The morning after.

This being Italy the arrival of towering storm clouds did nothing to dampen the enjoyment of the crowds who had congregated in the village square to watch the shooting stars. A stage was erected in front of the church and entertainment (after a fashion) was provided by a number of locals. Any shortfall in talent was more than made up for by a surfeit of enthusiasm so that by two in the morning the valley was alive with the sound of balladic hits. Alas, karaoke and sound systems have become universal.

I'm off to London this morning so Wilf and Digby have had a quick march round the fields and a rather desultory 'splosh' game by the pool. This is the third morning in a row where there has been mist in the valley floor a sure sign that the seasons are rolling over with summer gently giving way to autumn.

The boyz are both in prime comic form. Will blog tomorrow when I get back.

Preparing for tonights shooting stars.

Wilf walked ahead of me on the morning tour of the olive groves and lavender fields completely immersed in the scents and sounds of the Italian countryside. His little brother sat at the farm gate waiting impatiently for our return - in addition to his sore hip he now seems to have managed to rub the skin off one of his paws leaving it raw. The walk ended with Wilf initiating a quick 'splosh' game in the pool.

Tonight is the 'night of the stars' in the local village. Not as we first imagined when we moved here anything to do with Hollywood but rather a mass gathering of star watchers. They arrive in their hundreds in the village carrying a variety of telescopes and settle down between midnight and four in the morning to watch the annual shooting star shower. In a civilised touch, the local restaurant moves its kitchen outside and serves meals until dawn. With no light pollution ( sodium lamps are unknown this deep in the country ) the heavenly display is really quite something. The sound effects from the Italian families gathered en masse in the cool of the night air is equally impressive with cries of enraptured delight echoing around as the shooting stars scurry across the sky. Silent reserve is not a concept that has much purchase in Italy.