It is almost time for me to go home to Australia for a while. I am going back to sub tropical Brisbane, hot weather and beaches.
What could be a better send off than snow? When a friend and I heard that the first snow had fallen in Abetone we took off immediately to see it.
It was raining as we set off along the SS Brennero.
Soon the rain turned to snow.
The trees along the road became increasingly laden with snow.
Quite suddenly the road became very slippery and the car would not go any further. We reversed until we could find a place to put chains on the tyres. This may sound quite simple, but standing in heavily falling snow in puddles of icy water, reading instructions while trying to put on chains with freezing fingers is not easy.
It took a bit of trial and error and lots of laughs before the chains were in place and we were off again.
We were amazed at the amount of snow that had fallen overnight. Abetone was covered with a blanket of snow and it was still falling.
We found an open restaurant and dried off over lunch.
Soon it was back down the mountain.
Autumn is putting on a fine show in the mountains.
When I return next year I will be leaving hot summer for deep winter. Perhaps there will be snow in Bagni di Lucca and at Casa Debbio. I hope so.