This Is Tuscany

Driving through the secondary roads of the Tuscan countryside, I let my eyes drink in the beauty of this gem in the heart of Italy because I wanted the scenery to forever be painted on the canvas of my mind.

The rows and rows of vines with straggly bunches of late autumn grapes.

The groves of olive trees, their waxy leaves giving off a silvery sheen in the bright rays of the sun.

The cypress trees standing out like dark sentinels of the peaceful land.

Whitewashed buildings with terracotta tiled-roofs.

Ancient villages hanging precariously to cliff edges.

Walled towns with high bells towers surveying the land, always on the look out for invaders that will come no more.

A feeling of peace pervades the air and in the silence the distant clanging of a church bell echoes across the fields.

And always, on the horizon, the fertile rolling hills …

This is the Tuscany of my dreams. A place that stole my imagination and my heart. A place where time itself seems to have slowed down. If I was an artist I would set up my easel and capture the Tuscan countryside in all its moods, all its seasons. But, as it is, I have to use mere words to convey a beauty that is not just seen but felt in the innermost depths of the soul.

I hope that one day I will return to this enchanting place, buy an old, old house and spend my days filling notebooks with useless poems, while the scent of spring poppies floats in through the open window. Until that day, I will continue to dream …

Ruby Tuesday: Pinocchio

Having returned from Tuscany only last week, I thought I would share some photos of the mischievous wooden puppet that has stolen the hearts of children for generations since the book about his adventures was first published in 1883. The writer, Carlo Collodi, was a native of Tuscany, and I am sure that everyone is familiar with the story of Pinocchio - the wooden puppet who, after many adventures, becomes a real little boy. His characteristic bright red clothes kept catching my eye as we made our way across Tuscany and, naturally, I thought he would make the perfect protagonist for this week's Ruby Tuesday.

Back Again

I'm back again after a four day trip to Tuscany. It was awesome and I am too tired right now to come up with the necessary words to do it justice. My mind is fermenting with words and paragraphs which I hope to be able to share with you in the coming days. In the meantime I will start to catch up with your blogs and with what you've all been doing while I was savouring the beauty of Italy.

Be Aware

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month so I am joining my friend Glynis to spread the word. I am sure we all know someone who was stricken with this dreadful illness or have lost someone to its deadly clutches. As a pharmacist, I worked in an oncology hospital for 2 years and came in contact with countless women of all ages who have had to deal with this potential killer. No one is immune. The only piece of advice I have is that early detection increases the chance of a full recovery. Self-examination of the breast is free and can be done at least once monthly. Mammograms are recommended for all women over 40 and, in cases where there is a family history of the disease, mammograms are recommended at 35 years of age. This is a topic about which a lot has been written and I do not want to blab on repeating things which we have all heard. So I will leave you with the following thoughts. Be aware of your bodies. Be aware of changes in your bodies. And when in doubt, seek professional advice immediately.

Ruby Tuesday : From Pigalle ...

to your computer screen ... I wanted to share with you the most famous windmill of them all. It's red, it's wicked and it's totally decadent. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you ... the Moulin Rouge.

Not the best pictures, I am afraid, but I took them while on the tourist train that takes you on a tour of Montmartre and Pigalle. The Moulin Rouge needs no introduction, of course. I thought it would make a great subject for today's Ruby Tuesday. I just wish that the days would slow down a bit and give me a chance to make some other posts before Ruby Tuesday is with us again. I really need to get myself organised.

For more Ruby Tuesday go here.

Ruby Tuesday – All Aboard

I can’t believe that it’s time for Ruby Tuesday again and that I have not posted in a whole week. Time flies and I have been so busy ‘autumn cleaning’ that I did not have time to go around and take photos of red things. So I had to dig into my archives and see if I had some decent pictures I could post. I thought these photos of this shiny red train would brighten up everyone’s Tuesday.

This train on wheels takes tourists and locals alike around the three historic villages of Rabat, Mdina and Mtarfa. Children really enjoy the ride as do adults who are still young at heart.

For more Ruby Tuesday’s go over to Mary at Work of the Poet .