A walk is an essential part of New Year’s Day. Here are some photos from yesterday, January 1st, 2019 which continues the splendid weather we’ve been having in our part of the world since Christmas. Carlotta joined us for the walk and, later, Cheekie, too.
We also took in one of my fields and the olive trees looked absolutely grand. We’ve harvested most of them by now.
One of my ‘old’ English literature masters at my school commented on the olive leaves against the bluest of skies: ‘It’s what Eliot called the “mid-winter spring”. So evocative!’
We are now looking forwards to the big festivities of La Befana, the Italian white witch who distributes sugar, spice and all things nice to good children’s stockings and coal to bad children’s stockings.
Once Italian children only received their presents from la Befana, which takes place on the 6th of January, the feast of the epiphany and the arrival of the three wise men. Now they are doubly lucky receiving presents within a fortnight. There’s even someone I know near us who has his birthday on Christmas day…. triple whammy if there ever was one!
There are many places close at hand to enjoy La Befana. Perhaps the most evocative one is at Montefegatesi where the tradition is especially strong.
We’re truly spoilt for choice regarding Befana festivities. I wonder which one we’ll attend.
The nearest one to us is clearly the Red Cross befana at Bagni di Lucca:
Here are some links to a few of them in our area:
http://www.giornaledibarga.it/2018/11/gli-appuntamenti-della-vigilia-della-befana-312533/
http://www.giornaledibarga.it/2018/11/alla-casina-della-befana-e-non-solo-312537/
Our field is a short distance away from the house but sadly the sheep that we allowed to graze a double help manuring and keeping the grass cut low from their grazing but what we had not thought out that these self same sheep would knock stones about our little downhill path making it now awkward to use also the vanishing mushrooms Galletti which sheep I am told adore and so did we hopefully they will regrow given the correct conditions as recently not found even Porcini around the valley. I managed to bring back a handful of our olives which are curing now in salt water takes away the bitter taste soon we will be able to munch these. Mother last year also managed to receive a gift from the Befana was great fun all in a good cause for the Red Cross funds however in the UK I have no recollection of a Befana maybe exists will have to verify.
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