tuscan colours 2

Not only burnt sienna, burnt umber, terracotta and all other shades of brown. Tuscans paint their homes using a palette of soft colours, drawn from the landscape.


view from san gimignano


siena


siena

tuscan colours 1

We had little rain while we were in Tuscany, but there had been some very heavy weather in the weeks before our visit. Consequently everything was fresh and green and ablaze with colour ..



the roses were beautiful





and the poppies.





This bird of paradise flower was growing in the garden of our bed and breakfast.

theme thursday - brown

Burnt sienna is an iron oxide pigment: a warm mid brown colour. Chemically, burnt sienna is formed by burning raw sienna (Terra di Sienna).

The first week of our holiday in June was spent in Tuscany. It was like traveling across an artist's palette. The sky was cobalt (mostly!) There were crimson roses and vermilion poppies, greens of every hue and the warm earth tones of the landscape and the architecture.

The next 4 photos were taken in Siena


well


piazza del campo


marble



These last 2 shots were taken in Volterra. (The town features in one of the Twilight books/films.)





Thought I'd end with The Stranglers and Golden Brown - one of the better tunes from the eighties!

grumble

I have a day off from work today and have good things planned.
However, right now I'm waiting for someone to come and unblock my kitchen drain so that the smelly puddle in my garden disappears and I can run my washing machine and dishwasher with impunity.

Maybe thoughts of peaceful, green Tuscan countryside will dispel my grumpiness ....





Ah. That's better!

tuneful tuesday - al green

Let's stay together with Al



with the amazing Dave Gilmour on guitar! - And did I see Jools Holland on piano?

music monday - green day

green

Having posted very little in June and July, I thought I'd have another go at a post every day this month.
The theme for NaBloPoMo is GREEN.
Well, lots of food for thought there. A quick trawl through the photographic archives found this beautiful palm.



Not sure I can make it green every day, but we'll see how we go.

Meanwhile, how is everyone out there?