On the way back from Padova the heat was unbearable, or perhaps that was me, I hate the heat and my sweet husband does not like airconditioning so it was a long trip, all I wanted was to go home....

Out on the big main highway, the A1, between Florence and Bologna the trucks are bumper to bumper along a skinny two lane highway with mountains one side and a kilometer drop the other side, (a slight exaggeration) but really, really bad and very scary for me.  In Australia I loved driving and did lots from one end of the country to the other, but here in Italy its a different story.  All the Italians drive like they are late for the most important moment of their lives, my husband included.  So hooning down the freeway at 130 kilometers an hour, passing six big, long huge trucks, one after another which are all about 3 cm from where I am sitting in this little hot box of a car is not my idea of the best fun I have every had.  Consequently the armrest of my door is indented by fingernails trying to hang on.  And of course being a woman I must say something or perhaps even at times quite a bit.  

Consequently I have refused point blank to go out on that road again.  So we have found a new highway which is so much more to my liking, two lanes but not many trucks and not many cars either and spectacular scenery going through like this beautiful scene in Umbria.

Another beautiful inspiration for my paintings, shame I have no time right now to do anything except take photographs.

This little gem of street is in a little village in Deruta, near Perugia.  It is a glorious place and the tiny restaurant we found served some of the most delicious food I have ever tasted.  Deruta has the most incredible Italian ceramics and a couple years back, before I was married to my husband we were there and he said darling why don't you go and have a look at some of the ceramics.  So off I go and when he joins me I say to him, its beautiful but it is a bit expensive and I don't know what to get.  Darling here's my wallet, buy what you want... so what was a woman to do... I found six stunning hand painted bowls and a great big one, fantastically perfect for pasta.  The bill came to 439 euros and he had 440 euros in his wallet.  Perfect.... have you heard that expression... face like a cats' bum... well all I could do was laugh so much.  My husband originally came from the region of Genova and spent 5 years in Scotland.  The people from Genova are known for their tight fistedness, but how was I to know.  I love those plates!!!