Allora, here we are at the beginning of a new year. I thought it might be interesting to start this year with a mini review of my 2011 blogs. Let\u2019s take a look back at some of the diverse topics that we covered last year. I\u2019d be very interested to hear from you, our readers, about which type of blogs you find most useful or enjoyable. Any suggestions for future blogs are welcome, just leave a comment below.<\/p>\n
Here are 12 of our favourite 2011 blogs month by month:<\/p>\n
Gennaio<\/strong>: In January our cat Mim\u00ec wrote the third part of her autobiography (with a little help from Geoff). You\u2019ll be glad to hear that Mim\u00ec is still alive and well, and has more or less adjusted to the three micini<\/strong> (kittens – not hers!) who adopted us this summer. Yes, our little house is getting a bit crowded! Here is part three of Mim\u00ec\u2019s story: Mim\u00ec la Gatta<\/font><\/a> <\/p>\n Febbraio:<\/strong> In February I read an article about gli stambecchi<\/strong> (ibex) who, thanks to their amazing abilities, are able to scale the almost vertical walls of la diga del lago Cingino<\/strong> (the Cingino lake dam). A search on YouTube found a plethora of videos showing gli stambecchi in action. Read more here: Lo stambecco che sale per il sale<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n Marzo:<\/strong> To celebrate the beginning of spring I wrote a blog about the poet Salvatore Quasimodo<\/strong> and shared with you his beautiful poem Specchio<\/strong> (Mirror), which I translated into English: Specchio di Primavera<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n Aprile:<\/strong> In April we had a look at the correct way to use the often confusing verb: Mancare<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n Maggio:<\/strong> Here\u2019s a bit of classic Italian culture. What are i mammoni<\/strong>? This blog reveals all!: I Figli Mammoni<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n Giugno:<\/strong> Every culture has its popular myths which become so often repeated that are eventually accepted as facts. Here is a common Italian urban myth: Le Vipere che Arrivano dal Cielo<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n Luglio:<\/strong> In July I recounted an amusing little story from my childhood based on the bed time prayer dedicated to l\u2019Angelo Custode <\/strong>(the Guardian Angel): Angelino<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n Agosto:<\/strong> Real Italian cooking \u2026 it doesn\u2019t get much more genuine than our neighbour Dina\u2019s homemade tortelli<\/strong>. Here she is at work in her kitchen: I Tortelli di Dina<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n Settembre:<\/strong> The late summer is a great time for travelling around and visiting feste<\/strong>. We\u2019d often heard about the festa<\/strong> at Ponticello<\/strong> not far from Pontremoli, and this year we actually managed to go there. In fact we liked it so much that we went twice!:<\/font> <\/font>I Mestieri nel Borgo<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n Ottobre:<\/strong> Feeling romantic? Well, here’s your chance to tell someone special that you love them \u2026 without embarrassing yourself. This blog will explain: How to say "I Love You"in Italian<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n Novembre:<\/strong> In November hundreds of thousands of Italians had a very special and long awaited reason to celebrate. They finally had the great pleasure of saying: Addio Silvio!<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n Dicembre:<\/strong> And to bring 2011 to a close we chose Italy\u2019s most popular Christmas carol. Tu Scendi dalle Stelle<\/font><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Tanti auguri per il nuovo anno da Serena e Geoff<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Allora, here we are at the beginning of a new year. I thought it might be interesting to start this year with a mini review of my 2011 blogs. Let\u2019s take a look back at some of the diverse topics that we covered last year. I\u2019d be very interested to hear from you, our readers…<\/p>\n