Italy’s most torrid summer for almost fifteen years suddenly halted with a vengeance last night.  We’d spent the afternoon  by a placid stretch of our local river Lima, drolly named  ‘Miami Beach’  (actually ‘d rather spend my summer time by a river like this one that in any of regimented rows of sunbeds and umbrellas which characterise so much of the Italian seaside). It’s so lovely to be here and the fresh cold water remains pure, transparent and filled with a myriad of tiny fish.

All this placid memory changed just after last midnight. A thunderstorm broke out with intense ferocity and night sky was illuminated by innumerable lightning flashes, some of which seemed to break right over our heads. First thing to do in this situation is to disconnect the computer. I’ve had several friends who’ve woken up with burnt-out laptops as a result of these storms. Nothing could surely be more dismal. Most frightening for us might have been the intense amount of water falling which could have caused landslides behind our house.

Of course, rain was necessary but not many things occur in moderation in Italy especially with regard to the weather. The rain might have helped extinguish forest fires which have had quite a season here (three broke out near il Ciocco only last week). But lightning flashes can also start new fires.

Anyway here we are with a beautifully sodden lawn, happy ducks and the first rain we’ve had for over three weeks. And the sky is clearing too!

I wonder what the river look like this morning. Surely it will be full of amazing waterfalls. Let’s go and have a look at the Fiume Lima.