tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-57416819944380051432024-02-26T11:07:36.257+01:00Sincerely, LoreeBooks. Travel. Writing. Sustainable livingLoreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.comBlogger155125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-40171072381479248792023-11-21T21:08:00.001+01:002023-11-21T21:08:24.957+01:00Book Review: A Month In The Country by J.L. Carr<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6v3CPB0QNgt4YsboB8Fy0MQtkPtVcMxqj_UpqELQKi3rXGvvjfndNSu7kEDTNo0yjjBtqlfnX9SaYYprVuuG_dxTX8b6B4m4K3i2_V4-F2PkWd_UjQl5gOUIYyDxC8GKyuO7wGPjujxoxmbjuW3RTajfASrDmsV37xHCpY9imcBlZERtLYn0nV_lPSCQ/s2400/A%20Month%20In%20The%20Country.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: A Month in the Country" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs6v3CPB0QNgt4YsboB8Fy0MQtkPtVcMxqj_UpqELQKi3rXGvvjfndNSu7kEDTNo0yjjBtqlfnX9SaYYprVuuG_dxTX8b6B4m4K3i2_V4-F2PkWd_UjQl5gOUIYyDxC8GKyuO7wGPjujxoxmbjuW3RTajfASrDmsV37xHCpY9imcBlZERtLYn0nV_lPSCQ/s16000/A%20Month%20In%20The%20Country.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: A Month in the Country" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">Book Blurb</span></h3><p><i><span style="background-color: white;">Tom Birkin, a</span><span style="background-color: white;"> damaged survivor of the First World War,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> finds refuge in the quiet village church of Oxgodby, where he is to spend the summer uncovering a huge medieval wall-painting. Immersed in the peace and beauty of the countryside and the unchanging rhythms of village life,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> he experiences a sense of renewal and belief in the future. Now an old man, Birkin looks back on the idyllic summer of 1920, remembering a vanished place of blissful calm, untouched by change, a precious moment he has carried with him through the disappointments of the years.</span></i></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="background-color: white;">My Review</span></h3><p><span style="background-color: white;">This is a wonderful little book with a great sense of time and place. The author writes beautifully about an era that is long since forgotten. His evocative descriptions conjure images of a bucolic existence that calms the senses and soothes away the weariness and irritability that seem to be a normal facet of modern existence. <i>A Month In The Country</i> is seeped with layers of nostalgia that remind us of a simpler, more wholesale time, when men who had been broken by the horrors of war, who had faced the hell that was Passchendaele and Flanders and the Somme, felt again the stirring of hope and a belief in themselves and their fellow men.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">“The first breath of autumn was in the air, a prodigal feeling, a feeling of wanting, taking, and keeping before it is too late.”</span></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">This is not a plot driven story but it is a superb and satisfying read with moments of poignancy that will be appreciated by more mature readers. It is a story about an idyllic summer, a moment in time that will never be forgotten but which will never come again; an invitation to think back on our own past summers and to gather the memories, like beads on a bracelet, and hold them close to our hearts.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">“We can ask and ask but we can't have again what once seemed ours forever—the way things looked, that church alone in the fields, a bed on a belfry floor, a remembered voice, the touch of a hand, a loved face. They've gone and you can only wait for the pain to pass."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">From beginning to end I loved this gentle, tender book. I know it will be one that I return to when the woes of this modern world seem too hard to bear and I can look back at these contemporaries of my great-grandparents, trying to reach out across the chasm of time by letting the words of this book act as a bridge to that all but forgotten time.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQLbGLRrHraTQx0i7cvCBInH-e22WAhQUp6loZ4tM0Zv9qXvVhVYZc1RPggjek4SOaJsryg8Qk26Jt19Dju9LSrDl6idE2-pSiN5R4duG95dSvU7flt1bAzH08PIyrnI71ia0dm_7Cjmx0aDt1PuoomzQsvjaiosY0B6YGpPn7FJ7i1Ovvn0Mm4KeO-Tj/s4608/IMG_20230410_151030927.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: A Month in the Country" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrQLbGLRrHraTQx0i7cvCBInH-e22WAhQUp6loZ4tM0Zv9qXvVhVYZc1RPggjek4SOaJsryg8Qk26Jt19Dju9LSrDl6idE2-pSiN5R4duG95dSvU7flt1bAzH08PIyrnI71ia0dm_7Cjmx0aDt1PuoomzQsvjaiosY0B6YGpPn7FJ7i1Ovvn0Mm4KeO-Tj/s16000/IMG_20230410_151030927.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: A Month in the Country" /></a></p><p><span style="background-color: white;">I highly recommend this book. Please read it if you get a chance. You will not be disappointed.</span></p><p><b>Genre:</b> historical fiction</p><p><b>First published: </b>1980</p><p><b>Location:</b> Oxgody (fictional), England</p><p><b>Awards:</b> Booker Prize Nominee (1980), Guardian Fiction Award (1980)</p><p><b>Goodreads rating:</b> 4.12 ⭐</p><p><b>My rating:</b> 4.9 ⭐</p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-36600244159808657992023-11-01T17:28:00.001+01:002023-11-01T17:28:18.630+01:00Beautiful Buda<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLio6RZjPpeGbG6tx6oe8_agMgkWWwxjCiD861sHGcxwteT0v5Kk45oW0sDrbaUubuFE4kHklCIxydHQN7jomyHlFOob_QC5ap9eIUbHXMoq1iioVL4HEWdTK5r4soxcolKNV-jK1nA0IScFBetutGQc4qAEwr9_hdgKGhplBFR6Ksvje846BwO9l5Rvh/s2400/Buda%20royal%20castle.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Royal Palace, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLio6RZjPpeGbG6tx6oe8_agMgkWWwxjCiD861sHGcxwteT0v5Kk45oW0sDrbaUubuFE4kHklCIxydHQN7jomyHlFOob_QC5ap9eIUbHXMoq1iioVL4HEWdTK5r4soxcolKNV-jK1nA0IScFBetutGQc4qAEwr9_hdgKGhplBFR6Ksvje846BwO9l5Rvh/s16000/Buda%20royal%20castle.jpg" title="Edit image Royal Palace, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><p>It was a beautiful spring day in late April when we visted Buda. The sun shone from a cornflower-blue sky and a pleasant wind playfully ruffled our hair. The conditions were perfect for exploring a new place and as soon as the tram set us down, I realised that Buda had its own charms which would have worked their magic on me even under a grey and stormy sky.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGLqd5ypoP94VWmM2ybSm4f49xEkGl4lP-gynhAGKS1fwIuUHXOcDdt_VveOSp4IFvwvcldz1rxuGn-HqJjXw0xgcoQt2IODfw-NBW0jhJQATqZH2srG5XRZ6PzeIMQleEJzrJEzID4DgvXc1loeBAuDLgXNVHU2mOKAMqi4ueWcVQc2NVBhKSTF4w7ro/s2400/P1070685.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Matthias Church, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyGLqd5ypoP94VWmM2ybSm4f49xEkGl4lP-gynhAGKS1fwIuUHXOcDdt_VveOSp4IFvwvcldz1rxuGn-HqJjXw0xgcoQt2IODfw-NBW0jhJQATqZH2srG5XRZ6PzeIMQleEJzrJEzID4DgvXc1loeBAuDLgXNVHU2mOKAMqi4ueWcVQc2NVBhKSTF4w7ro/s16000/P1070685.JPG" title="Matthias Church, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIWctkBEZr0DDRFdgD_hq7JhXvFMNz1i48lGVJnjXGYRkOY766HaZCsQZsnc8YwniquR4uWDQUuEckzvKVnsVs5JAXa65UqS2i3tnfsPIbdv8LtJlMhPs4iQ74z9LuAsbMwGT_h3n7RtpE1_5SulMts2Jv_TC3_nTTNHTmKRGV8HPeOmejCEwTPDuHT8R/s2400/P1070687.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Matthias Church, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqIWctkBEZr0DDRFdgD_hq7JhXvFMNz1i48lGVJnjXGYRkOY766HaZCsQZsnc8YwniquR4uWDQUuEckzvKVnsVs5JAXa65UqS2i3tnfsPIbdv8LtJlMhPs4iQ74z9LuAsbMwGT_h3n7RtpE1_5SulMts2Jv_TC3_nTTNHTmKRGV8HPeOmejCEwTPDuHT8R/s16000/P1070687.JPG" title="Matthias Church, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5EE68CFCBqy9iV8Sf-vh2v7gVFLHKprHCiAk1qLpUU2-dctbwbrS5cgRKsZChTaDrYSG4rRBOR9HcDc3IHZJNwIun42K0NSyMnatV4yQzzxtvHocfZFOBtTfnx5_nNIDsFksoP9VpMA7S-9NvhkX1lASuwEvdHA8kIoA0u8uDO0kAJDP4Yxze8qaBd9h/s2400/P1070688.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Matthias Church, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL5EE68CFCBqy9iV8Sf-vh2v7gVFLHKprHCiAk1qLpUU2-dctbwbrS5cgRKsZChTaDrYSG4rRBOR9HcDc3IHZJNwIun42K0NSyMnatV4yQzzxtvHocfZFOBtTfnx5_nNIDsFksoP9VpMA7S-9NvhkX1lASuwEvdHA8kIoA0u8uDO0kAJDP4Yxze8qaBd9h/s16000/P1070688.JPG" title="Matthias Church, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><p>Unlike busy, hectic Pest, Buda felt like a peaceful backwater of cobbled streets, pastel houses and Gothic spires. Our wanderings didn't take us very far, as we preferred to stay in the historic Castle District. So we walked and stopped to take photos, hundreds of them (no surprise there); we explored and did the things that visitors do: gazed in awe at the dazzling white loveliness of <a href="https://budacastlebudapest.com/matthias-church/" target="_blank">Matthias Church</a> and spent too much time wandering around the delightful decorative fortification known as <a href="https://fishermansbastion.com/" target="_blank">Fisherman's Bastion</a>. From there we gaped at the stunningly beautiful <a href="https://www.parlament.hu/web/visitors/house-of-parliament" target="_blank">Hungarian Parliament </a>across the Danube in Pest. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoSUCFphZKRjPcDc8KeWhnUCv1PSysWDN2-BKSL2s3Fq3NquTXvEVSdryRKMX4QB9blxtEIhk4TobmyReo-n1ZnO9GKoH1HvHOKO-Q-_4ER9gHHbJGxjY9pN8x21bYuwQFpW0svRUkPXGVN7sISid0KRfA9wfvm4hFW1XiFvXWBPB2LGL5Ukk9j3SXaIo/s2400/P1070700.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAoSUCFphZKRjPcDc8KeWhnUCv1PSysWDN2-BKSL2s3Fq3NquTXvEVSdryRKMX4QB9blxtEIhk4TobmyReo-n1ZnO9GKoH1HvHOKO-Q-_4ER9gHHbJGxjY9pN8x21bYuwQFpW0svRUkPXGVN7sISid0KRfA9wfvm4hFW1XiFvXWBPB2LGL5Ukk9j3SXaIo/s16000/P1070700.JPG" title="Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcrP6cHhgdx9PLqai4womD86HN01b3B8Xq1f_8xfTREzF1RPzqkzSz98xidbbUMK6pqlRs8ATYuUFiU-19BVyu8k95eacFJ_YVspp6CJhxkIKtzdB2rMjcrduITNyyG_NQrE6myMQfnq-3PtBtLeHFbTyaKdDQGFInpfIdaQjTi7fLkLrB-24h8gW8QhC/s2400/P1070703.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihcrP6cHhgdx9PLqai4womD86HN01b3B8Xq1f_8xfTREzF1RPzqkzSz98xidbbUMK6pqlRs8ATYuUFiU-19BVyu8k95eacFJ_YVspp6CJhxkIKtzdB2rMjcrduITNyyG_NQrE6myMQfnq-3PtBtLeHFbTyaKdDQGFInpfIdaQjTi7fLkLrB-24h8gW8QhC/s16000/P1070703.JPG" title="Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYTV1_UmuP6SbyAWSAgXTai7z20LEzvjuRg9pnXMUjKmjYDh7YSOCunp2VtnVBGa1szMh0Fc3IwpBLoDO5XI74irdb2MracRvfESiSZISWN8xel3BblawsfTsneLtLeJns1U0bIuZ0-RRTWZEjmujDjCOEEJDZc8uKH-nKJR7KULlMFj0bCwu7PgBnYKY/s2400/P1070706.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hungarian Parliament, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjYTV1_UmuP6SbyAWSAgXTai7z20LEzvjuRg9pnXMUjKmjYDh7YSOCunp2VtnVBGa1szMh0Fc3IwpBLoDO5XI74irdb2MracRvfESiSZISWN8xel3BblawsfTsneLtLeJns1U0bIuZ0-RRTWZEjmujDjCOEEJDZc8uKH-nKJR7KULlMFj0bCwu7PgBnYKY/s16000/P1070706.JPG" title="Hungarian Parliament, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqZYzWb8hgi-fEsd0eLjPMjB0oZBqZvGw2yOpCrPCROr6pmIs02dOFWM9VuUVPeMJvvcnIuAutrZVoT8OPl8K9H8QuXQ2yzNbkOcHc7vhP2djSQyw06z71uuH_JdV39pANKdncIsHY-XKK59zWdIeLIDbHd3GFDALxu-71IF3uQgqHl6BKQMwjXVxi-lp/s2400/P1070718.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Hungarian Parliament, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfqZYzWb8hgi-fEsd0eLjPMjB0oZBqZvGw2yOpCrPCROr6pmIs02dOFWM9VuUVPeMJvvcnIuAutrZVoT8OPl8K9H8QuXQ2yzNbkOcHc7vhP2djSQyw06z71uuH_JdV39pANKdncIsHY-XKK59zWdIeLIDbHd3GFDALxu-71IF3uQgqHl6BKQMwjXVxi-lp/s16000/P1070718.JPG" title="Hungarian Parliament, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhfGyHgig8NYuGNj1ARI919vS3zdfgwDaTOYAKGmcWzfEFr1OBFVTeO5wCwQpC6mPM5LWhVd7dnQ5rcjlpUOVi568WaimJkgLhAI1BIcbLySBwxDSgdCRblK7JxxOzMoTnklV4p0Z0pRX4682arM291aPTf8pmYmci0QjO2AXa_GoB4cEjf0N6ScMwUJC/s2400/P1070736.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZhfGyHgig8NYuGNj1ARI919vS3zdfgwDaTOYAKGmcWzfEFr1OBFVTeO5wCwQpC6mPM5LWhVd7dnQ5rcjlpUOVi568WaimJkgLhAI1BIcbLySBwxDSgdCRblK7JxxOzMoTnklV4p0Z0pRX4682arM291aPTf8pmYmci0QjO2AXa_GoB4cEjf0N6ScMwUJC/s16000/P1070736.JPG" title="Fisherman's Bastion, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><p>Then we walked a bit more. A little ways away we discovered a quiet park with more wonderful views and walked on a carpet of pink and lilac petals, strewn on the ground like confetti at a wedding. We were almost the only ones there and it felt so dreamy, especially when the bells of Matthias Church chimed out at noon.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4rX8sVRSsBIDDrSmMQcXmJorkkaJKQrChtpXiZa3VawboC9W2QA27ooKlHELR0MLaqCp32WdC21pZqhX5dcqAMw-MAx3fSIgNj0vlYojydConXyu2FWFa4W75Ft-szWFdWqNsvNR_usU1El9Fhu6yqKlV05Gey3BsdKZEvf87rODaXd3XRYx_C9CGiVa/s2400/P1070750.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ4rX8sVRSsBIDDrSmMQcXmJorkkaJKQrChtpXiZa3VawboC9W2QA27ooKlHELR0MLaqCp32WdC21pZqhX5dcqAMw-MAx3fSIgNj0vlYojydConXyu2FWFa4W75Ft-szWFdWqNsvNR_usU1El9Fhu6yqKlV05Gey3BsdKZEvf87rODaXd3XRYx_C9CGiVa/s16000/P1070750.JPG" title="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHK1vIseaiLv8cigiWtmEnZNap22eHUXhTuRSCYeNcuFRi8MnLvA5QD7Ubp4JkkxaxEW1_Z39UsFQP4hh1mLJ3chS4Z5xQPSefu8Zax8oq1V9dIbIAzrofpOjx4T30zma-m_XrTvcGHZ82OjCtbahVXpGkLyIKBlpIHKFkl6Ujpgjy3kTw9FWief7oAwR-/s2400/P1070752.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHK1vIseaiLv8cigiWtmEnZNap22eHUXhTuRSCYeNcuFRi8MnLvA5QD7Ubp4JkkxaxEW1_Z39UsFQP4hh1mLJ3chS4Z5xQPSefu8Zax8oq1V9dIbIAzrofpOjx4T30zma-m_XrTvcGHZ82OjCtbahVXpGkLyIKBlpIHKFkl6Ujpgjy3kTw9FWief7oAwR-/s16000/P1070752.JPG" title="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyj3zWx5zsXSUjZyp3vHPf33z9_osVQinXqyUBVIuVDOKGUD2JgmP2RtT4SXb0RVC0ZAJxVnamhXujkRvHk-NKKflHRfT3ut4_340iWMUV3F8UazwLPoVqoluwTsxi_4ar5k0XBF-zjC0bSu8w0s5yS9iUb0Xg7ZXtRd3gSoewDQfNV25w5NBJmt39sWH/s2400/P1070758.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZyj3zWx5zsXSUjZyp3vHPf33z9_osVQinXqyUBVIuVDOKGUD2JgmP2RtT4SXb0RVC0ZAJxVnamhXujkRvHk-NKKflHRfT3ut4_340iWMUV3F8UazwLPoVqoluwTsxi_4ar5k0XBF-zjC0bSu8w0s5yS9iUb0Xg7ZXtRd3gSoewDQfNV25w5NBJmt39sWH/s16000/P1070758.JPG" title="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><p>A little later we discovered a church tower in which Rapunzel would have felt at home and I couldn't help being fascinated by the colourful mosaic tiles that decorated the slanting roofs of so many of the buildings in Buda. It's enchanting and slightly magical. The fairy-tale references were coming fast and hard in my head but I will spare you my comparisons of buildings in Buda to my childhood Ladybird books, illustrated with scenes that seemed to have been inspired by this fascinating city.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9IG8B3g1Jzh-YcW0c3xPCZNwdxPFjM9FAsqI6dM27Y4_5rJyXXrGNYKuTHGMKNbmZrUX9I7tWp66VpyeFqnPDfnRXU5MT6vFMJx7ET_rAhVtX1twc44hhcJtCzwwfQuGDhcnb5e2vqsiEa87I_x6gEXpX_aoZBga5HBuYX4c9DDw6BrIZ9O5tHCx_rXS/s2400/P1070761.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Magdalen Tower, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo9IG8B3g1Jzh-YcW0c3xPCZNwdxPFjM9FAsqI6dM27Y4_5rJyXXrGNYKuTHGMKNbmZrUX9I7tWp66VpyeFqnPDfnRXU5MT6vFMJx7ET_rAhVtX1twc44hhcJtCzwwfQuGDhcnb5e2vqsiEa87I_x6gEXpX_aoZBga5HBuYX4c9DDw6BrIZ9O5tHCx_rXS/s16000/P1070761.JPG" title="Magdalen Tower, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpqY-99PnlKJA6HRMW-s_y1HTwBntmxFCqO1GaVQ1Xu0tybK_MGmSYRFSLx2dTQmA6QxIZSNdJuo70z75GXtI0kYqVrqfkJVhQVVpjMfia0Ho9D8sIBE5jXHmYbIVXe_LGTKSHvXxaEXtcTqJsORabYI85oAf-GYjuUGAoYA_ejh_vWQZrze8G5_DEJE6/s2400/P1070767.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Magdalen Tower, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmpqY-99PnlKJA6HRMW-s_y1HTwBntmxFCqO1GaVQ1Xu0tybK_MGmSYRFSLx2dTQmA6QxIZSNdJuo70z75GXtI0kYqVrqfkJVhQVVpjMfia0Ho9D8sIBE5jXHmYbIVXe_LGTKSHvXxaEXtcTqJsORabYI85oAf-GYjuUGAoYA_ejh_vWQZrze8G5_DEJE6/s16000/P1070767.JPG" title="Magdalen Tower, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfV9aixxnqrhjur0zLncBWgEgoYeJE_ijMDUrm9fiL9rRXhGASxhj6T6ILi6eeuG_gmN-MZ7ggPA_3ojbzCVQjwvg-nwKcu5Wx_AHURBwa9ya3IE5vHZ0MhiMSLVh5UCM6_Ul-px44pg3xPKPZ7kdR6baKM4uTwO1osUHb9fXyj-d9c8zSo2O7DpYKSFoJ/s2400/P1070786.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfV9aixxnqrhjur0zLncBWgEgoYeJE_ijMDUrm9fiL9rRXhGASxhj6T6ILi6eeuG_gmN-MZ7ggPA_3ojbzCVQjwvg-nwKcu5Wx_AHURBwa9ya3IE5vHZ0MhiMSLVh5UCM6_Ul-px44pg3xPKPZ7kdR6baKM4uTwO1osUHb9fXyj-d9c8zSo2O7DpYKSFoJ/s16000/P1070786.JPG" title="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9lu7B07K4Etexg8WQyoqTkOtFXMc4jROvDQT0_KUofUDS2XPkDrvnQcIk9R3ZGkW8sDjSy2F1W4kU_G4hYnXxTUq5UTAzQKcxvLJIZ4CTYM7CkraWS27X50S6slfoneXlhzYfte5MlT07gpWlGrLXqmC7Fy-zJ8gVLZ7cr85eTAN93qMjL7Of59yNh-W/s2400/P1070747.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN9lu7B07K4Etexg8WQyoqTkOtFXMc4jROvDQT0_KUofUDS2XPkDrvnQcIk9R3ZGkW8sDjSy2F1W4kU_G4hYnXxTUq5UTAzQKcxvLJIZ4CTYM7CkraWS27X50S6slfoneXlhzYfte5MlT07gpWlGrLXqmC7Fy-zJ8gVLZ7cr85eTAN93qMjL7Of59yNh-W/s16000/P1070747.JPG" title="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><p>We ended the day in Buda Castle, the historical castle and palace of the Hungarian kings since medieval times. The castle complex is now dominated by the royal palace, a Baroque structure that was built in the mid-18th century. While much of the royal palace was destroyed during WW2, it was rebuilt in a simplified Stalinist Baroque style. While I admit to being slightly disappointed that I wasn't gazing at the same palace in which the Hungarian kings and, later, the Austrian Hapsburg emperors frolicked, the current edifice is still architecturally striking and imposing.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiT0DTKyO7Pcoiy62DGxyC9-LP98SI1Ox7CkCrsfgHEPNfVjVQz2yzJvH2y9jexI9NXA1ET805TAvezLuYVQgOX4gTGbUb7ZrB7Lux6aYqInuOUp6bVw7_UMlEXeqDoCoP6AhjoLznz1r5-XBUgXqIfgIj87mPiscDwFy0itsII5OnDqdy8N_t6Dohe4XV/s2400/P1070809.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Royal Palace, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiT0DTKyO7Pcoiy62DGxyC9-LP98SI1Ox7CkCrsfgHEPNfVjVQz2yzJvH2y9jexI9NXA1ET805TAvezLuYVQgOX4gTGbUb7ZrB7Lux6aYqInuOUp6bVw7_UMlEXeqDoCoP6AhjoLznz1r5-XBUgXqIfgIj87mPiscDwFy0itsII5OnDqdy8N_t6Dohe4XV/s16000/P1070809.JPG" title="Royal Palace, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAkMIBJ3pDr-G8ZkUmHwxRVst8YJtQIAhSqsTTJE_y8NcSQ_giThVRuisQNWUBxcMev4v8kRgjP4vFVCauXAjsYZFF2kPSK449zChMR0QfUd7452_jPU-n2wXd53-EORmhZMaI8YcYEPHWQCFjkq48sCxswwUDvPt5RpxSA8VrO79lpMobG5W2dwM1yL1z/s2400/P1070814.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Royal Palace, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAkMIBJ3pDr-G8ZkUmHwxRVst8YJtQIAhSqsTTJE_y8NcSQ_giThVRuisQNWUBxcMev4v8kRgjP4vFVCauXAjsYZFF2kPSK449zChMR0QfUd7452_jPU-n2wXd53-EORmhZMaI8YcYEPHWQCFjkq48sCxswwUDvPt5RpxSA8VrO79lpMobG5W2dwM1yL1z/s16000/P1070814.JPG" title="Royal Palace, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-tILy_fb_mSXbM64qTJtevjMzX1i-yiM-LLPARaM-xLhwK-86vHxcc5urqGfKY4M38WbSqFCaZdV5_eOp7jUkEi4w8dNc9OURu2fzuxz33Ah0fNVb7LmI5Fp-LB6AlWo8cHp1J3i3H9e5A3hj4Ovwh7MYKKbLcFS0iosBDgk7s7L34RBaUR8VYqCHWqo/s2400/P1070822.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Royal Palace, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-tILy_fb_mSXbM64qTJtevjMzX1i-yiM-LLPARaM-xLhwK-86vHxcc5urqGfKY4M38WbSqFCaZdV5_eOp7jUkEi4w8dNc9OURu2fzuxz33Ah0fNVb7LmI5Fp-LB6AlWo8cHp1J3i3H9e5A3hj4Ovwh7MYKKbLcFS0iosBDgk7s7L34RBaUR8VYqCHWqo/s16000/P1070822.JPG" title="Royal Palace, Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><p>There is much to explore in the castle complex and a lot of history to take in but we had some other sights to see before the sun set. As we walked to our tram stop, I was struck again by the pretty colours of Buda, its rich and varied history, and the peaceful relaxed ambiance that made walking its colourful streets one of the main highlights of our visit. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjLXluu8S4G5BRrMPIJMnsf2JAkPjp_UjqagGRrvcWTBiGsJzjLSGmwbgipsge2AHzo27RvvucRRuBNdLlwupGdrf_OcvTwMQK1jWwLw7r84VPt0iBdQjBy2KaJpM_jigOXmw3H96IfhDJbDCvOLgq_Jxh4IZOsCChhiYwuWrcDq83zSNbydK4xpQoac1/s2400/P1070790.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirjLXluu8S4G5BRrMPIJMnsf2JAkPjp_UjqagGRrvcWTBiGsJzjLSGmwbgipsge2AHzo27RvvucRRuBNdLlwupGdrf_OcvTwMQK1jWwLw7r84VPt0iBdQjBy2KaJpM_jigOXmw3H96IfhDJbDCvOLgq_Jxh4IZOsCChhiYwuWrcDq83zSNbydK4xpQoac1/s16000/P1070790.JPG" title="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTV4ea7dVC5OEOs1w_ejRULdQdalIK-IRGzoaooryEwZ2q3S9iyV2yz9tqv9JCm22AxjqWmBAnSetpmzxnWAED_idc6wdg50YbX7WN-6gQ95x6C8uCpjuSfOuXrAvaKuKLeKNYuH1AnAactB2OKKE57dA-aRzoGBmmZRZrfrnMNC4IpucZyF7-TPLYzKWP/s2400/P1070792.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img alt="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTV4ea7dVC5OEOs1w_ejRULdQdalIK-IRGzoaooryEwZ2q3S9iyV2yz9tqv9JCm22AxjqWmBAnSetpmzxnWAED_idc6wdg50YbX7WN-6gQ95x6C8uCpjuSfOuXrAvaKuKLeKNYuH1AnAactB2OKKE57dA-aRzoGBmmZRZrfrnMNC4IpucZyF7-TPLYzKWP/s16000/P1070792.JPG" title="Budapest, Hungary: Sincerely, Loree" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>Location: Buda, Hungary</i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i>April 2023</i></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com4Budapest, Mátyás Templom, Szentháromság tér 2, 1014 Hungary47.502026099999988 19.03431347.4962280937533 19.025729931152345 47.507824106246673 19.042896068847657tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-62820457425172353692023-10-16T20:19:00.004+02:002023-10-16T20:19:54.101+02:00Ten reasons I love autumn<p></p><div>Autumn is a special time of the year for me. A time of drawing inwards and getting cosy (weather permitting). I look forward to it with exaggerated anticipation, glad that summer will soon become a distant memory. So, although it's still warm, I thought that today would be as good a day as any to share ten of the reasons why I love autumn.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOC_go1o52NCdedSwYzc85gPTi0B4F75Qtbo-PZwm6GSICJhmTgVRVydGnLdpizwLe8GLVABWe6gqK_HiRvx_fPXB4ys8I2diHKlGNd0bwvuSU1DY1uIWeQu8sv3OXdZYhEX1jDtmQUSm448HNCLk8ByP_Xa7mE2Lfd9hfkAIEnsQUsZUuP9eYEQvznCT/s2400/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fallen leaves showing vibrant autumn colours" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbOC_go1o52NCdedSwYzc85gPTi0B4F75Qtbo-PZwm6GSICJhmTgVRVydGnLdpizwLe8GLVABWe6gqK_HiRvx_fPXB4ys8I2diHKlGNd0bwvuSU1DY1uIWeQu8sv3OXdZYhEX1jDtmQUSm448HNCLk8ByP_Xa7mE2Lfd9hfkAIEnsQUsZUuP9eYEQvznCT/s16000/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany.jpg" title="Ten reasons I love Autumn - Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Ten reasons I love autumn</h2><ol style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: left;"> My creativity increases by 500%. Okay, that's slightly over the top but there's no denying that all the words that eluded me during the lethargic summers months now come pouring out of me and I'm loving it.</li><li><div style="text-align: left;">I can spend time gardening again without having to deal with pesky insects and copious amounts of perspiration.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOvJ9m4HtPE2-7HQDKlEg8RTJIX449yMbrP3rZ23BOXqJ0EFaTf5LrIAVspPwtjliGz7Ph39iW72W-SYPOyayLl_t8PMfKnrsuleCdSd2xb9gTV8w4SxWnCCiqpuJPxN9HM9L8b-ftpDU9eAOk_uE1UeOGyTckDTeUcy7kPo6ePmHBzWIYydLeAU5yzbA/s2400/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A tree with bright golden leaves against a blue sky" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbOvJ9m4HtPE2-7HQDKlEg8RTJIX449yMbrP3rZ23BOXqJ0EFaTf5LrIAVspPwtjliGz7Ph39iW72W-SYPOyayLl_t8PMfKnrsuleCdSd2xb9gTV8w4SxWnCCiqpuJPxN9HM9L8b-ftpDU9eAOk_uE1UeOGyTckDTeUcy7kPo6ePmHBzWIYydLeAU5yzbA/s16000/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(2).JPG" title="Ten reasons I love Autumn - Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></li><li style="text-align: left;">It's cool enough to cook soups and pies. Although I used to avoid making soups no matter what the season was, I have now become a convert since they are so easy to make. The same goes for pies. If you use pre-prepared pastry (in my case kindly made by my dear mum) they can be prepared in a jiffy.</li><li><div style="text-align: left;">I can finally wear jeans again (an article of clothing that I completely avoid between June and September) and sweater weather is on the horizon. I love chunky knits. And beanies. How can I forget beanies?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIK67EkIOeLkt6iG_Win0AJSfvt1BM8Vsw7Bf8VRCYMe-m5RyFi6LCd7wvGZBwrj5bZohfRWjeAiDw7SG0LEcqDzwRbeT7AvhyphenhyphenSCQpbmKD7dKsfgvBo41Lf5HQ7VOKgppcCK6yeBtF1TT6k3v_vFPprbWld4t-15wM7jBbkrlPjEyirWbAwVw20d6W3YF6/s2400/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The rolling hills of Tuscany's Crete Senesi in Autumn" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIK67EkIOeLkt6iG_Win0AJSfvt1BM8Vsw7Bf8VRCYMe-m5RyFi6LCd7wvGZBwrj5bZohfRWjeAiDw7SG0LEcqDzwRbeT7AvhyphenhyphenSCQpbmKD7dKsfgvBo41Lf5HQ7VOKgppcCK6yeBtF1TT6k3v_vFPprbWld4t-15wM7jBbkrlPjEyirWbAwVw20d6W3YF6/s16000/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(3).JPG" title="Ten reasons I love Autumn - Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></li><li style="text-align: left;">That very peculiar smell of damp soil and decaying carob pods is back. It's not the most pleasant of smells but it's a very 'Maltese' autumn scent.</li><li><div style="text-align: left;">It's the perfect time to light our cinnamon, pumpkin or apple-scented candles. I absolutely love these: <a href="https://www.yankeecandle.com/yankee-candle/candles/signature-candles/signature-small-tumbler-candles/autumn-leaves/ORCL_1631839.html" target="_blank">Autumn Leaves</a> and <a href="https://www.yankeecandle.com/yankee-candle/candles/signature-candles/signature-small-tumbler-candles/spiced-pumpkin/ORCL_1630107.html" target="_blank">Spiced Pumpkin</a>. Do you change your candles according to the season? It's something I started doing last year and I think it really enhances the mood inside our house. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNIPGUHX5VLhyxk_KsMRTArW7MnzDdsLs3pi6XlvbtCsHXEdsxRJaSI99Kz3Nx_GUNx3fscfTHyH6dOyDGzIFDEExO8v13pYRCBknw6coPBQ37BjTqQwwTey4JYix-m5mIjX_N0526IX-D-GDIvCxnlS-dqT6lsGaSk3djb4jjyotlaGAkavdsubtwuXq/s2400/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(5).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A path covered in orange leaves" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcNIPGUHX5VLhyxk_KsMRTArW7MnzDdsLs3pi6XlvbtCsHXEdsxRJaSI99Kz3Nx_GUNx3fscfTHyH6dOyDGzIFDEExO8v13pYRCBknw6coPBQ37BjTqQwwTey4JYix-m5mIjX_N0526IX-D-GDIvCxnlS-dqT6lsGaSk3djb4jjyotlaGAkavdsubtwuXq/s16000/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(5).JPG" title="Ten reasons I love Autumn - Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div></li><li style="text-align: left;">Life is back to an established routine. Summer is perfect for spontaneity but I prefer the more tempered days of autumn that are made even more special by cosy family evenings - which means I read non-stop curled inside a fluffy blanket.</li><li><div style="text-align: left;">I get to satisfy my craving for <a href="https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/bone-shaped-cookies" target="_blank">Dead Man's Bones</a>. Although this may sound alarming, Dead Man's Bones are a type of pastry made from a sweet dough with an almond filling that is traditionally eaten on or around the feast of All Souls' Day that is celebrated in different ways in many countries around the world, like <i>La Fiera dei Morti</i> in nearby Siciliy and the more famous <i>La Dia de los Muertos</i> in Mexico. A bit morbid, perhaps, but these sweet concoctions are delicious and a rare treat since they are not available year round.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbZZVZWgOVkG2y4v-g0EEHheICdsC8kb03exw7KG4RABwHV__CENhV6vMx0Fh3S3t5lV-Fl22_oaiuvR-lGz2andrb5p2EX2fm7kZDRySLBCxZeOpsCaKeYGvgpWEaqGg6Ll3fh6oOvsgkHLjzdNvQBrq6TjYtgz_uFRcG1BpXfZzXbxsGYXlPDos1buq/s2400/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(7).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Golden leaves against a blue sky" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmbZZVZWgOVkG2y4v-g0EEHheICdsC8kb03exw7KG4RABwHV__CENhV6vMx0Fh3S3t5lV-Fl22_oaiuvR-lGz2andrb5p2EX2fm7kZDRySLBCxZeOpsCaKeYGvgpWEaqGg6Ll3fh6oOvsgkHLjzdNvQBrq6TjYtgz_uFRcG1BpXfZzXbxsGYXlPDos1buq/s16000/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(7).JPG" title="Ten reasons I love Autumn - Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></li><li style="text-align: left;">The sea will be moody and temperamental again and I can spend time chasing waves.</li><li><div style="text-align: left;">Christmas, my favourite time of the year, with its plethora of activities and Christmas markets, is just round the corner. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1guiqRvPqkepM4q5bvGwaMu8zlUINv2gJWu0ngjdQOV0Z6nDZiYx0SWlFryOZGytNeeoEi654k3NqNGGGhfMZJ8g9XtappCvkrQUJe6TyeTklERGturhF0a8lTTivs9njh37wI-1C8S9bkOTOqM5UxO_Xw7ib0HuRR82rhsaPD5PuZqlxUe549r0H3Ct4/s2400/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(8).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The vibrant colours of autumn in Tuscany" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1guiqRvPqkepM4q5bvGwaMu8zlUINv2gJWu0ngjdQOV0Z6nDZiYx0SWlFryOZGytNeeoEi654k3NqNGGGhfMZJ8g9XtappCvkrQUJe6TyeTklERGturhF0a8lTTivs9njh37wI-1C8S9bkOTOqM5UxO_Xw7ib0HuRR82rhsaPD5PuZqlxUe549r0H3Ct4/s16000/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(8).JPG" title="Ten reasons I love Autumn - Sincerely Loree" /></a></div></li></ol><div style="text-align: left;">I wish I could add that I look forward to the trees turning colour but they don't do that here. Only the vines do and it doesn't happen every year as it depends on the weather conditions. So none of the photos in this post are taken locally. They are from our <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2021/11/a-week-in-tuscany.html" target="_blank">trip to Tuscany in October 2021.</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCUUSa_4uFwqRAIkMKf0eL-tpph2SMtUulbuguJ0h-Hg-G7I4476UjQGN1ProoXYxS8u4-28gOad8uYZ8o8m-zih10BR7DmVwaJ9eMlA736XgKAczPWY98Xh9Sur6j0u2hyyAFbOc9MPZu5il90sVnE5pvbKalgq5Z8VyULbgGjReFtiVaefme3T7gb4q/s2400/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Fallen leaves showing vibrant autumn colours" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdCUUSa_4uFwqRAIkMKf0eL-tpph2SMtUulbuguJ0h-Hg-G7I4476UjQGN1ProoXYxS8u4-28gOad8uYZ8o8m-zih10BR7DmVwaJ9eMlA736XgKAczPWY98Xh9Sur6j0u2hyyAFbOc9MPZu5il90sVnE5pvbKalgq5Z8VyULbgGjReFtiVaefme3T7gb4q/s16000/Autumn%20in%20Tuscany%20(6).JPG" title="Ten reasons I love Autumn - Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><i><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Location: Tuscany, Italy (October 2021)</i></div></i><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-22122739895725856582023-10-09T21:02:00.001+02:002023-10-09T21:02:38.741+02:00Book Review: I Am Forbidden by Anouk Markovits<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2UlYYudnbT3WUYck0o0FkhvKx0Fme6Ec8gxiPuyiItLV9dV4vrZQ84iOekQcSlYttbS-cChOxUvDW-iYWPheChZBs5AJnpYv19akHrTg3BddhzYiVOwvZ8QTUYlHL1U7uWYWTEjTkrjUkcZnXbaf88LTQEiv4U9Rto76enWZv5Pe52wMQlpbBwpJQkbl/s1280/I%20Am%20Forbidden%20by%20Anouk%20Markovits%202.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="I Am Forbidden by Anouk Markovits_Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN2UlYYudnbT3WUYck0o0FkhvKx0Fme6Ec8gxiPuyiItLV9dV4vrZQ84iOekQcSlYttbS-cChOxUvDW-iYWPheChZBs5AJnpYv19akHrTg3BddhzYiVOwvZ8QTUYlHL1U7uWYWTEjTkrjUkcZnXbaf88LTQEiv4U9Rto76enWZv5Pe52wMQlpbBwpJQkbl/s16000/I%20Am%20Forbidden%20by%20Anouk%20Markovits%202.jpg" title="I Am Forbidden by Anouk Markovits_Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Book Blurb</h3><p>I Am Forbidden<i> is a multi-generational portrayal of family, faith and history which takes the reader across continents, from pre-war Transylvania to modern-day New York via Paris and England. This novel explores what happens when unwavering love, unyielding law and centuries of tradition collide.</i></p><p><i>Opening in 1939 Transylvania, five-year-old Josef witnesses the murder of his family by the Romanian Iron Guard and is rescued by a Christian maid to be raised as her own son. Five years later, Josef rescues a young girl, Mila, after her parents are killed while running to meet the Rebbe they hoped would save them. Josef helps Mila reach Zalman Stern, a leader in the Satmar community, in whose home Mila is raised as a sister to Zalman's daughter, Atara. With the rise of communism in central Europe, the family moves to Paris, to the Marais, where Zalman tries to raise his children apart from the city in which they live.</i></p><p><i> Mila's faith intensifies, while her beloved sister Atara discovers a world of books and learning that she cannot ignore. A beautifully crafted, emotionally gripping story of what happens when unwavering love, unyielding law, and centuries of tradition collide, </i>I Am Forbidden<i> opens a startling window on a world closed to most of us.</i></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">My review</h3><p>This book was a Goodreads recommendation so I went in without any expectations and ended up being blown away by the beauty of the writing. Everything about it ticked all the right boxes: the poetic, mesmerising style of its prose, the restrained nature of the narrative, the flawed by relatable, characters that the author was able to create with such conviction. I was in turns sad, angry and hopeful but the overall feeling I came away with was one of intense heartbreak: for Mila and Josef; for what was and what could have been. It is a book about dogma and traditions; about what is allowed and what is forbidden.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier; font-size: x-large;">“We've always known that a marriage our parents approved meant giving up Paris and its bells.”</span></p><p>But it might not be for everyone. If you're a proud feminist, don't read this book. It will anger you. If you hate restrictive orthodox doctrine, don't read this book. It will make you feel trapped and powerless. But if you want to understand a different culture, one so different from what we are used to that you'd be forgiven for thinking it was all made up, then give this book a chance. It will shock you. It will break you into tiny pieces and devastate you, and then make you whole again. A different whole than before. One that is more open to other culture and beliefs.<i> I Am Forbidden </i>does what every good book should do. It challenges your status quo and ingrained misconceptions and shatters them forever.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidK2PBqbD_tt3icfURcjk4Ug5FwDo6yKGJHbHHzJjWBgRGCdWt7wEQ7XEegrZZdAtywA6_-uR5HEgwgcLemPwfz511q7XDW-hSMSvDsW_VhvNqefzuu_QVqGRbY5MBXCNPAJcQ9PVvqlMvZ9EEuxcBbwgTb8AqHDFALob0gfKICVVa1wNc57Bx1gi6_j48/s2400/IMG_20230205_121025010.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A photo of the novel I Am Forbidden by Anouk Markovits on a grey and link background and with a dry hydrangea on the right of the book." border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidK2PBqbD_tt3icfURcjk4Ug5FwDo6yKGJHbHHzJjWBgRGCdWt7wEQ7XEegrZZdAtywA6_-uR5HEgwgcLemPwfz511q7XDW-hSMSvDsW_VhvNqefzuu_QVqGRbY5MBXCNPAJcQ9PVvqlMvZ9EEuxcBbwgTb8AqHDFALob0gfKICVVa1wNc57Bx1gi6_j48/s16000/IMG_20230205_121025010.jpg" title="I Am Forbidden by Anouk Markovits_Sincerely Loree" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: courier;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">“Mila found comfort in this ordered world where sin explained suffering.”</span></span></p><p><b>Genre:</b> historical fiction</p><p><b>First published:</b> 2012</p><p><b>Location:</b> Szatmar, Romania; Paris, France; Brooklyn, New York</p><p><b>Awards:</b> Jewish Quarterly-Wingate Prize Nominee (2014)</p><p><b>Goodreads rating:</b> 3.69 ⭐</p><p><b>My rating:</b> 5 ⭐</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">About the author</h3><p>Anouk Markovits grew up in France, in an ultra-orthodox Satmar home. She attended a religious seminary in England instead of high school, and left the fold at the age of nineteen to avoid an arranged marriage. She went on to receive a bachelor of science from Columbia University, a master of architecture from Harvard, and a PhD in Romance Studies from Cornell. <i>I Am Forbidden</i> is her English Language debut. A more in-depth background about Anouk Markovits and the reason why she wrote this book can be found in Martha Schulman's article <a href="https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/profiles/article/51076-inside-out-anouk-markovits.html" target="_blank">Inside Out: Anouk Markovits </a>published in Publisher's Weekly (March 2012).</p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-81886217448363556892023-09-25T21:09:00.001+02:002023-09-25T21:09:25.001+02:00By The Sea In September<p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBD0gtOjtRIR94ESRZ14fuA4AbVsjnvZm-EMAXujc3iEfe1yUkSAHmcOxJE31N7RL07RnL_LQCQKXImNpwR73FOED5SiEX8TUkPb-Y84brNmwHbkevW5oKPYFsEE56NIWauW9ruTR81xaCZMli2B7_Ouq-EWAAOUoH1Vm9RmGj0vYl0trnT32onkl8N1eq/s1280/Gnejna%20Bay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBD0gtOjtRIR94ESRZ14fuA4AbVsjnvZm-EMAXujc3iEfe1yUkSAHmcOxJE31N7RL07RnL_LQCQKXImNpwR73FOED5SiEX8TUkPb-Y84brNmwHbkevW5oKPYFsEE56NIWauW9ruTR81xaCZMli2B7_Ouq-EWAAOUoH1Vm9RmGj0vYl0trnT32onkl8N1eq/s16000/Gnejna%20Bay.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: x-large;"><div style="text-align: center;">Join me as I share some memories of September days by the sea.</div></span><p></p><p>Even as a child, I always looked forward to September. It was the beginning of the end of summer when the days were still hot, but the nights were pleasantly cool. School, which started in October, still seemed ages away. I had my little band of friends. Our friendship was enough.</p><p>Some days, we played hopscotch or hide and seek. On other days, we would go to the seaside, armed with buckets and spades, flip-flops and straw hats. The beaches were almost deserted after <a href="https://www.festivals.mt/victory-day" target="_blank">Victory Day</a> (September 08), so we had whole stretches of sand to ourselves. It was a glorious time. The sea was always restless, as errant breezes quietly ruffled its surface. There was a peace and a calmness that was only disturbed by the excited giggles of children drunk on the freedom of the last days of summer. We ate our <i><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ftira" target="_blank">ftira</a></i>, filled with tomatoes and tuna, basil and mint, and almost made ourselves sick on bunches of sweet Maltese grapes (truly the best in the world).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcpPPM5_0oWcWTY9rHWd70LVgtQZyLqIlMF4FNcwJEt6QuOpoUV3KhHie_PhWcT7Xyy7qyIm9jp4X6rxbdSByDad42-5S-mF2MQe-gAkptkImjxnQX4QQP3C_izA2WZoByZEduSWxpO4ciOKHQvMoAMZnk0jPYJehP9vi-A9nuf8_3wttZmsqX7Z3dzkG/s1600/Gnejna%20Again%20(1).JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="By the sea in September_Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPcpPPM5_0oWcWTY9rHWd70LVgtQZyLqIlMF4FNcwJEt6QuOpoUV3KhHie_PhWcT7Xyy7qyIm9jp4X6rxbdSByDad42-5S-mF2MQe-gAkptkImjxnQX4QQP3C_izA2WZoByZEduSWxpO4ciOKHQvMoAMZnk0jPYJehP9vi-A9nuf8_3wttZmsqX7Z3dzkG/s16000/Gnejna%20Again%20(1).JPG" title="By the sea in September_Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><br /><p>I remember our beach umbrella, an exuberant 70s concoction of orange, red and white flowers on a bright blue background; the exciting combination of salty skin and sandy toes; the sun, huge and as orange as a pumpkin, lingering on the horizon - just seemingly long enough to dip its toes into the cerulean water that marked the boundaries of our existence.</p><p>Only the present was real. The future seemed very far away. It was the best of times - an idyll that would soon be shattered by the relentless march of time - a commodity that we had a surplus of back then.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZZrFStjsbcNo7rerUu9VJrLuc3_-Tr-3fMf9EH2k5CSgDP_PmS0jHAxy4EUX8az2ogNYSRiMZZgrPBSZOSGFSZLbkZK0TlkFjpqhdQYDK5iS0n3h9obBDyDk7st0akpkPEF3VgGAEmkPnm-2MEOqG5Q12pUva1wjKcvX_YZl0k4vzrKB1ZubC4LvPexK/s1280/Gnejna%20Bay%20(37).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="By the sea in September_Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5ZZrFStjsbcNo7rerUu9VJrLuc3_-Tr-3fMf9EH2k5CSgDP_PmS0jHAxy4EUX8az2ogNYSRiMZZgrPBSZOSGFSZLbkZK0TlkFjpqhdQYDK5iS0n3h9obBDyDk7st0akpkPEF3VgGAEmkPnm-2MEOqG5Q12pUva1wjKcvX_YZl0k4vzrKB1ZubC4LvPexK/s16000/Gnejna%20Bay%20(37).jpg" title="By the sea in September_Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgqRsVro6RhYOoPXRcIpJfYh2MGO9u8mTDpH-rnfOCKF74FIO9UsW7ixiujJ8tZT_9QWfhb1oxptlfJERfvcEnbO5bWqr6mbR2X8DygnMVF-iukqEcqh6_6xrdR33RsfmII13hNYrsG3-gilMreE48EYCNY2fYn_h-rxbYn1WIgFvKp8tREE9WPV8CgOr/s1280/Gnejna%20Bay%20(35).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="By the sea in September_Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFgqRsVro6RhYOoPXRcIpJfYh2MGO9u8mTDpH-rnfOCKF74FIO9UsW7ixiujJ8tZT_9QWfhb1oxptlfJERfvcEnbO5bWqr6mbR2X8DygnMVF-iukqEcqh6_6xrdR33RsfmII13hNYrsG3-gilMreE48EYCNY2fYn_h-rxbYn1WIgFvKp8tREE9WPV8CgOr/s16000/Gnejna%20Bay%20(35).jpg" title="By the sea in September_Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>Those days are long gone. The children have grown, and only the memories remain, memories of golden September days by the sea.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuNA1_3o1OTz_CdBXTxZPhXkFd05cOY6zJ3eoorQOHLazsAMJ3BNIcHOf2tQffnpUp9X_TumXxvXW2KZLKq77aYZaQ4rBOO9EaE0G3xs_lzNPSoI63ce1VCwtMjUCVz5TEcp4hKvCq6ppuJ0Nyvq5m9ivg_eWmMojnnsdQYRuWuNpU0qP6C_OlQzLxhlh/s1280/Gnejna%20Bay%20(5).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="By the sea in September_Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsuNA1_3o1OTz_CdBXTxZPhXkFd05cOY6zJ3eoorQOHLazsAMJ3BNIcHOf2tQffnpUp9X_TumXxvXW2KZLKq77aYZaQ4rBOO9EaE0G3xs_lzNPSoI63ce1VCwtMjUCVz5TEcp4hKvCq6ppuJ0Nyvq5m9ivg_eWmMojnnsdQYRuWuNpU0qP6C_OlQzLxhlh/s16000/Gnejna%20Bay%20(5).jpg" title="By the sea in September_Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><p></p><p>Thanks to <a href="https://tahillafarm.com/news-1/solitary-september-sea" target="_blank">Jeanne (again) for the inspiration</a>. And thanks to my parents, for those wonderful days by the sea (and so much else).</p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-81989488365762436992023-09-18T18:40:00.001+02:002023-09-18T18:40:26.058+02:00Begin Again<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">Just some thoughts on why I think that beginning again is a good idea.</span></p><p>I want to drown myself in writing; wash myself with words. And instead I've been worrying whether anyone will read them. Tell me, does it matter? Are words less powerful when they fall inside a void? Or vanish into the abyss?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxFu6jqsQb1EhJQukdWWt3Z0tThb6WNXbOW-0K1W0UNCRwLnygmHIFYjgPMsFu5nFgkr-7UC129uYVxAkA_2fUiFVQ4Yw1k_Az4ef_hFnFWc5-zfkHseVot9Sv5PGCQLPb9cubEknPE4c7XjsTETCu7nFj4VDqDsaTlww_lk_lWq3bZDndAiv0RqdX0FY/s1920/Flowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPxFu6jqsQb1EhJQukdWWt3Z0tThb6WNXbOW-0K1W0UNCRwLnygmHIFYjgPMsFu5nFgkr-7UC129uYVxAkA_2fUiFVQ4Yw1k_Az4ef_hFnFWc5-zfkHseVot9Sv5PGCQLPb9cubEknPE4c7XjsTETCu7nFj4VDqDsaTlww_lk_lWq3bZDndAiv0RqdX0FY/s16000/Flowers.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>So, yes, I've decided that I will follow Jeanne's* lead and begin again. Just baby steps for now and, as we head towards autumn and cooler, kinder days, I hope that the inspiration and the words will flow. Like the endless ebb and flow of the sea. I've made too many mistakes in the past. Looked for ides from everywhere except from within myself; listened to everything except my heart. </p><p>But now I think I'm ready to begin again. To be kinder and gentler with myself and let the words come as they may. Yes, I think it's a wonderful idea.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeoxMyECkyvsUbDKA6Olpk8tnHtSw0eKFR5gINUbk4GvGUbOrCNxHd_Y7CCrAK07VS4GUq7lq6C9g7Os01LT2vebvn9zSzIIk1OxXz3Uc_Ky7CpsNKOU-V3JEyNCVUFpjLD8t2Jky5TtHu6Y55SFR1ab7he6njUy_Pirvz_zLVxAMu3v80eaEO86a4O9Z/s2400/Blossom1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYeoxMyECkyvsUbDKA6Olpk8tnHtSw0eKFR5gINUbk4GvGUbOrCNxHd_Y7CCrAK07VS4GUq7lq6C9g7Os01LT2vebvn9zSzIIk1OxXz3Uc_Ky7CpsNKOU-V3JEyNCVUFpjLD8t2Jky5TtHu6Y55SFR1ab7he6njUy_Pirvz_zLVxAMu3v80eaEO86a4O9Z/s16000/Blossom1.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>So, please join me on this adventure. I have a feeling that this journey together will take us to some unexpected places. We will share beautiful moments from our lives and talk about the most extraordinary books that are waiting to be read. I'm quite excited to begin again; and what better time than now, on the cusp of a new season?</p><p>*If you're reading this and you don't already follow Jeanne, make sure you visit her wonderful blog <a href="https://tahillafarm.com/news-1" target="_blank">Tahilla Farm.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rHTyVLbykgqz4EVJ_cmyEbtlwehntSG_SJ0IoJyoSYZXs7QibDAB2lF-5eYWPx5RSmOAYUGqamtkVFroV0gjBRk7EMaSPMZ6vCu0nIQhbWP7f07rSdnX1jCNnACvyD7vqHtc0rvqeS9qcn424dG90QmMMk_YqsinynqQioaebGryakg3UjX6SACHokMa/s2400/Blossom.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5rHTyVLbykgqz4EVJ_cmyEbtlwehntSG_SJ0IoJyoSYZXs7QibDAB2lF-5eYWPx5RSmOAYUGqamtkVFroV0gjBRk7EMaSPMZ6vCu0nIQhbWP7f07rSdnX1jCNnACvyD7vqHtc0rvqeS9qcn424dG90QmMMk_YqsinynqQioaebGryakg3UjX6SACHokMa/s16000/Blossom.JPG" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-69607645279866521512023-04-06T18:45:00.000+02:002023-04-06T18:45:12.344+02:00Back again. Sort of.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU57cM304um-EORqFkNK3d8tar4Ns03aRV0PPWNIXWGlMBC5k00_vSGd8CU28tqz-5FuI30fJEG4yNW6SM-2t0yuQWAVGUq6O9RVqMlNNUNAhEGhc_RqJanUDpPrtLQqjpDyNWMnJTbWbSrfwjIMIokkBy7qCUuA5VN36QgvjCxOz6ToN82BqIgpFe9A/s1920/Blata%20tal-Melh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU57cM304um-EORqFkNK3d8tar4Ns03aRV0PPWNIXWGlMBC5k00_vSGd8CU28tqz-5FuI30fJEG4yNW6SM-2t0yuQWAVGUq6O9RVqMlNNUNAhEGhc_RqJanUDpPrtLQqjpDyNWMnJTbWbSrfwjIMIokkBy7qCUuA5VN36QgvjCxOz6ToN82BqIgpFe9A/s16000/Blata%20tal-Melh.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>It's been a while. My resolution to share something once a week has been a miserable fail. The thing is, I seem to prefer spending my evenings reading rather than writing because I am usually tired and reading is a more passive activity, but when I'm writing I actually have to think. And then there's the urgent need to get the thoughts about my most recent read on paper, which takes up quite a bit of my time; coupled with the niggling feeling of inadequacy that raises its head every time I read a mind-blowing book. How can I ever compare? I know I don't need to. Because comparisons are odious and all that. But I don't seem to be able to stop myself. So, every so often, I start writing a post with the intention of finishing it and actually pressing the 'Publish' button. But, more often than not, I don't and it languishes in my 'Unpublished Posts' folder for ever.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZU13Ba6cvUIRQPvAju2_R0gJJlfEb4FqVdCn2DBrOR1A8zJnL2wAKoMfT7D2rEZ5Y7rHfEqWap_-rb1qXZUkbhlxekzGt-jL7p_DAJ0XAVjn1FEbWMIKqZQwtpiVCC0Q9s_C5rSFUvEUVwL3yrJNS3Cq183HdBGq1qXjvyG9C77aTj5uT4n7Ef0wKg/s4608/IMG_20230331_122257889_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7ZU13Ba6cvUIRQPvAju2_R0gJJlfEb4FqVdCn2DBrOR1A8zJnL2wAKoMfT7D2rEZ5Y7rHfEqWap_-rb1qXZUkbhlxekzGt-jL7p_DAJ0XAVjn1FEbWMIKqZQwtpiVCC0Q9s_C5rSFUvEUVwL3yrJNS3Cq183HdBGq1qXjvyG9C77aTj5uT4n7Ef0wKg/s16000/IMG_20230331_122257889_HDR.jpg" title="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><p></p><p>Spring is here, a season I enjoy. My husband and I have made plans for a trip to celebrate our 20th anniversary that is coming up in June. I hope to share more about our trip later. We're also hoping to go on a family vacation in summer, preferably to a place that won't be too hot, like Ireland or Scotland, but we haven't really decided yet.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Easter Dessert</h2><p>With Easter round the corner I've been looking for some easy but stunning cake recipes. We recently visited <a href="https://www.guidosspicecorner.com/" target="_blank">Guido's Spice Corner</a> in Valletta. It is a tiny shop that sells a variety of spices, herbal teas and, more importantly for me, edible rose petals. I was really excited at the prospect of using them to decorate my Easter dessert. Novel items like edible flowers were hard to come by until fairly recently, so this is the first time I am using rose petals. I'm thinking of making one of the two cakes below and I hope they taste as good as they look.</p><p><a href="https://realfood.tesco.com/recipes/raspberries-and-cream-cake-with-rose-petals.html" target="_blank">Raspberries and cream cake with rose petals</a></p><p><a href="https://www.recipetineats.com/persian-love-cake/" target="_blank">Persian Love cake</a></p><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-ZvEW3bNvShBRlxTgdrnGV29Fvkdtqn9afsQXBLgOpusZvblBUhfKbj0DyrazvOozOZsd1chuZNa2hNAOiQhHWYezCD54mtZNl_h0pMsvQ9nr8fK-N9Ijv93LQBYY0F1w0Afwy_RrNAOzCDscRJP_lULpLFM335CO5pITopA6lHV_G2hHkFycNq1IQ/s4336/IMG_20230331_113205913_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="3252" data-original-width="4336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN-ZvEW3bNvShBRlxTgdrnGV29Fvkdtqn9afsQXBLgOpusZvblBUhfKbj0DyrazvOozOZsd1chuZNa2hNAOiQhHWYezCD54mtZNl_h0pMsvQ9nr8fK-N9Ijv93LQBYY0F1w0Afwy_RrNAOzCDscRJP_lULpLFM335CO5pITopA6lHV_G2hHkFycNq1IQ/s16000/IMG_20230331_113205913_HDR.jpg" title="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Spring Walks</h2><div>I'm on vacation today and Monday and tomorrow is a public holiday. Which means I hope to have time to relax and do some things I enjoy. Last Friday was also a public holiday and my husband and I went for a walk at Blata tal-Melh. Except for two fishermen in the distance, we were the only ones there. The silence was heavenly. Even though we were several metres above the sea, we could still hear it. It is one of my favourite sounds. It murmurs and signs and booms. Even on the calmest day it will make little suckling noises like a hungry baby. I hope we will go on some other walks during this long weekend. Being out in the open air is so invigorating and spring is the best time to do it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXShDMTkeJvoqCNXDA1-EMMj02bOXk8lAkHYbg8UX9cDszuOUJnPREyBph6LkaifJ_P1GxmaMrKBmMJhhoUj3YDI4OwNN0brRWmMQvlCX-o0DyTJREWWkbazBCl-l67UXPfRPgRIHphwPPNrpguiVIE0-8htpt6GRPhr4Y37MT-IqaOGV_MP_9WpXfA/s4554/IMG_20230331_112257964_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="3415" data-original-width="4554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfXShDMTkeJvoqCNXDA1-EMMj02bOXk8lAkHYbg8UX9cDszuOUJnPREyBph6LkaifJ_P1GxmaMrKBmMJhhoUj3YDI4OwNN0brRWmMQvlCX-o0DyTJREWWkbazBCl-l67UXPfRPgRIHphwPPNrpguiVIE0-8htpt6GRPhr4Y37MT-IqaOGV_MP_9WpXfA/s16000/IMG_20230331_112257964_HDR.jpg" title="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Spring Cleaning</h2><div>Spring is also the perfect season to declutter. The most difficult decision is where to start but our garage and several closets need to be expurgated of items that we're solely keeping for sentimental reasons, even if they are damaged beyond repair or are no longer useful. I hate having to add our castaways to Malta's ever-growing landfills and we do try to reuse and recycle as much as possible. But there are some culprits, like electronics, that nobody can do much with. We found an old camcorder with videos of our son from when he was 2 or 3 still on it. It was a wonderful surprise to relive those special moments. I wish we'd taken more clips when he was still so young.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAAB5KuzM-RoOFiUxMKh-AFCQHA5jdhmrE4C36tnz066QygbMosmDPBCtbPD3uynjQuZ8WOykY6iexatq9cs8iPvdPiHGRKZ0C1AECMr6HQG_FhGhCTaSs3Gxd-PD_EEfNVnvaTjnOQQfz5Qmq9VNvfuRARTud61DIlScBAnIUTRmTYyrxVy-oJSBPg/s4608/IMG_20230331_112612793_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxAAB5KuzM-RoOFiUxMKh-AFCQHA5jdhmrE4C36tnz066QygbMosmDPBCtbPD3uynjQuZ8WOykY6iexatq9cs8iPvdPiHGRKZ0C1AECMr6HQG_FhGhCTaSs3Gxd-PD_EEfNVnvaTjnOQQfz5Qmq9VNvfuRARTud61DIlScBAnIUTRmTYyrxVy-oJSBPg/s16000/IMG_20230331_112612793_HDR.jpg" title="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>But back to the subject of decluttering, I definitely need to remove a considerable amount of clothes from my closet. I've only worn most of them once or twice but my tastes have changed and I am trying to wear natural fibres as much as possible. It helps with the heat and hot flushes. I'm not sure what to do with the clothes I no longer wear though. A few weeks ago, Kim of the blog Northern California Style shared some greener options to consider when deciding to purge clothes from your closet. You can read her informative post <a href="http://northerncalstyle.com/2023/02/inspiring-home-books-a-pretty-spring-top-a-rattan-lamp-and-better-options-for-purged-clothes.html" target="_blank">here</a>. Unfortunately, it is a a bit more difficult to find greener options here in Malta but I recently discovered the <a href="https://www.femcommunity.com/" target="_blank">FEM Community</a>. This all-female community of small business owners organises monthly markets in spring and autumn and during the run-up to Christmas. They have two options for used clothes that I am considering: selling the clothes myself during one of their monthly Sunday markets or donating the clothes to them to sell. They use the proceeds from sales of clothes towards the volunteer organization Female Entrepreneurs Malta, which raises funds towards learning and growing initiatives for women in business. Of course there are also charity and thrift shops that accept donations, and vintage boutiques like <a href="https://taylormaidvintage.com/" target="_blank">TaylorMaid Vintage</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/voguexchangeVX/" target="_blank">Vogue Xchange</a>, Both of these stores rework items that are no longer wearable into unique pieces. All of these are wonderful initiatives but I've vome to believe that I really should refrain from buying anything just because it is on sale and only purchase items I know that I will wear and love for many years.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4n2pevgueLHH9TdIZREfV-rX5l-GbKnAn8A8bi_A2ZSdO78fArQRaL33wINwWapduuCJWidxRHbpZJJmGiAHk9VfSRPtyD514HDqHbsl7XPyanNNz6rK05WuTEQouxbQOMQPny0BclDwp9BEPl4QISYLn4Ps_CmdKBLq-zOj_e5UNAppleOdWSfTIw/s4608/IMG_20230331_123835176_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK4n2pevgueLHH9TdIZREfV-rX5l-GbKnAn8A8bi_A2ZSdO78fArQRaL33wINwWapduuCJWidxRHbpZJJmGiAHk9VfSRPtyD514HDqHbsl7XPyanNNz6rK05WuTEQouxbQOMQPny0BclDwp9BEPl4QISYLn4Ps_CmdKBLq-zOj_e5UNAppleOdWSfTIw/s16000/IMG_20230331_123835176_HDR.jpg" title="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>That's about all I have time for today. </div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;">I would like to wish you all a very Happy Easter.</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NmAqBVHKYJzHFc-mSPjhXA0lDKxasAg_EM3Z2YMjsr94QDmIK3hs-8yl-kq7zIQq4_DxRVb38xjA7OlxPrLxW6rOtDVGYJsr0R1BKTZthHK7JnBRmLojauPX5yDcgZ2tsUuF6iy8m2y6R30X5o-C8P-g3mHT88MQ49f8sT2avxmgcw1EqhbOwJ4_zg/s4237/IMG_20230331_120937804_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="3178" data-original-width="4237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5NmAqBVHKYJzHFc-mSPjhXA0lDKxasAg_EM3Z2YMjsr94QDmIK3hs-8yl-kq7zIQq4_DxRVb38xjA7OlxPrLxW6rOtDVGYJsr0R1BKTZthHK7JnBRmLojauPX5yDcgZ2tsUuF6iy8m2y6R30X5o-C8P-g3mHT88MQ49f8sT2avxmgcw1EqhbOwJ4_zg/s16000/IMG_20230331_120937804_HDR.jpg" title="Blata tal-Melh: Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Location: Blata tal-Melh, March 2023</i></div>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com3Rabat, Malta35.9003747 14.33060635.893422158376595 14.322022931152343 35.907327241623406 14.339189068847656tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-14522875051502029322023-02-27T20:56:00.000+01:002023-02-27T20:56:10.975+01:00Book review: The Stray Cats of Homs<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZH6kffl9bhwd7_XSz5ydybhb01svePtPi5MPXi-GQcIq6m5ZiyiVz5A7OCJwC7GinBQILD8ZVWEr41TozPiBmb2bJ4ahHlAbYrEbM-VNrr7MWHmsA_5JgT3wTL42iVBOg7L1od_8uwk38v460SPbK8TT0sJpX4fpFm3Dm2trkyWhaMSu8Zmh_r0GhQ/s1920/The%20Stray%20Cats%20of%20Homs%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigZH6kffl9bhwd7_XSz5ydybhb01svePtPi5MPXi-GQcIq6m5ZiyiVz5A7OCJwC7GinBQILD8ZVWEr41TozPiBmb2bJ4ahHlAbYrEbM-VNrr7MWHmsA_5JgT3wTL42iVBOg7L1od_8uwk38v460SPbK8TT0sJpX4fpFm3Dm2trkyWhaMSu8Zmh_r0GhQ/s16000/The%20Stray%20Cats%20of%20Homs%202.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book review: The Stray Cats of Homs by Eva Nour, translated by Agnes Broomé</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">From the book blurb</h3><p><i>Sami's childhood is much like any other - school with his friends, dinners with his family, playing with his pets (stray cats and dogs, and the turtle he keeps on the roof).</i></p><p><i>But with Syria at war with itself, nothing is really normal. And Sami's hopes for a better future are about to be ripped away.</i></p><p><i>Inspired by extraordinary true events, The Stray Cats of Homs is the breathtaking story of a young man who will do anything to keep the dream of home alive.</i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPXw9H0PCM2vu-jSfrmxtp5mc9xUIaNCgh0hKlonOoirn7IsDrYV1O90NM8zSvLJjnK3ebiivVKap4a7sWtf5zA6-sOIfFwscasAXwYYUy-Z0a4AszbNCzjVdvfHDVrZlM3b5wOtOKhcp_xjIOADVh8OqSVRQcJtyeLbP8gEN94TD-2vCqC47Ndvm1g/s4608/IMG_20230121_131259495.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAPXw9H0PCM2vu-jSfrmxtp5mc9xUIaNCgh0hKlonOoirn7IsDrYV1O90NM8zSvLJjnK3ebiivVKap4a7sWtf5zA6-sOIfFwscasAXwYYUy-Z0a4AszbNCzjVdvfHDVrZlM3b5wOtOKhcp_xjIOADVh8OqSVRQcJtyeLbP8gEN94TD-2vCqC47Ndvm1g/s16000/IMG_20230121_131259495.jpg" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">My review</h3><p>We are all familiar with refugees, with people who flee conflicts and revolutions to seek shelter in distant lands. But <i>The Stray Cats Of Homs</i> is not a story about refugees. It is a story about those who decided to stay. </p><p>If you are looking for a story with a complicated plot and lots of convoluted twists, then this book isn't for you. But if you want an insight into the Syrian revolution and how it affected ordinary citizens, then please give this book a try. Some parts are definitely not for the squeamish but it's a book that definitely needs to be read, especially by people like me who rarely watch the news or read the papers. My instinct when things get bad 'out there' is to cocoon myself and stay firmly inside my comfort zone. This book pushed me right out of it. It was poignant, heart-breaking, and horrifying, made even more so by the knowledge that this conflict isn't over yet.</p><p><b>Genre</b>: modern historical fiction (Syrian civil war)</p><p><b>First published</b>: 11 October 2018</p><p><b>Location of narrative</b>: Homs, Syria; Paris, France</p><p><b>My rating</b>: 4.8<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bellota Text", cursive; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-13214221496874521752023-02-15T20:02:00.001+01:002023-02-15T20:02:09.835+01:00On birthdays, reading and the perfect storm<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JPKzpz9tQn3tktNnkI1nlSeRF2S7MZRVJsYe5Ze9wd9S80X7GkDVITQNSv5kA6tikB-iFmq9YOy8cAvKGZrf73HZQt3AbHnACl0ZxvmQyhQbXF13jr-xwzxORLFN0dUmVEnmaNcWG_O3iMBilATkrsThjtxBfGF_xlM8MEGhyNmReIVsqodgfrAvWw/s1280/Dingli%20Cliffs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JPKzpz9tQn3tktNnkI1nlSeRF2S7MZRVJsYe5Ze9wd9S80X7GkDVITQNSv5kA6tikB-iFmq9YOy8cAvKGZrf73HZQt3AbHnACl0ZxvmQyhQbXF13jr-xwzxORLFN0dUmVEnmaNcWG_O3iMBilATkrsThjtxBfGF_xlM8MEGhyNmReIVsqodgfrAvWw/s16000/Dingli%20Cliffs.jpg" /></a></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">On birthdays</h2><p>Three weeks ago, I celebrated my 52nd birthday. I am grateful for all the years given to me but can’t help feeling a bit sad from time to time about the fleeting passage of time. I am even more aware of it when I look at our son. He turned 17 just over a week ago. Next year he will no longer be considered a minor in the eyes of the law. In my eyes though, he is still the mischievous toddler trailing after me and talking incessantly about dinosaurs, volcanos, airplanes and trains. There are moments when I think I am ready to sell everything except my soul just to have one of those days back. But life never goes backwards, so I will look forward to the time ahead with excitement instead of trepidation. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h2>On reading</h2><p>As I mentioned in my last post, I plan to read 23 books from 23 different countries this year. I don’t yet have 23 books from 23 different countries but I will get there. My goal for 2023 is a total of 40 books, so there is ample time for me to search for books from around the globe. You may think I’m crazy, but I’ve joined a ‘Read The World’ challenge that includes 196 countries from around the globe. The nice thing about this challenge is that you can start or finish whenever you like. So my start date is 2023 but I could continue this challenge until it is completed several years in the future. There are book suggestions for nearly every country (except for some countries that I have never even heard of). I am very excited about this and keep hunting for the more elusive countries whenever I am buying books. Up to now, I’ve ‘done and dusted’ three countries: Syria (The Stray Cats of Homs by Eva Nour – I will post a review of this remarkable book soon), the UK (The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro) and Greece (Ariadne by Jennifer Saint). For some reason, ticking countries off the list just makes me smile. I could cheat and add books I read in the past to increase my tally quicker, but I’ve never cheated in my life and don’t plan to start now. After all, this challenge gives me the perfect excuse to beg for, borrow or buy more books.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpcG4IYF-ODvzcCZfVK5s0qZyrehQqdDA6nXBPaIJxTY7NWDna79DqJ-l6ktvJonOz7fDXh0RvG5j3ejmiKPD9dyWahpFOCTfRdX9IACHclUOyPrfYUOKw1ieW43s71zA5gpVKrqm0fcWA3He6LdQdBhUKj5xeEtyoXpeTdlrmYAVN6FDtMHRBv4vPw/s4608/IMG_20230121_131259495.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOpcG4IYF-ODvzcCZfVK5s0qZyrehQqdDA6nXBPaIJxTY7NWDna79DqJ-l6ktvJonOz7fDXh0RvG5j3ejmiKPD9dyWahpFOCTfRdX9IACHclUOyPrfYUOKw1ieW43s71zA5gpVKrqm0fcWA3He6LdQdBhUKj5xeEtyoXpeTdlrmYAVN6FDtMHRBv4vPw/w480-h640/IMG_20230121_131259495.jpg" width="480" /></span></a></div><br /><h2>The perfect storm</h2><p>After a very mild autumn, the first 4 weeks of winter were also quite warm and sunny. Then it turned cold on my birthday weekend (which was the perfect present) and has continued to be so. Last week though, storm Helios battered our shores. We had constant rain for 24 hours and gale-force winds. Friday was a public holiday and the sun came out for a while. My husband and I went for a walk along Dingli Cliffs, where I was scared the wind would blow us into the sea, and then spent some time reading in the car. The sunlight warmed it up and it was perfect for a while (although the wind kept buffeting and shaking our car). After some time, dark clouds started to form on the horizon and by the time we drove home, the rain started coming down again. People in Malta have got so unused to storms (we haven’t had a major one since 2019) that anytime one hits our shores, it becomes the main topic of conversation for at least 10 days. I wonder how we would all survive if the weather was bad a bit more frequently. Of course, I relished it and now I wonder whether we will get a few more storms before winter is over.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoTwL9oWaYIAfFdDFCBf1d9vb3OKgJn-h-NvW2tI84qH6RHwQ5ydtXjq0RPA5nZBFwX9UwV4klEWIZ2lgFn8Nc5CR5ffL9FKERlT5_58155VtMLXByrFJxuV6LXCCRVvpkud1dRMk39rMS_HahO1yebZ_g6JuvYyeCRNhmDj-CVr37y9wMR3EQ7nA5w/s4608/IMG_20230210_140705008_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIoTwL9oWaYIAfFdDFCBf1d9vb3OKgJn-h-NvW2tI84qH6RHwQ5ydtXjq0RPA5nZBFwX9UwV4klEWIZ2lgFn8Nc5CR5ffL9FKERlT5_58155VtMLXByrFJxuV6LXCCRVvpkud1dRMk39rMS_HahO1yebZ_g6JuvYyeCRNhmDj-CVr37y9wMR3EQ7nA5w/s16000/IMG_20230210_140705008_HDR.jpg" /></span></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><blockquote><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKuzOIYMK0SPdM3w5_javxzTC1BnfBRi6D3LZbiXQRgdGv2SThNiNYVLQLhJVP509DgphDxe4s5j1KBZ2J8_X298bSAq114Kl13zYjrWdhxfKPVV_2LRmqswB0XfuK3caIpkb-upzlWdox7cYLfwd0MLFivR9UF7xlbTw8SQrDM3H1ApmY95eAOu--w/s4608/IMG_20230210_142429594_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: black;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYKuzOIYMK0SPdM3w5_javxzTC1BnfBRi6D3LZbiXQRgdGv2SThNiNYVLQLhJVP509DgphDxe4s5j1KBZ2J8_X298bSAq114Kl13zYjrWdhxfKPVV_2LRmqswB0XfuK3caIpkb-upzlWdox7cYLfwd0MLFivR9UF7xlbTw8SQrDM3H1ApmY95eAOu--w/s16000/IMG_20230210_142429594_HDR.jpg" /></span></a></blockquote></div><p>There are already quite a few signs of spring here in Malta. The daylight hours are, like everywhere else in the northern hemisphere, noticeably longer. Some wildflowers, like <a href="https://allaboutmalta.blogspot.com/2012/04/wildflowers-of-malta-crown-daisy.html" target="_blank">the crown daisy</a>, yellow wall rocket and <a href="https://allaboutmalta.blogspot.com/2011/11/wildflowers-of-malta-asphodel.html" target="_blank">asphodel</a>, are already blooming, while buds are starting to form on the <a href="https://allaboutmalta.blogspot.com/2012/02/wildflowers-of-malta-giant-fennel.html" target="_blank">giant fennel</a>. Soon the garigue and the countryside will be humming with bees and that somnolent feeling which I always associate with spring will be in the air.</p><p>I want to try and keep my posts as short as possible because I know how busy life gets and I don’t want to take up more of your time than necessary (and I have to get back to my books :)). So that's all for this week except for one small question: I would like to write some posts about sustainable living and making simple environmentally-friendly choices but I wanted to know whether anyone would be interested. Thanks in advance for any feedback. </p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Have a wonderful week.</span></p><div><br /></div>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-1687472587245628162023-01-16T20:58:00.001+01:002023-01-16T20:58:22.943+01:00My Year In Books: 2022<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAFZUu_0TT6dh2ROy-rQuZ_b9-C5hcWQP7OAYJk5xnhHeYOawq3OO8YsVE2My6771-Js27-5YFRFgJl7zGlPuntoAF9xuDLZ9N00nSAes3sFWkrl7OrjOF-tyUd2IpFJYCu6pWbZuy_jJRU8bi_h-8alrojSYOyxKWniPkyeqIv4sG2hDeG00qricjA/s2400/IMG_20220821_120640562.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzAFZUu_0TT6dh2ROy-rQuZ_b9-C5hcWQP7OAYJk5xnhHeYOawq3OO8YsVE2My6771-Js27-5YFRFgJl7zGlPuntoAF9xuDLZ9N00nSAes3sFWkrl7OrjOF-tyUd2IpFJYCu6pWbZuy_jJRU8bi_h-8alrojSYOyxKWniPkyeqIv4sG2hDeG00qricjA/s16000/IMG_20220821_120640562.jpg" /></a></div><br /><p>As I’ve been doing these past 3 years, today I will be taking a look at the books I read during 2022. I had shared the books I read between January and June, <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2022/07/books-i-read-in-2022-part-1.html" target="_blank">part 1 here</a> and <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2022/09/books-i-read-in-2022-part-2.html" target="_blank">part 2 here</a> ,but I never got round to doing the same for the books I read between July and December due to the blogging slump I fell into during the second half of the year.</p><p>Overall, I had a very good reading year. Out of the 41 books I read, 34 were by authors who were new to me. My most-read genre remained historical fiction, followed by literary fiction and classics. Out of the 41 books I read, 9 were non-fiction and five of these were memoirs (which remain my favourite type of non-fiction genre).</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.thestorygraph.com/" target="_blank">The Storygraph</a>, which gives a very detailed insight into the reading patterns of members, last year I mostly read emotional, reflective and sad books that were slow-paced.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">MY YEAR IN BOOKS 2022</h3><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Number of books read: 41 (2 more than the 39 I read in 2021)</li><li>Total number of pages read: 13 097 (down from 15 316 in 2021 but I had a bit of a reading slump in the last 3 months of 2022)</li><li>Average book length: 319 pages</li><li>Shortest book: <i>A Month in Siena</i> by Hisham Matar at 128 pages</li><li>Longest book: <i>Lilac Girls</i> by Martha Hall Kelly at 502 pages</li><li>Most popular (i.e. most read): <i>The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo</i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid (which was marked as read 3 508 805 times)</li><li>Least popular: <i>The Adventures of a Curious Cat</i> by Curious Zelda (which was read 542 times)</li><li>Highest rated by Goodreads readers: <i>Lalechka</i> by Amira Keidar with a 4.00 average</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik64c-l-90DsR7WbaMHZN2gKIgLSoGRh9uKGXwmlCZ6P3UKEm7DlNe1U5pkPTQOT-Ud9WuPKPbWdh1Honqxy11xV8GSVghev70u2zv4uVSoXomwEsIN0IglAq2NMSOm03IaMVJa6nyHUqf5OhpZBTA_tdyxPQZ16cXfdbsPj1mRnC9Oq2g_6SIkyhRkw/s2400/IMG_20221130_123048085.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik64c-l-90DsR7WbaMHZN2gKIgLSoGRh9uKGXwmlCZ6P3UKEm7DlNe1U5pkPTQOT-Ud9WuPKPbWdh1Honqxy11xV8GSVghev70u2zv4uVSoXomwEsIN0IglAq2NMSOm03IaMVJa6nyHUqf5OhpZBTA_tdyxPQZ16cXfdbsPj1mRnC9Oq2g_6SIkyhRkw/s16000/IMG_20221130_123048085.jpg" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>My average rating for 2022: 3.6 stars which is a bit better than it was last year (3.4)</li><li>The first book I read: <i>A Thousand Days In Tuscany </i>by Marlena de Blasi </li><li>The last book I read: <i>The Sun Also Rises</i> by Ernest Hemingway</li><li>The book I read that has been published longest: <i>Wuthering Heights</i> by Emily Bronte in 1847</li><li>The most recently published book I read: <i>The Last Bookshop in London</i> by Madeline Martin in April 2021</li><li>My top 5 fiction reads: <i>The Red Notebook</i> by Antoine Laurain (4.8), <i>Suite Française</i> by Irene Nemirovsky (4.5), <i>Hamnet</i> by Maggie O’Farrell (4.4), <i>The Absolutist</i> by John Boyne (4.3) and <i>Fresh Water For Flowers</i> by Valerie Perrin (4.2). </li><li>My top 5 non-fiction reads: <i>The Twins of Auschwitz</i> by Eva Mozes Kor (4.5), <i>The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Aushwitz</i> by Jeremy Dronfield (4.25), <i>A Month in Siena</i> by Hisham Matar (4), <i>84, Charing Cross Road</i> by Helene Hanff (4) and <i>A Thousand Days in Tuscany</i> and <i>The Lady in the Palazzo</i> by Marlena de Blasi (4) – I know that makes 6 books but I really enjoyed all the 4 star reads so I couldn’t really leave one of them out.</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UoqW6ZTSEoV_-7I9jFYbcfPKd9q9i4qUZJVNEDXI8Z91-hZ-ez9Kqt9Rqvu-c-4jQ1Q6PyU-AD-AfyWaeKduJ4lcKS3qx-9Cj3R26C565_oA9uul9Z3fsZwxVlJfey9bQu9upjw-sK4mfv_DeTGEMraJovchs0-TCGB5jTWX59nL4OcAfT46jNAb2A/s2400/IMG_20220904_120037358.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7UoqW6ZTSEoV_-7I9jFYbcfPKd9q9i4qUZJVNEDXI8Z91-hZ-ez9Kqt9Rqvu-c-4jQ1Q6PyU-AD-AfyWaeKduJ4lcKS3qx-9Cj3R26C565_oA9uul9Z3fsZwxVlJfey9bQu9upjw-sK4mfv_DeTGEMraJovchs0-TCGB5jTWX59nL4OcAfT46jNAb2A/s16000/IMG_20220904_120037358.jpg" /></a></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The book I enjoyed least: this was a tie between <i>The Virgins</i> by Pamela Erens and<i> The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo</i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid (both of which received a 2.6 star rating)</li><li>Most disappointing book: <i>The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo</i> by Taylor Jenkins Reid - there was a lot of hype around this book and it got many rave reviews but I felt it just did not live up to its promise. Here’s a small extract from my review: ‘<i>Everything about Evelyn’s life seemed very superficial, including her love life. I felt that if we scratched beneath the surface we wouldn’t find any substance. And therein lies my biggest issue with this book</i>.’</li><li>Best suited for a book club: <i>The Absolutist</i> by John Boyne which deals with the subjects of absolutism, conscientious objection, and unrequited love.</li><li>Month in which I read most (based on the number of pages): February</li><li>Month in which I read least (based on the number of pages): October (no surprise, it happens every year) and December (let’s blame Christmas)</li></ul><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQAMJNw7sxj9ti4oWTviY-C_eqVsC6MAkTJekbh6E5JX_0_RbIsGMtEsaOvYAeh8H9YPgLL4zednLXMuwXiKkhD5LlcYXl-kywG_FV1FcItHRbdrlpUi-GGnFJkqvPQl9AyRTQMsYN76XWdaeYqnlulyFGNY3F3aw7IN9MSWbCPl-AT2VxjcrkF6Bcg/s2400/IMG_20220717_100858992.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieQAMJNw7sxj9ti4oWTviY-C_eqVsC6MAkTJekbh6E5JX_0_RbIsGMtEsaOvYAeh8H9YPgLL4zednLXMuwXiKkhD5LlcYXl-kywG_FV1FcItHRbdrlpUi-GGnFJkqvPQl9AyRTQMsYN76XWdaeYqnlulyFGNY3F3aw7IN9MSWbCPl-AT2VxjcrkF6Bcg/s16000/IMG_20220717_100858992.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div>2022 will always be a special year for me from a reading perspective, as I really seem to have found ‘my tribe’ on Instagram, or Bookstagram, as we like to call it. My Bookstagram handle is <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lorees.reading.nook/" target="_blank">lorees.reading.nook</a> and if you’re on IG and love books, please send me a message so we can connect. The feeling of discussing books with like-minded individuals is very special and we all gain so much from these conversations that we have on a daily basis with other bookworms. The whole process has enriched my reading and this year I will be reading more books recommended by people who have he same tastes in books that I do. I will try to veer away from historical fiction, especially the WW2 trope, because I’ve read too many books from that genre in 2022 and it got really old. I felt like I was reading the same thing repeatedly and only the characters were different but the plots were very similar. I’m also avoiding new releases, books that come with lots of hype and anything on Oprah or Reese Witherspoon’s ‘must read’ lists. I’ve been disappointed too many times.</div><div><br /></div><div>My plan for 2023 is to read books set in as many different countries as possible. My goal is to read books from 23 different countries in 2023. This is to try to get away from books set in the UK and the US. I am sure that this will be very enriching and rewarding, as it will not only expose me to different cultures, some of which I know nothing about, but also to perspectives that I could never have imagined. I am sure I’ll let you know how I’m getting along in future blog updates. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMJc5o4CqRXraqbl0q10JivnwTqBt_l1JzTYo84ZHsai-0REimhgxIN96ScpJ_4zx6epqi8NmJlfruieQ5MpiqMOKsJRccZ8HyZ8gf806k-Ox7k7GoIH-kOxVhB1N2h_YYnS6VoHTxpmhbPE8MmU3Ej7UhCHzxTmH5rSRdwu63s-12BImyx6O8iENuw/s2400/IMG_20221019_131134131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkMJc5o4CqRXraqbl0q10JivnwTqBt_l1JzTYo84ZHsai-0REimhgxIN96ScpJ_4zx6epqi8NmJlfruieQ5MpiqMOKsJRccZ8HyZ8gf806k-Ox7k7GoIH-kOxVhB1N2h_YYnS6VoHTxpmhbPE8MmU3Ej7UhCHzxTmH5rSRdwu63s-12BImyx6O8iENuw/s16000/IMG_20221019_131134131.jpg" /></a></div><p>For today I’ll end it here because books are my favourite topic and I could go on forever. I am just going to add the list of books I read between July and October, my respective rating and the genre. If there are any that you have any questions about, please let me know in the comments.</p><p><i>The Absolutist</i> by John Boyne (4.3) - historical fiction WW1</p><p><i>The Virgins</i> by Pamela Erens (2.6) - campus fiction</p><p><i>The Family Upstairs</i> by Lisa Jewell (3) - psychological thriller</p><p><i>Life Of Pi</i> by Yann Patel (2.9) - philosophical fiction</p><p><i>The Boy Who Followed His Father Into Auschwitz </i>by Jeremy Dronfield (4.25) - memoir</p><p><i>The Lady In The Palazzo</i> by Marlena de Blasi (4) - memoir</p><p><i>The Henna Artist</i> by Alka Joshi (3.4) - historical fiction</p><p><i>The Room On Rue Amelie</i> by Kristin Harmel (2.8) - historical fiction WW2</p><p><i>The Paris Wif</i>e by Paula McLain (4.2) – historical fiction</p><p><a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2022/11/book-talk-suite-francaise.html" target="_blank"><i>Suite Française</i></a> by Irene Nemirovsky (4.5) - historical fiction WW2</p><p><i>The Island</i> by Victoria Hislop (2.8) - historical fiction</p><p><i>All We Left Behind</i> by Danielle R. Graham (3) - historical fiction WW2</p><p><i>The Sun Also Rises </i>by Ernest Hemingway (2.9) modernist fiction</p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-36104288793953721792023-01-10T21:54:00.002+01:002023-01-10T21:54:45.755+01:002022: The Year Of Small Things<p>I suppose that I will always remember 2022 as the year we returned to normality - even though the first half of the year was characterized by social distancing and masking-up. In reality. this is a distortion of the facts because while the world was slowly recovering from Covid 19, a gaping wound was opened in Europe's side when Putin ordered the invasion of Ukraine. Eleven months have passed since the start of the conflict and we are collectively guilty of forgetting that normality has not returned everywhere. For the Ukrainians, it has been a year of horror and hardship. Some have escaped, with just the clothes on their back and with their children in their arms, and found refuge elsewhere. Others, who are stoically defiant, or too old and infirm, have remained. There are stories of heartbreak all over social media; displaced families that have found refuge wherever they could. And yet, a new year awaits, with its blank chapters and empty pages, eagerly preparing for the next big distraction, so that we flit and flop, from one thing to the next, like bumblebees in Spring, never alighting long enough to really live in the moment and recognise it for what it is. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEwGDwQHuooNldqtNFVIziF86ZUM-XaeTtAYcTRA5ce6j7BLUqIJWb9ulHSIMY-4mqg1FrPASM0Qk67LyLWp4ATRAiJn_rID1IUSGFujvZVfI9wLpVFDR5wOt4nJGIRIE-OgSVaMFNPg4ALE5xoT3_6HwTUFfNVV8mSEFDZ8aUJ-hscIgzRRHLQMn1A/s1280/IMG_20220119_164150663_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEwGDwQHuooNldqtNFVIziF86ZUM-XaeTtAYcTRA5ce6j7BLUqIJWb9ulHSIMY-4mqg1FrPASM0Qk67LyLWp4ATRAiJn_rID1IUSGFujvZVfI9wLpVFDR5wOt4nJGIRIE-OgSVaMFNPg4ALE5xoT3_6HwTUFfNVV8mSEFDZ8aUJ-hscIgzRRHLQMn1A/s16000/IMG_20220119_164150663_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">My year in pictures: the highlights of 2022</h2><p>After testing positive for Covid and starting the year off in quarantine. I was ecstatic to be out of the house on January 19th (I even remember the exact date) and celebrated with a solo walk around Chadwick Lakes. Since it was a month after the Winter solstice, the light lingered for a while and, at s unset, the pastel hues in the sky were reflected in the water, painting the surroundings in a rosy hue. It was a memorable return to the outside world.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQWLgxkcn7XCSE6Tu3bdOl1kKXuvrrxcuxi_S_sohSg_ync-ZNP0NrUGDsu7rG5rhnkzNVDlBrg4lEG44SWeMkbcLe1-4RBo991tJl8oieWd0UEqpWINzPMcqW4sZ9PlQNR_QRCdoik0N7R6yw1bxAcLB59cpnVQE__c7hQ7MZJ1lukHvkiov7I5Www/s4608/IMG_20220119_170622117_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDQWLgxkcn7XCSE6Tu3bdOl1kKXuvrrxcuxi_S_sohSg_ync-ZNP0NrUGDsu7rG5rhnkzNVDlBrg4lEG44SWeMkbcLe1-4RBo991tJl8oieWd0UEqpWINzPMcqW4sZ9PlQNR_QRCdoik0N7R6yw1bxAcLB59cpnVQE__c7hQ7MZJ1lukHvkiov7I5Www/s16000/IMG_20220119_170622117_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRuahKate4atkjA7JeQ4Q0qYAGHI5CWydt9Y82Z7wEUZqIzg4BpDnUfIVrtvc-t5pChVfFNjZJUF5qxgaP0fbbHY64FLH08E4RD1gzlksxIjvS4V-ZaGhi4AByEC4CtAohpWAAh6Mkg-YmjBUJ4B9gbuIdaXNwRkRe4swlfdJ0m3vO9E8J0PoL2lDpw/s4608/IMG_20220119_164235842_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiRuahKate4atkjA7JeQ4Q0qYAGHI5CWydt9Y82Z7wEUZqIzg4BpDnUfIVrtvc-t5pChVfFNjZJUF5qxgaP0fbbHY64FLH08E4RD1gzlksxIjvS4V-ZaGhi4AByEC4CtAohpWAAh6Mkg-YmjBUJ4B9gbuIdaXNwRkRe4swlfdJ0m3vO9E8J0PoL2lDpw/s16000/IMG_20220119_164235842_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p>Later in the month my husband and I took a walk at the <a href="https://majjistral.org/" target="_blank">Majjistral Nature and History Park</a>. Majjistral is the Maltese word for the north-west and it is also the name of the wind that blows from that direction. The park includes a stretch of protected coast and there is some nice scenery, including some spectacular cliffs and caves.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelZM6M8N3zFAAgAoIcj29EII785gPYuQsUgtFDXQ_CUFSxq4SANWVupRXu-2VxK04Y9pYsiWQrJen-Eh-vB3JjSgkMeJoGpN0q5yA8Df48puDi4wxUsWuLGkU2db6gC5dUkf38k0sOr4Xcj3E1TGuWM6eVm1sLsFNke7co2TzPxhPeYq9lmgfzV-Q0A/s4608/IMG_20220122_112343245_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgelZM6M8N3zFAAgAoIcj29EII785gPYuQsUgtFDXQ_CUFSxq4SANWVupRXu-2VxK04Y9pYsiWQrJen-Eh-vB3JjSgkMeJoGpN0q5yA8Df48puDi4wxUsWuLGkU2db6gC5dUkf38k0sOr4Xcj3E1TGuWM6eVm1sLsFNke7co2TzPxhPeYq9lmgfzV-Q0A/s16000/IMG_20220122_112343245_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVdemayQoRzNTfsLkS3ytXc_WGP1VRG2awVZ4DvYzj2FkglqpwmnYZ5byuZjLl3DnyuvEO3x4g8tc6c2EtVy_msmeFBBPkO1CW3flqYO_cQV6dGaW1Xk3b8xxC5vhSpZOudMO7crOmwTgOBOOwuaHDHIsgpGp016aDJtvN_U1AqJh1TEo-Z3HaN9YPA/s4608/IMG_20220122_110914192_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieVdemayQoRzNTfsLkS3ytXc_WGP1VRG2awVZ4DvYzj2FkglqpwmnYZ5byuZjLl3DnyuvEO3x4g8tc6c2EtVy_msmeFBBPkO1CW3flqYO_cQV6dGaW1Xk3b8xxC5vhSpZOudMO7crOmwTgOBOOwuaHDHIsgpGp016aDJtvN_U1AqJh1TEo-Z3HaN9YPA/s16000/IMG_20220122_110914192_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p>In February our son turned 16 but due to imminent school examinations and the thousands of new Covid cases that were being registered daily, his birthday was a low-key affair, but we promised to make up for it later.</p><p>During this month we explored the Xemxija Heritage Trail. This trail passes through several areas of archaeological importance which include Punic tombs, ancient granaries and neolithic burial site, but I think that the most well-preserved remains are the Roman apiaries which are extremely fascinating.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPVJojjI_dqgynsxuzbw9RDXqkl3J_4J4awUSQfaI8UmlPyWzYhGmHw9E1tmlno3pZJHUTw8C3a0nzruzEVYIaed2-czMZDGdC8dwTw8aL9rynxNKLitnvHyiiwmEWCJA9wAG9PXn0uK5_ehtn6ppZpGN1T9gWiMAA4fh9M2bA5S0yn0acrWEi5NtFg/s4608/IMG_20220219_104540835_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpPVJojjI_dqgynsxuzbw9RDXqkl3J_4J4awUSQfaI8UmlPyWzYhGmHw9E1tmlno3pZJHUTw8C3a0nzruzEVYIaed2-czMZDGdC8dwTw8aL9rynxNKLitnvHyiiwmEWCJA9wAG9PXn0uK5_ehtn6ppZpGN1T9gWiMAA4fh9M2bA5S0yn0acrWEi5NtFg/s16000/IMG_20220219_104540835_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p>I will remember the Spring equinox of 2022 as one of the coldest in the past 10 years. I even made a note about it in my journal. Towards the end of the months though, it had already warmed up quite a bit and we spent a public holiday exploring the Lunzjata area, with its medieval chapel dedicated to the feast of the Annunciation. Other than that, March was a mostly uneventful month.</p><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfj2DNF0a_FAthtblSaluFr0ZTO9ysp2apPHUqc6Y_Z96-vcBZ0FegrVn-nlT3NDPgFe7PYOqsjargsMm3EOUU-PQvXlwsp-lBD5gDFTX0fdTTmrlDL_aqGLnDpu43Bm58AILhx6jQ0V4uKXvryhHBXy-LS4SAIEI9252Apbbi1yt6cdS22ENoYzclQ/s4608/IMG_20220331_114319833_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipfj2DNF0a_FAthtblSaluFr0ZTO9ysp2apPHUqc6Y_Z96-vcBZ0FegrVn-nlT3NDPgFe7PYOqsjargsMm3EOUU-PQvXlwsp-lBD5gDFTX0fdTTmrlDL_aqGLnDpu43Bm58AILhx6jQ0V4uKXvryhHBXy-LS4SAIEI9252Apbbi1yt6cdS22ENoYzclQ/s16000/IMG_20220331_114319833_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p>April brought Easter, sunny days and Saharan dust with it - all perfectly normal for the time of year.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi20qEBA_19_G-c424fH475yIzxCCmBRRihRL89OCdC5TGA8mM8OFZV_Ya72e6IkCkyBUyEZJO3b6nnzA-OnmJNufZZ8pHOlw698E6CQVmoMkU2QKaEAR3i0XSJLQZu_tedXC8puINpjuu4IKZ63UmfEaXe_Mz56XWK2BrZyiPQvY4rwFDDYImSl01w/s4608/IMG_20220421_173721899_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi20qEBA_19_G-c424fH475yIzxCCmBRRihRL89OCdC5TGA8mM8OFZV_Ya72e6IkCkyBUyEZJO3b6nnzA-OnmJNufZZ8pHOlw698E6CQVmoMkU2QKaEAR3i0XSJLQZu_tedXC8puINpjuu4IKZ63UmfEaXe_Mz56XWK2BrZyiPQvY4rwFDDYImSl01w/s16000/IMG_20220421_173721899_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>In May we were allowed to unmask, even in stores and places of mass gatherings. This also warranted a journal entry in which I commented that after more than two years of constantly wearing a mask I felt 'strangely naked'. This was also the month when Maltese towns and villages were once again able to celebrate their beloved feasts. I am not a feast-goer but even I had to admit that it was good to see all the associated paraphernalia decorating the streets once more.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VpEyu8CNfrdjzEWNQGxJtGbf6EfN1FyGo8dzU5ZxhqynYNkGpTzyyhaxTIi711f464qItQbK8k1IZovd_edMerDixTuwXGuZ3iXNk85q7PQ_9o3XBDp2CRE-QmkhKUeXsmVP0qHzdHO0yFQLwFdrM145fdvRErmOUnVZcitnIsOToXEDem4HWtQ2pA/s4608/IMG_20220506_162615760_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6VpEyu8CNfrdjzEWNQGxJtGbf6EfN1FyGo8dzU5ZxhqynYNkGpTzyyhaxTIi711f464qItQbK8k1IZovd_edMerDixTuwXGuZ3iXNk85q7PQ_9o3XBDp2CRE-QmkhKUeXsmVP0qHzdHO0yFQLwFdrM145fdvRErmOUnVZcitnIsOToXEDem4HWtQ2pA/s16000/IMG_20220506_162615760_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p>Our son graduated from secondary school in June with excellent marks. It was a proud moment for us and we were also happy that his hard work paid off. I'm sharing a rare photo of him here as he is quite bashful about appearing on social media. This also happens to be one of my favourite photos of the year.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdg31Ea1yxcaqFY8zVl0i71CF3mm8dzINk-BamXAyHEjD2taWHOuvHpUqXqZQHmy8yVJzZLlodFVbS177Z0l0FbeXqgAbnqfH6sA4jnoiuZVFFAPvksPuvppgcsQiPWYfA4_PK7EGA6lrQV3WhyWa3gyzSDk9FW4sleiqy6mVdJf2FJIo1kpkm-gIgCw/s2400/P1070413.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdg31Ea1yxcaqFY8zVl0i71CF3mm8dzINk-BamXAyHEjD2taWHOuvHpUqXqZQHmy8yVJzZLlodFVbS177Z0l0FbeXqgAbnqfH6sA4jnoiuZVFFAPvksPuvppgcsQiPWYfA4_PK7EGA6lrQV3WhyWa3gyzSDk9FW4sleiqy6mVdJf2FJIo1kpkm-gIgCw/s16000/P1070413.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UuYYfbex3X_Tu08ujmOQI0uO7LTIUXRmsSTNlCC-0vIY-mLjVk7Iyawb-5gROmFhgpUpTW-qENV44rxxFih1rQzBiLrfSP3eSfq1Bq5nvDgNVAS9EZ1Ct-fwySSJjj2aXJFORQcCNHZFnsHPrzJ8Ea5Bre7VmR9NY4UHmvgC66ZVAWc66vG4tEMF8Q/s2400/IMG_20220610_235317217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UuYYfbex3X_Tu08ujmOQI0uO7LTIUXRmsSTNlCC-0vIY-mLjVk7Iyawb-5gROmFhgpUpTW-qENV44rxxFih1rQzBiLrfSP3eSfq1Bq5nvDgNVAS9EZ1Ct-fwySSJjj2aXJFORQcCNHZFnsHPrzJ8Ea5Bre7VmR9NY4UHmvgC66ZVAWc66vG4tEMF8Q/w480-h640/IMG_20220610_235317217.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>For three weeks in July my husband and our son visited family in the US. I had to stay behind this year due to work commitments. It wasn't easy being alone at first and I missed them terribly but I soon fell into a routine that worked well for me. I had some free time on my hands, mostly because I rarely cooked, eating mostly salads, fruit and the occasional plate of pasta. I also got to spend a lot of time with my parents, especially my mum, and we went to the beach together a few times (my mum and I, that is, my dad hates the beach). When the boys returned from the US I took some time off and on one of the days we paid a visit to the Red Tower (St Agatha's Tower) in the northern part of Malta. The deep red colour of this building makes it one of Malta's most prominent and famous coastal fortifications. If you have a minute (literally) you can read a bit more about it in this post I had written some time ago: <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2019/02/malta-in-minute-st-agathas-tower_26.html" target="_blank">Malta In A Minute: St Agatha's tower</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtXbZwOEJGe5ZqKSGAhxTXCTsIT3Yh1r4XHDm7FYfyEFjqW2XqmKulfTJPbdFQkzleC-xg3VXovGEtKTl_ucm9ChATlheDfXsprX9LRNkiUxfLmk0dw0O94Y-exiktMq5XjVOoxXW2HWOiOlsqvwdbLSfJytdD0BOlxBbp6lBf11hIri8co3Esqo5rg/s4608/IMG_20220729_111047253.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQtXbZwOEJGe5ZqKSGAhxTXCTsIT3Yh1r4XHDm7FYfyEFjqW2XqmKulfTJPbdFQkzleC-xg3VXovGEtKTl_ucm9ChATlheDfXsprX9LRNkiUxfLmk0dw0O94Y-exiktMq5XjVOoxXW2HWOiOlsqvwdbLSfJytdD0BOlxBbp6lBf11hIri8co3Esqo5rg/s16000/IMG_20220729_111047253.jpg" /></a></div><p>August is the month when we practically hibernate but this year we braved the heat and went to Valletta's Saluting Battery to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the arrival of the convoy that saved Malta from starvation during WW2. A 21-gun salute was fired from the battery at the Upper Barrakka gardens and it felt like being present there for this commemoration was the right thing to do.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1l2IkZI9ynIggurPjX55K-4AM5weJbvOQ5SMBzNLxLpA8hpxq_3AYbireM1123dv96wIGktfBwY5jJQvTpOrEWt_dqo1rUWMYeP4pUz9_a3ZaZ0sZKkx0XE_tuhq8k4oe7_o32gLwUJDv3urrIjpUey2f-_V-LpbK3HJSa2lhAvSIgTB9-vyQ067jw/s2400/IMG_20220815_121149471_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE1l2IkZI9ynIggurPjX55K-4AM5weJbvOQ5SMBzNLxLpA8hpxq_3AYbireM1123dv96wIGktfBwY5jJQvTpOrEWt_dqo1rUWMYeP4pUz9_a3ZaZ0sZKkx0XE_tuhq8k4oe7_o32gLwUJDv3urrIjpUey2f-_V-LpbK3HJSa2lhAvSIgTB9-vyQ067jw/s16000/IMG_20220815_121149471_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p>Later in the month my husband celebrated his birthday and we had a date night (I can't even remember the last time we had had one) with dinner at <a href="https://chukkasmosta.com/malta/" target="_blank">Chukkas</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ni9xZsPz0vr_ETXLThJOo39Vg4_iNmnD6_5xtxCDKJvbB9fphfoSZ9ttwipIXOFp1GWZvFH6CmchkwUKRvCU2fjggwOvdjfMHtgP6DJPqmKWHQwaTPj6oN2VYFLRNheoV3eEJcUaw0eMWsVmVzBh_3QrU9JnwvporLISgig0_Pjh-TxPNx9LW-trDQ/s4096/IMG_20220827_201647162.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3072" data-original-width="4096" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8Ni9xZsPz0vr_ETXLThJOo39Vg4_iNmnD6_5xtxCDKJvbB9fphfoSZ9ttwipIXOFp1GWZvFH6CmchkwUKRvCU2fjggwOvdjfMHtgP6DJPqmKWHQwaTPj6oN2VYFLRNheoV3eEJcUaw0eMWsVmVzBh_3QrU9JnwvporLISgig0_Pjh-TxPNx9LW-trDQ/w640-h480/IMG_20220827_201647162.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>In September we visited the small but informative <i>Meet The Phoenicians of Malta</i> exhibition at the National Museum of Archaeology which I had written about <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2022/10/endings-and-new-beginnings.html" target="_blank">here</a>. It was also the last month that we visited the beach because, although the weather was still very warm, there were a number of jobs we needed to do around the house that, unfortunately, couldn't wait any longer.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfEwBpTp40BEffh5NPqnZvDKGKbzLfOJt8BpSduT5ozI_OI0JNj9cCpS4e6_ty8m4iI5VMDGN94ecPXrdTRqCZVD4yz8M5Qe8Pm_-ZLpwJhPDsoKF4SqNgJxEoQsH7bKMbFp_PGGpfa9H4AZ8l0T8w1_acHJFiIQ68opRlRrt9wrUj7kKXupeH3WyoQ/s4608/IMG_20220921_111317357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQfEwBpTp40BEffh5NPqnZvDKGKbzLfOJt8BpSduT5ozI_OI0JNj9cCpS4e6_ty8m4iI5VMDGN94ecPXrdTRqCZVD4yz8M5Qe8Pm_-ZLpwJhPDsoKF4SqNgJxEoQsH7bKMbFp_PGGpfa9H4AZ8l0T8w1_acHJFiIQ68opRlRrt9wrUj7kKXupeH3WyoQ/s16000/IMG_20220921_111317357.jpg" /></a></div><p>In October we hiked to <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2019/05/malta-off-beaten-trail-il-karraba.html" target="_blank">Il-Karraba</a>, an area of blue clay hills that are slowly but surely being eroded and I am always under the impression that their height decreases every year. It was a pleasant walk and we ventured further around the cliff-top than we usually do.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76zhbjZ5nBnaQ2scws-MdvXpSILe3aJFtKbfc4dRCFaGGoBN7qbqnmwEHMRk53KKOp9lexexwTbjk2JlPZOBEZ9M3br6vHt0aJK4pZmsec3ig9Aph9kPriTgx0ooClHLHrGx9lRbT-nZaGl84XbtUwxRgayK1XZW-l6HmOk4-awHFJoCf2gZnFVHXSA/s4304/IMG_20221029_114319454_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3228" data-original-width="4304" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg76zhbjZ5nBnaQ2scws-MdvXpSILe3aJFtKbfc4dRCFaGGoBN7qbqnmwEHMRk53KKOp9lexexwTbjk2JlPZOBEZ9M3br6vHt0aJK4pZmsec3ig9Aph9kPriTgx0ooClHLHrGx9lRbT-nZaGl84XbtUwxRgayK1XZW-l6HmOk4-awHFJoCf2gZnFVHXSA/s16000/IMG_20221029_114319454_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83RNgapvVaOQibJSBx3baaeVB-qgX1CJ4Tt-riW53TuGHO84TlYGS3e0oXbLVCIBXmojx0jpK4UqxOOyTxQ3AEUJITuF42DPCzJAyPiPZ4pF6oedgQsFBc2dvfD0iZruTDw9OtJYiuFM8_fBJwupeaHXAHNCbLSozS4LaFBzGTU1TJ_RdLX3k9Co67A/s4608/IMG_20221029_115201449_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi83RNgapvVaOQibJSBx3baaeVB-qgX1CJ4Tt-riW53TuGHO84TlYGS3e0oXbLVCIBXmojx0jpK4UqxOOyTxQ3AEUJITuF42DPCzJAyPiPZ4pF6oedgQsFBc2dvfD0iZruTDw9OtJYiuFM8_fBJwupeaHXAHNCbLSozS4LaFBzGTU1TJ_RdLX3k9Co67A/s16000/IMG_20221029_115201449_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p>November is always a strange month. Here in Malta it is traditionally the month dedicated to the remembrance of departed souls but it is also when we celebrate Thanksgiving and it's also full of the anticipation that I always feel in the last few weeks before Christmas. Right at the end of the month we were hit by a massive storm which brought gale force winds and quite a bit of rain. I thought that winter was finally here.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5eecmaOHy8cVtdBtRl3_Duw6t0NxiYLa2UVK9YX6BQAi-yjduINtMBzKhVVHPe8QcJfxSTc2kjNNl5i6H31qtX0_crhS3MMrp4NAfbzSAfG25gI8dneSNze-joLvhcqqPni4lL5VJu3izB5BfUihJlAdv0EOXUbtTdo8gkB__ViuTBhFFR2Yqg14pA/s4608/IMG_20221127_124339014_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL5eecmaOHy8cVtdBtRl3_Duw6t0NxiYLa2UVK9YX6BQAi-yjduINtMBzKhVVHPe8QcJfxSTc2kjNNl5i6H31qtX0_crhS3MMrp4NAfbzSAfG25gI8dneSNze-joLvhcqqPni4lL5VJu3izB5BfUihJlAdv0EOXUbtTdo8gkB__ViuTBhFFR2Yqg14pA/s16000/IMG_20221127_124339014_HDR.jpg" /></a></div><p>Compared to the previous two years, our social calendar was pretty busy during December with work parties and social gatherings taking place once more. On most evenings, the streets were chaotic with all the traffic until it got to a point where I was very happy to stay home and enjoy the solitude of our quiet little town. The Christmas celebrations were lovely and we all had a good time. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqF080E55KNI2xPvdUA29A3FS0DTGfv3LEErymkx0mN2y2FudOrg2dTDLaRVlNbK-20YSBrs_QCkYEP3ciAMUp7gutj4Ayytg9bcwqlifzHvdaPlRWJBU-eOMnvDtYlll_gV_9zwuaSpZzxZ6GR2mNT98E2HQxnuOuTqVyWfE6oqTdfDwB9KbvGfvavg/s4608/IMG_20221214_172253613.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqF080E55KNI2xPvdUA29A3FS0DTGfv3LEErymkx0mN2y2FudOrg2dTDLaRVlNbK-20YSBrs_QCkYEP3ciAMUp7gutj4Ayytg9bcwqlifzHvdaPlRWJBU-eOMnvDtYlll_gV_9zwuaSpZzxZ6GR2mNT98E2HQxnuOuTqVyWfE6oqTdfDwB9KbvGfvavg/w640-h480/IMG_20221214_172253613.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>For my son and I the highlight of the season was afternoon tea at The Corinthia Hotel. Tea (or coffee) is served with a selection of small sandwiches, cakes and scones. It was something I had been promising to take him to and Christmas felt like the perfect time. He really liked the rather posh surroundings and the very English tradition of afternoon tea. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuv3_O4tBUKVW_5J18pSL6Qpy3C6-AEETiPChnjWwxIZX7jsJudE04hMe1Yz6M45S_9AItoevvS9MqrICz-2nWfqMd5o4PjRArz355KKDGNtMqPNBhm_c7WW4WSItsGztLRB0_RkKS5BSIlhWXnX7MzY0gG6s8s7QqmwRf0UY3EszQI5Q-Nahb3CNfA/s4608/IMG_20221228_164301049.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisuv3_O4tBUKVW_5J18pSL6Qpy3C6-AEETiPChnjWwxIZX7jsJudE04hMe1Yz6M45S_9AItoevvS9MqrICz-2nWfqMd5o4PjRArz355KKDGNtMqPNBhm_c7WW4WSItsGztLRB0_RkKS5BSIlhWXnX7MzY0gG6s8s7QqmwRf0UY3EszQI5Q-Nahb3CNfA/s16000/IMG_20221228_164301049.jpg" /></a></div><p></p><p>I'm now sad that the celebrations are over and we are back at work (and school) but I need to remember that time moves on and so must we.</p><p>Needless to say, I also read a lot in 2022 (41 books - but more about that next week) and continued to find joy in gardening. I'm still trying to decide where this blog is going so you will all need to have patience with me until I figure it out - if I ever do. It was a rather quiet year on a personal level but a year during which the turmoil in the world continued to increase. I worry about what the future holds sometimes, but then I try to let go of all the fears and trust that a Higher Power is watching over us. There can be no other way.</p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-47835843992383660542022-12-29T20:21:00.002+01:002022-12-29T20:21:36.863+01:00The In-Between<p>We are in that strange, often quiet week, between Christmas and the New Year, when I wake up every morning and am never sure which day it is. It is a time that is in-between celebrations, in-between one year and the next, a curious mixture of nostalgia mingled with excitement for the future. It is a week in which I reflect on where I have been and make a rough plan of where I am going. I use the time to slow down and gather my thoughts, to rest and refocus on what's coming next.</p><p>I realise that I haven't posted here for quite a few while. It wasn't intentional and I didn't meant to be away for so long. In fact, I had started a number of posts that I never finished. I won't make excuses - I just didn't feel like writing or sharing anything - a strange place to be for me and, though I hope it was just a phase, I can't promise that it won't happen again. Sometimes life and weariness gets in the way of things, even things I enjoy. But, as you've probably noticed, I've updated my blog template thanks to the always helpful and professional Berenica from <a href="https://www.simplythestudio.com/" target="_blank">Simply The Studio</a>, and I hope this will give me the push I need to start producing content again. Only time will tell. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgz4AyQn-IW9fffIOR-RKUDOtGJi4GzCvAXZAdybEVrCp-yeEqZbOrU_yRGlu11SGcnuhlvGFqqhwfEccZOYkl46gAVrZj4rz0k1J7QQdg6ZhkRFpfPU9OK0AhWLDRBIWbypHkr-ZhcymqegEd8Qfeqm85wKWTLPxFPd3NiPt5Iza-D1SUawmbZHucw/s4608/IMG_20221206_195615830.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Christmas Tree" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUgz4AyQn-IW9fffIOR-RKUDOtGJi4GzCvAXZAdybEVrCp-yeEqZbOrU_yRGlu11SGcnuhlvGFqqhwfEccZOYkl46gAVrZj4rz0k1J7QQdg6ZhkRFpfPU9OK0AhWLDRBIWbypHkr-ZhcymqegEd8Qfeqm85wKWTLPxFPd3NiPt5Iza-D1SUawmbZHucw/s16000/IMG_20221206_195615830.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Christmas Tree" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>If you need help navigating my blog, just let me know but nothing much has changed and it's pretty simple to find your way around. The latest posts are in the slider on top or beneath the 'Join Our Mailing List' tab (which isn't working yet). In the top categories 'Travel' is self-explanatory and will include all posts about trips I have made; 'Lifestyle' includes posts about restaurant reviews, sustainable and green living, thoughts on life and so on; 'Discover Malta' is, of course, about Malta and will include articles about exhibitions, museum sand places of interest; 'Book Talk' will delve into the books I have read and my reviews of them. If you have difficulty with the font size, leave me a comment and I will enlarge it.</p><p>I'll keep this short and will be back next week with a roundup of 2022, followed by an overview of the books I read this year. For those that still pop by to read by thoughts, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude. Your visits mean I'm not just a lone voice trying to make some noise in the internet wilderness. May the coming year be filled with the things that money can't buy: joy, peace, good health and beautiful memories.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Wishing you a wonderful 2023.</span></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-17984142510816734582022-11-21T21:29:00.003+01:002023-01-16T20:37:52.370+01:00Book Talk: Suite Francaise<p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">In today's edition of Book Talk I will be reviewing Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky.</span></i></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Review: Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky, translated by Sandra Smith</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">From the book blurb:</h3><p><i>In June 1940 France fell to the Nazis. The effects of this momentous event on the lives of ordinary Parisians and the inhabitants of a small rural community under occupation are brilliantly explored in Irene Nemirovsky's gripping and heartbreaking novel. Nemirovsky herself was a tragic victim of the Nazi regime but she left behind her this exceptional masterpiece. In Suite Francaise she conjures up a vivid cast of wonderful characters who find themselves thrown together in ways they never expected. Amidst the mess of defeat, and all the hypocrisy and compromise, there is hope. True nobility and love exist, but often in surprising places.</i></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXo9O0BV-3gnQjXABF341ZpMRu7Nkx5jJ5FTiK-lHebzUDQTfPUDn4PQZrf2GIwSDvxy4Od7b_DjYSUzAuuOCoUEC3wYo0_MzNh9MsUF_LCh1CxSLVwG8EwlWyKPQyajnDQjn5BYkpllzuEkn35V9Hetzpuigw20tUrrRYLFvx9hZzDIdK1C4o2UkJw/s4608/IMG_20221102_132148383.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDXo9O0BV-3gnQjXABF341ZpMRu7Nkx5jJ5FTiK-lHebzUDQTfPUDn4PQZrf2GIwSDvxy4Od7b_DjYSUzAuuOCoUEC3wYo0_MzNh9MsUF_LCh1CxSLVwG8EwlWyKPQyajnDQjn5BYkpllzuEkn35V9Hetzpuigw20tUrrRYLFvx9hZzDIdK1C4o2UkJw/w480-h640/IMG_20221102_132148383.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky" width="480" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">My review</h3><p></p><p><i>Suite Francaise</i> was meant to consist of five inter-linked vignettes but only the first two, <i>Storm in June</i> and <i>Dolce</i>, were written as a rough draft before author Irene Nemirovsky was deported to Auschwitz in July 1942. She died there just a month later. The manuscript for <i>Suite Francaise</i> was hastily stuffed into a suitcase by the author's daughter Denise who couldn't bear to read it until many years later.</p><p>One of the most engaging aspects of this book is that we see World War 2 from the eyes of a contemporary. It took me a while to get into the story and it wasn't one of those fast-paced reads that I felt the need to keep picking up. On the contrary, it is slow and rather sad but it did have occasional moments of gentle humour. <i>Suite Francaise</i> is a very atmospheric book with a marvellous sense of place and wonderfully detailed descriptions. </p><p><i>Storm In June </i> is a prime example of stark realism. The reader is immediately immersed in a world of panic and turmoil, A world that has been turned upside down. The characters, who are all trying to leave Paris with their most precious belongings, are flawed but real and we get a whole spectrum of them: the courageous, the cowardly, the rich, the poor, the landowners, the meek, the arrogant, the collaborators, the patriots. Every type of human virtue and vice that a catastrophic event like the war brings out in people is represented in the two short stories making up this novel. It attests to the author's keen observation of human nature that she was able to depict them so truthfully.</p><p><i>Dolce</i>, on the other hand, is an almost dream-like interlude that takes place in an occupied town, far away from the bombs and chaos of Paris. Here, the conquerors and the defeated are forced to live in close proximity, forging fleeting friendships and fragile relationships. It ends with the departure of the Germans for the Russian front.</p><p>Due to its unfinished state the book leaves us wondering what could have happened to the diverse characters we were introduced to. Since we will never know we may have to imagine an ending ourselves - although I felt that, in retrospect, these two fragments mimic the abruptness with which so many lives were cut short by war. So, in a heart-breaking way, I think that this novel is close to perfect just as it is.</p><p><b>Genre</b>: historical fiction (WW2)</p><p><b>First published</b>: 2004</p><p><b>Awards</b>: Magnesia Litera for Translation (Litera za překladovou knihu) (2012), Prix Renaudot (2004), PEN Translation Prize for Sandra Smith (2007), French-American Foundation Translation Prize for Fiction (2006), Jewish Quarterly-Wingate Prize Nominee (2007)</p><p><b>Location of story</b>: Paris & Boussy, France</p><p><b>Trigger warnings</b>: death, violence</p><p><b>My rating</b>: 4.5<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bellota Text", cursive; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-8465540568176182282022-11-15T21:47:00.001+01:002022-11-15T21:47:35.615+01:00 A Contemplative November<p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">In this post I will be talking about ways to savour and make the most of November.</span></i></p><p>Last year at this time I wrote about <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2021/11/giving-thanks.html" target="_blank">Giving Thanks</a>. It was a candid, heartfelt post in which I mentioned the people and things I was grateful for. If I had to rewrite it today, it wouldn't change much. But I would add 'the possibility to celebrate Christmas with family' to the list. After the restrictions of the past two years it feels good to know we can be ourselves again and celebrate with our loved ones. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3iTEsYW2GS9fGNv8Bfs-x4cmw3jWE1i5aysANOL-tC8P34ZI071axrXNt1cPnfzfWlQDex7Tb_5bmEoDhUm1dJ1UtacaZM8BDactG3uYktenXyM-sdO5ibBTnm2N-B1zlE4hNQfBNJHPolvtfJOPyjLBO9jLfk5KirZ-vFbQcAMiCJg6LQ0DHnLhPg/s2400/P1060850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Autumn in Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd3iTEsYW2GS9fGNv8Bfs-x4cmw3jWE1i5aysANOL-tC8P34ZI071axrXNt1cPnfzfWlQDex7Tb_5bmEoDhUm1dJ1UtacaZM8BDactG3uYktenXyM-sdO5ibBTnm2N-B1zlE4hNQfBNJHPolvtfJOPyjLBO9jLfk5KirZ-vFbQcAMiCJg6LQ0DHnLhPg/s16000/P1060850.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Autumn in Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy" /></a></div><p></p><p>What doesn't feel so good is the constant reminders, starting from September, by influencers, ads,some bloggers and so on, that 'it's never too early to start thinking about Christmas'. This is absolute rubbish and just another marketing ploy to have us running around with a 'To Do' list a mile long before we've barely bid adieu to summer. I refuse to do it and, as much as I love the Christmas season, I don't need to start thinking about it while I'm still wearing shorts and flip flops. Slow and steady will still achieve the desired results and aiming for perfection by starting 3 months early to try and have a head start is just a losing battle.</p><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Candles & Poetry</h2><p>November is regarded by many as a dreary month. The association it has, especially in southern Europe, with remembering those that have passed, makes it even more so for countless others. When I was younger I was always in a hurry for November to move on and for glitzy December, with its sparkling lights and hints of magic, to take its place. But I am older now and somewhat wiser. Now I believe that November is a gift; an interlude of sorts, a brief respite before the whirlwind that is December takes its place. We can choose to rush through this month or use these few quiet weeks to turn our thoughts inwards and practice mindfulness. It's the perfect time. The weather may be grey outside and cold, wild winds may blow, but what better time to light a candle and read some poetry? It's been so long since I picked up a poetry book and I long to start reading it again. I find certain poems so perfect for contemplative moments. Do you have any favourite poems or poets? Please share them in the comments. I would love to know. I hear that Mary Oliver is a good place to start. I've just added her collection <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/536668.Dream_Work" target="_blank">Dream Work</a> to my 'to be read' (or tbr) list.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyv_W-572Vq--zcM8uiAd7Q9MZN1LnVcx105xif-zip7dbIHN9Rb7PPUDPs5VenpmHeY2V22lOoiHLNcKT-11GeS0jguOwFGOg24g6isigJCbw3yu6V2RwcI72IOMlv7fx6Oiv9x_ZxrVIK6AFWtIScTFa95lS03J47PEMM5frjK40QY0wmdNutQQ_qg/s2400/P1060864.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Autumn in Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyv_W-572Vq--zcM8uiAd7Q9MZN1LnVcx105xif-zip7dbIHN9Rb7PPUDPs5VenpmHeY2V22lOoiHLNcKT-11GeS0jguOwFGOg24g6isigJCbw3yu6V2RwcI72IOMlv7fx6Oiv9x_ZxrVIK6AFWtIScTFa95lS03J47PEMM5frjK40QY0wmdNutQQ_qg/s16000/P1060864.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Autumn in Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy" /></a></div><p></p><p>As for candles, I have just added a <a href="https://www.zarahome.com/ee/fragrances/candles/(180-g)-salted-caramel-scented-candle-c1020447480p321075480.html" target="_blank">Salted Caramel Scented candle</a> from Zara Home to my collection. I love to change candles according to the season. They really enhance the ambiance and the golden glow of candles makes everything look so pretty and cozy. It's a perfect way to end any evening but especially when the daylight fades fast as it does during this time of the year.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Lists & Notebooks</h2><p>I know we all get caught in the business of the upcoming season and I firmly believe that keeping a notebook close at hand and scribbling down some lists or simply recording some of our thoughts is a sanity-saver. Notebooks are a sore subject in our household. I can rarely resist a pretty one and generally have several on the go. There are always a couple lounging around in my handbags as I can never be sure when my inspiration is fired or I need to jot something down to make sure I don't forget it. <a href="https://www.etsy.com/search?q=notebook" target="_blank">Etsy</a> has so many pretty ones but even our local stationeries usually have plenty to choose from.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXXOZO_HMmnIJbuBQAg3QwvHZ2WCLTiJv2g-8hKzJngQOWaG_6AFU6XTbDnEyq_-zM-8Os7-n7sfFf5ZHE-5vY9yaUyVAy1fnxT_4lxXBiOtOF9DjKqWaVUtUu7azGdlOjUDJtR7Lma0NiJeaimzjw37GsOLFB67nO7U5FhT7yjeYqshnsVDNYhuerQ/s2400/P1060862.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Autumn in Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfXXOZO_HMmnIJbuBQAg3QwvHZ2WCLTiJv2g-8hKzJngQOWaG_6AFU6XTbDnEyq_-zM-8Os7-n7sfFf5ZHE-5vY9yaUyVAy1fnxT_4lxXBiOtOF9DjKqWaVUtUu7azGdlOjUDJtR7Lma0NiJeaimzjw37GsOLFB67nO7U5FhT7yjeYqshnsVDNYhuerQ/s16000/P1060862.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Autumn in Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy" /></a></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: left;">Gardening & Flowers</h2><p>I know I sound like a broken record but I do find gardening immensely therapeutic. Autumn is like a second Spring in the Mediterranean. Our roses are blooming again after the summer drought and yesterday I finally took my camera out of its bag and took some shots. Once January comes around we will cut them back and try to propagate new plants from cuttings. It's not an easy endeavour but the satisfaction of growing a plant from a cutting is hard to describe. If you're not into gardening just spend some time in nature: go for a walk on the beach or in a forest or park. Just take yourself off to a place where you can leave your worries and your phone behind. Somewhere away from crowds and noise and too many things going on at once. Disconnecting from everything for a few minutes each day or a couple of hours whenever you get the time is great for your well-being. We need to remember to take care of ourselves. Many of the chores we feel we have to do can wait until we're able to silence those voices in our head and just breathe in and out slowly and calmly, until a feeling of calmness and peace pervades our whole being. Everything else can wait.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaqHwUUZhtpgVATB_Z6Vp_JnNb33mFgAgDxZH2drHQN9tBtyObHHofGp8YTUa067QlJO38RSLsCUevoCOZHhvXMXiMTk6Bds_5Uiyjv2wDP9quVZZle_x7eLopVkIqPhcEki1RR6FDyL3JweJJAxze5BMOlJsxqLv5lxnGaI68wXycNlIIWfTJsEoZA/s2400/P1070119.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Autumn in Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhaqHwUUZhtpgVATB_Z6Vp_JnNb33mFgAgDxZH2drHQN9tBtyObHHofGp8YTUa067QlJO38RSLsCUevoCOZHhvXMXiMTk6Bds_5Uiyjv2wDP9quVZZle_x7eLopVkIqPhcEki1RR6FDyL3JweJJAxze5BMOlJsxqLv5lxnGaI68wXycNlIIWfTJsEoZA/s16000/P1070119.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Autumn in Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy" /></a></div><p>I hope you enjoyed these few tips on how to make the most of November without feeling the need to be thinking about anything else except the present. Fear of missing out (FOMO) has become an unfortunate part of our existence and I, for one, have been guilty of giving in to the pressure to flit from one thing to the next. But I have learnt that being content in the here and now is the most rewarding way to live.</p><p><br /></p><p>I wish I could say that these images bursting with the rich colours of autumn were taken in Malta but we don't get anything like that here. Instead I am sharing some photos taken during our trip to Tuscany last year.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Location of images</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Val d'Orcia, Tuscany, Italy</span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">October 2021</span></i></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-74476878218619718882022-10-26T16:45:00.005+02:002022-10-27T14:58:31.323+02:00Book Talk: The Adventures of a Curious Cat<p>As promised in my last roundup featuring <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2022/09/books-i-read-in-2022-part-2.html" target="_blank">the books I read between March and June 2022</a> I am going to start reviewing books as soon as I read them. Then, when I do the roundup posts, I will be able to link to the actual review instead of to my Goodreads page which most of you probably can't even view anyway. Some will be short, like today's review, but other's will be a bit longer. It will depend on the book, of course. I hope that if there are any bookworms reading my blog will enjoy them.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Review: The Adventures of a Curious Cat by Curious Zelda with Matt Taghioff</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">From the book blurb:</h3><p><i>Curious Zelda is social media star, agony aunt, yoga teacher, cat. In </i>The Adventures of a Curious Cat<i> she gives insight into her view of the world and dispenses unparalleled wisdom. Zelda explains, in her unique voice, how to handle humans, how to communicate with furniture, and most importantly how to live a life curiously. It's the ultimate self-help guide for any cat, or indeed, their human</i>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaw2VidoRLHGZrb1M0FLHS699wYLag2l-KqZcgCs5WwPgyXk9GSCXhOg7NpliPNek_zroGYGx2m8wVPKnTxKyIh6dxiw_SulTM0ucZ3fYaPrDI453zHsU6djJfZcJ8-iRKTcxkjLnZSw7xYBOlDByJGeKSuhVKE7pWe_gpV94Q_u3vTvr9FocBI9FNVg/s3456/IMG_20221019_125640144.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3433" data-original-width="3456" height="636" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaw2VidoRLHGZrb1M0FLHS699wYLag2l-KqZcgCs5WwPgyXk9GSCXhOg7NpliPNek_zroGYGx2m8wVPKnTxKyIh6dxiw_SulTM0ucZ3fYaPrDI453zHsU6djJfZcJ8-iRKTcxkjLnZSw7xYBOlDByJGeKSuhVKE7pWe_gpV94Q_u3vTvr9FocBI9FNVg/w640-h636/IMG_20221019_125640144.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">My review:</h3><p>This is an amusing book. It made me chuckle in places but didn't have that laugh-out-loud factor that I was expecting nor did I feel the need to keep reaching out for it. It does drag in places and I kept getting distracted. However, it's a pleasant foray into the mind of a cat which, I'm sure, will be appreciated by cat lovers everywhere. </p><p>Curious Zelda has her own Instagram page and you can find her <a href="https://www.instagram.com/curiouszelda/?hl=en" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p><b>Genre</b>: contemporary fiction</p><p><b>First published</b>: 2019</p><p><b>Awards</b>: n/a</p><p><b>Location of story</b>: Zelda's house</p><p><b>Trigger warnings</b>: n/a</p><p><b>My rating</b>: 3 <span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bellota Text", cursive; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px;">⭐</span> </p><p> </p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-65057713787901046612022-10-11T20:18:00.001+02:002022-10-11T20:18:21.164+02:00Endings. And new beginnings<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="text-align: left;">October is always a month of changes. Some years more so than others. Summer has finally bid us farewell and, although the weather is cooler, it is still pleasant enough to be outdoors.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8pGAfAyWjNIWinElIeHuCDju4DcQ9ASI-5cZc0oQ-AKoK8U7mtjl3OeR_3GM4R007ofO47b8o64fy4amJKaCTv2VZWbCoLskAt7NGRL6bW3HDV8BlOp5Q7Ydpli-3HuR2ICorq1GPWZrqWDB-8h9Mqbmy8UecLYqDvqzUJNngcGkDGA-A4MmorET9g/s2305/IMG_20220716_082209660~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Pink roses" border="0" data-original-height="2305" data-original-width="1728" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhy8pGAfAyWjNIWinElIeHuCDju4DcQ9ASI-5cZc0oQ-AKoK8U7mtjl3OeR_3GM4R007ofO47b8o64fy4amJKaCTv2VZWbCoLskAt7NGRL6bW3HDV8BlOp5Q7Ydpli-3HuR2ICorq1GPWZrqWDB-8h9Mqbmy8UecLYqDvqzUJNngcGkDGA-A4MmorET9g/s16000/IMG_20220716_082209660~2.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Pink roses" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84ABJNM8SdsPeHpcdDj-BotDRUIHXlT8GQ5KCHeRK_iqZwXDq2gQk9Pd9sSKj3pYi0ZOoarJHGOroGmyP257VFGR27wD1ksUeJohj7v2ygeZZsQxKg5DCJwmCI5hB3x_7J84-3OXmOXWgqY8__wMtgK8I2OVk3z5iwiShUKepWX-Iex5UyduGTuPUEQ/s4608/IMG_20220716_082209660.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Pink roses" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg84ABJNM8SdsPeHpcdDj-BotDRUIHXlT8GQ5KCHeRK_iqZwXDq2gQk9Pd9sSKj3pYi0ZOoarJHGOroGmyP257VFGR27wD1ksUeJohj7v2ygeZZsQxKg5DCJwmCI5hB3x_7J84-3OXmOXWgqY8__wMtgK8I2OVk3z5iwiShUKepWX-Iex5UyduGTuPUEQ/w480-h640/IMG_20220716_082209660.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Pink roses" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuLi92DIj3kCfbfSluxcv37Yn0J9WC4qeU06Vo1fqweE-YvrIJqk6nC6YT4hkHSq8fLePmR6K6bN9ybm5P7sF9HDbYck92qUI-cVnWrEWNupS6yu7PjgFFfPobnDEPljEvu8TBfAU47YHG-vbXjE6LuZ6afV9eNQtr7dprzquN1CHuTXfUeCCZ-DdGg/s4608/IMG_20220716_082154678.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Pink roses" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIuLi92DIj3kCfbfSluxcv37Yn0J9WC4qeU06Vo1fqweE-YvrIJqk6nC6YT4hkHSq8fLePmR6K6bN9ybm5P7sF9HDbYck92qUI-cVnWrEWNupS6yu7PjgFFfPobnDEPljEvu8TBfAU47YHG-vbXjE6LuZ6afV9eNQtr7dprzquN1CHuTXfUeCCZ-DdGg/s16000/IMG_20220716_082154678.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Pink roses" /></a></div><br />.I am finally doing some gardening again: planting bulbs, removing weeds, trimming anything that looks overgrown and deciding what will stay and what should go. While I was never a gardening enthusiast when I was younger, I now find a lot of joy in the simple tasks of planting seeds and seeing them grow. It would be impossible to keep anything but the hardiest plants alive here were it not for an underground reservoir beneath our yard that captures rainwater during our very short wet season. Today my prayers for rain were answered with a massive downpour and a thunderstorm. Autumn bliss.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz1PDADKNxA5DG8ZnlSGekwdfxMqZZ5rTXmcB-LPY90VCpbf-ev5ETvGfskgoK6zzOuQ6Hyye6UazJSq1KoIEe_02vYA2juDHl0-Q2xwuao4DApOwf91vjytbwbJ5lYYaC4_gBsIBq6itTcfcIprpDbvmzos2Jz0YWochsHaZmVdIlZWLjoVTuTQbkA/s4301/IMG_20221010_141055220.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Rain" border="0" data-original-height="4301" data-original-width="3451" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxz1PDADKNxA5DG8ZnlSGekwdfxMqZZ5rTXmcB-LPY90VCpbf-ev5ETvGfskgoK6zzOuQ6Hyye6UazJSq1KoIEe_02vYA2juDHl0-Q2xwuao4DApOwf91vjytbwbJ5lYYaC4_gBsIBq6itTcfcIprpDbvmzos2Jz0YWochsHaZmVdIlZWLjoVTuTQbkA/s16000/IMG_20221010_141055220.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Rain" /></a></div><p>October brought with it another change this year. Our son, the one I used to call the Mischief maker so long ago, started Junior College (that would be senior high school in the US and sixth form in the UK) last week. He is in a very big new school with new teachers and hundreds of new faces. There's so much for him to learn, such a flurry of new activities to get used to, such an important step towards the career of his dreams. I admit to being anxious at the thought of so much newness to get used to - for him and for us. All will be well but my thoughts are in a hundreds different places and I'm more scatter-brained than usual. This is a new phase in my life too. One during which I have to gently let go and guide from a distance. It will be a learning curve. I hope I do well.</p><p>We couldn't say good bye to summer without attending a few events that were on our radar. After a delay of 9 months (because we all came down with Covid last Christmas) the boys (my husband and son) went to the <a href="https://heritagemalta.mt/explore/underground-valletta/" target="_blank">Underground Valletta</a> guided tour. These tours, organized by <a href="https://heritagemalta.mt/" target="_blank">Heritage Malta</a>, provide visitors with a unique opportunity to access the tunnels running underneath our capital city. The underground tunnels were created during the construction of Valletta. Some acted as drains for water or sewage and others allowed the movement of troops. Centuries later the tunnels would serve as shelters during the second World War. I was told that the tour ends spectacularly in an underground cistern whose massive size resembles the interior of a cathedral. More information can be found in this articles: <a href="https://dinlarthelwa.org/news/the-secrets-of-underground-valletta/" target="_blank">The Secrets of Underground Valletta</a>. I opted out of this tour as I was afraid there would be cockroaches (I hate them) in those dark, dank tunnels. However, I was told that there weren't any, so maybe I'll pluck up the courage and go some other time.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxCuc4BPFojo0NuGsHbCqDWClFyYNXhau1E2M7MNAxIqJFaibmV0pmacFKVm_nC6GCUZh1Z_Z1HCSMiBrugYd2PtGAHL4ug2FEVdtHec1vi0cIasSHONnSk_6J1oi_SWlPucxjqF_8ofrczaNrHOGbIyHASX8_MqgGJta8vF_O3M3apSCEbXfdy0Aig/s4003/IMG_20220921_113058808.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Ceiling, National Museum of Archaeology, Valletta" border="0" data-original-height="4003" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxCuc4BPFojo0NuGsHbCqDWClFyYNXhau1E2M7MNAxIqJFaibmV0pmacFKVm_nC6GCUZh1Z_Z1HCSMiBrugYd2PtGAHL4ug2FEVdtHec1vi0cIasSHONnSk_6J1oi_SWlPucxjqF_8ofrczaNrHOGbIyHASX8_MqgGJta8vF_O3M3apSCEbXfdy0Aig/s16000/IMG_20220921_113058808.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Ceiling, National Museum of Archaeology, Vallet" /></a></div><p></p><p><br /></p><p>In September we also had the opportunity to visit the small but highly informative <i><a href="https://heritagemalta.mt/whats-on/meet-the-phoenicians-of-malta-exhibitio/" target="_blank">Meet The Phoenicians of Malta</a></i> exhibition at the National Museum of Archaeology. The Phoenicians were ancient traders from Tyre and Sidon (modern day Lebanon) who sailed to various ports in the Mediterranean and beyond. Apart from an innate fascination with the Phoenicians that I've had since childhood, this exhibition was even more interesting for us because the artifacts were excavated inside a tomb which was discovered just a mile away from the town where we live. The bones and other objects are still being analyzed and studied but I was completely bowled over by the enormous stone sarcophagus that was excavated from the site. How was it transported? Was it built in place? And, because I'm prone to flights of fancy, could these be the bones of my ancestors? So many questions came to my mind as I traced by fingers lightly across the massive stone structure, wondering at the incredible achievements of this ancient race.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBApdtcifzak-lxWVjybKqPpGIqoZ09HAZPXlwW_7qG-Wz1sEtdQhhZTMUP44m5ZC4fJvrvYN1l3xWi-WaoMEU_Opbh6wl0Nldop-CZAY1L85G1FmD5OF4tR_Pbbwqjeq6mioLbpk1JmBAGqGSgTPHXLNMLt2eLTwK38bN-TDHu_xmULfJHPdn_2nL-g/s4608/IMG_20220921_111317357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Phoenician Sarcophagus, National Museum of Archaeology, Vallet" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBApdtcifzak-lxWVjybKqPpGIqoZ09HAZPXlwW_7qG-Wz1sEtdQhhZTMUP44m5ZC4fJvrvYN1l3xWi-WaoMEU_Opbh6wl0Nldop-CZAY1L85G1FmD5OF4tR_Pbbwqjeq6mioLbpk1JmBAGqGSgTPHXLNMLt2eLTwK38bN-TDHu_xmULfJHPdn_2nL-g/s16000/IMG_20220921_111317357.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Phoenician Sarcophagus, National Museum of Archaeology, Vallet" /></a></div><br /><p>More than any other season, autumn is all about endings and beginnings. As I say goodbye to lazy Saturday mornings at the beach and empty our beach bags of sand and sundry small pebbles that hide in there all summer, I will welcome our treks to what is left of Malta's decimated countryside, looking forward to visit such sties as <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2018/03/malta-off-beaten-trail-from-congreve.html" target="_blank">the arch at tal-Hamrija</a> and <a href="https://loreeswritingspace.blogspot.com/2017/03/off-beaten-trail-gnejna-bay-to-lippija.html" target="_blank">Lippija Tower</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>In Nature too the cycle of endings and beginnings continues. The swifts that throughout September filled our skies with their joyous chirping and twittering have moved on. It is strangely silent now. But, last week, at dawn, I heard a robin's call and, later, I saw that the pomegranate fruits are ripe on the trees and bursting their skins. Both are sure signs that autumn is here at last.</p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-42297480230357073302022-09-27T21:33:00.001+02:002022-09-27T21:33:07.727+02:00Books I read in 2022: Part 2<h2 style="text-align: left;">Books I read between April and June 2022</h2><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JmctqE-AvfKKXmtO8R-hvSdaK-e223LAdutmCNVIU5PcEBF9s_BMXuzHvxW6LauBgcmPLkvOjeBQQcz1YDKe5lqy-j4V2UT5Awn1BIxHgTYgiicKeuxFbv4T-Dwla_2ZAwe1rWWW9QfGWAM6Iyt1RDsC9wCN7_JJ35eZBEd4iZ-Yd7YR4mjhIY3Gdw/s4608/IMG_20220606_092217631.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1JmctqE-AvfKKXmtO8R-hvSdaK-e223LAdutmCNVIU5PcEBF9s_BMXuzHvxW6LauBgcmPLkvOjeBQQcz1YDKe5lqy-j4V2UT5Awn1BIxHgTYgiicKeuxFbv4T-Dwla_2ZAwe1rWWW9QfGWAM6Iyt1RDsC9wCN7_JJ35eZBEd4iZ-Yd7YR4mjhIY3Gdw/w480-h640/IMG_20220606_092217631.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>Between April and June I read 11 books. Two were non-fiction and all the rest were fiction. Unlike <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2022/07/books-i-read-in-2022-part-1.html" target="_blank">the first three months of the year</a> the number of books that I rated 4 or more stars was disappointingly low. Only one book out of the eleven I read had a score over 4. Below is the full list of books I read and their respective rating. I have linked each book to Goodreads so that you can have a better idea how other people rated them. However, I've found out that you probably cannot read my personal review unless you are a member of Goodreads. So, what I'm thinking of doing in the future, is sharing the same review here on the blog each time I finish a book. This means I will share a review of all books not just the ones that score 4 stars or more. Let me know whether you think you will enjoy reading them. I promise you that you should be able to read the reviews in about five minutes. Anyway, without any more blubbering on my part, here is the list of books I read last Spring.</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/954436.Lucrezia_Borgia" target="_blank">Lucrezia Borgia by Maria Bellonci</a> 3⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/96505.The_Almond" target="_blank">The Almond by Nedjma </a>(translated from Arabic by C. Jane Hunter) 3.6⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54822767-the-book-of-lost-names" target="_blank">The Book Of Lost Names by Kristin Harmel</a> 2.8⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48768043-a-thousand-ships" target="_blank">A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes</a> 3.5⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53817428-hamnet">Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell</a> 4.4⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28678460-honour" target="_blank">Honour by Elif Shafak</a> 3.7⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53052855-the-seven-husbands-of-evelyn-hugo" target="_blank">The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid</a> 2.6⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30825777-lilac-girls" target="_blank">Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly</a> 3⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51937652-watermark" target="_blank">Watermark by Joseph Brodsky</a> 3⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41728452-the-silence-of-the-girls" target="_blank">The Silence of The Girls by Pat Barker</a> 3.6⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51529783-the-women-at-hitler-s-table" target="_blank">The Women At Hitler's Table by Rosella Postorino</a> (translated from Italian by Leah Janeczko) 3⭐</li></ol><div>Two books, <i>Lucrezia Borgia </i>and <i>Watermark</i>, are non-fiction. The first is a biography of one of the most infamous women of the Italian Renaissance. <i>Watermark </i>is a love letter to Venice. Brodsky was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1987 and appointed US poet laureate in 1991. Unfortunately, I found his writing style rather difficult but I will probably re-read this book in the future.</div><div><br /></div><div>Now on to my reviews. Ordinarily, I only write a short review of books I've rated 4 or more stars but, since there was only one this time, I am including another book as an 'honourable mention'.</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell</h3><div>This book tells the story of Agnes Hathaway, a woman with unusual gifts, who is married to a person who is known throughout the novel as 'the Bard' but whom we all recognize as William Shakespeare. Hamnet is the son they lost to the plague at the young age of eleven. This book enchanted me from the very first page. The writing was beautiful and lyrical and Agnes is a worthy, if unconventional, heroine.</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKe5Zo0SK_kjVIWHs7uZnyAMDIHo8XYmrSFoCZGkLU2t2qPdS2NpRK4mJFQkpTB-7qGuoe1NL6I3X_UhE_LoYv_h00xP_5eFQmA0SCp7VseZhP_CiQ3MctjsmpM4uF2O11yjPOrxm7ZK4uWvQAjOyUyZ05dAPAmRLNbOMUNJ2JYpYJC8NOXnkeqBImHQ/s4608/IMG_20220503_124113016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKe5Zo0SK_kjVIWHs7uZnyAMDIHo8XYmrSFoCZGkLU2t2qPdS2NpRK4mJFQkpTB-7qGuoe1NL6I3X_UhE_LoYv_h00xP_5eFQmA0SCp7VseZhP_CiQ3MctjsmpM4uF2O11yjPOrxm7ZK4uWvQAjOyUyZ05dAPAmRLNbOMUNJ2JYpYJC8NOXnkeqBImHQ/w480-h640/IMG_20220503_124113016.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><i>A compelling and whimsical portrayal of a woman who has been consigned to the shadows by history.</i></div><div>Genre: historical fiction</div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><i>Honourable mention:</i></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">Honour by Elif Shafak</h3><div>This is the story of a young Turkish family that emigrated to London in the 1970s and their struggle to integrate into Western society while trying to keep their traditions alive. But it is also a story about internalised misogyny, about the cultural perception that still exists in some countries that there is a set of weights and measures for men and another one for women. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FPFIT93FDIy9E2nFbxeHog1WC_5-NItJxXEEgDyXkN-RVogdVoZB4LObkHa6UGX3HYnlIVmvMexqYn-0HXMmWbwo162dgxh5mXTeCLVoOdSShRn--FJUJG45yboJ7J2t9ixXAsqUUMk0RAh2l4Ixao_L8cI4703nzpo6C0VoREJW4TL92u7x43Fkvg/s4608/IMG_20220523_195458703.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FPFIT93FDIy9E2nFbxeHog1WC_5-NItJxXEEgDyXkN-RVogdVoZB4LObkHa6UGX3HYnlIVmvMexqYn-0HXMmWbwo162dgxh5mXTeCLVoOdSShRn--FJUJG45yboJ7J2t9ixXAsqUUMk0RAh2l4Ixao_L8cI4703nzpo6C0VoREJW4TL92u7x43Fkvg/w480-h640/IMG_20220523_195458703.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></div><div><i>A book that will make you question your preconceived notions about other cultures.</i> </div><div>Genre: contemporary fiction</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope that some of these books have sparked your interest. As I always like to remind you, I am a picky reader and you might enjoy some of the books that I didn't rate so highly much more than I did. I'm one of those illogical people who cares more about the beauty of the writing than about the actual story. If you have any questions, let me know in the comments and I will be happy to answer you. Books are, after all, one of my favourite things to talk about.</div><p></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-30253850554985655112022-09-13T22:38:00.004+02:002022-09-15T19:49:49.458+02:00The End of an Era<p>I was doing the rounds on Instagram on Tuesday of last week when I came across a photo of Queen Elizabeth during her first official meeting with Liz Truss, appointing her Britain's new Prime Minister. The photo moved me in a strange. 'The Queen looks so frail', I commented under the photo. I had this foreboding that the queen was fading fast but I brushed it away because it seemed like she always rallied. And yet her passing, just 48 hours later, still came as a surprise. She had been Queen throughout my life and I half expected her to live forever, like an eternal symbol of a different era.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAd9lAUswTXmCotFJs3uqBvTUM8-lGGT9kJwVQhvIGDazCsBYlYuEIM6-Tf3amCxdHmecHJkQeFG6jg8OxJL8E4jt8Xvn_jK7eagLcru8REp-Ipee2Q9v-D_lB0F2FAxvK-DpxYf1s86QUzi_lr19rGrIAR_10WKsdNX31ykVHAwkBCQ0UqDqhfShSw/s2400/London%20575.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: The gates of Buckingham Palace" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAd9lAUswTXmCotFJs3uqBvTUM8-lGGT9kJwVQhvIGDazCsBYlYuEIM6-Tf3amCxdHmecHJkQeFG6jg8OxJL8E4jt8Xvn_jK7eagLcru8REp-Ipee2Q9v-D_lB0F2FAxvK-DpxYf1s86QUzi_lr19rGrIAR_10WKsdNX31ykVHAwkBCQ0UqDqhfShSw/s16000/London%20575.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: The gates of Buckingham Palace" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Unapologetic Royalist</h3><p>It was my parents, but mostly my dad, who instilled in me a love of all things British from a very young age. As I grew older, I developed an almost fanatical interest in the current Royal Family and in the kings and queens from whom they are descended. The history of the British monarchy is turbulent, convoluted and utterly fascinating and it's a subject I love to read about. I truly do believe that, although many more kings than queens have ruled Britain, it is during the long reign of Elizabeth I, Victoria and Elizabeth II that the most tumultuous changes and advances in the society of the time took place. Elizabeth II came to the throne a mere 7 years after the end of WW2. Rationing was still in force and Europe was not yet healed of its scars. In the intervening 70 years so much changed and yet her steadfastness, dignity and commitment to her country and to the Commonwealth were a constant reminder that the she would never break the oath she had taken at her coronation, no matter how difficult things may have been for her personally.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5dSeJMTYZocPSjtgvtB1Vx3wGnR-wXyatsfWIPzostpsnF_ClJWt6BcupNN6XjdmtCPxwReiJ1cK3AVQemiiBZR4sOsu5iLKj91zjQkd-XElc9e8UG1i1zKbYi2YZUiG2SDvW54DLfh4zbiD4i9RREKzJzfKgJE-Tgyc6qieH2T7thK-K1tvW1FlQCg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="413" data-original-width="620" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh5dSeJMTYZocPSjtgvtB1Vx3wGnR-wXyatsfWIPzostpsnF_ClJWt6BcupNN6XjdmtCPxwReiJ1cK3AVQemiiBZR4sOsu5iLKj91zjQkd-XElc9e8UG1i1zKbYi2YZUiG2SDvW54DLfh4zbiD4i9RREKzJzfKgJE-Tgyc6qieH2T7thK-K1tvW1FlQCg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Queen and I</h3><p>I was never lucky enough to meet the Queen in person but i did catch a glimpse of her and Prince Philip during a visit they had made to Malta in 1992. However, I never stopped hoping that I would - which is why I would always check whether the Royal Standard was flying whenever visiting one of her official residences. Sadly, although I have visited Buckingham Palace (3 times), <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2018/05/a-day-trip-to-windsor.html" target="_blank">Windsor Castle</a> and the <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2018/10/edinburgh-day-3-holyrood-house-holyrood.html" target="_blank">Palace of Holyrood House</a>, I never saw as much as one of her beloved corgis.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aJGLdusbQdfMaZbJeIeMDYWNsZ2m_nCvda3Q8Zwxvuu7qaRzykWlb96_3QvlNAGSvRuIrD7kx1j6AP63C165wFdSB_oCOdrsFRNpE_TU5aXhvOAQ_N9aMt394WKCpt_hZhMqofpdzhagM2FXO2L7X5uQ1D3jhSG5aEYpt7ttsKZRZR3Y0vxuoOFOew/s2400/London%20293.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3aJGLdusbQdfMaZbJeIeMDYWNsZ2m_nCvda3Q8Zwxvuu7qaRzykWlb96_3QvlNAGSvRuIrD7kx1j6AP63C165wFdSB_oCOdrsFRNpE_TU5aXhvOAQ_N9aMt394WKCpt_hZhMqofpdzhagM2FXO2L7X5uQ1D3jhSG5aEYpt7ttsKZRZR3Y0vxuoOFOew/s16000/London%20293.JPG" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Royal Standard flies above the Keep of Windsor Castle on our visit in 2014. The Queen was in residence.</span></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Queen Elizabeth II and Malta</h3><p>It is said that he Queen had an affectionate place in her heart for Malta although, unfortunately, there aren't many people left who still care. The Queen visited Malta 6 times after she was crowned: in 1954 (as part of a grand tour of the Commonwealth), 1967, 1992, 2005, 2007 and 2015 (which was her last overseas trip). But what perhaps is not widely known is that she actually lived here in Malta for several months between 1949 and 1951 as a naval wife when Prince Philip served in the Royal Navy Mediterranean Fleet. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbzj9xedT5ytF8z5mXSHKMWHlvi9XH5ScbYKW91p7SMlMFaf5qUI8kUBNCudz_-Brq8EFD26TpydLrxHzsrGri9V3WbiOq8k6CXxJK_SXYmFQsB-Z_14h2CBE9aMeKcKgXgGiYgrhUSv0oKYgAzxNzlFkJ_vL5_v4uot_PSYhP_hkh_sP0LYUgi_7lBA" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjbzj9xedT5ytF8z5mXSHKMWHlvi9XH5ScbYKW91p7SMlMFaf5qUI8kUBNCudz_-Brq8EFD26TpydLrxHzsrGri9V3WbiOq8k6CXxJK_SXYmFQsB-Z_14h2CBE9aMeKcKgXgGiYgrhUSv0oKYgAzxNzlFkJ_vL5_v4uot_PSYhP_hkh_sP0LYUgi_7lBA=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></div><br />The residence of the royal couple while on the island was <a href="https://heritagemalta.mt/explore/villa-guardamangia/" target="_blank">Villa Guardamangia</a>, an 18-room neoclassical building with a large garden in the town of Pieta`. Princess Elizabeth (as she was then) and Prince Philip were able to live a normal life, far from the constraints and protocol of the court. The villa was privately owned and over the years if fell into a state of neglect. Unfortunately it is now in a dilapidated state but it was acquired by the Maltese government a few years ago and has now been entrusted to Heritage Malta. The plan is to restore it to its former glory and turn it into a museum. The grand opening is expected to take place in 2027.<p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmG0Nu4HfCU3SuAx1rp2OP1K-d2yemM34CjtT2xlCDbp7jDexjFa4SXGoqZsBnXK-oBraKSq0osL5pVTo9fM_w57gbNaPvqRgHNXJoT_N3BhckcJ91MYUFGcKylDUhKMZ0WaPpSmXFm9ez_KANpkK-sIknpAEkyIkTA0E-rblcW6qlwm6cJoCGAzWgXg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhmG0Nu4HfCU3SuAx1rp2OP1K-d2yemM34CjtT2xlCDbp7jDexjFa4SXGoqZsBnXK-oBraKSq0osL5pVTo9fM_w57gbNaPvqRgHNXJoT_N3BhckcJ91MYUFGcKylDUhKMZ0WaPpSmXFm9ez_KANpkK-sIknpAEkyIkTA0E-rblcW6qlwm6cJoCGAzWgXg=w640-h426" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;">VILLA GUARDAMANGIA (REUTERS / Alamy Stock Photo)</span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;">Elizabeth II was queen of Malta from 1952 until the amendment of the Constitution of Malta on 13 December 1974, which abolished the monarchy and established the Republic of Malta and the office of President of Malta.</p><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I'm adding some links about Malta and the Queen that I thought you'd find interesting:</p><p><br /></p><p>This <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=481338700254069&extid=NS-UNK-UNK-UNK-AN_GK0T-GK1C&ref=sharing" target="_blank">video is from the Queen and Prince Philip's visit in 1954</a>. Also present were a very young Prince Charles and Princess Anne. It was during this visit that my dad met the Queen when he was part of the Boy Scout troop present at the inauguration of the Mater Admirabilis Training College for teachers in Tal-Virtu`.</p><p><br /></p><p>An <a href="https://www.houseandgarden.co.uk/article/queen-elizabeth-and-prince-philips-malta-house-is-for-sale" target="_blank">article in House & Garden about Villa Guardamangia</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p><a href="https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/queen-malta-pictures.979634" target="_blank">The Queen in Malta - in pictures</a></p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The End Of An Era</h3><p>As I write this, the Queen is making her way to Buckingham Palace for the last time. The rain is falling but the crowds are thick on the streets. They do not mind the rain as they stand in silence or clap as the hearse goes by. For this is a historical moment. The end of an era. The passing of a woman who symbolised so much to so many. I do not mean to sound like a sycophant. The Queen was not perfect and I am sure she made mistakes. The media pointed them out often enough. But my feeling is that she always had her fingers on the pulse of her nation. She knew when to be present and when to withdraw. In a world where the only constants are turmoil and change, she has been there, a serene and calming presence for seventy years. Now she is at rest and it is time for the tributes to pour in from all over the world. This is just my own humble one to the woman who was once, for a very few years, my Queen too.</p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-84784757147067283402022-08-16T21:44:00.000+02:002022-08-16T21:44:10.254+02:00Sunshine and cicadas<p><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">The title of this post came to me one lazy Saturday afternoon in late July, between one nap and another, after a morning spent at the beach. It made me smile as I jotted it down, thinking it would make a perfect title for my memoir - that is, if I ever decided to write one. Needless to say, we have had an endless supply of sunshine since May, although it did rain quite heavily last week. The cicadas, on the other hand, didn't make themselves heard until around mid-July. I read somewhere that the temperature has to rise to at least 35C before they start screeching. Now it seems like they will never stop. My grandparents' generation, who never used a thermometer or any other scientific means of measuring temperature, used to say that the heat peaks around the 10th of August, on the feast of Saint Laurence - and, most years, they have been proved right.</span></span></p><p>This year though, it seems that the temperature peaked and plateaued, and it takes all my energy to drag myself upright to do the simplest of chores. Reading and wasting time on Instagram seem to be all I'm capable of at the moment but I'll believe in the old tradition that says that cooler days are ahead.n I just hope we don't have to wait too much longer.</p><p>It has been a strange sort of summer. Even though the days of the pandemic seem to be well and truly over, I still seem to prefer staying indoors. It has become a habit. Not a bad one but I need to get out and about more. Because if I don't I won't have anything interesting to write about will I? And I am sure you are all getting tired of my book reviews by now.</p><p><br /></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">Operation Pedestal 80th Anniversary</span></span></h2><p><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">Yesterday was the 80th anniversary of Operation Pedestal. On August 15th 1942, a badly damaged ship named the SS Ohio limped into Grand Harbour supported by two destroyers, Ledbury and Penn, and delivered a precious cargo of fuel, ammunition and grain to the Maltese population and the British forces. The island was on the brink of surrendering but the supplies delivered by the Ohio, and the rest of the flotilla that made up Operation Pedestal, ensured that it would continue to fight on. Embarrassingly, no official commeration was organized locally and, were it not for Heritage Malta and a local re-enactment group, this important event in our history would have been completely forgotten. </span></span></p><p><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_LdyAtmqq_8Zvs4EmbzcairEUZsspgZcJil3QiMEQTFj7udSdrW1hIQOnNtBW-bu3_R22WtbkOhNa5tO0-gMOxL3-aU5Ec1FjeO3t-hDSg4bjFESlSsc-95XOakVXXUd1MMJ8xzyJdSXaba3ZMXOijVLvaPWL5vX4J0P2zxUyXxsF_OmYyGQSshgNg/s4608/IMG_20220815_121149471_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Saluting battery, Upper Barracca Gardens, Malta" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI_LdyAtmqq_8Zvs4EmbzcairEUZsspgZcJil3QiMEQTFj7udSdrW1hIQOnNtBW-bu3_R22WtbkOhNa5tO0-gMOxL3-aU5Ec1FjeO3t-hDSg4bjFESlSsc-95XOakVXXUd1MMJ8xzyJdSXaba3ZMXOijVLvaPWL5vX4J0P2zxUyXxsF_OmYyGQSshgNg/s16000/IMG_20220815_121149471_HDR.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Saluting battery, Upper Barracca Gardens, Malta" /></a></span></div><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>But my son remembered and we attended the firing of a gun salute from the Saluting Battery at the Upper Barracca Gardens in Valletta. If you run and Internet search on 'Operation Pedestal' you will find hundreds of articles. I had written in more detail about Operation Pedestal <a href="http://allaboutmalta.blogspot.com/search?q=operation+pedestal" target="_blank">here</a>. One of our local newspapers yesterday published an interesting article about <a href="https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2022-08-15/local-news/Operation-Pedestal-The-heroes-who-helped-save-Malta-from-starvation-6736245200" target="_blank">Operation Pedestal: The Heroes That Helped Saved Malta From Starvation</a> and my son uploaded a 30 minute presentation on YouTube in which he explains the importance of this historical event. I am, of course, very proud of him and I am sure he would feel really encouraged if you could <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCdRH6_iBN8" target="_blank">click on this link</a> and help him boost his views.</span><p></p><p><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi06DIfV_LDh78kHojP23T59-4TWFbVBpva6aToi7RtGtgLZPGsBoAJxuXS-Dz6M6eXpp8dCO8J0mzEvkG9gcxOg4hWmyz0r-NTZIdjWwOyQlmT37XpH7teLd1wR_CLS6rk_wrVrwZdYI9L3cpuhd2bN0M_308Xq2zV_11JqkurTjoUUqmxeKKmL1nmNQ" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The SS Ohio" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="630" height="346" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi06DIfV_LDh78kHojP23T59-4TWFbVBpva6aToi7RtGtgLZPGsBoAJxuXS-Dz6M6eXpp8dCO8J0mzEvkG9gcxOg4hWmyz0r-NTZIdjWwOyQlmT37XpH7teLd1wR_CLS6rk_wrVrwZdYI9L3cpuhd2bN0M_308Xq2zV_11JqkurTjoUUqmxeKKmL1nmNQ=w640-h346" title="The SS Ohio" width="640" /></a></span></div><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">TV Shows</span></span></span></span></h2><p><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">We've been enjoying the latest adaption of veterinarian James Herriot's memories in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10590066/" target="_blank">All Creatures Great And Small.</a> It is a throwback to a different era. I always look back at the 1930s and envy the slow, sheltered life that most people lived during that time. Of course, the second World War ended all that but, in my imagination, the 30s were like a golden era of innocence, wholesomeness and good manners. Yes, I admit to being guilty of looking at the past with rose-tinted glasses. I am sure there were plenty of things which were completely awful. I should have listened more closely to what my grandmother's used to complain about instead of basing my opinion on a couple of TV series like this one and The Durrells.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1WIDmATkShxUT4Ja1xeOgecwdFUbFI7FTQmVcJAvTQo8WBOsSx_-UojqOCGlc_QxmGEZu-nHAiEy91WrA1ybyPV2aBm1Ce9--9wA_Qtfh6XCpLoeyKfbddvB3wiOPIGNfIYQk99LRP3_soTKwX2MF3WOTLsSMVW4iqUXOHTVEKn7H56REq0tCTNn14A" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image via Variety.com" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="2560" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj1WIDmATkShxUT4Ja1xeOgecwdFUbFI7FTQmVcJAvTQo8WBOsSx_-UojqOCGlc_QxmGEZu-nHAiEy91WrA1ybyPV2aBm1Ce9--9wA_Qtfh6XCpLoeyKfbddvB3wiOPIGNfIYQk99LRP3_soTKwX2MF3WOTLsSMVW4iqUXOHTVEKn7H56REq0tCTNn14A=w640-h320" title="Image via Variety.com" width="640" /></a></span></span></span></div><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><br />Another show we're enjoying at the moment is <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7242816/" target="_blank">Harrow</a>, the story of a forensic pathologist with an unorthodox approach to solving his cases. It is quite graphic at times so it may not be to everyone's tastes.</span></span></span><p></p><p><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj_0AXbJcCh48hAhxLY11cxlKSJ8v253G09pGx4Svewrv00xbT36uO9-j-hyk2x3BxSp_cJeC0cn6OsaA3RSsjB0YBwGYkHvkBIbTntL3n8wtqfazjxwk-Cye0G_dVnzuPbA4sdGBjxKDav2v-l0813gJ5jnv2LlKP47fjzArVKCM2tnQlYs35dMUS_w" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Image via IMDB" data-original-height="1482" data-original-width="1000" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgj_0AXbJcCh48hAhxLY11cxlKSJ8v253G09pGx4Svewrv00xbT36uO9-j-hyk2x3BxSp_cJeC0cn6OsaA3RSsjB0YBwGYkHvkBIbTntL3n8wtqfazjxwk-Cye0G_dVnzuPbA4sdGBjxKDav2v-l0813gJ5jnv2LlKP47fjzArVKCM2tnQlYs35dMUS_w=w432-h640" title="Image via IMDB" width="432" /></a></span></span></span></div><p></p><p><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;"><span style="vertical-align: inherit;">I'll leave it at that for today. I must plan my posts better because this one seems to be a bit all-over-the-place. As usual, I am going to blame it on the heat.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-90278260540058916332022-07-26T21:59:00.001+02:002022-07-26T21:59:14.089+02:00Books I Read In 2022: Part 1<h2 style="text-align: left;">Books I read between January and March 2022</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujxIQ8x7qaO0ZGLh0HtZNRtZoK6_x2Kbim9aINOwh9m-nNfsFxDz80dZO2jrdqM6E7HAh-KL8YsiQDAcdUKigXo40xE9-MzQGAomPDSje7FfksRR2TBfg6B4ZtDz9pz10d6M_2_f9r0o4FqiUCd63on4q5TiMVw2W7tPRsiGSd6iXdSeowXls-jXX0g/s4608/IMG_20220327_145044402.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujxIQ8x7qaO0ZGLh0HtZNRtZoK6_x2Kbim9aINOwh9m-nNfsFxDz80dZO2jrdqM6E7HAh-KL8YsiQDAcdUKigXo40xE9-MzQGAomPDSje7FfksRR2TBfg6B4ZtDz9pz10d6M_2_f9r0o4FqiUCd63on4q5TiMVw2W7tPRsiGSd6iXdSeowXls-jXX0g/w480-h640/IMG_20220327_145044402.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><p>I started the year on a reading binge totalling 15 books in three months. Out of these, ten scored 4 stars or over in my complicated rating system. Below is the full list of books I read and their respective rating. I have linked each book to Goodreads where you can compare the average book rating with my own, read more detailed reviews (including mine - look for Lorna Dykstra) and get a better idea whether you will like the book or not. As you know, I am not the easiest reader to please. So any rating over four means the book was beautifully written and definitely worth my time. </p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/87474.A_Thousand_Days_in_Tuscany?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=bmuJ0xYvVS&rank=1" target="_blank">A Thousand Days In Tuscany by Marlena de Blasi</a> 4⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43783430-a-month-in-siena?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=xhgLouM8zg&rank=1" target="_blank">A Month In Siena by Hisham Matar</a> 4⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43783430-a-month-in-siena?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=xhgLouM8zg&rank=1" target="_blank">Breakfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote</a> 4.1⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/79550.The_Summer_Book?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=zQLdMZEGNi&rank=1" target="_blank">The Summer Book by Tove Jansson</a> 4⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53902254-the-twins-of-auschwitz?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=XxQTqd3XMK&rank=1" target="_blank">The Twins of Auschwitz by Eva Mozes</a> Kor 4.5⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23129712-the-red-notebook?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=X63XxawyCu&rank=1" target="_blank">The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain</a> 4.8⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35959740-circe?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=n6FwKj7pQL&rank=1" target="_blank">Circe by Madeline Miller</a> 4⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/368916.84_Charing_Cross_Road?ref=nav_sb_ss_1_16" target="_blank">84, Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff </a>4.5⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52649136-fresh-water-for-flowers?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=ZMZtXjPvM3&rank=1" target="_blank">Fresh Water For Flowers by Valerie Perrin</a> 4.2⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6185.Wuthering_Heights?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=qnjBqwqxRr&rank=1" target="_blank">Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte</a> 3.2⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40545956-where-the-forest-meets-the-stars?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=eMR2WjG3Pa&rank=1" target="_blank">Where The Forest Meets The Stars by Glendy Vanderah</a> 3.2⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3087.A_Room_with_a_View?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=XC7JGX4fwN&rank=1" target="_blank">A Room With A View by E.M. Forster</a> 4.1⭐</li><li>T<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32478163-the-day-the-nazis-came---the-astonishing-true-story-of-a-childhood-journ?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=amQ1ybgYyY&rank=1" target="_blank">he Day The Nazis Came by Stephen Matthews</a> 3.75⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/53331577-the-last-bookshop-in-london?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=Y7ejgEdadk&rank=1" target="_blank">The Last Bookshop In London by Medline Martin</a> 3.5⭐</li><li><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25807.The_Postman_Always_Rings_Twice?from_search=true&from_srp=true&qid=OsSdZSDiun&rank=1" target="_blank">The Postman Always Rings Twice my James M. Cain</a> 3.3⭐</li></ol><div>I am not going to bore you with a lengthy and wordy review of these 15 books because we'll be here till Autumn. Instead I am just going to write a few sentences about the ten that stood out for me. The text in italics is my interpretation of the essence of each book.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFKS3s8wbx-TmmZHrF6qccVwA0V3bnVNTvhk4aHNVje-UFwy4v_l6iszo3G61VnpSXTdKF6Fos_6-wmuMNokfKd2kiQ7jUfhcD7fMTEQlJWG3YgDk5Xh4v8Ec-oQSOaPnNUpndSN8pFuXodsDvMTKBHCpw_Ds5frWSVltP7dxTKbiwNrfdJvRYRnk2g/s4453/IMG_20220110_142420154.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4453" data-original-width="3101" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFKS3s8wbx-TmmZHrF6qccVwA0V3bnVNTvhk4aHNVje-UFwy4v_l6iszo3G61VnpSXTdKF6Fos_6-wmuMNokfKd2kiQ7jUfhcD7fMTEQlJWG3YgDk5Xh4v8Ec-oQSOaPnNUpndSN8pFuXodsDvMTKBHCpw_Ds5frWSVltP7dxTKbiwNrfdJvRYRnk2g/w446-h640/IMG_20220110_142420154.jpg" width="446" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">A Thousand Days In Tuscany by Marlena de Blasi</h3><div>This memoir is a charming account of the time Marlena and her Venetian husband spent in San Casciano dei Bagni, an ancient village in the hills of Tuscany. </div><div><i>"An intoxicating insight into Tuscan life, cuisine and traditions".</i> You may read my full review <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2022/02/book-talk-thousand-days-in-tuscany.html" target="_blank">here</a>.</div><div>Genre: memoir</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7Z_O2lqYm3Nu6yF2b0VcLca1ERsyO77lrOKWm2QGJ5A9w2s_IxQfxx2WFVjuC3Tcz0kDdY1OUsgxIM3VZEl7QSl5YaAlkbVS4NHJVx_XCRMusJAZLTdfzP6JHggASeLg5aEUxOix-3UjIcjqfTFG9aJl81hDaGg1h7cKIRL3X7jH2uur4usjVve8EQ/s4608/IMG_20220116_143025147.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF7Z_O2lqYm3Nu6yF2b0VcLca1ERsyO77lrOKWm2QGJ5A9w2s_IxQfxx2WFVjuC3Tcz0kDdY1OUsgxIM3VZEl7QSl5YaAlkbVS4NHJVx_XCRMusJAZLTdfzP6JHggASeLg5aEUxOix-3UjIcjqfTFG9aJl81hDaGg1h7cKIRL3X7jH2uur4usjVve8EQ/w480-h640/IMG_20220116_143025147.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A Month In Siena by Hisham Matar</h3><div>Pultizer prize-winning author Hisham Matar captures the essence of Siena in this lyrical tribute to its art and culture. </div><div><i>"A book that will strike a chord with all those that have visited and loved this enchanting medieval city".</i></div><div>Genre: memoir</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7VMaFGyBt5bRe2k-njE4J1bxu4bdXeX7usJdgm1iqtrC-MxJtvo_PAewLXTnSa8kPT6VJhNrh5tlZ0P9N5ctirM23F02XGK9n32JFmuMbCA1bhJG4ShMEaOQFMp_gVcpWaaEqFMd_I47EBXmhdi8hinW12X_Y6Ad9QI-By-4iH4ODDgMLtXks63g3w/s4008/IMG_20220116_142759479.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4008" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb7VMaFGyBt5bRe2k-njE4J1bxu4bdXeX7usJdgm1iqtrC-MxJtvo_PAewLXTnSa8kPT6VJhNrh5tlZ0P9N5ctirM23F02XGK9n32JFmuMbCA1bhJG4ShMEaOQFMp_gVcpWaaEqFMd_I47EBXmhdi8hinW12X_Y6Ad9QI-By-4iH4ODDgMLtXks63g3w/w552-h640/IMG_20220116_142759479.jpg" width="552" /></a></div><div></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Breakfast At Tiffany's by Truman Capote</h3><div>This short story is very different from the famous movie starring Audrey Hepburn and I thought that the final outcome is more true to the character of Holly Golightly that Capote created. </div><div><i>"A short, witty and wistful read".</i></div><div>Genre: modern fiction</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0gsx6A2BDQ6l-9lTbigrNKYDe5ILF9I1ZDg9sOtQfRHc7Oo4IgWh5fYFJKlzCiaQgvzFuJBGQ2IkbkMtO35_NnNz7U1aH5-dzeYZWXEYJy_5M329x4aOIjDr5jiBbsaETE9bXM0DisJciTDlwSHygHSSPwJBULaWdQ0OKuvriYg-dz_OyP5qdbl88w/s4608/IMG_20220124_161444079.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN0gsx6A2BDQ6l-9lTbigrNKYDe5ILF9I1ZDg9sOtQfRHc7Oo4IgWh5fYFJKlzCiaQgvzFuJBGQ2IkbkMtO35_NnNz7U1aH5-dzeYZWXEYJy_5M329x4aOIjDr5jiBbsaETE9bXM0DisJciTDlwSHygHSSPwJBULaWdQ0OKuvriYg-dz_OyP5qdbl88w/w480-h640/IMG_20220124_161444079.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Summer Book by Tove Jansson</h3><div>This book is presented as a series of vignettes with each chapter recounting an adventure that six year old Sophia has with her Grandmother on an isolated island located in the Gulf of Finland. </div><div><i>"A heartwarming and nostalgic reminder of how summers should be lived".</i></div><div>Genre: modern classic</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMoRiR6n95QttBhvipyJY3ithD_9d55Psb3AFSBBVkzKQAYNRWbl0hGHVYY5m4xbXPaQT3ocaozEyKfmG-2iFyLGiv_1gwBskzHWzKltBEv_LzLl5yQ_ws9zDVNhBA6_zIz6_fHMfGVq5UXivlqfiaNYn_0IO1WsOVeVTIEtnAKehkwiuWYKRn9payg/s4608/IMG_20220130_143310761.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkMoRiR6n95QttBhvipyJY3ithD_9d55Psb3AFSBBVkzKQAYNRWbl0hGHVYY5m4xbXPaQT3ocaozEyKfmG-2iFyLGiv_1gwBskzHWzKltBEv_LzLl5yQ_ws9zDVNhBA6_zIz6_fHMfGVq5UXivlqfiaNYn_0IO1WsOVeVTIEtnAKehkwiuWYKRn9payg/w480-h640/IMG_20220130_143310761.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Twins of Auschwitz by Eva Mozes Kor</h3><div>Recounted by a survivor of the atrocious experiments carried out on identical twins by Doctor Josef Mengele (the 'angel of death') in a simple and gentle style that belies the heavy subject matter. </div><div><i>"A harrowing and horrifying memoir that teaches an important lesson"</i>.</div><div>Genre: memoir</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTNyis49R4fNIceK-DXgbzWM9AvNEQaus4qKY_mEB0S1bxhcrGTeVVwjVtJqu_g3l3znwY4YBoG3sBZnWrKqYpaEExX8SgwcLm4dr92s_gCSTTOO-ADqh-o7aV5qoi1oCGTjaZtjSC6RX7Gq2tByOKjDtA0B3dWH57Vr1DV3dKa1wjfb8cySPWzKGlA/s3637/IMG_20220203_122432278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3637" data-original-width="3300" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqTNyis49R4fNIceK-DXgbzWM9AvNEQaus4qKY_mEB0S1bxhcrGTeVVwjVtJqu_g3l3znwY4YBoG3sBZnWrKqYpaEExX8SgwcLm4dr92s_gCSTTOO-ADqh-o7aV5qoi1oCGTjaZtjSC6RX7Gq2tByOKjDtA0B3dWH57Vr1DV3dKa1wjfb8cySPWzKGlA/w580-h640/IMG_20220203_122432278.jpg" width="580" /></a></div></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Red Notebook by Antoine Laurain</h3><div>This is a love story for grown-ups (not because it is X-rated in any way but because the protagonists are middle-aged and don't take themselves too seriously). My full review is <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2022/05/book-talk-red-notebook.html" target="_blank">here</a> and I have just one piece of advice: read it.</div><div><i>"An enchanting Parisian romance".</i></div><div>Genre: contemporary romance</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYamr74aynI8zF9Cg8I4U5WpsS-1ItXUIpzZ_7MC0UIFxcF8ScSkn7b10UbSmELMoBkygenZMzSkAtaqirK23jQwPEnAXJcVR2YsxTrCm-16W8VZBIL6KxRjcN5KWyLLNG_X7Z9JNb20dPpkIrlOytOkd3V1UJJEhppxGZpxOVGqUb6-qPmJtSI7gcow/s4048/IMG_20220214_122743868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4048" data-original-width="3252" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYamr74aynI8zF9Cg8I4U5WpsS-1ItXUIpzZ_7MC0UIFxcF8ScSkn7b10UbSmELMoBkygenZMzSkAtaqirK23jQwPEnAXJcVR2YsxTrCm-16W8VZBIL6KxRjcN5KWyLLNG_X7Z9JNb20dPpkIrlOytOkd3V1UJJEhppxGZpxOVGqUb6-qPmJtSI7gcow/w514-h640/IMG_20220214_122743868.jpg" width="514" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Circe by Madeline Miller</h3><div>This retelling of the ancient Greek myth is written in Madeline Miller's inimitable style. There was never a doubt in my mind that her Circe would be a fascinating character. </div><div><i>"A compelling read about the mysterious sorceress who seduces Odysseus"</i>.</div><div>Genre: Greek mythology</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApmPnk-QV8Sj1C6-USLBeG0jmYI4Fpn-3a2XzOSsGBh9zAx_0N1_J02gobz1YjCbbEPEliaZYX1vp9DdaoPS711PwiKPn_kPjShCiB1PDII2wRAaerW7kTfjJl5xR8E5RAFz9ryIRa7J-E_YBWKaUXqT8VH_D054bNNgOSqwh7T3PVS0unffpN5ghfQ/s4608/IMG_20220221_123101460.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3069" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApmPnk-QV8Sj1C6-USLBeG0jmYI4Fpn-3a2XzOSsGBh9zAx_0N1_J02gobz1YjCbbEPEliaZYX1vp9DdaoPS711PwiKPn_kPjShCiB1PDII2wRAaerW7kTfjJl5xR8E5RAFz9ryIRa7J-E_YBWKaUXqT8VH_D054bNNgOSqwh7T3PVS0unffpN5ghfQ/w426-h640/IMG_20220221_123101460.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">84 Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff</h3><div>A book that is written as a series of often-droll letters between the author and a bookshop in London represented by their senior buyer Frank<span> 33</span> Doel. </div><div><i>"An iconic example of a long-lasting trans-Atlantic friendship built on a mutual love of books".</i></div><div>Genre: modern classic</div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPzfMyq7PMXopTczjEmANfht6bHurB3BcPk6y4BmJUJeu0jBiEImUvfUhbRQVXvb49D5MroUSQyWr4kSEtM_hQbui6bNKegr0ofrlQCYHeq0A7kvZRHGJErNhz7NHZPMTu6FlRYe6Ussxm3I86PJ9jEvgvMnPe5DbC3Kmq2MsUQCYivtQ18sHuz_u2g/s4608/IMG_20220302_124143645.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyPzfMyq7PMXopTczjEmANfht6bHurB3BcPk6y4BmJUJeu0jBiEImUvfUhbRQVXvb49D5MroUSQyWr4kSEtM_hQbui6bNKegr0ofrlQCYHeq0A7kvZRHGJErNhz7NHZPMTu6FlRYe6Ussxm3I86PJ9jEvgvMnPe5DbC3Kmq2MsUQCYivtQ18sHuz_u2g/w480-h640/IMG_20220302_124143645.jpg" width="480" /></a></div><div><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Fresh Water For Flowers by Valerie Perrin</h3><div>This story about a cemetery-keeper with a heart-breaking past is anything but morbid. </div><div><i>"A novel that reminds us of the restorative power of hope. I loved it".</i></div><div>Genre: contemporary fiction</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxROyU3rkBtZhGA8S7DEufevaBhrOlXWskC1yZkfvAb02HxhtCiYyty9pNwVu83yuBmYROg579fXbNdKOBqLkuobkxig6QJIyVkSmdyT5izjw9nhPNw5jq6z8rz-ytXqLQHTI2Ereldai4_pdF3KCX60NvkdVAZx8_5HodcMJOkLdh6_6YeQ_FcGosw/s4608/IMG_20220331_140023456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtxROyU3rkBtZhGA8S7DEufevaBhrOlXWskC1yZkfvAb02HxhtCiYyty9pNwVu83yuBmYROg579fXbNdKOBqLkuobkxig6QJIyVkSmdyT5izjw9nhPNw5jq6z8rz-ytXqLQHTI2Ereldai4_pdF3KCX60NvkdVAZx8_5HodcMJOkLdh6_6YeQ_FcGosw/w480-h640/IMG_20220331_140023456.jpg" width="480" /></a></div></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">A Room With A View by E.M. Forster</h3><div>This book may be viewed as a social commentary on Edwardian society and its rigid class system written by a contemporary. It is a coming-of-age novel in a bygone era. </div><div><i>"A reminder that rules and class do not define who we are".</i></div><div>Genre: modern classic</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope that you enjoy the new format and that some of the books I have featured will capture your interest. If anyone would like me to write a longer review about any of the books, let me know in the comments and I will be happy to do so. </div><p></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-73749569883779095462022-07-12T20:42:00.003+02:002022-07-12T20:42:44.350+02:00Life lately: Summer musings<p>Summer makes most people happy but I think that by now you know that I can only tolerate temperatures of 30C happily. Anything above that and I turn into the worst grump imaginable. We've already had two major heatwaves, both of them lasting well over ten days. But the temperature is tolerable right now so I'll leave it at that.</p><p>I've been away from my blog for a while again which makes me wonder where I want to go from here.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPSeiPnQ9gFyPkhL5NrT6YJo9toBacex7fTR6Kree7Gt91BEHmoimqaXaXa4ySicZ6Tdsa-FpX9Y9zG_g6c0NuK4K9dzSpuZyL51a1FGQM0juZSCZI5o5dj9PrAQ7uh93afh6-QCQtqVPDH2JqQoJ0NpRRfa90LFa08Nozy5DzIPocR3tgHUsLopgzg/s4502/IMG_20220618_175244741.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Mdina, Malta" border="0" data-original-height="4502" data-original-width="3376" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivPSeiPnQ9gFyPkhL5NrT6YJo9toBacex7fTR6Kree7Gt91BEHmoimqaXaXa4ySicZ6Tdsa-FpX9Y9zG_g6c0NuK4K9dzSpuZyL51a1FGQM0juZSCZI5o5dj9PrAQ7uh93afh6-QCQtqVPDH2JqQoJ0NpRRfa90LFa08Nozy5DzIPocR3tgHUsLopgzg/s16000/IMG_20220618_175244741.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Mdina, Malta" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">The future of this blog</h3><p></p><p>To be honest, I no longer know whether this blog has a future. Readership keeps dwindling and I seem to have neither the time nor the inclination to do anything about it - which is sad, after all these years but, like I've said in the past, people are more inclined to read blogs that offer some advice or information rather than those that exist solely for the joy of making connections. Maybe I'm wrong but it sure feels like that right now.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCiAzVX7r97aDM_wzNDg2RS7jfO0fdO-wT_aNMsgNiNP8kwXiDPi9x41Ctxm_veQ2nk_q9czl-dNgAeXblukBKlYHAJPNWTEzrugR5qWds_oq29GnyW5jni3E3jmh1V1p6fReM3Io9lexKUCVQS9UeiJJRbGZP07JIuSbxfFAAGa5qKyufPe45zUWmg/s4608/IMG_20220618_185010543_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Mdina, Malta" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCiAzVX7r97aDM_wzNDg2RS7jfO0fdO-wT_aNMsgNiNP8kwXiDPi9x41Ctxm_veQ2nk_q9czl-dNgAeXblukBKlYHAJPNWTEzrugR5qWds_oq29GnyW5jni3E3jmh1V1p6fReM3Io9lexKUCVQS9UeiJJRbGZP07JIuSbxfFAAGa5qKyufPe45zUWmg/s16000/IMG_20220618_185010543_HDR.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Mdina, Malta" /></a></div><p>So many people whose blogs I loved to read no longer update them any more and it has left me feeling strangely stranded. Other people's motivation and creativity helped fuel my own. I feel as parched as Maltese field at the beginning of August after 4 or more months of drought - not a good thing.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Writing</h3><p>Believe it or not I am finding it harder to write. My thoughts seem very fragmented and writing at length about a single subject is becoming harder. I've taken up micro-journaling because a couple of sentences every so often is all I can manage at the moment. I am finding it strangely liberating and it is teaching me to be concise.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XTMf9pf2GcgB1A3-Dz-gAqgdJgFeCOypxvJ8cItLj-rs5wM8AKKHk_dYhOlif_DEoOnRN7GtS8CyI2C0s2mJmzj2Y6JOq3a-siSoif7x69o2u3ssk9oA8T9siRruQ5N9KniOeBv0l2p0fW4Rqsz3b3eAqqb63jxEmWPlv_Dc8LDvgyR6VfGqNnDrug/s4608/IMG_20220528_101143806_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Tarxien, Malta" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2XTMf9pf2GcgB1A3-Dz-gAqgdJgFeCOypxvJ8cItLj-rs5wM8AKKHk_dYhOlif_DEoOnRN7GtS8CyI2C0s2mJmzj2Y6JOq3a-siSoif7x69o2u3ssk9oA8T9siRruQ5N9KniOeBv0l2p0fW4Rqsz3b3eAqqb63jxEmWPlv_Dc8LDvgyR6VfGqNnDrug/s16000/IMG_20220528_101143806_HDR.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Tarxien, Malta" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Reading</h3><p>My reading is progressing at a steady rate. I have read 27 out of the 35 books that I pledged to read during 2022. I'm running our of books now so I see a book-shopping spree on my horizon. Once again, I have read many books inspired by WW2 but it is time for me to pick up other genres. Reading only helps one grow when we pick up books outside our comfort zone. Otherwise. like all things, it becomes a mundane activity rather than one which expands the horizon of our imagination and knowledge.</p><p>All the reading I do leaves little time for blogging, unfortunately. I haven't even done the first two quarterly posts about the books I have read. Shame on me. One more thing I need to put on my 'to do' list.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGSLSp201xWv7ru7GCYUPBr3HxmcJrvR2zZXh2rRIA-s-eI58wVlr3c8iBaIEz9QOx-yy4RtDZERiRUAIQi043XzNfPL10_kLWDPHfTxsaRE_ZI_yy9IZuSGltMZUC4eYdDrzBmQLePwJ4f4wdzEIdcre51qLMUe6cdkvw6Fjavi8Ah_gJde8FXiDww/s4608/IMG_20220521_174821577_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Rabat, Malta" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqGSLSp201xWv7ru7GCYUPBr3HxmcJrvR2zZXh2rRIA-s-eI58wVlr3c8iBaIEz9QOx-yy4RtDZERiRUAIQi043XzNfPL10_kLWDPHfTxsaRE_ZI_yy9IZuSGltMZUC4eYdDrzBmQLePwJ4f4wdzEIdcre51qLMUe6cdkvw6Fjavi8Ah_gJde8FXiDww/s16000/IMG_20220521_174821577_HDR.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Rabat, Malta" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Photography</h3><p>Photography, like writing, requires the right frame of mind and heaps of motivation, both of which I'm sorely lacking right now. I've already talked about <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2021/06/disappearing-malta.html" target="_blank">Malta's over-development</a> and it just keeps getting worse. Village cores have been changed beyond recognition, more of the countryside keeps being eaten up by ugly blocks of 'apartments' that look like modern slums and it seems I am constantly taking photos of the same things, the ones which haven't changed for centuries (and which I've randomly scattered throughout today's post). They're all taken with my phone so please forgive and blurred edges.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX8k7MCQb0Yxc6O2r1b8HCMeSfExzHYFhXTdRENEuDfIn0sU5-HWtk3mZ-LCcM9OrrAtX590YnsvyCivLWbicudg209u-9LDkSAOqPQP3BvqlPLZAsp-fBneu4HIp8pLr1tRw3e9UuJ4XtafPBmz3ErBLVRL4XLD_49AXeTnsLm3WUqynH8fmTQcw0cA/s4608/IMG_20220521_174201717_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Rabat, Malta" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX8k7MCQb0Yxc6O2r1b8HCMeSfExzHYFhXTdRENEuDfIn0sU5-HWtk3mZ-LCcM9OrrAtX590YnsvyCivLWbicudg209u-9LDkSAOqPQP3BvqlPLZAsp-fBneu4HIp8pLr1tRw3e9UuJ4XtafPBmz3ErBLVRL4XLD_49AXeTnsLm3WUqynH8fmTQcw0cA/s16000/IMG_20220521_174201717_HDR.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Rabat, Malta" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">What next?</h3><p>So, what next, dear readers? Perhaps I'll use these slow and sultry summer months to recharge my batteries and come back with bigger and better ideas. Or perhaps I'll just give up. I really don't know at this point. All I know is that all the algorithms in place on Google and Instagram and everywhere else on the internet have killed creativity and since they ensure that only the 'big fish' are found by search engines. Everyone else is forgotten. It's a sorry state of affairs indeed.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTlludxc1MBJLl1R58VvVCinq4CuLJ5K-1U21h4J1dXvu6p8nbEQnVX7Ze40J50XK22SlvJo7fWynG22RsDYsTNHwhx0KjJ_mni0qGO1v-2kOgseeQic7lWf6Pdde8rjIN7SiTm_qNZGc8WqqB8xR3K_8gUJJ8A42nNIZMrkEsloTjrcNxC-xdkv8Pg/s4608/IMG_20220521_174935816_HDR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Rabat, Malta" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdTlludxc1MBJLl1R58VvVCinq4CuLJ5K-1U21h4J1dXvu6p8nbEQnVX7Ze40J50XK22SlvJo7fWynG22RsDYsTNHwhx0KjJ_mni0qGO1v-2kOgseeQic7lWf6Pdde8rjIN7SiTm_qNZGc8WqqB8xR3K_8gUJJ8A42nNIZMrkEsloTjrcNxC-xdkv8Pg/s16000/IMG_20220521_174935816_HDR.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Rabat, Malta" /></a></div><p></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-34595162375532439932022-05-30T20:23:00.001+02:002022-05-30T20:23:15.691+02:00Book Talk: The Red Notebook<h2 style="text-align: left;"> Book Review: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23129712-the-red-notebook" target="_blank"><i>The Red Notebook</i></a> by Antoine Laurain (translated by Jane Aitken)</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QX6Ldc3X7QuEYHW6B4aVNSnW-8q5o_XAQ5ZQsAEeg-7rYX0pAOdkRKa1-GOqHxBOA7KBopcWYbT01oY-pG-yLD2YW971QLsr7BN17KLTGP4bFzFHvMlQaFQCtoeq30EoKVO_N27aCm-oRQ4qekf_XJdJmhxXZ_uuqRnB_HW-mHhAEfu8kIgjltQaGA/s3637/IMG_20220203_122432278.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3637" data-original-width="3300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4QX6Ldc3X7QuEYHW6B4aVNSnW-8q5o_XAQ5ZQsAEeg-7rYX0pAOdkRKa1-GOqHxBOA7KBopcWYbT01oY-pG-yLD2YW971QLsr7BN17KLTGP4bFzFHvMlQaFQCtoeq30EoKVO_N27aCm-oRQ4qekf_XJdJmhxXZ_uuqRnB_HW-mHhAEfu8kIgjltQaGA/s16000/IMG_20220203_122432278.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Plot summary</h3><p>Laure Valadier gets mugged on her way home one night and suffers severe trauma to the head. The next morning, her stolen handbag is found by Laurent Letellier, a bookshop owner. There is nothing inside the bag with which to identify the owner but Laurent makes it his quest to do so because he is intrigued by the contents of the bag, especially by the random thoughts jotted down in a little red notebook.</p><p><br /></p><h3 style="text-align: left;">My thoughts about <i>The Red Notebook</i></h3><p>This book is, essentially, a love story for grown ups since the main characters are over forty years old. I generally do not read romance but there is nothing soppy or overly saccharine about this story. Unexpectedly, or perhaps not, it is a book I enjoyed immensely. The characters were people I could identify with, normal people with a few flaws, the kind of people you can be friends with.</p><p><i>The Red Notebook</i>, with its brief but succint forays into small independent bookstores and daily visits to the local cafe`, is quintessentially French and easily transports the reader to daily life in one of Paris's quieter <i>arrondissements</i>. I'd definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants to read a moderately-paced story with pleasant characters and the advantage of going to Paris without actually having to fly there. Amusing, distracting and highly entertaining, this is truly a gem of a little book and is, by far, one of my favourite reads this year. It was highly recommended by Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, who described it as 'Parisian Perfection, on her Instagram page <a href="https://www.instagram.com/duchessofcornwallsreadingroom/?hl=en" target="_blank">The Duchess of Cornwall's Reading Room</a>. If you're an avid reader I suggest you follow HRH who not only recommends books but invites the authors to talk about their writing experience, often delving into the particular moment when the idea, or the urge, to write the book first came into their mind.</p><p><br /></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><i>The Red Notebook </i>by Antoine Laurain (in a nutshell)</h4><p><b>Genre</b>: contemporary romance</p><p><b>First published</b>: 2014</p><p><b>Location of story</b>: Paris, France</p><p><b>Length:</b> 159 pages</p><p><b>My rating</b>: 5<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bellota Text", cursive; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjID_GeKyx7d6S0rkgrdCrynHhS77p9VtMBEnsJLeOvoCuIekebI6i5i5YUGMjPNDO92GLr9BsQrk3UpobLFGfsV_09iF4lEjRix8GQzXaGRAoAqlIUM7tjUEU2XC_G1huhe1Sq5Opm8g_p8wIFzwtkidk-icZYNkEurOpkWc1P9f_EKnJKLsJZOZ1whw/s1280/Paris%20-%20Lorna's%20Day%201%20(39).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjID_GeKyx7d6S0rkgrdCrynHhS77p9VtMBEnsJLeOvoCuIekebI6i5i5YUGMjPNDO92GLr9BsQrk3UpobLFGfsV_09iF4lEjRix8GQzXaGRAoAqlIUM7tjUEU2XC_G1huhe1Sq5Opm8g_p8wIFzwtkidk-icZYNkEurOpkWc1P9f_EKnJKLsJZOZ1whw/s16000/Paris%20-%20Lorna's%20Day%201%20(39).jpg" /></a></div><p><br /></p>This book reminded me of a lovely five days that my husband and I spent in Paris several years ago - thirteen, to be exact. It was the end of March and still rather cold. I would love to revisit Paris in late spring when the flowers are blooming in the Tuileries Gardens and all over the City of Light. But until that dream comes true I have to content myself with the beautiful images in Georgianna Lane's book <a href="https://georgiannalane.com/paris-in-bloom" target="_blank">Paris In Bloom</a>. Georgianna's photos are out-of-this-world beautiful and you can take a look at some of the ones she shares on her Instagram page <a href="https://www.instagram.com/georgiannalane/?hl=en" target="_blank">here</a>. It is a pastel-lovers dream-come-true.<p></p><p>You can read more about Paris in these posts from my old blog:</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://loreeswritingspace.blogspot.com/2012/04/wednesday-wanderings-streets-of.html" target="_blank">Wednesday Wanderings: The Streets of Montmartre</a></li><li><a href="https://loreeswritingspace.blogspot.com/2011/11/wednesday-wanderings-art-overdose-at.html" target="_blank">Wednesday Wanderings:Art Overdose At The Louvre</a></li><li><a href="https://loreeswritingspace.blogspot.com/2011/10/wednesday-wanderings-walk-on-champs.html" target="_blank">Wednesday Wanderings: A Walk On The Champs Elysees</a></li></ul><p></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-66894228823842255622022-05-10T21:17:00.000+02:002022-05-10T21:17:14.944+02:00A Twilight Stroll in Montalcino<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7r3SL-iuR29tX_ZJ5d-XJ1f6Ey9TGrFfmuFwqWBDbvoUwCQJHgD2-_12WooMHNVFt6DsRD45W7ngFlEjUZIv4zr9oVxf7G6WpYjQ_vUWF27vfFa9dtjdFiYUnI9p4JmaP-LZPvVr_lbj_RMjgySJKcpOp7nM_GeshSQ-sEbtskvWtmTcSUyqSg6By9Q/s4608/IMG_20211028_170845507_HDR.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: La Rocca di Montalcino, Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="3456" data-original-width="4608" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7r3SL-iuR29tX_ZJ5d-XJ1f6Ey9TGrFfmuFwqWBDbvoUwCQJHgD2-_12WooMHNVFt6DsRD45W7ngFlEjUZIv4zr9oVxf7G6WpYjQ_vUWF27vfFa9dtjdFiYUnI9p4JmaP-LZPvVr_lbj_RMjgySJKcpOp7nM_GeshSQ-sEbtskvWtmTcSUyqSg6By9Q/s16000/IMG_20211028_170845507_HDR.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: La Rocca di Montalcino, Montalcino, IT" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><p>We arrived in Montalcino about an hour before sunset, after a day spent visiting Asciano, the Val d'Orcia and <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2021/11/pretty-pienza-popes-legacy.html" target="_blank">Pienza</a>. Montalcino is a hilltop town set within fortified walls and guarded by an imposing castle. We chose to park our car just outside the walls of this impressive fortress known as <i>la Rocca di Montalcino</i>. I'll talk more about the <i>Rocca</i> later but, of you're looking for stunning views, then make sure to visit the fortress and look out over the expanse of the Val d'Orcia and the surrounding countryside. </p><p>From the fortress it is an easy, if steep, downhill walk to the picturesque historic centre where the most famous landmarks of this small town are located.</p><h2 style="text-align: left;">Montalcino's Landmarks</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Fortress of Montalcino</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsLwx8jP95XETTjwcFtC_Gj4K70ZShb0xLkubIpk3WPq1r60ZOKLm-oQoST3TE4DLDKJlRLsAJLmYxOb4oSHhB4w8AUVFm8Xv2eJPGykZogdchQYyKxce13YrVvjdN8vQ9bO5-bzgnYYZnSXPfCLJDanzPv7LvEkoqYDUt6vj0KoUFc51xe73byOhDQ/s2400/P1060989.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: La Rocca di Montalcino, Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSsLwx8jP95XETTjwcFtC_Gj4K70ZShb0xLkubIpk3WPq1r60ZOKLm-oQoST3TE4DLDKJlRLsAJLmYxOb4oSHhB4w8AUVFm8Xv2eJPGykZogdchQYyKxce13YrVvjdN8vQ9bO5-bzgnYYZnSXPfCLJDanzPv7LvEkoqYDUt6vj0KoUFc51xe73byOhDQ/s16000/P1060989.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: La Rocca di Montalcino, Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><p>This mighty fortress with its huge walls and turrets dates back to 1361. It was built at the highest point of the town and remains relatively intact. It is shaped like a pentagon and used to be the seat of the Abbot of the nearby Abbey of Sant'Antonio. Some additions were made to the structure around 1500 by Cosimo de Medici and restoration works were carried out in the 1930s. It has a large internal garden that is open to the public (free of charge).</p><h3 style="text-align: left;">Palazzo dei Priori</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAboidGhWjWqvsALXZb0KcJC__geZ7Yi2aHve03KoGBpmveblGpGEwkpZgwT9gYXgswDwOBkA9SAmKYEH35NqMzmdl7TZMGEpSzogu37YSI057X5cnmyK26sMUKP-Xp9tXBmY8Yvescvyg4PDOfvCaXwAT3pvuV1i-FvXZz2zk-qRfWfa1OSaBQ__BWA/s2400/P1070009.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Palazzo dei Priori, Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAboidGhWjWqvsALXZb0KcJC__geZ7Yi2aHve03KoGBpmveblGpGEwkpZgwT9gYXgswDwOBkA9SAmKYEH35NqMzmdl7TZMGEpSzogu37YSI057X5cnmyK26sMUKP-Xp9tXBmY8Yvescvyg4PDOfvCaXwAT3pvuV1i-FvXZz2zk-qRfWfa1OSaBQ__BWA/w480-h640/P1070009.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Palazzo dei Priori, Montalcino, IT" width="480" /></a></div><br /><p><i>Palazzo dei Priori</i> and its clock tower are located in <i>Piazza del Popolo</i>, the main square of the town. Also in this square is a Gothic loggia with 6 arches and a host of pretty shops and boutiques.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCWKyrkvtltc3UmDXb8q-bdPafLXystCuLzCzsGNwslWTTUUQIYTVyQEuPGwi_RK4lqyzqSeyuoO_Jdpp_fR3dn1evX6LR-NEHw4I4j-CLSX_oHYhuToSczQe-gO3jwgzvAYT96Hy1YffPHH2ky_XA2TmxBaymNX9AquFr_Z-CRQ6CP0KbswkjjOwOA/s2400/P1070010.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrCWKyrkvtltc3UmDXb8q-bdPafLXystCuLzCzsGNwslWTTUUQIYTVyQEuPGwi_RK4lqyzqSeyuoO_Jdpp_fR3dn1evX6LR-NEHw4I4j-CLSX_oHYhuToSczQe-gO3jwgzvAYT96Hy1YffPHH2ky_XA2TmxBaymNX9AquFr_Z-CRQ6CP0KbswkjjOwOA/s16000/P1070010.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;">Church of Sant'Agostino</h3><p>This small church was founded by the Augustinians in 1227 and rebuilt in 1380 in the Romanesque style.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvRDDlMOW_PO0sf1LqoG1ypDLlv9vWrATqrzsUOOXJ2iYXXevdN8nN6KpWOlUOz9h5yMK6bO23LKXSU1caI73xfuq3qgnDJim8RozgGJVqYUfAnCTDAhGWHa2E_HDwGzqCfpQQzR3OAAD8pbWZ4ehAs47ApbzyHEN9zHUKFwSNrFG6N7edhCUOtKNRA/s2400/P1060998.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Church of Sant'Agostino, Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjvRDDlMOW_PO0sf1LqoG1ypDLlv9vWrATqrzsUOOXJ2iYXXevdN8nN6KpWOlUOz9h5yMK6bO23LKXSU1caI73xfuq3qgnDJim8RozgGJVqYUfAnCTDAhGWHa2E_HDwGzqCfpQQzR3OAAD8pbWZ4ehAs47ApbzyHEN9zHUKFwSNrFG6N7edhCUOtKNRA/w480-h640/P1060998.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Church of Sant'Agostino, Montalcino, IT" width="480" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">Church of La Madonna del Soccorso</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrAPBOUZ3709kR1Xt5944mPG080RqS86q_CDg-3gIz6uXyG5gicjrRf_Qk155oR1L7xrb0VdgsQTjQNlw_QOlaFJC3tQ1AQKDOwe8l-jgA06d7d8H5RrA8do0owq0o56e-xhjl9XTk-NFcalLGdhl8PLK2A62vPuOxAhBczROyFPLJy24Oekkne7Cdww/s2400/P1070049.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Church of La Madonna del Soccorso, Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrAPBOUZ3709kR1Xt5944mPG080RqS86q_CDg-3gIz6uXyG5gicjrRf_Qk155oR1L7xrb0VdgsQTjQNlw_QOlaFJC3tQ1AQKDOwe8l-jgA06d7d8H5RrA8do0owq0o56e-xhjl9XTk-NFcalLGdhl8PLK2A62vPuOxAhBczROyFPLJy24Oekkne7Cdww/s16000/P1070049.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Church of La Madonna del Soccorso, Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><p>The church of <i>La Madonna del Soccorso</i>, which was built across the centuries, is made up of a number of different architectural styles. The bell tower is from 1625 and the facade was completed in the 19th century. The church is situated at the edge of the town and we spent a lovely half hour taking photos of the views (again), the leaves with their pretty autumnal colours and the gorgeous sunset, from a vantage point located in the grounds behind it. I have shared photos of the leaves which so captured by heart in a post I wrote late last year in the run-up to Thanksgiving and which was aptly titled <a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2021/11/giving-thanks.html" target="_blank">Giving Thanks</a>. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">The Duomo of San Salvatore</h3><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicge6zS-951bJSIeLvvsTTzSgAKZF1BpQuaPmTzvHrgEHTSjC9xk7GBAtOAt9wUhg92strBEL25nzviKa9pTwB6iYafdhbDr-toSlFNyEElrEfLtEw7GJ4ILukXmU0W90SIl6Ybgia71BOFZQRI3eCiUIKO-zV1-_iy_fyu8MWpwaNZRPqvZ5jqtpFJw/s2400/IMG_20211028_182522131.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Duomo of San Salvatore, Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicge6zS-951bJSIeLvvsTTzSgAKZF1BpQuaPmTzvHrgEHTSjC9xk7GBAtOAt9wUhg92strBEL25nzviKa9pTwB6iYafdhbDr-toSlFNyEElrEfLtEw7GJ4ILukXmU0W90SIl6Ybgia71BOFZQRI3eCiUIKO-zV1-_iy_fyu8MWpwaNZRPqvZ5jqtpFJw/w480-h640/IMG_20211028_182522131.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree: Duomo of San Salvatore, Montalcino, IT" width="480" /></a></div><p>Although this church looks much older, it was built between 1818 and 1832 in a neo-classical style. It replaces a much older church from the 14th century. The current church of San Salvatore was constructed from materials that were taken from a medieval Romanesque church and reused.</p><p>Montalcino's Claim To Fame</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmcaX5GxPgg4B6m9I9BmwJnLT70UuHXnAcSotYsmyDHwxBcbhcV7pUV04j9S4V0am6Xdw7d34kgLlFJ-JEyOEimJJ2DiJzX56QTkqxsUhj0pugjvWyPSonRagH9TUCgYK82iBJ5YTiIaO-BrWv_QIs-mdeDtsNyo2jhrOcbdheUC4Hr9ews_2LM9tkQ/s2400/P1060992.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghmcaX5GxPgg4B6m9I9BmwJnLT70UuHXnAcSotYsmyDHwxBcbhcV7pUV04j9S4V0am6Xdw7d34kgLlFJ-JEyOEimJJ2DiJzX56QTkqxsUhj0pugjvWyPSonRagH9TUCgYK82iBJ5YTiIaO-BrWv_QIs-mdeDtsNyo2jhrOcbdheUC4Hr9ews_2LM9tkQ/w640-h480/P1060992.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" width="640" /></a></div><p>Montalcino is famous for its wine. Perhaps you have already heard of, and tasted, the <i>Brunello di Montalcino</i>. This wine is aged for 5 years, 2 of them in oak barrels. The <i>Rosso di Montalcino</i> is ready after one year of ageing. We are generally not red wine drinkers as we find them a bit too full-bodied for our taste so we did not partake in any of the wine-tasting opportunities that are available at most of the <i>enoteche </i>(wine bars) scattered around the town.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifklIGP_C2S6pwNroPWuGR1dVC8UyiqrgkAYeZYtAe0an6SuUq98SjRaDoBxwxkRs1GG0wunp8Axtfs7W5PyokQlLqGCerzBwOYF7x2GNmg_F6_4EidC_8A1bmCavvYrXGhH7SuvUz-6sh8mCMGdffaSt1o8lmis7xTFPjKHcFQJrrXK7YC80OPt-RBQ/s2400/P1060994.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifklIGP_C2S6pwNroPWuGR1dVC8UyiqrgkAYeZYtAe0an6SuUq98SjRaDoBxwxkRs1GG0wunp8Axtfs7W5PyokQlLqGCerzBwOYF7x2GNmg_F6_4EidC_8A1bmCavvYrXGhH7SuvUz-6sh8mCMGdffaSt1o8lmis7xTFPjKHcFQJrrXK7YC80OPt-RBQ/w480-h640/P1060994.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" width="480" /></a></div><p></p><h2 style="text-align: left;">What I Loved About Montalcino</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tOFdZaN6OdXOFJUshuJe2GdHpju65APDMuWjxnAsk7_EXpRmaoFcfNF-AYi4n0BUu8BwPae5KkHCKLi4nF7mWNKMdinl2j52sxzytDVtvS4PQIX6TjDOV6huH3g2hZfRgiXOwr0DccIaeKC82kpqj29TjvFIe8NLGbjBdC7cNxxR1EewMSKSFUlMzA/s2400/P1070012.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_tOFdZaN6OdXOFJUshuJe2GdHpju65APDMuWjxnAsk7_EXpRmaoFcfNF-AYi4n0BUu8BwPae5KkHCKLi4nF7mWNKMdinl2j52sxzytDVtvS4PQIX6TjDOV6huH3g2hZfRgiXOwr0DccIaeKC82kpqj29TjvFIe8NLGbjBdC7cNxxR1EewMSKSFUlMzA/s16000/P1070012.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><p>A brief stroll around town revealed that Montalcino is a pretty place with many of its narrow streets decorated with flags of the different <i>contrade</i>. It has a distinctly medieval feel that is enhanced by the lack of cars in the city centre. Its history dates back to Etruscan and Roman times, which seems to be common with many other places in Tuscany. The name of the town is derived from '<i>mons ilcinus</i>' (holm-oak mountain). </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_OkkSH36kFeM--jemf7ANQMzR2RTg4P9cpO1i_rMkUtt7j4XdLJnVRO48GVgOAxbZXH_GzEqkTnNx8KrAxp1wa6CJ1P0cfYf0VN-AgzwkKL1fCDqath-BlXRM07dld14GW_pPfysy9nr2vjiZHJXNK-bXsEED74NrJofBXSOyd2hDYEi5J9k_j4q6Q/s2400/P1070005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl_OkkSH36kFeM--jemf7ANQMzR2RTg4P9cpO1i_rMkUtt7j4XdLJnVRO48GVgOAxbZXH_GzEqkTnNx8KrAxp1wa6CJ1P0cfYf0VN-AgzwkKL1fCDqath-BlXRM07dld14GW_pPfysy9nr2vjiZHJXNK-bXsEED74NrJofBXSOyd2hDYEi5J9k_j4q6Q/s16000/P1070005.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><p>Montalcino was independent until the 12th century when it came under the rule of Siena. In the mid-1500s it fell under the jurisdiction of Florence and the ruling Medici family. Those infamous Medicis were associated with many towns and cities in Tuscany and it is not difficult to notice that they were both very powerful and influential. And very rich.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPSEWFqWacxnu0Qx99Ns6lUzSyjyrK0SvDsyuC6chnPjwj0pc5t03OXXavhcCrHQt7cA19VD0VzzSowkJ9CYGAi3BHbgwpYMxdRW5xb1BWe3Z8rsZXwkdXViHIWb8Ww-wPX_rYntWFkVLBDhBwWR63ajDjaRwnJbGqIBNtWiupNEH3EXuSGHezEIJ8A/s2400/P1070022.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUPSEWFqWacxnu0Qx99Ns6lUzSyjyrK0SvDsyuC6chnPjwj0pc5t03OXXavhcCrHQt7cA19VD0VzzSowkJ9CYGAi3BHbgwpYMxdRW5xb1BWe3Z8rsZXwkdXViHIWb8Ww-wPX_rYntWFkVLBDhBwWR63ajDjaRwnJbGqIBNtWiupNEH3EXuSGHezEIJ8A/s16000/P1070022.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzNz7K9Y3V0XzRAPgB4owPQ-XOH7iLDMRzPC0TEuEYJUzP7R1FVWdvlK2Rj0B9C-5utLGpksAgRg9MryqzuKq3zdDKz2MCp2CkYr5wZm_dtzkoUMKbxofdEaegN0tSKaLWRfC8VYEElB0KXAlJtHVM2eMvdaKFyY4tSvmbUSKw43vSsoP_T9LhMo0_Q/s2400/P1070027.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGzNz7K9Y3V0XzRAPgB4owPQ-XOH7iLDMRzPC0TEuEYJUzP7R1FVWdvlK2Rj0B9C-5utLGpksAgRg9MryqzuKq3zdDKz2MCp2CkYr5wZm_dtzkoUMKbxofdEaegN0tSKaLWRfC8VYEElB0KXAlJtHVM2eMvdaKFyY4tSvmbUSKw43vSsoP_T9LhMo0_Q/s16000/P1070027.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CCtmAlaDO1UZklGkKikhmL1S-NLL-H0AuFdFdPW30zupcdFOGalivoywnAKWvh9XJZSC-qBLqetkA03EfzWnS3ja148qd-a4Wb4xjr3F0qs51tzWJjwLliCyTBjJ6OIynD-a2aiWsbicjAUICqdnK0gfB7qrWIGHEbGl2R9rSt9Fq5aGdxJrV93iNw/s2400/P1070004.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2CCtmAlaDO1UZklGkKikhmL1S-NLL-H0AuFdFdPW30zupcdFOGalivoywnAKWvh9XJZSC-qBLqetkA03EfzWnS3ja148qd-a4Wb4xjr3F0qs51tzWJjwLliCyTBjJ6OIynD-a2aiWsbicjAUICqdnK0gfB7qrWIGHEbGl2R9rSt9Fq5aGdxJrV93iNw/s16000/P1070004.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYrRpe-X3pLlDH1L4G0IInuvWMyoawnzXxwZB_pFGJAcMIu9q4e9TTHkytp9vKOOMWWb12oNZe8_PJT6OUOZTAWlzRGAT39psSzQHDoxjtzRHadZd1rdR6aHhT4nd8W6B6pkJoX_oEzjLXXB1U-rYHU-4yvnWwYnWIM6xYzw6eF1ANH0ZenRiiigC-g/s2400/P1070013-001.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="2400" data-original-width="1800" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYrRpe-X3pLlDH1L4G0IInuvWMyoawnzXxwZB_pFGJAcMIu9q4e9TTHkytp9vKOOMWWb12oNZe8_PJT6OUOZTAWlzRGAT39psSzQHDoxjtzRHadZd1rdR6aHhT4nd8W6B6pkJoX_oEzjLXXB1U-rYHU-4yvnWwYnWIM6xYzw6eF1ANH0ZenRiiigC-g/s16000/P1070013-001.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><p>But I don't want to feel like a tour guide, rattling off dates, dropping names and trying to make sense of all the architectural styles without really showing you why Montalcino is worth visiting, apart from its churches and history. So, instead of trying, and failing, to find adequate words, because no words can quite do justice to the heart-wrenching beauty that is Tuscany, I will let my photos do the talking.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VR58g8rTGlYbRXsnCDt4-OGOcaMgvqJqP52WKgIK7cnfRgZnCjwZ2QkNJvFYmf2Zsk7oDpw38RCP8VnZleOsZq8Yyp98naWDWZ8tmw4HghK2glnpufnzHFfo5VguAxrzi9B4J2Vaoi_fO_jDYn3A3GUv-sVrWVfjkmsOhm9gwqEWqw8Dw8ilHT2uqw/s2400/P1070029.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2VR58g8rTGlYbRXsnCDt4-OGOcaMgvqJqP52WKgIK7cnfRgZnCjwZ2QkNJvFYmf2Zsk7oDpw38RCP8VnZleOsZq8Yyp98naWDWZ8tmw4HghK2glnpufnzHFfo5VguAxrzi9B4J2Vaoi_fO_jDYn3A3GUv-sVrWVfjkmsOhm9gwqEWqw8Dw8ilHT2uqw/s16000/P1070029.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkMm-E6EIE__ryl-FVyw3tFGSecwiHNtWJRN8TKzUA-VIlDXf1gAfCYHBH8D6KpVRhsFC2nqtATXncXJMAXUA3wcqM28Y9F0l_lU9avw3Q8YAhO5I7fa2OHans5JDu9vUsb7EjbrlTetdwJ_n6iFhhtjGVDaQgpJmtRKjX5fJ3dDUgP66N49dELFbGw/s2400/P1070030.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLkMm-E6EIE__ryl-FVyw3tFGSecwiHNtWJRN8TKzUA-VIlDXf1gAfCYHBH8D6KpVRhsFC2nqtATXncXJMAXUA3wcqM28Y9F0l_lU9avw3Q8YAhO5I7fa2OHans5JDu9vUsb7EjbrlTetdwJ_n6iFhhtjGVDaQgpJmtRKjX5fJ3dDUgP66N49dELFbGw/s16000/P1070030.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5XBAqGwi8mom0nZLYHD-rYWl5N0athFOIM5jHSKP7dKGDC75wQ0kD39cKg8I0JuP0NVIpq4eRFYhb6vHbGMmA4BmdcwSOFgRIFj1kObpVhZHHVIQiuyC8z975uwZH9EyZZPR9tJ6oab0pdPCL4yn31ANV6Z8aFK0l2wOEwFiuIx-t86hlGA2pKNgow/s2400/P1070032.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG5XBAqGwi8mom0nZLYHD-rYWl5N0athFOIM5jHSKP7dKGDC75wQ0kD39cKg8I0JuP0NVIpq4eRFYhb6vHbGMmA4BmdcwSOFgRIFj1kObpVhZHHVIQiuyC8z975uwZH9EyZZPR9tJ6oab0pdPCL4yn31ANV6Z8aFK0l2wOEwFiuIx-t86hlGA2pKNgow/w640-h480/P1070032.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" width="640" /></a></div><p>And if I have one enduring memory of Montalcino, it is of the sun setting behind the Tuscan hills, painting the sky in soft pastels, while the air turned slowly colder, the first lights went on in the farmhouses below and smoke curled gently out of a chimney. The silence was only broken by the twittering of birds and by a mother calling her family to supper. It was a simple, mundane moment that is frozen in time and could have easily been forgotten. But it is a moment, together with the feeling of peace that pervaded the air and which cannot be captured in a photo that, somehow, I know I will never forget.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3kSdAa0uOIAwKpkJwNI9IZ0h9IPncJ12WbzCjxaxLJfpsoC73MDLxeREMuv29pr1vVQFV1IKC1Frn7aIir35KA7rkanUCWf6Fs7eN6aussEFk4cCMWJYvzto7CSvxXcaHyntu5K72NCoa238wJgfLrr8PXvq5t9vVBVJJec8p0uhqMUeng8bk9BaZw/s2400/P1070037.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3kSdAa0uOIAwKpkJwNI9IZ0h9IPncJ12WbzCjxaxLJfpsoC73MDLxeREMuv29pr1vVQFV1IKC1Frn7aIir35KA7rkanUCWf6Fs7eN6aussEFk4cCMWJYvzto7CSvxXcaHyntu5K72NCoa238wJgfLrr8PXvq5t9vVBVJJec8p0uhqMUeng8bk9BaZw/w640-h480/P1070037.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlUzI0L8mxEd24wjdtafhCt53dvf6r96OL27elSkDMzYCxX9_DRO1L1yiiO4d1F65JogmZkHnH8Cb88igR_qUl6IWDPzOBzPhIt7Kg_8sfDLrwAhMDHbOuD8DteCH6iOXpSNM6y_SP1bXkXJAY8en_eENSaUM_ZJXTo8YGi7vAQAQmVrKg1oTE1VImQ/s2400/P1070053.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAlUzI0L8mxEd24wjdtafhCt53dvf6r96OL27elSkDMzYCxX9_DRO1L1yiiO4d1F65JogmZkHnH8Cb88igR_qUl6IWDPzOBzPhIt7Kg_8sfDLrwAhMDHbOuD8DteCH6iOXpSNM6y_SP1bXkXJAY8en_eENSaUM_ZJXTo8YGi7vAQAQmVrKg1oTE1VImQ/s16000/P1070053.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1WMnpEcEEeEputg1ibe5-u0O0H7NTvwWdY_RbA8bHSpdH4tlqWWLWg0zwjGwXLUBHs6mn3159fIAC9ZnHhHplNlEERsLWKrl4Q0pKfOn9bZv5mneHe9RyUR8jcsuWxlZxdLRisrL5aO0euY515tINCazYy1IjsgAEhsaNAuVmLFnfkovO_0PFj6Wrg/s2400/P1070063.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI1WMnpEcEEeEputg1ibe5-u0O0H7NTvwWdY_RbA8bHSpdH4tlqWWLWg0zwjGwXLUBHs6mn3159fIAC9ZnHhHplNlEERsLWKrl4Q0pKfOn9bZv5mneHe9RyUR8jcsuWxlZxdLRisrL5aO0euY515tINCazYy1IjsgAEhsaNAuVmLFnfkovO_0PFj6Wrg/s16000/P1070063.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree: Montalcino, IT" /></a></div><br /><p>More about Tuscany (in case you missed them):</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2021/11/a-week-in-tuscany.html" target="_blank">A Week in Tuscany</a></li><li><a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2021/11/pretty-pienza-popes-legacy.html" target="_blank">Pretty Pienza: A Pope's Legacy</a></li><li><a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2021/11/monteriggioni-small-but-mighty.html" target="_blank">Monteriggioni: Small but Mighty</a></li><li><a href="https://sincerelyloree.blogspot.com/2022/01/volterra-in-black-and-white.html" target="_blank">Volterra in Black and White</a></li></ul></div></div>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com153024 Montalcino, Province of Siena, Italy43.0551015 11.489003214.744867663821154 -23.6672468 71.365335336178845 46.6452532tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-53090059867900488682022-04-26T20:38:00.001+02:002022-04-26T20:38:13.628+02:00Kitchen Tales: Lemon Almond Cupcakes<p>Perhaps you've wondered where I've been since I last posted here. To be honest, nowhere, except inside my head. It's a place I escape to often these days. I would be lying if I didn't admit that the war in Ukraine has been, and still is, upsetting me. It invades my waking thoughts several times a day and I have not found much that I wanted to write about in these past weeks. After 2 years of COVID it seemed like the last straw. Now, after more than 8 weeks of silence on my part, I am tentatively picking up where I left off. </p><p>After an unusually cold start, Spring is finally here and the flowers in our garden have started to bloom. So I will try to enjoy this beautiful season and will definitely make an effort to write more frequently if more briefly.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYflO1h-3yVaHX8gxHwIOjC4frePKeCWzy75zytTQBaXe6YoBbGJoNz7wwb38TFmHAJvQegXGt9xgW59tHYcRFHMJeMbqAeG7pMk9vex16f8Kf9Hr-Ks7UEyuroUeCT5I0PalD6ETTcrJGMLFSYp6OhoCnynL_HF6uEzot7mQXK0BAltJ1ffJ4ewa24w/s2400/P1040377.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYflO1h-3yVaHX8gxHwIOjC4frePKeCWzy75zytTQBaXe6YoBbGJoNz7wwb38TFmHAJvQegXGt9xgW59tHYcRFHMJeMbqAeG7pMk9vex16f8Kf9Hr-Ks7UEyuroUeCT5I0PalD6ETTcrJGMLFSYp6OhoCnynL_HF6uEzot7mQXK0BAltJ1ffJ4ewa24w/s16000/P1040377.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I had promised to share more about our trip to Italy last autumn and I will continue to do that in the coming weeks. We have had a very quiet winter. It was uncharacteristically cold (for which I'm thankful) so we spent a lot of time indoors soaking up the warmth and reading (of course). I will soon share with you a book that I read in February and loved immensely. I think you till too.</div><p>Our son will soon be taking some very important exams which he needs to pass before he can continue his education at junior college level (equivalent to senior high school in the US). We support and encourage him and try not to offer advice unless it's asked for - which is not as easy as it sounds. His exams will be over by the end of May and then we will all be looking forward to some downtime during the summer months.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8wpUeGcTfcw8190qmAD3P2A7xPp3-aCT35alCzkqkwaXeFsfowYGEfH6Kq7sKPAQ9TwAJ2zZ8405Pn-uReLiIKWqSY9_d1Enbt3xfGukgJBWksj1gP2AvhoqErShwJCPHC90nx-z9mep-G1Y6eZgGJLMtsLjw6jnueV9MmKaGr_EhkfDShOGlHIidA/s2400/P1040376.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO8wpUeGcTfcw8190qmAD3P2A7xPp3-aCT35alCzkqkwaXeFsfowYGEfH6Kq7sKPAQ9TwAJ2zZ8405Pn-uReLiIKWqSY9_d1Enbt3xfGukgJBWksj1gP2AvhoqErShwJCPHC90nx-z9mep-G1Y6eZgGJLMtsLjw6jnueV9MmKaGr_EhkfDShOGlHIidA/s16000/P1040376.JPG" title="Sincerely Loree" /></a></div><p></p><p>After 2 years we were able to celebrate Easter properly and I made some lemon almond cupcakes for dessert. They are really very easy so I am going to share the recipe with you that I found on <a href="https://centerstagewellness.com/easy-lemon-almond-cupcakes/" target="_blank">Centerstage Wellness</a>.</p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> <b>Lemon Almond Cupcakes</b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><u><i>For the cupcakes:</i></u></p><p style="text-align: center;">1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour</p><p style="text-align: center;">2/3 cup (150g) granulated sugar</p><p style="text-align: center;">1½ teaspoons of baking powder</p><p style="text-align: center;">1/2 teaspoon salt</p><p style="text-align: center;">zest of 1/2 lemon</p><p style="text-align: center;">3 tablespoons (40g) of unsalted butter, at room temperature</p><p style="text-align: center;">1/2 cup (4 ounces) (120 ml) milk (I used almond)</p><p style="text-align: center;">1/2 teaspoon almond extract</p><p style="text-align: center;">1 large egg</p><p style="text-align: center;"><u><i>For the frosting:</i></u></p><p style="text-align: center;">1 cup (250g) powdered sugar</p><p style="text-align: center;">6 tablespoons (80g) unsalted butter, at room temperature</p><p style="text-align: center;">1/8 teaspoon salt</p><p style="text-align: center;">zest and juice of half a lemon, divided (or 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract)</p><p style="text-align: center;">1/4 teaspoon almond extract</p><p style="text-align: center;">1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract</p><p style="text-align: center;">1 tablespoon milk</p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Directions:</span></p><p>For the cupcakes:</p><p></p><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Preheat the oven to 325F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners, or grease and flour them if you’re out of liners.</li><li>Whisk together the dry ingredients. Use a stand or hand mixer to mix in the butter until the mixture looks like coarse sand.</li><li>Add the lemon zest and whisk until it is incorporated into the mixture.</li><li>Whisk together milk, almond extract, and egg. Pour into the sandy mixture and stir slowly until incorporated.</li><li>Use a 1/4 cup measure to scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tins.</li><li>Bake at 325F for 22-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.</li><li>Wait until cupcakes are completely cooled to frost them</li></ol><div>For the frosting:</div><p></p><div><ol style="text-align: left;"><li>Sift powdered sugar into a mixing bowl. Cream together with the butter, salt, lemon juice and lemon zest.</li><li>When well-combined, add extracts and drizzle in half the milk. Beat on high speed until fluffy, adding more liquid until desired consistency is reached. The frosting should lighten in color and increase in volume. (I only added half the milk as the consistency seemed just right).</li></ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYaZHBXRNj6Ugtd3shhOK5dBWAGmWw2iL5zyX1UhZV7VmrXFGSjCzDiN6wJ2oQTqRXOMfTaEurnRGgMtCA-k_paoqMRIpfEfvfo0JTalSEJPZgRnCnx-pqqVMPE4JhtV89zVXOzJA8tS29Lgz5ahbmCMiiHcAEIdC2zfRyrtO1K03jY9io_TialzrdQ/s4608/IMG_20220421_174354973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree" border="0" data-original-height="4608" data-original-width="3456" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxYaZHBXRNj6Ugtd3shhOK5dBWAGmWw2iL5zyX1UhZV7VmrXFGSjCzDiN6wJ2oQTqRXOMfTaEurnRGgMtCA-k_paoqMRIpfEfvfo0JTalSEJPZgRnCnx-pqqVMPE4JhtV89zVXOzJA8tS29Lgz5ahbmCMiiHcAEIdC2zfRyrtO1K03jY9io_TialzrdQ/w480-h640/IMG_20220421_174354973.jpg" title="Sincerely Loree" width="480" /></a></div><br /><div>These cupcakes are really delicious and the lemon-almond combination is a favourite flavour of mine and perfect for a Spring dessert. I added some edible lavender on top to enhance the feeling of the season. They only take a few minutes to make and I am very pleased with this frosting recipe as the consistency of the mixture was perfect unlike some others I've made which were a complete flop.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>And I will leave you with that for today as I think brevity is key to my posting more often. I don't seem to have the time to write long posts anymore, or at least for now, but that's fine.</div><div><br /></div><div>I hope you're all enjoying Spring and I hope I'll get back to posting every week.</div>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5741681994438005143.post-41212210491971813052022-02-14T21:32:00.003+01:002022-02-14T21:32:50.536+01:00Book talk: A Thousand Days In Tuscany<h2 style="text-align: left;">Book Review: <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/87474.A_Thousand_Days_in_Tuscany" target="_blank">A Thousand Days In Tuscany</a></i> by Marlena de Blasi</h2><h3 style="text-align: left;">Book summary</h3><p style="text-align: left;">After three years living in Venice, Marlena and her husband Fernando, move to the small village of San Casciano dei Bagni in a remote corner of southern Tuscany that borders Umbria and Lazio. San Casciano is the antithesis of Venice: a community of just 200 people living in an area surrounded by hills, hot springs and ancient olive groves; a tranquil, out-of-the-way place in the rural heart of Italy. Marlena and Fernando befriend Barlozzo, a sort of self-appointed village elder, who teaches them how to live in harmony with the land, introduces then to the culinary traditions of the region and lets them in on a secret or two. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbATlZYuxxGXyD3q94EShoV-RrfkL7GEtFYXDd7xvfzXo17S-PQK1LqJRIgchc7xfKiVZZ-EtMTfxATR2uODfa8i81acbbU5oSqBJ3-Ehz5nSbrUIax9glcTDgwy_y1n0t4dAycDJ53xnb5FFAUiTMw3EKgQ58ibEdpvfHhnAj9i2eWUXtYg1DVqSitA=s4453" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4453" data-original-width="3101" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhbATlZYuxxGXyD3q94EShoV-RrfkL7GEtFYXDd7xvfzXo17S-PQK1LqJRIgchc7xfKiVZZ-EtMTfxATR2uODfa8i81acbbU5oSqBJ3-Ehz5nSbrUIax9glcTDgwy_y1n0t4dAycDJ53xnb5FFAUiTMw3EKgQ58ibEdpvfHhnAj9i2eWUXtYg1DVqSitA=s16000" /></a></div><br /><h3 style="text-align: left;">My thoughts about <i>A Thousand Days In Tuscany</i></h3><p>While in de Blasi's first book Venice takes centre stage, in <i>A Thousand Days In Tuscany</i> it is the Tuscan people she befriends and the produce of the land who are the protagonists. She writes at length, and with much warmth, about both. It made my heart ache to read how the tenacious inhabitants of this region made a life out of whatever the land provided, especially in the midst of hard times like during and right after WW2. They managed to survive through sheer force of will and by finding joy in the simplest ingredients: wild garlic, chestnuts, berries. Nothing went to waste and whatever the humans could not eat was fed to the animals. <i>A Thousand Days In Tuscany </i>was written around twenty years ago and things may have changed a lot since then, but de Blasi was able to capture Tuscany right at the cusp of this change. It truly made me look differently at this region of Italy and made me realise what a romanticised view we have of it. Tuscany isn't just Florence, Siena and Pisa. It is also these remote towns and villages crowning hilltops or hanging precariously to the edge of mountains - places where traditions are strong and the ties of family and friends even stronger.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxleY33tDz4_0q5-51pHr_vqxNcTO7FaMzDnt1B9F7z05ca86HUwAmCUaye4SqZTb2HuTho8Xx5VcmOWQKPLUcAESwo4UB2TGEsxZ6ewr4VNESOivjKxRlPnX4ShvCABpdr5V_O9GWa2vbH-SMnhDOPvXgO4x6L3ic-I2ZggGK_atwY3M9hnobSRc90w=s2400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Val d'Orcia and the Crete Senesi, Tuscany, Italy" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgxleY33tDz4_0q5-51pHr_vqxNcTO7FaMzDnt1B9F7z05ca86HUwAmCUaye4SqZTb2HuTho8Xx5VcmOWQKPLUcAESwo4UB2TGEsxZ6ewr4VNESOivjKxRlPnX4ShvCABpdr5V_O9GWa2vbH-SMnhDOPvXgO4x6L3ic-I2ZggGK_atwY3M9hnobSRc90w=s16000" /></a></div><p>I really enjoyed this slow-paced memoir that meanders through the seasons that make up a Tuscan year. It was the first book that I read this year and it was just what I needed, a book that filled me with joy but which also made me shed a tear or two. Marlena de Blasi is a food writer and this comes across very strongly in the prose. She loves to cook and to feed people, even if it's only a few pieces of humble bruschetta and, as an added bonus for the culinary-inclined, each chapter includes a recipe from the author's private collection.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPuskOAWONFx9R68cAPr8ETPVW9ftR0lpcxKi_Fj6Ezzhh9m74SGH6dNEI3HxMxIWusSJx0ONXymIO79qW-Y7w8A-JuifftZcKTbMtV6k3eu55LAWNQY8ocXDbHJEAdLWu7kAtQGQIbRPVj1A_ir67Im7lgJ_6kB2IDGeP4MPqQn95F82PyMBZJJFjyA=s2400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Val d'Orcia and the Crete Senesi, Tuscany, Italy" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPuskOAWONFx9R68cAPr8ETPVW9ftR0lpcxKi_Fj6Ezzhh9m74SGH6dNEI3HxMxIWusSJx0ONXymIO79qW-Y7w8A-JuifftZcKTbMtV6k3eu55LAWNQY8ocXDbHJEAdLWu7kAtQGQIbRPVj1A_ir67Im7lgJ_6kB2IDGeP4MPqQn95F82PyMBZJJFjyA=s16000" title="Sincerely Loree: Val d'Orcia and the Crete Senesi, Tuscany, Italy" /></a></div><p>And, yes, sometimes her language is a bit flowery and romantic and it may not be to everyone's taste but I happened to like it and I am now looking forward to reading her third memoir: <i>The Lady In The Palazzo</i>.</p><p><b><i>A Thousand Days In Tuscany by Marlena de Blasi</i></b></p><p><b>Genre</b>: memoir</p><p><b>First published</b>: 2004</p><p><b>Setting of narrative</b>: San Casciano dei Bagni, Tuscany</p><p>⚠️ death of a friend</p><p><b>My rating</b>: 4<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "Bellota Text", cursive; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-align: justify;">⭐</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6szDhDEE8YDasIftCnD9Q5j0z39LKRYy0S9U454HtdrSMHHLVDW0Lgqwhrq-iSmRWUheQ8NTNlqgrZVlEvDSnpQ7TObERow9AmCn1_1Es0NDd9Oy51H2VYBak9N_WW2YwIiSYcG09-QdPXfc3gbSEpj3-7L8eamPItjuSux0-WPACFy2QiU3wSDmQrQ=s2400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Val d'Orcia and the Crete Senesi, Tuscany, Italy" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj6szDhDEE8YDasIftCnD9Q5j0z39LKRYy0S9U454HtdrSMHHLVDW0Lgqwhrq-iSmRWUheQ8NTNlqgrZVlEvDSnpQ7TObERow9AmCn1_1Es0NDd9Oy51H2VYBak9N_WW2YwIiSYcG09-QdPXfc3gbSEpj3-7L8eamPItjuSux0-WPACFy2QiU3wSDmQrQ=s16000" title="Sincerely Loree: Val d'Orcia and the Crete Senesi, Tuscany, Italy" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-align: justify;"><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">Reading about Tuscany of course makes me wish I was there again and I couldn't resist including some photos from our trip last October. I hope you enjoy these images of the Tuscan countryside in autumn.</span></div></span><p></p><p><span style="background-color: white; text-align: justify;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-size: 16px; letter-spacing: 0.5px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTfM1dEeg6Jp8bHzMh1xISv-rY7JtzShwYkZRvJ9XE-IuVMeYqx4_4b3aaLsnCRBMiAUFxwqMm18KHze2Pk5FNCkClfVmR4Xolar1VWPspCL6uMIlwC4yR24Jj0emA8vSXGC0eI7JzuRP4n3TYgK2OSoKLEfMq3mjL_PQk3OjYZMoXl86GP8ZJsn0cYQ=s2400" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Sincerely Loree: Val d'Orcia and the Crete Senesi, Tuscany, Italy" border="0" data-original-height="1800" data-original-width="2400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjTfM1dEeg6Jp8bHzMh1xISv-rY7JtzShwYkZRvJ9XE-IuVMeYqx4_4b3aaLsnCRBMiAUFxwqMm18KHze2Pk5FNCkClfVmR4Xolar1VWPspCL6uMIlwC4yR24Jj0emA8vSXGC0eI7JzuRP4n3TYgK2OSoKLEfMq3mjL_PQk3OjYZMoXl86GP8ZJsn0cYQ=s16000" title="Sincerely Loree: Val d'Orcia and the Crete Senesi, Tuscany, Italy" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.5px;">Images: Val d'Orcia & Crete Senesi, Tuscany, Italy</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic; letter-spacing: 0.5px;">October 2021</span></div><p></p>Loreehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12520908604580765632noreply@blogger.com4