poppies

The Tuscan poppies were beautiful. But on a weekend visit to relatives near Chepstow I came across this poppy in a roadside verge on an evening walk.

more Lucca - 4

San Michele

more Lucca - 3

San Michele

more Lucca - 2

Piazza Anfitearto

more Lucca - 1

Tuscan tower with a tree on top - 3

Lots more pictures of Lucca to follow.

Tuscan tower with a tree on top - 2

Torre Guinigi

Tuscan tower with a tree on top - 1

This is the amazing Torre Guinigi in Lucca surmounted by an oak tree.

More pictures of this to follow - and lots more of Lucca

on a Tuscan wall - 1

Outside an art gallery in San Gimignano.

on a Tuscan wall - 3

This tile was by the gate to the farmhouse where we were staying.

on a Tuscan wall - 2

Lucca

on a Tuscan wall - 4

Lucca

on a Tuscan wall - 5

Lucca

on a Tuscan wall - 6

Lucca

on a Tuscan wall - 7

A lizard on the farmhouse wall.

on a Tuscan wall - 8

San Gimingnano

on a Tuscan wall - 9

San Gimingnano

on a Tuscan wall - 10

In the grounds of the farmhouse.

Tuscany - the view

This was the view from the house.

Tuscany: the house

It was a lovely fifteenth century farmhouse, now converted into apartments.

Tuscany: the house - 2

This is a nice view with the vineyards in the front.

Tuscany: the house - 3

This was parhaps our first view of the house as we climbed up the steep hillside.

Tuscany: the house - 4

This was just sitting outside. I'll publish some of the views from the house another day.

tuscan poppies

I only returned a few hours ago and haven't even seen all the photos yet.

But the poppies were great so I'm just putting this one up for starters.

Lots more to follow.

the big blue

On Saturday I'm on holiday for a week. This picture was from my previous one in Crete last September. It was taken just outside a wonderful beach cafe. I got sea urchin quills in my little toe in the sea just there. My toe is still sore!

This time I am going to Tuscany.

I hope I'll have some good pictures to share on my return.

creative vegetables

I went to a creative writing course today. The tutor had brought in a vegetable.

I explained that I might have more success photographing it than writing about it but ...




... perhaps not.

I thought it looked like a sea creature and tried to write a poem about that. Interestingly he did the same and managed something really good. We had the same image in our minds but he had the facility with words and imagination to turn it into something really interesting. Mine was so pedestrian. I finished quickly and couldn't find anything else to improve what I had written.

I then quickly wrote something else having smelt it.

What do you call it?
I don't know
How do you cook it?
You boil it
How mundane
Yet this ugly green delicacy smells of an oriental bazaar
It should be amongst spices and herbs
Fried delicately in olive oil
Displayed on a bed of safron flavoured rice
And served with kindness
To the person who had the imagination to buy it




I'm not sure that these quickly taken photographs show any more imagination than the words. Interestingly from the photographs it no longer looks to me like a sea creature with barnacles and aged knowledge, but now
- a mouse.