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Monday 21 December 2009

Today it was mostly...

...raining. Over the weekend we went on two www's (winter wonderland walks). It was just glorious and there wasn't much else we could do. This morning it started raining and the snow is slowly melting away. The rain is forcast to continue until at least Christmas Day. How miserable! Anyway, I don't really want to go out in this, but we need to get to our land to empty the compost bin, which is overflowing with wood ash and cat litter (the cats prefer to stay indoors too), to check out the damage to the plants and hopefully to still pick some veg to eat.
In the meantime wishing you all a Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year with this Angel, which was part of a huge flower petal picture on the streets of Santo Stefano di Magra earlier thios year.

8 comments:

Mr. H. said...

What a beautiful angel, I have never seen anything like it. Snow and then rain usually = slop. We have been getting rain as well, I was out slopping around in the garden yesterday...the first time I have ever been able to do so in late December, the ground has even thawed out.

I'm curious as to what you use for cat litter in Italy? We buy ours and I hate doing so.

Heiko said...

Mr. H., Well we tried assessing the damage to our crops today, but most of is still covered in slushy snow. It was also very precarious trying to descend our terraces in these conditions (this time our mountain goats have definetely slithered away).

As for cat litter I use simple river sand. After the cats have enriched it I throw it on the compost. It's got organic material as well as lightening our heavy soil a bit. It also seems quite odour neutral and more absorbent than commercial cat litter (not too mention cheaper).

Heiko said...

Oh and for the flower angel, have a look at http://pathtoselfsufficiency.blogspot.com/2009/06/of-accidents-flowers-and-wine-tastings.html and http://pathtoselfsufficiency.blogspot.com/2008/05/festa-del-corpus-domini.html for more.

Stefaneener said...

We must be on the same weather pattern. It's raining steadily since yesterday. I got to weed 1/2 bed before it started, though. I guess I'll have time to get ahead on my holiday preparations instead.

Mr. H., I've heard of people making a newspaper/baking soda slurry and then chopping it into bits for cat litter. We do buy ours, those silica crystals.

Ayak said...

We've also had a lot of rain and gale force winds over the past few days...very depressing but today we had glorious sunshine.

Here's wishing you and your wife a very Happy Christmas and a Peaceful and Prosperous New Year.

Best Wishes
Ayak x

Anna said...

Hi Heiko,
wish you a merry Christmas to you...this morning in Genoa I woke up and there was ice that covered everything. I have never seen anything like this in Liguria. I've heard on tv that in Santo Stefano di Magra, the situation is even worse..isn't it?

Heiko said...

Hi Anna,

No ice here, just a persistant drizzly rain. The snow has now all melted, but we are trapped inside a giant cloud. Happy Christmas to you too, and if your travels ever take you to our part of Liguria let us know. Come and have a coffe with some stunning views.

Anna said...

Hi Heiko,
thanks a lot! sure, with great pleasure I will come to have a coffee when I will be to your part.
Anna