A corner of the monastery

The day we went to the pharmacy in the outer courtyard of our local abbey was rather dull and wet so the photos, including the usually vibrantly-coloured bougainvillea, look a little washed out.  The columns are intriguing as they stand alone by the path that leads to the gatehouse quarters and the liquoreria. They may have been supporting a covered walkway and I believe they date from a time when the monastery was a Benedictine foundation and before the 13th century Cistercian one.

An Italian hill town

A visit to any Italian hill town is a good experience.

It's worth the climb to look across the hills and valleys 

then wander around the shady, ancient streets, 

gaze into shop windows and sit at one of

the inviting cafes and have a drink in the sunshine.  

Winter Weather

Snow started to fall late yesterday evening and we woke up to a fairly light sprinkling across our neighbourhood.  However, not far away it was much worse and the bad weather continues to cause difficulties for those needing to travel.

Any sort of gardening is impossible. The roses that have been blooming continuously throughout the year and producing the only colour in the Winter garden look bedraggled.

At least the pelargoniums that my husband keeps and propagates in the covered yard ready to plant out at a suitable time are surviving.  We remember that the snow is only be to expected at this time of the year, that there are bulbs pushing up out of the ground and will eventually bloom and the weather will improve as the weeks go by.

Public Art: The woodland animal sculpture

This is another one of the wooden sculptures that has been installed in a suburban setting, but with a woodland animal theme which reminds us that we are in a semi-rural area.  The suburb is named after a woodland area and the owl is used as a symbol in this part of the city.

The little dog is a nice touch even if it's the odd animal in the group carving.

It's another beautifully-crafted piece of work that has been created for the enjoyment of the community.