A Few of My Favourite Abruzzo Things - Noel McCarthy

Some very interesting accounts of living in Abruzzo from a variety of people.One thing that they all seem to agree on is the total lack of 'joined up thinking' when it comes to tourism and the promotion of in Abruzzo.A Few of My Favourite Abruzzo Things - Noel McCarthy

Often when I'm in the village buying bread or going to the Post Office I see people wandering about looking totally lost! Apart from the churches and famous Sanctuary of Volta Santo theres nothing else to explain the villages' history.

Local 'picnic sites' are left absolutely filthy after a bank holiday weekend with some very nice folks using the place as a toilet.I personally would run a mile rather than picnic at one of these places.On the other hand I now know of some beautiful sites and walks where you could easily spend many hours exploring and picnicing in peace.These places are not advertised or promoted to tourists at all.Mostly it's just by luck that the more adventerous vistors find them.

In order to help the busineess in Abruzzo the tourist board there really needs a massive shake-up!

ground cover

Exposed earth is a disaster waiting to happen. I really cannot understand why in Abruzzo so many farmrs chose to plough their olive groves even if they are on a steep slope. The soil is nerly always clay with lots of chalk and limestones and on the roads it creats ice rink conditions. A friend of mine lot control of her car last winter while driving over some wet clay that had been washed from the hillside.

Ground cover plants are the answer for most house owners.They can be ornamental,edible or both.Edible plants that spread quickly are strawberries,and some types of raspberries.Both are best planted in the autumn when the ground is moist.
Other good plants for cover are:

•Ajuga or Bugleweed (Ajuga reptans) - Ajuga form a low, dense carpet of semi-evergreen foliage. Ajuga is tolerant of most conditions as long as drainage is good, but can be invasive.
•Liriope or Lilyturf (Liriope muscari, L. spicata) - Evergreen ground covers with grass-like leaves; adaptable to a wide range of conditions.
•Ornamental grasses - A large selection is available; most prefer full sun.
•Dwarf Japanese Garden Juniper (Juniperus procumbens 'Nana') - Forms low, spreading mounds of evergreen foliage. Does best in full sun.

Erosion in the landscape, Abruzzo

Paul Stamets on 6 ways mushrooms can save the world | Video on TED.com

Paul Stamets on 6 ways mushrooms can save the world | Video on TED.com

I got very excited when I saw the mushrooms growing out of the ants head!Very satisfying.

In Abruzzo we have just about every type of ant including the ones that climb our walls then disappear into a tiny hole then into a beam.

Termites are even more of a problem and I think theres somthing known as a Capricorn Beetle that is eating it's way through someones roof beams in the village unless they can halt it's progress!

So far we just have a few woodworm and ordinary ants but I'm open to anything 'green' that could kill the littel blighters.I dont want the house doused in lethal chemicals -especailly the way that some Italians use them!

Happy Solstice Day!

According to a google search 'Saturnalia' is celebrated on 17th December but its today that us pagans look forward to the slow return of the sun and long spring evenings.

During Saturnalia,which I believe went on for more than a day knowing the Italians,red and gold decorations along with food were hung in trees to please the gods and servants were waited on by their masters.The tree hangings remind me a bit of our wassailiing tradition of soaking toast or bread in cider and hanging in a tree.

This Saturday(16th December) the Wassail took place at Cotehele and apparently 100's of people turned up to watch.

A bit different from when I started it with Rob and Rosie Fierek in 1997 and only us and our children came along!We took it in turns with Lewis and Grace Eynon to host a special Wassail tea each year cooking apple cakes and scones and serving cider.Harry Juniper, a lovely man who ran Bideford Pottery made us a beautiful Wassail Jug and I'm really pleased that it's stil being used for the Cotehele Wassail.Even if the spirit of the Cotehel Wassail has changed some things remain the same

Rome Pass

Just booked to go out to Rome in February-hopefully it will almost be spring in Rome by then! Last year it cost us quite a lot to buy tickets for museums and sites so I decided to investigate buying a pass for 25 euros which lasts for 3 days and allows you to travel all over the city o the metro or by bus.

You get 2 free entries and after that a concession.

I can't wait!I've been to the forum 3 times now but it still remains a completely magical place for me.

£12 an hour

My sister in law has a cleaner.She pays her £12 an hour.

My daughter who is extremly talented and has a degree earns less than £7 per hour and for my work I rarely earn more than £15 an hour.That's for 50 years experiance!

I wonder why we bother when we'd earn more cleaning toilets!

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