Andiamo In Italia - Lets go to Italy - to Puglia

Woke up this morning to heavy black skies, but with no wind, very very still. Quite spooky. Listening to the thunder and watching a feeble attempt at rain I saw flying overhead the migrating birds. The first wave grouped together, tiny black birds in a formation the shape and size of a barrage balloon. Watching so many black dots flapping their wings and rushing by made me feel quite dizzy. The next wave was much lower and in a much more free formation .... but all heading south as you would expect.

The bird migration seems later than last year, probably because of the fantastically good weather in October and the first few days of November. In fact earlier in October we did see large formations of birds apparently migrating, but in the wrong direction, they were heading north! Fooled by the warm sunshine and clear blue skies.

No matter how many times I see the birds migrating I still stand and watch in awe. What programs them? How do they know when to go, where to go, how do they survive the long journey and how do they know when to head back again? Whatever the answers to these questions, the bird migration does seem to herald the beginning of the cooler weather, maybe time to put the shorts away now (but not too far away as we will still get some great warm sunny days throughout the autumn/winter) and think about lighting fires. At least the exceptionally warm and balmy October has saved our winter wood stocks but now it does seem that Autumn may have arrived in Puglia.

Another bright and warm day here in Puglia despite the forecast, the weather is on the change now but today we still have a perfect day .... a few clouds around but sunny and warm. With both of us recovering from coughs and sneezes (which Bob kindly brought back from his UK trip and shared with me), we didn't have the energy to cycle anywhere. Instead we decided to walk to Casalabate and have a coffee with Val and Mino.

We walked along the beach path from our house to Lendinuso and then took to the beach. It was so beautiful, the sea is clear and the sandy beaches have all been washed clear of debris. This was the first time we have taken the beach walk so far in this direction ..... we spotted a couple of shrines, one set into the sea wall and the second just a little further on standing on the beach path.

Throughout October and continuing into November here in Puglia the days have been warm, in fact hot, and sunny. Apart from one day of rain, you would be forgiven for thinking it was not only the clock that was set backwards but the season.

We have seen temperatures into the high twenties, some days in direct sunshine reaching 40. Every morning we have been getting up to clear blue skies and sunshine all the way. This must be a record.

We haven't had to think about heating the house, no fire ... no central heating. The solar panels continue to provide oodles of hot water. The downside has been the extraordinary amount of flies - it's impossible to work in the garden, there are flies everywhere.

Still all good things must come to an end, it's clouding over as I write and the forecast is for rain for over the next few days. But who knows, maybe the sunshine will be back after that.

Bailey and Bagpuss, two of Blossom's kittens, seem to have decided living rough is not for them. After yesterday's (and two nights) absence, and having put in an appearance playing on the verandah and venturing into the house last night before taking off again, they are now curled up in their cat bed in the cantina, taking along siesta. Not sure where Bingo, the third kitten is but expect him to show up at tea time!