The city of Lucca has always been my favourite. Not only because it is only 25 minutes away from our home and I go there at least two or three times a week, but also because you do not feel like a "tourist" there.
Gala Placidia's activity
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In this icy cold weather, hot drinks and comfort foods are a must. Preparing and consuming them are good ways to spend time when we cannot venture outdoors.
Wed, 02/08/2012 - 06:10
The cold weather is affecting most of Italy and creating difficulties concerning energy supplies. Russia, the most important supplier, has been reducing the provision of gas up to 30% due to increasing demand in their area.
Tue, 02/07/2012 - 02:22
The San Francisco Chronicle publishes today this most interesting article:
Sun, 02/05/2012 - 12:45
Whenever we are in Italy, we love to visit antique and vintage markets and fairs, looking for that special piece that we would love to have. Sometimes, we find it...
Wed, 02/01/2012 - 02:47
One of my favourite activities in Italy is to visit those markets that sell antique and vintage items.
Tue, 01/31/2012 - 06:38
Some members may have noticed that I have been fairly quiet for the past month and a half. The reason for this was that we have been visiting our daughters who live in San Francisco (CA).
Fri, 01/20/2012 - 02:59
The new ½ûÂþÌìÌà government has been announced and it is obvious that we will have a fight between technocrats and politicians.
Wed, 11/16/2011 - 14:24
A lot has been written about the dangers of overheating Teflon coated cookware. Toxic fumes can be extremely dangerous for our health. Personally, I have never liked that type of cookware and I do not buy it anymore.
Sat, 10/29/2011 - 06:24
In another thread, we were discussing Tuscan herbs and "funghi porcini". Tuscany is a paradise for herb lovers and many varieties, such as rosemary, sage and "nipitella" grow wild.
Thu, 10/27/2011 - 11:23
Comments posted
There seems to be quite a few offers on line. Go to google.it and search under "occhiali vista offerte". You can add the name of your town or region.
I found this address: and they have some interesting offers on bulbs and plants if you look under "introvabili" and then "giardinaggio". I would say that 15 € for 150 bulbs it's pretty good. They also have "maracuja" or passionfruit, which is a great creeper to have in any garden and it produces a delicious fruit. I have never used this online business and I would appreciate your comments as they have a large offer of products.
Just to clarfy, Â Gardening group is an open group and this is the case with all the groups I have created. And I also click the public box to make contents available to all. On the other hand, I have also experienced problems whenever it happened that I was not signed in... and I do not know who signed me out.
I agree with Fillide, exposure to the sun is your major challenge here. I would also advise to use a light colour. A dark one will deteriorate very quickly.
You will also have to remove the old, flaky paint....
I agree with Belvedere, Unopiu is the best, although the most expensive and the design and quality are superb; however, I do not know whether it would be an appropriate choice for a house that is rented out. Also, Andiamo's remarks about cushions are very valid.Â
Colognora was an excellent choice as a set for the film. It is a most interesting village and an "isola linguistica". They speak a dialect that originated in the Longobard language. Everything moves very slowly there!Â
Leroy Merlin has a large variety of outdoor furniture in all types of materials. Have a look at I am afraid that all outdoor furniture requires maintenance. It is either that or to opt for a cheaper version that you do not mind replacing it every season.Â
A difficult question. the first problem would be to identify native wild flowers for the region you mention. I would say that any Mediterranean plant would be a good bet. I am more familiar with the Tuscany region... but here are my thoughts... I have never seen native seed mixes  at any vivaio; however, try the largest in your area, particularly those selling "ingrosso". To name a few "native" plants that grow well in Central Italy, I would include most herbs (rosemary, all types of mints, thyme,basil...)  iris, ranunculus, anemones, geraniums and pelargoniums, jasmin, sunflower, oleander, belladona.. Now, many of these grow from bulbs, rhyzomes or cuttings and belladona is highly toxic... I do not know what you intend to do in your garden; however, my advice would be to talk to your "native" neighbours and follow their advice. Happy gardening!!!! Â
Thank you very much, Anne. I am enjoying it.