The somewhat uncertain Italian August and the incredibly sunny September have combined to produce a vintage harvest of our trinity – grapes, olives and mushrooms.

(Yesterday’s haul….the rain did help!)

I will keep the places where I find the much prized cheps mushrooms to myself but they are there, hiding under the foliage, shy to peep their heads towards our salivating palates.

The vendemmia, or grape harvest for wine, is already declared a success. Which leaves the olives. This morning I found my teenage olive trees already promising very rich harvests when the end of October and the start of November start.

Let’s hope the frosts don’t get at them before then.

Meanwhile the seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness is truly descending upon us. There was a distinctly autumnal tinge to the air today and the clouds never lifted to reveal any azure patches.