Inspiration

We were very lucky to be invited to stay with some friends at Cetinale, that fabled Tuscan house.  We flew to Florence last Friday and at lunchtime this was our view, the astonishing steps up to the chapel on the hill above the villa, the so-called Romitorio (I am not quite sure why, answers on a postcard please).
Here is the view looking back... the villa in the distance.
Charlie looking good for drinks that evening.  A joy to be in the warmth after our cold English July.
After dinner meander by the light of starts and glow worms...
(yes, that tiny flash of light is a moving glow bug).
The view the following morning.  I had woken up very early, somehow always the way when I'm on holiday! Why is that?
Cetinale cameos.
Saturday saw the football.  As I write, England are getting ready to play.  A nation waits with bated breath.  You will know the result before you read this blog, but I won't go back and change my text - that can be for another day.
Walls like these have seen all of history.
Again we woke at dawn on Sunday, before the house was up, before any doors were opened.  We crept out quietly and climbed to the top of the Romitorio in the cool air of morning.
In the attic...
And then back via the remarkable Cetinale vegetable gardens... burgeoning with produce. Charlie felt at home here.
The entrance facade.
Most magical of all, the ancient 19th century estate account books.
Each with wonderful covers like these.
Time flies when you are living gently and having happy times with friends.  After a last lunch we took our taxi back to Florence.  We were staying in the beautiful Villa San Michele in Fiesole.
We went down to Florence that afternoon...  Despite the crowds and the tourists there is nothing more thrilling than arriving in the Piazza del Duomo and seeing those greatest buildings of the early Renaissance soaring above.
Always my next little pilgrimage is to the Ospedale degli Innocenti.
And to the church next door.
And to the thrilling view on the return back to the Duomo.
Neptune's Fountain in the Piazza della Signoria, always.  And a reminder that it's time to go and have a drink.
Back to Fiesole, and then the next morning, back home.
Dorset has had leaden skies but it's a rich green summer.  The hedgerows and hills have the feel of the year gently turning.
This morning, I woke at dawn. Charlie's garden was astonishingly beautiful as a mist rolled down the valley....
I crept out early to take photographs.

Then back to bed to the strange and desperate news from America.

Times feel troubled - for certain.  But later, we took the dogs for their walk.

This ancient church:

These ancient hills:

They have seen everything.

Wars, famine, the darkest days; and the happiest days too.  The world revolves.  We are all part of the great continuum of history, and it doesn't end.

Pray for peace and calm: All will be well, and all manner of things will be well, as Julian of Norwich wrote six hundred and fifty nine years ago.