A few weeks ago our bees deserted their two hives. We only got them last May and everything seemed to be going to schedule; then one and a few days later the other left home en mass. Our supplier’s theory is that they had a mite (still trying to translate Varroa) and they left to see if they could shake it. Then, this week, when we went to pack the empty hives up until we try again in the spring, we found a few hundred bees had returned to one of the hives. I can’t imagine that such a small number will survive the winter, but we’ve got them a sugar feeder and crossing our fingers.

Our next insect encounter was with the dreaded Rhinoceros Beetle that is systematically destroying so many of the palm trees around the Mediterranean. The beetle is an inch long and up to 2000 new beetles can emerge from an infested palm. Ever since our neighbours lost one of their trees we have been diligent, and it was only an impromptu visit to Trullo Solari when we noticed some drooping fonds on one of our two palms. We returned that day with chain saw and insecticide – our first use in six years of organic gardening – and fought back. As we trimmed the lower branches and sprayed the poison we could hear what sounded like a Doctor Who alien attack as the big bugs munched through our palm. Luckily the next day we returned and the munching had stopped, along with the satisfying sight of dead beetles. Hopefully we’ve saved the palm, although it has a pretty severe short back and sides.

Otherwise we’re ripening pumpkins, cauliflower heads are poking through and the citrus trees are coming in to bloom. We’ve also been gifted a dozen raspberry canes and transplanted some beautiful yellow flowers from our neighbour’s garden that hopefully the bees will love – either this year or next.

We’ll never win the war, but I think the week’s battles went well.

Local fruit and veg are abundant at Trullo Solari

We try to grow our own fruit and veg, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t.  (We’re still learning!)  But when it doesn’t, or when we fancy something different, the Saturday market in Ostuni is full of fresh, beautiful, seasonal produce.  There is a 400 metre stretch of stalls, from the “muddy” end, which are little guys selling what they’ve grown, to the more “shiny” end which sell imported bananas and have carrots wrapped in plastic.  Sure, there are supermarkets, but we also have the choice to go and buy raw milk from the farm, or today’s ricotta, or the mozzerella that you can watch them making.  We go to the coast to buy fish from the little port market.  We go to the mill in Ceglie to buy flour.  One day we’ll grow our own wheat and take it for them to mill, but that day hasn’t yet come!  And of course we have the gift of our own olive harvest and traditionally pressed olive oil.  Those concerned with how the demise of fossil fuels will impact the food supply predict everyone will have to move back to this way of life.  But for now we are loving and appreciating what we have.

Guests at Trullo Solari can obviously join our appreciation for this quality of food while you’re here.  Our sat-nav is loaded with all of our favourite delis and food producers, and is yours for your stay.  And if the short drive to get there spoils your envionmental conscience, you can of course be content picking the fruit from the garden!

We’re delighted to see that Puglia has ten beaches that have won a Blue Flag, two of them within 20 minutes of Trullo Solari.  Camerini Creta Rossa, Costa Merlata Torre Pozzelle and Lido Morelli Rosa Marina.

The water along the coast here is indeed beautiful.  The extreme turquoise and sparkle at the beach can take your breath away.  It can be frustrating out of season when the beaches themselves aren’t cleaned, and can be littered within debris from the seas.  But now things are warming up, the sand cleaners are out, preparing the shores for the beautiful Italian bodies to be stretched out in the coming months.

Great weather for doing nothing.  Loving the siesta…