Right now in Tuscany we are an orange zone. This means we are not to leave our community area, bars and restaurants are open only for takeaway. Shops are open and we can move freely in the comune, while wearing masks and keeping our distance.
This might change on the weekend when our area could become a red zone, bringing tougher restrictions. We will almost be back to where we were this time last year in the first severe lockdown. Stay home unless you are buying food or there is an emergency.
It will make little difference to me here at Casa Debbio but I feel for others whose jobs and businesses will be disrupted again. I wish the vaccine rollout would move along a bit more quickly.
The sunny weather has continued and my garden is growing. My beautiful lavender looks dead. I was worried that the heavy snow killed some of the plants.
If you look closely the tiny green leaves are starting to appear. They should all come to life soon.
I bought some ranunculas at the nursery recently. They looked so pretty I could not resist them. They are now in a large pot near the front door so that I can enjoy them regularly. I have no idea how long they will last or whether they will become goat or deer food.
The Daphne plant was damaged but it seems to be growing some tiny flowers.
These pretty daisies will be planted soon.
We are putting in a watering system and Casa Debbio has been a hive of activity. We have a spring on our property which supplies all our water. In summer the water flow slows a lot so we are putting a storage tank below the spring and a new pump to get the water to the garden.
It was interesting watching it being manoeuvred through the garden. I couldn’t watch it being lowered into place.
As well as this, a large area of brambles have been cut down. The heavy snow flattened it, making it easier to chop out. Several trees which had been damaged by the snow went too. I am never happy to see trees go, but they will be replaced as soon as the clearing is finished. The old terraces below the house will be restored. It is going to look great when things start to grow again.
As if all that isn’t enough, the road up to our house from the village is about to be repaired. There was a huge storm in 2013 which washed an old aqueduct and part of the road down the mountain. I had to jump over a waterfall until a friend put a couple of planks for me to walk across. Eventually the woodcutters, who use the road, rebuilt it enough so that we could drive again.
The road is very narrow in parts and the comune is stepping in to rebuild it. We are delighted and the disruption which will happen shortly will not bother me at all. I may have to walk up from the village for a while…it will be worth it.
All this activity is keeping me busy. I will hardly notice the possible new restrictions.