Here we are nearly into the end of the month and the weather has changed to rain. We have finished some work on the vineyard and planted a few dozen vegetables. potatoes have been weeded and are looking good. The first courgettes have appeared and we are happy to see many almonds on the trees again as well as an abundance of olive flowers. Flowers are still closed so we hope the rain will not affect the potential crop of olives.
first courgette and olive flowers
Weeds on the Vermentino vineyard. After weeding, the job was to cut off excess growth. Lesley and Chris busy doing just that.
Other vegetables we are growing including different variety of lettuce (trying not to plant too many all at once this year...), beet, aubergines, peppers, chilli peppers, cucumbers, celery, onions, spinach, cabbage and, of course, potatoes. Next will be the tomatoes, both to make a supply of sauce for the year, and to eat as salad.
Potatoes ( above) and flat runner beans with their bamboo supports.
Flooded vegetables and vineyard. Torrential rain during the weekend has created serious problems and 15 people died in North East of Italy. Events that now are frequent and very disruptive. We had lots of rain but we think we managed to escape the worst of it. In a week or so we will be checking the olive trees as they are ready to open their flowers and start self pollination. Rain is not good but most of the flowers were still closed before the rain started, so, fingers crossed....
Mountain excursion - 14th May
Following the success of previous years' excursions in the local area, this year, owing to the uncertain weather conditions, we decided to attempt something less ambitious, yet still new to us.
After lunch, the three of us met up with our guide, Davide, together with Tonino and Andrea. It is quite a slog to walk the initial 500 m up the windy road from Oliena to our starting point at an area known as Daddana, so we drove there instead, left the vehicles and set out on a secluded stoney track which picks its way through the oak forests that flank the mountainside, even at 860m from which we began.
We reached the top of the ridge at 1260m, where the strong winds just allowed us time to gawp at the stupendous panoramic view - out to the coast and the sea to the east, across the limestone ridges and spectacular rock formations that form the biggest mountain range in Sardegna, then south and west where we identified various hill-top towns in the regions. These days the various tracks are being signposted for easier access by climbers and walkers.
