It’s a SMILEY DAY TODAY, a great aunt of mine used to beam of a morning, every morning in fact, whenever she came to stay.
There’s potentially nothing more irritating than a cheery person happily singing along with the radio and preparing a hearty breakfast - would you like some porridge, fresh orange juice, an omelette? - when all you want is to brood grumpily over the days’ proceedings and down a decent coffee or 96. I am not, by and large, a morning person.
It has been then a source of great surprise to me that these days, I seem to wake up earlyish and not in a bad mood. I might have a stretch or two, and a snooze to boot, but once I’m up, I’m up, busying about feeding cats and opening curtains and windows with a flourish.
The inclement and unpredictable rains of April have stopped. There have been a few bad hail storms, and there’s still an evening chill that merits a fire, but Summer is all Around, as Bill Night might have sung, if Love Actually had taken place in the Bella Stagione.
May is a heavy month for gardeners. The growing season is on steroids, grass just simply regrows. You cut it one day, turn your back, and BINGO!, it’s a foot high again. Hedges literally plume, weeds pop out of every crack, fruit trees burgeon with tiny produce. I can feel the jam jars creaking and the endless hours of stoning cherries. Sigh!
Finally, too, the summer gazebo has been erected, sails up and buffeting in the breeze, jasmine clipped and tied up round the metal struts, the barbeques cleaned and ready to go, deck chairs washed down and set out for afternoon snoozing. The terrace tiles have been brushed and the terracotta pots prepared and ready for planting. I’m off to the garden centre this afternoon for a purchase of assorted coloured flowery cheeriness: scarlet and crimson geraniums, purple bougainvillea, pinks and reds and lilacs. Colours indeed to make it a smiley day.
Summer is also when WoWSunTours gets moving. All our uniquely Italian tours get a thorough overhaul and going over before they happen, so that we include any last minute local festivals or sagre, take advantage of a soiree of two, or are part of a new restaurant opening or wine tasting. The local towns are strewn with banners and posters advertising some agricultural event or circus, dance show or eating experience. It really feels like a time of new beginnings.
We are fully booked for June, and over the moon about that. And now that we are officially FULLY Italian, Swearing In, with hand over heart to uphold the Constitution, with a rousing singalong of Fratelli d’Italia, we feel even more comfortable in inviting you to WoW to share our Italianness with us.
Why not join us on our remaining spaces in September, when the high summer throng madness is gone, and the streets return to authenticity and it’s possible to grab a seat at the local enoteca without queuing or sharing your table with a family of 6 from London.
No no, take it from me, June aside, it’s the best time to come. Produce weighs in heavily, outside dining is in full flow, the light hazes across fields of cut corn over to Montepulciano, and the grapes hang heavily, bursting with ready juice, waiting to be harvested for wine season.
Need I go on?
So, if you want make your day a truly Smiley One, pick up the phone, dial our number or send us a mail. We’ll talk you through what’s on offer and what makes WoW truly WOW!!
MAKE YOUR DAY A SMILEY ONE.
PHONE US NOW.
WOWSUNTOURS.
Putting the WoW in Summer.
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