Limewash

My first attempt at lime washing was not entirely trouble free - I began by spraying the walls well and mixing a big bucket of uncoloured lime wash 9/1 portions water to lime putty.


 
 
The first coat went on well but I made the mistake of using a big lime wash brush and causing a fresh bout of 'tennis elbow'.I bought a smaller brush from the local ferramenta and this was much easier on the arms.

The next coats had pigments added;all powdered earth colours which are first mixed with water.

Beautiful Ideas for hedge in Abruzzo

 

This looks like a lovely idea for a hedge with the added benefit of providing a crop of fruit. Not sure if it would work running along the top of the terrace.

 

 

 

 
 

 

 

A brilliant idea for a screen on a patio

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stone Carving

Early Christian symbol

L'aquila or Eagle

Scottish 'Green Man'

Abruzzo 'Green Man'

Total disrespect for a lovely piece of historical carving!

carved (upside down) tablet

A very silmilar christian symbol to that on our own house

Gardening

All the rain has gotten everything growing but luckily my kind neighbour has helped by strimmimng the grass in the olives.

The Italian glads come from our local garden center in Harrowbarrow but they really look better in Abruzzo!

Nothing beats my olive grove for an afternoon snooze.

Brick Floors

The bricks on our bedroom floor has really taken a bashing with various builders and plasterers doing their worse over the last 5 years.Having done the plastering and before limewashing I decided to clean the whole floor by hand!

To do this I used coarse damp (not wet) sand and a stiff wire and plastic brush.After removing as much of the lime and dirt on the surface of the bricks I swept it all up then gently washed the brick with hot water and soap and some vinegar.The I mopped this off.

I still need to use my dremmel to grind off some deep pockets of lime plaster but the floor looks much cleaner than before and I'll give it a very light oiling once the limewash is done.

Some 'sample' patches of limewash coloured with yellow ochre and burnt sienna earth pigments

New Terrace

Our new terrace has been created!

Somethings not quite as we'd requested but this was not a surprise.We had the reinforced cement walls as everyone in Italy seems to think they are needed but the block walls would have been OK.Especailly now our builder says we cannot even plaster the cement!

Unfortunately this step isn't going to be very easy to use with the drainpipe cutting across it!

Passo Lanciano -2 places to visit.

I'm going to Abruzzo soon! Yippee after the 'Spring' we have had ( or are yet to have) I can't wait.Should be plenty of Golden Oriels and Nightingales at this time.

One of the trips I want to make when my mum joins me is to go by car from Lettomanoppello to Pretoro over Passo Lanciano which is a ski resort in winter but is a lovely place to start several walks from in the summer.

The 'hermitages' of Santo Spirito and Santo Bartolomeo can both be reached from this area.These are places founded by Pope Celestino V - he was known for his frugal lifestyle living on the mountains of Abruzzo before leaving for Rome and being made Pope.

Pietro di Morrone

 

Leaving Roccamorice on the road to La Mailletta there is a track to Santo Bartolemeo -the walk takes about 1 hour there and back.

Santo Spirito is reached after about 4 kilometres along a small lane.Getting ther involves using steps cut into the rocks-not recommended if you have a fear of heights!