Adrienne Silcock

It ain’t ‘alf hot, Mum….and I’m Pinnochio….

adrienne — Fri, 18 May 2012 17:05:03 +0000

Smooth journey and calm crossing bring us to the land of the bog. Vibrant gorse, flowering rhododendron and spring foliage do nothing to convince us it’s May. It’s freezing! Still, a brisk walk along the beach from White Rocks to Portstewart and back does wonders…

I had forgotten how beautiful this Northern coastline is, and art only enhances….

Unfortunately the artist doesn’t seem to be named.

Later, we take a look at Ballymoney’s tiny museum – it’s an eclectic mix, ranging from Roman remains, a Celtic stone, a “tyg” (a love cup), memories of the Great War, and motorcycle leathers and helmets from the battlefield of the North West 200, which, incidentally, is on this week. This town makes much of local heroes Joey and Robert Dunlop, champion bikers, and round the corner is a small memorial garden, which is full of bikers (as was the museum) paying their respects to (I have it on good authority) a “lovely man”. Oddly, the brothers both died aged 48 years old, although Joey was the elder by some years…

May 16 2013 Another Fine Miss…

adrienne — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:19:42 +0000

Having narrowly been squashed on the zebra crossing near our house by yet another maniac in a posh car with his eyes anywhere but on the road or the speedo, it’s high time we made another bid for freedom. We ready the van for a small foray, to remind ourselves that there is life outside Lincoln. Van’s clean, watered and we’re ready to roll…just have to check out the jazz at the Drill Hall first…

Flight path…

adrienne — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 11:10:04 +0000

Home nearly two months, and already planning the next escape…in the meantime. check out my new pamphlet on the News page… title, flight path ….

In which Pooh and Piglet undergo an earthquake, are nearly robbed and travel back through time…

adrienne — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:04:59 +0000

Yes, it’s time to bid farewell to their furry friends and set off from Lucca, not before the two intrepid travellers have been well and truly rocked by what turns out to be an earthquake north-east of Parma. Near Aix-en-Provence they discover what a dangerous place it can be, warned by two very gallant gendarmes to park the van in front of a garage in case of armed robbers! They are very well protected by police, guard dog, security, etc, and escape unscathed…

It’s a cold journey north, snowing in Lyon, and bitter near Troyes where we find a campsite that is open with facilities that remind me of camping with my parents forty years ago… However, we make it up to Dunkerque and on to Lincolnshire without a hitch…

And that, dear friends, as they say, brings our travels to an end for the time being. Somehow it feels like a new adventure is just beginnning…

Pietrasanta 21st January 2011

adrienne — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 16:15:51 +0000

It’s a fine day, so what better than a jaunt out to Pietrasanta, a small, arty town in the foothills of the Apuane? It’s a delight!

We meet some interesting people and some unlikely characters…

And enjoy a Calzone in a very pleasant and friendly snack bar. Then one of us has to do the tourist thing, don’t we….he’s been framed….

Firenze – 12th January 2011

adrienne — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:45:31 +0000

Time for a day away from the creative activities again, and we head back down into civilisation – we catch the train from Lucca to Firenze (Florence) – a very reasonable 5.30 euros per trip, and head for the sights!

Lovely city, but it’s only dipping your toe into the water, there is so much to see. We do manage the Uffizi – no queues and a very civilised number of people, and superb classics! Oddly, my love is for the wood block prints – they are so dainty and well crafted and interesting, but also the ceilings in the corridors take some beating, as well as the “big” pieces. Fabulous!

Some of these guys are pretty cruel, but hey, this chap looks as though he’s enjoying himself…

January 6 2012

adrienne — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:33:18 +0000

Time to emerge from our hidey-hole in the hills and seek a little bit of winter beach, so we head down to Viareggio…

It’s actually a large built up strip which is part of the Versilia – the Northern Tuscan riviera. It has its pretty pockets and there’s a long stretch of sand, most of which appears, today, to be flying horizontally into our faces. Yes, apparently when they come, these winds batter Viareggio for two to three days at a time… they certainly seem to have whipped the sea up…

…the slice of pizza I attempt to eat whilst sitting on a bench seems strangely crunchy…better seek shelter in a café for one of those excellent cappucini….

28th December 2011…

adrienne — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:00:15 +0000

What better way to spend yet another sunny Tuscan day than strolling the walls at Lucca? Everyone else seems to have the same idea to walk off that Christmas Panetone…

However, it’s an interesting walk around the old city…

with plenty to see and some art exhibitions in various buildings along the way, not to mention the odd cheerful lion…

Then it’s the inevitable coffee in the sunshine…

…before heading back up into the hills to see what the menagerie have been getting up to…

Christmas Day 2011….

adrienne — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:52:43 +0000

What better way to spend Christmas Day than a nice sunny walk in Tuscany… we even have the pantomime scene for Jack and the Beanstalk….

…but both of my actors are too chicken to climb up to see the giant, so we have to settle for a stroll back to the house and coffee on the terrace….

Mind you, I’m not complaining…

Lucky in Lucca….23rd December 2011

adrienne — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 12:32:59 +0000

Yes, I must stop coming up with these corny blog titles, but in the meantime… we’re ever so lucky with the most brilliant sunshine for our day wandering around Lucca… there is stacks to see in this centro storico, but even though it’s the Friday before Christmas it isn’t too busy. We have a pleasant stroll across the old ampitheatre in the sunshine…

It’s a beautiful old city…

….Then we have some monument hunting to do….

Is that a tree I see poking out of the top of this tower?

‘Fraid so….apparently it’s one of eight Holm oaks growing in the hanging garden of the Guinigi Tower…You can go up for a closer look, but there’s a Christmas market to visit…

…and lunch to eat in the sunshine…

…and some window shopping to do…

…so it’ll have to wait for another day….

Then it’s back to the mountains and the view from our window of the sun setting…