Salamandrina

Possibly a spectacled salamander - terdigitata - that are local to these hills. By the greenhouse, under a flowerpot.

I tried to make some olive oil alla Sig. ‘Eef Robb-insunn. Extras showing crushing, grinding, pressing. An adapted skeletal wine press that been getting in the way for three years.

The ancients made olive oil with less from at least 6000 BC.

An interesting challenge with the kit I had. I ended up sticking the paste in a shirt with the sleeves tied up before pressing. The pressing took forever but there was plenty of other stuff to be getting on with.

The result is still separating from the water in the olives and that I added to make the paste flow. But very bitter ( as neighbour said it would be harvesting this early in the Casentino) or is the toxin from the salamander’s skin.

Heavy rain falling before sleep. The salamander likes the wet.

The numbers jigged up another notch. More than 2000 cases today in Tuscany. Nine in the Casentino but all from people already isolating.