Sausage Time and Pruning Again!

 

For those of you who have been reading ‘News from Italy’ in it’s various past forms of newsletters and older blog posts for a number of years you will already know that if it is January, it is likely that we will be very busy pruning. That is exactly what we have been doing during the fine spell of weather we have been enjoying recently, although these days it is not just olives to prune as it was at our old house.

December or January is also the normal time time for an important event that takes place in many parts of rural Italy, the Annual Pig Slaughter.  You may remember that our wonderful neighbours had a large number of our windfall apples in the autumn to feed to their pig.  Wine Lesson + Apples

Many of our neighbours in this locality raise at least one pig a year, that keeps them well supplied with pork/maiale including salami/salumi and sausages/salsicce.

Last year we actually participated in this event and I wrote about it for a blog post. Annual Pig Celebration 2010 Post   This year we were away on our UK Road Trip when the slaughter took place  and missed joining in the celebrations that are part of the occasion.  Soon afterwards the sausage making takes place and I also missed watching that this year.  Our neighbours therefore invited us round for an official sausage tasting supper recently just because we missed out on the big celebration lunch itself.

 

These photographs are taken from last years post as I did not take my camera with me the other evening but the album of photos of last year is available to view on Flickr.com if you are interested. The Pig 2010

Life is still lived very much by the seasons using produce that the land and their hard work provides for this kind Italian couple. Without a doubt they are not unusual here, there are very many families all over Italy that still live this type of life controlled by the rhythm of the seasons.

All photographs used are my own All rights reserved by LindyLouMac Photo Collection

Italy to UK Road Trip

 

We have recently returned from a 26 day road trip to the UK, a journey we made to spend quality time with some of our family and friends over Christmas and New Year. Sadly although we were away so long we still did not get the opportunity to meet up with as many people as we had hoped.

Circumstances and weather were very much against us.

Although not strictly  ‘News From Italy’  I have been asked to share some photos with you. So here then is a selection from our trip showing you not only the weather conditions we experienced but also some of the places we visited.

For those of you interested in viewing the full selection I have created an album on Flickr.com  UK Road Trip Dec 2010 - Jan 2011

When we left home at 8.30am on the 15th of December it was minus 5C and it was no surprise therefore to hear from friends that the very next day there was snow in the Viterbo region. What a shame I was not at home to photograph it!  We were however to see plenty of snow ourselves over the next few weeks, starting from south of the San Gottardo Tunnel and staying with us on our travels until almost New Year.  In mainland Europe however the roads were kept clear, lorries were not allowed to move on the motorways and chaos did not ensue as it did in the UK.

Approaching San Gottardo Tunnel

Sunrise from our hotel in Luzerne, Switzerland. 16th December 2010

Lorries parked up in the fast lane due to snow conditions on the French motorway!

The Dorking Cockerel, a landmark in our hometown, Dorking Surrey.

I did take a lot more snow photos but I think most of you will have by now seen more than enough snow, so let’s move on! In fact I will skip Christmas lights, Christmas and New Year altogether. This time was spent with family and friends in Surrey and Salisbury. A planned trip to Wales sadly never materialised due to weather conditions but on January 4th we were able to travel to Suffolk to spend a few days with friends. It was extremely cold while we were there but at least all the snow had gone and it remained dry. While we were there we visited Diss and Norwich both just over the border in neighbouring Norfolk.

Frozen Mere, Diss, Norfolk.

Norwich Castle, rather imposing!

Norwich Castle Interior

View from slit window in Norwich Castle

Hay Hill, Norwich.

St Peter Mancroft Church Norwich

Finally homeward bound again, we once again stayed overnight near Luzerne in Switzerland, although the scenery was green rather than white this time.

View from our hotel room in Luzerne, Switzerland rather different scenery from last visit on the  16th/17th Dec!!

 

If you enjoyed this taster of our trip but still want to view some more photos my album can be found on Flickr.com  UK Road Trip Dec 2010 - Jan 2011

Italian January Sunsets

 

In my next post I am planning to share with you some photographs from our recent road trip from Italy to the UK but meanwhile I was loading my recent photos to Flickr today and I realised that these sunsets are just too beautiful not to post here.

Gaze at these for a few minutes and you will I hope appreciate the marvel of nature. They were all taken from home over three consecutive days this week.

January 11th 2011

January 11th 2011

January 11th 2011

January 12th 2011

January 12th 2011

January 13th 2011

January 13th 2011

January 13th 2011

This last and most recent sunset is my favourite from this selection.

Have a great weekend everyone, where ever you are in the world.

Happy New Year – Buon Anno - Celebrations in Roma and London + Musical Selection

http://album.scritte-glitterate.it

I am sharing here today, better late than never some videos of New Year Celebrations in both Rome and London and a selection of New Year Music. I hope you all had a thoroughly enjoyable festive season and that 2011 will bring you all you wish for. My laptop did not like me signing in at wi-fi hot spots while we were travelling, so have been unable to post before now.

Health and Happiness to you all for 2011

Piazza del Popolo Rome New Year

This first video will show you the New Year experience in Piazza del Popolo a couple of years ago.

columbosmum

A similar experience in London an hour later!

New Years Eve Auld Lang Syne Music and Fireworks

This song is the traditional one used at New Year in England and this video shows celebrations in London a couple of years ago for New Years Eve.

totomand1

Happy New Year    Buon Anno

Thankyou to all my wonderful blogging friends for your Christmas greetings and kind words of appreciation. I look forward to catching up with you all soon now I am home in Italy.