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MM Links October 2011 Week 2
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Hello from Morgan Le Fay for week number 2:
For the past twenty-odd years I have lived in Edinburgh but I am still a country bumpkin at heart. So, when my daughter asked if I might be interested in going olive-picking in Tuscany, I jumped at the chance. Since I loved Italy and was doing an Italian course, it seemed too good to be true.
Accompanied by a friend, kitted out in outdoor clothing and walking boots, we jetted off to Rome where we caught the Florence-bound train, finally arriving very late in the mediaeval town of Cortona where we spent one night in the Hotel San Luca. Despite our late arrival, the kitchen produced a historic pasta dish garnished with fresh truffle shavings that I remember with relish to this day.
The following day was spent exploring the ancient narrow streets of this scenic hilltop village before being picked up by our hosts. In darkness we drove up the dirt-track deep into the hills. Our seven fellow harvesters for the week were Belgian, French, and Spanish.
The first thing that struck me in the morning was the absolute beauty and tranquillity of the location. The ancient converted watch-tower was surrounded by olive groves and the views over the valley to the towers of Cortona were breathtaking.
For the past twenty-odd years I have lived in Edinburgh but I am still a country bumpkin at heart. So, when my daughter asked if I might be interested in going olive-picking in Tuscany, I jumped at the chance. Since I loved Italy and was doing an Italian course, it seemed too good to be true.
Accompanied by a friend, kitted out in outdoor clothing and walking boots, we jetted off to Rome where we caught the Florence-bound train, finally arriving very late in the mediaeval town of Cortona where we spent one night in the Hotel San Luca. Despite our late arrival, the kitchen produced a historic pasta dish garnished with fresh truffle shavings that I remember with relish to this day.
The following day was spent exploring the ancient narrow streets of this scenic hilltop village before being picked up by our hosts. In darkness we drove up the dirt-track deep into the hills. Our seven fellow harvesters for the week were Belgian, French, and Spanish.
The first thing that struck me in the morning was the absolute beauty and tranquillity of the location. The ancient converted watch-tower was surrounded by olive groves and the views over the valley to the towers of Cortona were breathtaking.
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Day one of work started at 8 am after a generous breakfast of local delicacies. We were then issued with “cestini”, little baskets which where tied around the waist, several large plastic crates and three traditional olive-harvest ladders. Then we headed to the first area to be harvested and work commenced; no knocking or combing the olives off the trees into nets allowed, only hand harvesting into the cestini to protect the precious fruits. Fortunately, the trees were not too tall and the work among the grey-green foliage was extremely pleasurable amidst the chatter of our Continental colleagues and the company of the resident terriers. – And the idyllic views! Following a break for elevenses, a leisurely lunch was served on a long table in front of the house for although we were in November the weather was surprisingly mild. Work ended at about 4pm when all the equipment was taken back to base. The olives were transferred within 24 hours of being picked to be cold pressed in a traditional mill using a large stone wheel to crush the fruit. An evening visit to the mill was organised to allow us to witness this process.
At the end of the week we returned home feeling totally refreshed with a litre of fragrant organic olive oil and the option to return for a one-week self-catering stay the following year.
At the end of the week we returned home feeling totally refreshed with a litre of fragrant organic olive oil and the option to return for a one-week self-catering stay the following year.
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Each of the selected link words may go in front of, or behind my challenge word.
The competition will officially close on Sunday Evening at 7.00pm, when gen2 will declare my pre-selected words and then apply the same rules for awarding points that have been applied during all MM Link Games in the past. My set of four words to have their links predicted should appear below at 9.00am.
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