A few days ago the temperature suddenly went berserk. In the early afternoon under cover, the temperature was hitting 37° whilst just outside cover it is 50°plus – we have a little thermometer which tops out at 50° and the mercury was trying to escape. The nights are less warm, but not a great deal.
Everything is a bit of a struggle whilst our bodies come to grips with this rapid change.
Any stuff outside has to be done by 10:00 otherwise you would end up as liquid feed for the garden. The coolest place in the house is the room we have just turned into the “office” which is quite fortunate.
It is also taking its toil on the vegetables with a bit of leaf burn, but according to meteo some water is on its way over the next few days.
Italian vegetables
The leathery-looking winged lizard plants (courgette) are producing some wonderful zucchini. There are some great flowers on them that apparently you can eat. You can batter them and then fry them. We have not done this yet but we will definitely trying it soon. Also, we have had some potatoes and peppers, both bell and chilli types. Brilliant.
We have to remember not to buy these when we go to the markets. I must say it is extremely satisfying.
Formaggio di capra (goat’s cheese)
Our goat-owning neighbours have been making cheese from the goat’s milk. We are extremely fond of goat’s cheese and this does not disappoint at all. It is absolutely lovely. It is like a crumbly roll and it is covered in very finely chopped olives. Yummy. I am not bleating (sorry about the pun) about the goat’s milk now.
Swallows but no Amazons
There are loads of swallows flying about at the moment, which is good for me because I am assuming some of them eat the little flying monsters that seem to love my flesh. It is funny because the Duchessa hardly gets bitten at whilst I get bitten all the time. In fact she gets bitten so rarely I beginning to think that those who do bite her are a bit short sighted and have mistaken her for me.
The swallows are zooming about pretty much all day long even in this heat. As I was watching them I was thinking about when they rested or had a drink, when a couple of them started chirping and flying about just above my head. When I looked up, I saw that there were a couple who had perched on the locks that hold the shutters open. They were sitting with their beaks open and wings up, presumably trying to cool off. It was a great sight. I think you can see what they were up to in the photos.
More pregnancies, shock horror
Not cats this time. There is a rough old mutt next door and he looks slightly like a miniature Alsatian but with short legs. We thought he was looking a bit pleased with himself recently. Well, one of the other neighbours, who gives us some Italian conversation every week, also has a rough old mutt, but she looks like a miniature Newfoundland that’s gone very wrong. Praise the Gods, there are going to be puppies in the next few weeks. I shudder to think what the offspring will look like. I am sure as puppies they will be, as all puppies are, perfectly delectable. It’s when they grow up that the real truth will be known. Will people gag when they see one? Will they scare old ladies and children who look upon them? Yeah, saith …. I must stop, I’m getting into my preachy mode, which is not pleasant.
I know I said not cats, but have a look at this
Sisi’s boy-owner brought this little fur ball over the other day – mind you it’s his brother’s apparently and as he heard his brother coming down the road, he picked it up pretty sharpish and legged it back to his house rather rapidly.
His name is Romeo, very Italiano and he is as cute as he looks. We have no idea from which one of the five litters that there have been over the past couple of months he comes from, but he is the only kitten we know of here. Hmmmm.
Footie
Well, the boys done quite good, but its early doors for the Azurri and of course of Signore Donadoni. He gave himself a great vote of confidence by signing up for a 2 year extension just before the tournament began and then after the Spanish game saying he looked forward to the future with the national team and within a few hours he was looking forward to the future without the national team.
Funny old game.
Ciao, mantenere la fede
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