The lovely avenue of limes joining Fornoli with Bagni di Lucca is going in for some heavy pruning and also some severe criticism. Certainly, the appearance of these trees reminds me a little of those devastated battlefield landscapes of the First World War and I have also received expressions of disappointment from persons living there. In particular, there is some traffic inconvenience with one route diverted through a car park to avoid the hazard of falling branches.
I remain confident however that this work is all for the best in conserving these splendid trees which welcome all who enter our comune. After all, the same arboreal operation took place there ten years ago and the trees returned without difficulty in their stately forms.
But this is one job I would carry out with difficulty in our garden. As Sybil Fawlty remarked about her husband Basil I had the idea of becoming a tree surgeon but didn’t because I couldn’t stand the sight of sap…
Let us look forwards to the clothing of leaves on these stark trunks.
Meanwhile, the magnolias planted in Bagni’s public gardens are flowering, as compensation, to their full glory.
The pruned trees look like hands reaching for the sky.
Really not at all a pleasant sight to see they could have left a few branches. Also when it is sunny as it often is and very hot they give a good shade. I have never seen lime trees so massacred. Still as we no longer travel in open horse drawn carriages maybe the beautifully leafy adorned limes that would offer protective cooling shade for both passenger and four legged creature as well as somewhat shielding pedestrians from rain and wind car users do not suffer these changes in weather. But back to reality aesthetically the avenue no longer displays its elegance at present anyways and hopefully these limes that are causing so much consternation will soo return to their former glory to grace shade and delight us once more!
Thankyou so much for your concerned comment.
San Rocco Saints Day is celebrated on the 16th of August. We have participated to several of these days at very many different locations and Churches. My favourite is the one at Mozzanella whereby the villagers parade in procession carrying various coloured banners including the painted one of Saint Rocco and the dog that saved him. The congregation then celebrates Mass and a talk is given commemorating his life works and miracles. The loaves are then blessed which we are invited to purchase with a donation. Finally the relic is acknowledged with a kiss. As we exit a surprise gathering awaits us with bomboloni and fried pasta as well as soft drinks to further celebrate this amazing Saint. There are Churches dedicated to San Rocco throughout the World Europe, America, India to mention a few areas around the World. Amazingly San Rocco is the Patron Saint of bachelors, diseased cattle, dogs, falsely accused people amongst others. The idea of restoring his Church left to go to rack and ruin is good provided it maintains some connection with San Rocco and his good deeds. Maybe pilgrimages to visit some of these Churches in other parts of the World would be fun and rewarding as well as research about San Rocco. Thank you for an interesting blog so poignant in our time of World Pandemic. We should pray to San Rocco to help us overcome our 21st Century Plague.