A view of my Tuscan window

These vented openings are typical of Tuscan barns and the planners like to keep them. On the upper floor above the beasts of burden they kept the hay from catching light (or so I suppose).

The wind has more east in it today. Heavy skies and up to 14c. V pleasant for a walk down on the upper Arno flood plain(extra). We passed a shepherd with his flock of milking sheep in a swathe of alfalfa. He stood with his dog and an umbrella slung on his back. He gave a friendly wave. Forty minutes later he and the flock had not moved much. I wondered what a shepherd thinks in that slow eking out of time in fenceless fields before milking calls him and the flock back to the farm perched above the plain.

Tomasso the flooring guy called round. We’ve a terracotta floor that needs treated. On Friday he’ll come to acid lift the temporary waterproofing he sprayed on at the beginning of the pandemic. If the floor dries sufficiently he’ll return on Saturday to lay down a layer of wax. On the Monday he’ll be back to polish it up. Phew.

We bought flour from the local water-powered mill that dates back to the late 17C. The miller said they were using electric power because after the driest of summers there is no water in the river. He wants lots of snow on the highlands of the Pratomagno this winter to rebuild supplies in the exhausted aquifers.

It seems generally agreed this has been a terrible year for growers. The late frost, the drought, extreme heat where what did grow was subject to the ravages of birds, badgers, mice, boar and deer driven mad by the lack of food.

The olive harvest looks scanty hereabouts and the oak and chestnut trees have little fruit. It will be a tough winter for Tuscany’s estimated population of 200,000 boar and 250,000 deer. But the wolves should be alright.