OK, where's this?

Go on guess.





St. James's Park?

Are you crazy? Ok I know there is, or used to be, one flamingo there which I think was actually a pelican....so scrub that one.

The Nile?

Oh dear me no! Can you see any crocodiles? Come on!

Lake Victoria?

Oh well, could be, but look, you're never gonna guess, so I'll tell you, but only if you keep it a secret.
Alright yes we promise!
Ok then... It's Sicily.
Oh you're kidding!
No no, honest it is. It's a national park, a wild life reserve in the far SE corner of Sicily. It's called Vendicari Oasis.
Of all the years I've lived in Italy, this is the first time I've ever got around to going down there. You know there are some many new airlines now in Italy doing the Ryan Air thing that you can get cheap flights most anywhere. I always had in my mind a criminal, savage and messy sort of image of Sicily, but in fact it's gorgeous, peaceful and clean and exquisitely beautiful, especially in the SE part that we went to.
Here's a picture of a beach on the bird sanctuary.
















And one of the tombs at the iron age Necropolis further inland. Incredible place. What on earth were their religious beliefs? Of some sort of afterlife no doubt. Must look this up,















Fruit

And what do you see here?
Two red apples.... hmmm!
Yes, true, that's what they are but they are more than that.
They are two fresh apples sent two days ago from Jack's garden in San Rafael, CA.
He'd sent Lili a present from his tour of Ladakh, a cushion cover with two cats on to replace (he said) the ones she'd adopted out and he slipped three apples into the courier box just for good measure. Jack, I said, you can't do that, it's a contravention of all known international import/export laws and the apples will be arrested by a sniffer dog immediately on arrival. Oh well, he said, I only did it as a mark of affection.
But, as you can see, they arrived, as fresh as fresh. In fact, I could smell them ten yards away as the courier driver unloaded the box from his van.
But delicious! We've eaten one already, and here is a photo of the one that's left, just by way of deliciousness.








You'd like to take a bite of it wouldn't you?
Yes you would.







Oh, a footnote!
Jack tells me he'd put 3 apples, into the package, not two.
My imagination is racing on this one.

Eva forever.

















Eva wasn't at home when we'd got back from Sicilia. Pino, our friend who animal sits
for us said that she'd been around but had eaten little and had become moody (you know how she is sometimes). After four days Lili had given up on ever seeing her again but I had a feeling she was still alive. I had to go up for a Qi Gong weekend in Reggia Emelia and on that Saturday morning she suddenly turned up, depressed (Lili said) and a bit the worse for wear.
Anyway, now, after four days at home, she is back to her normal principessa self.
i.e. fed the best gourmet food and given 90% of our attention, prodigal returned status A1.