My feet have not touched the ground!

What a few weeks I have had! I have become a granny for the second time, had five days in Milan, been to Ragdale Hall for  the day  and been to the Italian Cultural Institute to an event about Le Marche. Added to that I have been offered the chance to write regularly about walks in Lincolnshire for Country Walking Magazine. There is also all the boring stuff to contend with like housework  and the gym but needs must!! I also relived my lost youth dancing the night away to Jimmy James and the Vagabonds at the iconic Gliderdrome dance hall  in my home town of Boston which has played host to many famous names including Elton John and T.Rex .

Living like a local in Le Marche

I have had a great month. I spent a wonderful week living like a local in Le Marche  . With it being such an untouristy area I finally got chance to use my Italian. So many times in places like Florence  and Rome  I have tried to speak Italian but as soon as they realise I am English they speak English back. Ascoli  Piceno was a beautiful city to explore and as for the Sibillini Mountains I shall return as soon as I can to  try out some of the great walks.  From our balcony in our little  hill town we had the best view I have ever seen. I would certainly recommend Le Marche if you fancy somewhere different away from the crowds.

 I also visited Stamford where they were holding a Georgian Festival. Recently voted the best place to live in the country it is a beautiful town with   a great deal to offer .

At the end of August I did a couple of walks in the Lincolnshire Wolds which are featured in my article in the November issue of Country Walking magazine.

I now have plans to visit Milan, before Christmas and in the New Year I am off to Rome and Florence.

Exciting plans

I am busy working on a very exciting project at the moment but I am not giving anything away about it just yet!! I will report back . Apart from that I am  organising a trip to Florence and hopefully may be going to Rome in February too. My trip to Le Marche is getting closer  and I am  researching Urbino and Loreto ready for that. I have had another hectic month. Last Sunday I was in London at Tate Britain to see the Lowry exhibition and in a couple of weeks time I am going to visit an exhibition at Houghton Hall in Norfolk. I will tell you all about it when I've been . It promises to be very interesting.  I am also getting good feedback from my book review column and getting a lot of requests from people to review their books. I have just finished reading "The Island" by Victoria Hislop and would love to go to Crete to visit Spinalonga  where it was set. I will add it to my list!!

A busy month!

June has been a really busy month. I  had a good time at Center Parcs in Sherwood Forest with my family A fortnight ago I had a really interesting day at the Italian Cultural Institute in London listening to a presentation about Turin.  The authorities there are eager to spread the word about its attractions and to  make it as well known and popular as Florence, Rome and Venice.  As it is one of the places in Italy I have not visited I am eager to go and find out more about it for myself .. Before I listened to the presentation  I just thought of the Shroud and Fiats when people mentioned Turin but now I know it has so much more to offer. I also met some fellow travel writers  at the event which was great. Apart from that I have been doing a lot of research for future articles and trips I intend to take.

I am busy doing research ready for my trip to Le Marche in September and also for a trip my photographer friend Teresa and I have planned to Calabria.

I am also researching an article on quirky places to visit in Lincolnshire. Any suggestions gratefully accepted!

I had a great walk round the Scrivlesby Estate, the home of the Queens Champion. Very interesting and  will make a good article.

Had a great day at the Chelsea Flower Show people watching.

I have been invited to an event about Turin at the Italian Cultural Institute in June  which  should be interesting.