It’s Sprung!

If you were to ask me to sum up Spring here in one word?

That word would have to be: “Yellow”.
Why choose a colour, rather than say a mood, temperature, and/or date? It’s simple really! It’s because the gardens, roadsides, and fields here are (quite literally) blanketed in that colour.

From horizon to horizon in many cases, you’ll spot yellow flowers of all shapes ‘n sizes everywhere. Tiny to large, from the city into the countryside, and along the streams, rivers and by the sea too!
Everywhere.
Followed a distant second by your ‘run-of-the-mill’ purples, mauves, and reds, it’s f’sure yellow that dominates.
Mind you, I’m not talking about neat rows of plants in formal borders, flowerboxes, or anything near as civilised as that. Nope, ‘cause here in Sicily, it’s all about the weeds! Or, perhaps if’n I chose to be polite here, I could maybe stretch to ‘wild flowers’.
Having lived in the UK, I loved seeing the acres of rapeseed flowering every Spring there. Who wouldn’t? But I have to say I prefer it here. There’s something ‘primeval’ about the disarrayed flower displays here that appeals more. 
It’s worth noting that, given my Australasian heritage, what also grows wild hereabouts are poppies!
That now-eternal symbol of ANZAC Day (25th April 2025) in both New Zealand and Australia, they too grow wild here. You’ll find ‘em tucked amongst the other (yes ... mostly yellow!) flowers.
So, and regardless of your colour preference, make mine yellow please!

Hurry Up!

Talking of colours here, let’s carry on this theme.

Rain, rain, go away...!

Because, for now, I’m feeling a wee bit blue! That’d be because the weather’s not been so good recently. In fact, it’s been all over the damn place this last week or so! Clouds, rain (some torrential), gale-force winds, interspersed with short bouts of actual sunshine.
And it’s been cold too. Down as low as single figures celcius overnight most nights.
All of which means it’s f’sure way too early to pack away the Winter jerseys and coats, and put away the electric blanket, as well. Unfortunately.
Okay, I’ll admit I’m a complete big girl’s blouse when it comes to the cold. I can’t stand it, y’see. I discovered, many years ago now, that Summer is my season of choice. One of the prime reasons I shifted here to Sicily, and of course. Bring on those 40-plus celcius days, I say!
Anyways, it is what it is and, as my wife likes to (constantly) say, I should just grow a pair, and get on with it. I should, and I would, but it’s too cold Alice!
Regardless, I did move my ‘babies’ (my cactuses and succulents) outside the other day, as they’re all showing signs of ‘waking up’ after their Winter dormancy. Maybe they, and the Spring flowers, know something I don’t? As in: Regardless of what’s going on right now, the cycle of life continues, and maybe Summer is just around the corner. Bring it!
Please hurry though…

It’s Official…

As it’s (officially) Spring, it’s time to get on with the ‘Spring Cleaning’.
Although I count that not as simply cleaning, but as something akin to: "Getting on with those jobs we put off over Winter."

In previous years, that’s meant key stuff, like fitting a new kitchen, putting in double-glazing and painting the exterior. Or, year before last, repairing the north-facing wall due to water incursion.
That latter wasn’t too unexpected, remembering that our ‘kiwi4everhome’ here is somewhere between 150 to 250 years old!
Thankfully, last year was a little less fraught, as we had no real outstanding jobs, so it was more like the traditional cleaning then. Granted that respite, and after resting on our laurels in 2024, it did get us thinking more about maintenance. As in: Since we’ve already tackled those key, unavoidable jobs, it’s time to concentrate on … painting!
No. I’m not talking ‘bout whipping out an easel and paintbrush to do some landscapes here!
Nope. The rough-plastered interior walls of our home are looking a bit sad at the minute. As in: Neglected, flaking and dust-causing. No surprise, of course, given it hasn’t been re-painted for nearly nine years now.
So that’s the project for this year then and, as every room here sports either a way high barrel or groin vaulted ceiling, it’ll certainly end up being a ‘biggie’! As a for instance: The kitchen ceiling is 2.5 metres high, and the entrance area is three metres!
Wish us luck!
More Soon...