From a Tuscan Hillside: Our Visitors

Friday, January 18, 2013

Our Visitors

Le Ripe birds

Here is a gallery of some of the birds that visited our bird tables last season, hopefully soon to return!

blue tit - parus caeruleus - cinciarella

chaffinch - fringilla coelebs - fringuello


blackcap - sylvia atricapilla - capinera

This one looks a bit of a rascal

collared dove - streptopelia decaocto - tortora dal collare orientale

greenfinch - carduelis chloris - verdone

nuthatch - sitta europea - picchio muratore

love that Egyptian eye shadow

redstart - phoenicurus phoenicurus - codirosso

Thanks to the internet for the photos....

3 comments:

AcanthusJanuary 19, 2013 at 1:30 PM
How marvelous that we have such variety. It makes me feel ashamed for never observing the birds very closely. Except for the collared dove, I would not have been able to identify any of these birds as coming from Le Ripe. I will have to improve my bird-watching on my next visit. As someone who is used to sparrows and pigeons, I am most impressed by their bright, colourful plumage. Of course, these must be the males of the species...
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Upupa EpopsJanuary 28, 2013 at 5:13 PM
The rigogolo, or golden oriole, which was hunted to near extinction is making a comeback and should be included in your pantheon if you have seen one. Its nest resembles a basket that hangs from the V of two branches. The bird is making a comeback at Convertole, and I have seen the male and the female, both bright yellow and almost the size of a tortola. In the past, rigogoli picked up the embroidery scraps that girls who tended the sheep left behind and wove them into nests. (comment sent by friend)
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Situated on a hillside, Le Ripe in Chianti has an orchard with heritage fruit trees, an organic vegetable garden, a row of 18 olives, wild figs, wild grapes, dozens of lavender bushes, a medieval hortus conclusus,a shrubbery, English roses and drifts of bulbs, all requiring labour and love but giving much pleasure in return.

The farm buildings, once home, stable, sty and byre, now renovated, host our friends and family. The cottage, a former barn, and two apartments in the main building, once stable and stall, are rented to guests who come by the week or longer. For more information on staying at Le Ripe, see our rental website.

A MesSy FaMily having MaSses of FUn

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From chocolate cake disasters to Komodo dragons and liquorice allsorts, pogo sticks to paragliding cats, a night at the opera to ice-cream bashing, the Savages are good value for money: there is chaos and confusion for everyone in SaVAgE DAyS.

FOR MESSY KIDS FROM AGE 8

The diary of an Australian Milkmaid, 1882-1889

Em Munro writes her diary in late 19th century colonial Australia, a time and place rife with contradictions. Ordinary settlers struggle to make ends meet in a tough environment where the squatter class has claimed the best land. And the Indigenous Australians who thrived for tens of thousands of years on that land are dispossessed and crushed. Woman’s place is in the home but women’s suffrage is in the air; dreams of independence vie with romantic fantasies; new loyalties compete with old: life choices need to be made.
Em is passionate but trapped in a provincial world with little stimulus and less scope for advancement. Her diary recounts her family’s story, her daily life but also her dilemmas and dreams and eventually her ‘getting of wisdom’.

Threepenny Tales 2

Lily of Lonestorm is another whimsical Tall Tale for readers from age six. Lily's courageous search for her parents unfolds on her island in the Windy Western Ocean and on board the miraculous Seraphina, a ship with Special Potentiality. In the company of a most unusual band of pirates, a surly goat, some bad-tempered fowl and her best friend, rascally Rags, Lily braves Adventures on the high seas and explores uncharted territories, never losing Hope, Wonder and her love of Home.

FOR STORY LOVERS FROM AGE 6

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The Adventures of Barnaby Twickins is a whimsical Tall Tale for all readers from age six up. Barnaby's jaunty, often tongue-in-cheek story takes place in a 17th or maybe 18th century fantasy world of lace and cauliflowers, clogs and fripperies. Our Hero is a merry, plucky Boy who dreams of becoming a Clown and entertaining the World. Readers will enjoy meeting Barnaby's assorted surprising Companions, as well as sharing his Adventures with their dash of Romance and twist of Absurdity.

FOR STORY LOVERS FROM AGE 6

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In addition, the novel contains a literary treasure hunt: over 160 quotations from Shakespeare's works have been put in the mouths of its characters. The reader is invited to spot the quotations and identify their sources which are to be found at the end of the book.