian to English translation – Google

Christmas already, time flies,
the pressure of a moving train
the windows and lamps lit in the room of memories.
I wore a new face
on a wedding dress,
and I buried the fearless desire to have you on the side.
There is another woman in the mirror,
in whose eyes there is no fear,
valuable as your absence
in this blessed occasion.
To the east on the horizon day, will not be long ..
Watch the sunrise, which teaches us to smile,
almost seems to invite us to be reborn
everything starts,
aging
changes shape,
love, everything is transformed,
the mood of a dream is forgotten over time ..
Christmas already, time flies,
everyone at the table that is cold
My father with his beard
and a red hat on his head.
And impetuous bursts of life,
urgency of perspective
I can already see the eyes of my son
and his toys around the house.
To the east on the horizion,
weapons and the night lays dark ..
Watch the sunrise, which teaches us to smile,
almost seems to invite us to be reborn
It starts,
aging
changes shape,
love, everything is transformed,
even the most excruciating pain is tame.
It all starts,
aging
changes shape,
love, everything is transformed,
In closing, a flower is regenerated at sunset ..

 

With thanks to my sources of information  Wikipedia and the  Carmen Consoli - Official Website

More Sunday Songs can be found by visiting Sunday Session at Doireallywannablog another Australian blog that I started linking up with fairly recently, she posts two songs, something old and something new.

Buono Domenica Tutti