What's happened to spring?

So here we are, in the middle of March, in central Italy ... and it's snowing! That is just bizarre.

Normally at this time of year we'd be having lunch outside, working in the garden, and getting everything ready for the first clients of the year. But this year, things are a little different. It has been exceptionally wet for the last couple of months, and when the snow fell heavily a couple of days ago it settled on some of the roadside trees, and actually pulled them out by the roots, because the soil is so waterlogged.

So the next few weeks - as soon as the sun decides to make an appearance, it's going to be all hands to the pumps to get the garden ready and looking as stunning as it usually does in the summer. It's hard to believe that in less that two months the roses will be in full bloom, and will provide a mass of colour, and that we will all be starting to complain that it's too hot! The sun loungers will be out, and the umbrellas up, and we'll all be ready to jump in that swimming pool!

But it is one of the joys of Italy. We love the fact that the summers are usually glorious, but we do still have winters - although it has to be said, this one has lasted rather longer than we'd hoped!