catching the moment - no. 3

Autumn 2020 here in Cortona is aptly described by John Keats' beautiful poem

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

For summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?

Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find

Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,

Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;

Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,

Drowsed with the fume of poppies, while thy hook

Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:

And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep

Steady thy laden head across a brook;

Or by a cider-press, with patient look,

Thou watchest the last oozings, hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?

Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,--

While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,

And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;

Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn

Among the river sallows, borne aloft

Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;

And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;

Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft

The redbreast whistles from a garden-croft,

And gathering swallows twitter in the skies.

John Keats - 1795-1821

Written September 19, 1819; first published in 1820.

Alison Koetser, 10/11/2020 17:21:35

Working in Spring

Working In TuscanyHere is a collection of some of the millions of photos we take while driving over Tuscany with ...[continue]

Joust of the Saracen

Joust of the Saracan, ArezzoThe Giostra del Saracino, or Joust of the Saracen, is a historic equestrian tournament held twice ...[continue]

Infiorate di Spello

Infiorate di SpelloSpello is known for her INFIORATE DEL CORPUS DOMINI, beautiful floral decoration creations executed by real artists who ...[continue]

Luminara & Regatta

The Luminara di San Ranieri is a captivating annual festival held in Pisa on the evening of June 16, honoring ...[continue]

The Jubilee Year 2025

The Jubilee 2025 is a special holy year in Rome and the Vatican City, and across Italy, starting at Christmas ...[continue]

SOMETHING
TO SHARE ?

Send us your posts, viewpoints
and/or personal experiences
CONTACT US NOW

Search by Author

Local

Tips For Trips

Moments

Useful Info

Profiles

MY CORTONA

OUR BLOG IS INTENDED AS A CENTRAL HUB FOR CORTONA LOVERS WORLD-WIDE, BRINGING YOU USEFUL INFORMATION, PROFILES OF THE MANY INTERESTING PEOPLE WHO LIVE & VISIT THE TOWN, UP-DATES ON LOCAL NEWS, SPECIAL STORIES & UPCOMING EVENTS

Have a story or an anecdote to recount? Someone interesting you’d like to profile? A place you’ve visited that you’d like to recommend? Whether it’s useful, funny or informative, why not share it on My Cortona blog and add your name to our list of regular contributors? We’d love to hear from you.

In a unique collaboration, Cortona International is able to offer its clients, a team of English-speaking estate agents & property managers who provide specialist knowledge in all aspects of buying, managing & selling property to a largely international clientele

PREVIEW

CASA BELGUARDO, in the centre of Montepulciano

Price: €.395.000

THE CONTEMPORARY HOUSE SOLD

Price: €.

CASA GAIA, a villa with garden in Cortona, walking distance to the main squares