Wilf failing to share the new toy with his brother.

British Airways say on their website tonight that flights should be getting back to normal tomorrow. Nothing left Heathrow for Rome today because of the snow which closed the airport. Whatever,I've checked myself in on-line , resigned myself in advance to long delays and will take a book to read in the lounge. The weather here has been changeable after the glories of yesterday - late this afternoon the clouds started to build up and have now covered most of the sky.

On the motorway to the shops this morning I saw three motorists reading their papers while driving at high speed. One of them in a very fancy Audi had the paper out over the wheel, the mobile phone to one ear and was steering with a cigarette between his fingers with the remaining 'free hand'. Perhaps after I've been here ten years my northern sense of order will evaporate and I won't find Italian driving infuriating.

London closed by snow

Am on my way to London tomorrow. Have just looked on the British Airways website and found that Heathrow airport is closed by the heaviest snow in 20 years- none of the flights to Rome are expected to go. What the knock on impact will be on tomorrows flights I dread to guess.

Walnut trees and parched soil.

The first of a February and the soil is already drying out - this sudden onset of sustained sunshine after a long cold and wet patch and the countryside is shaking off winter and moving into spring. The new trees we planted in October are already coming into bud. I think it's a false dawn. After a glorious early taste of spring we usually get a few days of atrocious weather before the year turns on its axis and the new season finally segues into place. I'll put money on the fact that when I'm in London this week we'll have a sudden and unexpected reversion to arctic conditions. Always happens when I'm away which makes me popular !

There are a couple of walnut trees down the drive. I'm thinking of planting more outside the kitchen to provide shade for the summer. In the winter they have a marvellous rambling architectural look to them. Believe it or not we had one in the garden in Scotland but it was never warm enough for them to bear fruit.

Am told that London is in the grip of polar conditions with snow and sub sub zero temperatures. Why would I ever complain about the weather in Italy?

The beauty of Italy.

Maybe it has something to do with the light but a fruit stall or small town garden that I wouldn't give a second thought to in Edinburgh or London take on a simple artistic beauty in Italy.

Digby wondering why the world is such a big place.