Before this June gets out of hand and out of sight, here are twenty photos from last year’s in memory of the early hot post-pandemic joys.
There were two especially memorable days: when I drove north towards Castiglione della Pescaia to visit a new-to-me artistic garden “Viaggio di Ritorno”, the home and playground of scrap artist Rodolfo Lacquaniti (posts from there here and here), and when I watched Ferraris and oldtimers whiz by at the 1000 Miglia car race in horrible heat.
No wonder that this year I came to Slovenia already on June 2nd, where I’m about to switch Piran and the coast for the capital inland for a week or so. I have a meeting with a certain shell arena.
Enjoy the last week of the month. This was my June last year in Tuscany.
Spotted in the neighbourhood. No more movies for this beauty. 
Bestia and a snail. 
Endgame of the species? 
Field of dreams. 
A heron guarding the Red House in the Castiglione della Pescaia wetlands. 
Here it is, Casa Rossa Ximenes. It is a museum but it looked very closed. 
The garden “Viaggio di Ritorno” was definitely open. It was fun to mingle again. 
Rodolfo Lacquaniti lives here with his family and creates the world around him. 
Scrap art of the highest level. 
Inside one of the whales. 
This was palpable. 
As was this ensemble in a wagon. 
The bed was inviting. 
The Ark was awaiting. The artist told us not to enter as wasps had built a nest in there. 
I asked my friend Donna, who brought me my portrait she had painted, to take this photo. I couldn’t let this door go. 
I often pass this wave in Orbetello. 
Can you see the heat? Manciano on the day of the race. 
Traditional 1000 Miglia oldtimers’ race. The exhaust fumes and the heat made me slightly sick. 
An especially scenic evening sky. 
Quite a view. That point-and-shoot was full of surprises.
Previous months of 2021:
June in previous years:
An Embarrassment of Riches 
Yes, I remember some of these from last year, and that feeling of being able to go out and about again 😀
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Thank you, Sarah. It’s amazing how far back all this seems now. When I now see a rare person who is still wearing a mask, I’m taken aback.
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I love it. As I always do.
…And, someone on Twitter said about Independence Day. Am I late? Happy celebrations to you. Wow. Tremendous. 🥂 cheers 🎉
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Thank you so much, Selma! You even noticed the birthday of my country. ❤ And guess what happened today: I am a proud owner of a certain leak! What a beautiful surprise! Yes, your vegetable message safely in, with so many excellent turns of phrase that made me smile and laugh and cheer for my faraway friend. Basketballs bounce!! Thank you so so much. All the love from Slovenia and me.
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Aww. This makes me happy too. 🤣 the leeks — wanted to make you smile, that’s why. And do you know the nutritional benefits of leeks? Take notice and stay healthy please.
Leeks because 🍉 are too common… 🤪 glad you received it and appreciated the message. Stay sweet. Happy birthday, Slovenia. 👏 thanks for the love.
Btw, tomorrow I’ll go to the post office and tell the attendants there that the letter arrived. (Again) they will be happy to know. Slovenia is such a faraway land for us here in Japan. I love knowing and corresponding with someone there. 👏 👏 💗
Happy summer— stay cool 😎
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Haha! I love leeks and my family eats it often (as an ingredient mostly, in soups and sauces), I just can’t spell it. 😀 I’m glad that they love hearing about a successfully landed mail. 🙂 It’s heart-warming. Thank you, Selma and Japan. ❤
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Very good!
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Thank you, Sue! Right now baking in Slovenia while amore is telling me that it’s actually cooler in Tuscany!! So much for this climate refugee…
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Oh, you win some, lose some…
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Lovely pictures, I really enjoyed the artworks.
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Thank you, Roberta. 🙂 I’m glad you did. This garden is quite remarkable.
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I will soon be taking holidays and very much looking forward to getting out more. Your photos are so good; I remember some of them from before. Cheers.
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Excellent, Lynette, hurrah for the holidays! I’m glad you remember some of these. Thank you!
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Just perfect.
I remember those snails. I never saw anything like it. Do you often get to see then like that, in clusters?
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Oh Bojana, I think they mostly took themselves out last year with such clusters. Imagine what an easy prey they were for the birds. The heat did the rest. This year, before leaving for Slovenia, I saw just some scattered individuals. Thanks!
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I love that snail post, it reminded me of when we lived in the country 😊
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Thanks, Not Pam. I used to see them do this in previous years, but never in such quantities as last year. This year there are only a few left. It’s too hot.
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Beautiful, compelling photos, Manja. Where do I start? I keep going back to the moon, the Ark (which grips me in its defiant beauty), and the suspended pregnant woman — Wow. Thanks for sharing them all.
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Thank you so much, Carol Ann. 🙂 I’m glad I could give you plenty to observe. If you click on the two links up in the post, you can see the rest of the artworks in this amazing garden and the artist himself who was our guide.
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Thank you for (re)pointing me to the links presenting other art work. I love how people interact with them (and your captions are so evocative). The artist’s creativity in so many media amazes me. Thank you for taking us on a tour through your own artistic eye.
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I love that scrap art too. And I remember those snails. (K)
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Thank you, K. The snails took themselves out with this action, I’m afraid, as I suspected. This year there are only very few left.
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Perhaps it’s cyclical and they will return.
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I love the photos and I love the *idea* of a post-pandemic world. But it ain’t over til it’s over … ! At least not in the crazy country I live in!
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Thanks, Bonnie Rae. I must admit that over here in Slovenia there is no more talk about it. I’ve heard of a friend who works in school who has caught it recently, but that was all. If I see a rare person with a mask in a shop, I’m taken aback. Also it’s so HOT that I can imagine a mask is even less fun than usual. We will see how it goes…
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Amazing photos Manja, all so different. I love the heron, it’s huge!
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Thank you, Wayne. 🙂 I’m glad good variety was achieved. Greetings from Piran on the coast of Slovenia.
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Amazing! Enjoy 😊
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Ohhhhhh…fantastic shots, Manja. I love the art you’ve shared. The corrugated iron ark (I love rust works) and the with-child hanging woman. Stunning frame. And the heron is a beauty 🙂
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