A Monday morning to cherish–for once–a beautiful blue sky and a crisp white frost covers the back meadow.
It’s the first Monday of the new decade and Twelfth Night to boot.
“If music be the food of love play on–give me excess of it.”
We are in need of some good news; so “an excess of love” in these troublingly, divided times would be good news.
So.
Our friend, Keith Richmond on whose olive farm south-east of Florence we have “laboured” at harvest time, is 80 today.
Three-score years and twenty–as a friend of his observed this morning.
Ten more than the traditional span.
Good news!
Buon Auguri, Keith!!
May you and your olives trees continue to prosper for many years to come!
(The olive oil from Boggioli is gorgeous, by the way, and Keith is an expert at export!)
The second piece of good news we awoke to this morning:
Our friend, Brian Cox, won the Golden Globe last night for Best Actor in a TV Drama Series for his role in Succession.
He’d told us a couple of weeks back that he didn’t fancy his chances. That Tobias Menzies, as the Duke of Edinburgh, opposite GG winner Olivia Coleman’s Queen Elizabeth, would be a worthier winner.
Separating two such stunning performances is invidious but hey! This is showbiz and we are rejoicing at Brian’s deserved triumph. His portrait of the media mogul monster–Logan Roy–has delighted and disgusted us in equal measure and left us panting for the third series, which he says starts shooting late Spring.
Good news!
Just for a moment I’ve been able to park The News–from the Middle East, Australia, No 10 and Mar-a-Largo.
And like the besotted Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night believe that love “can purge the air of pestilence!”
Robin Ellis 
well done Brian
This one was charming, Robin, like all the others. For a moment it lifted me from my despair. But then I plunged right back down again. My despair is perhaps deeper than yours. Hard to get my mind off the 45 million of my compatriots who still consider him a god and their savior.
Too right, Robert.
Momentary respite is all.
Meilleurs Voeux quand meme, to you and Peggy!
Good one, Robin. But THREE score and twenty, no?
Yes–just corrected it!
Maths not mon truc!
Happy New Year anyway and Meilleurs Voeux!
R&Mxx
Good for you, parking the news. It’s so hard to get away from it. I was pleased for Brian Cox, although I have to say that the Menzies “Crown” episode about the moon landing still sticks with me, probably more than any other from the season. It looks lovely in your world. Keep that news parked!
Do my best–but you know about King Canute?
Thank you, Robin, for “parking” the bad news for a moment and focusing on the beauties of 12th night. Karen Fleming
Positivity – thanks for that! x
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR E MAIL UPDATES AND QUOTES FROM MY GOD WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. POSTS LIKE YOURS ESPECIALLY NEEDED IN AMERICA
AS A NURSE AND MOTHER OF MEOWS YOUR POSTS TRULY HEALING AND APPRECIATED
Thank you, Claire.
Robin,
Congratulations to both your friends. It’s refreshing when the good guys or gals finish first.
Your post brought to mind one of Mark Twain’s famous quotes. It is “On the whole it is better to deserve honors & not have them, than to have them & not deserve them.” When the honors are deserved and received is best.
We are having a mild winter day in the Chicago area. The high is expected to be 40 degrees Fahrenheit and 4 degrees Celcius. So it will nice for taking the lady in the fur coat (aka my dog Emma) for a walk.
Nice quote, thanks Marla.
I too was excited by Brian Cox’s win! He is a terrific actor and was my first Hannibal Lector in Manhunter and set an underappreciated high bar for Anthony Hopkins, who I am also a fan of. Brian Cox had minimal screen time and still decades later, I remember the chill in his amiable but menacing Lector. I have enjoyed watching him in a variety of roles since then and it was wonderful to see him receive award recognition!
I know it’s late but Merry Christmas to you both from Tilly Divine and her slave Meg.down under cx
Sent from my iPhone
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Thoughts have been with you folks down there. What a catastrophe.
Greetings from Maine from one who is truly three score and ten. Still enjoying the occasional foray into viewing the original Poldark on a cold winter’s night – our favorite version, technical superiority of the newer one notwithstanding. For that promo we anticipate a liter of that wonderful olive oil by post shortly…
Thanks, Michael. I had two beautiful Maine lobsters for $3 each–a long time ago!
Brian Cox was a powerfl Kutusov in the 2016 War and Peace; before him, so too Frank Middlemass, 1972 BBC War and Peace (whom you will doubtless remember). I was hoping Tobias Menzies would win it, for he is such a fine actor. But only one can win at a time. Ellen
Yes–that’s the silliness of it!
We are hanging in there Robin. I’ve never seen bushfires as bad and as extensive as they are this year. Our conservative govt is in denial about climate change but the fact is the winter here has been so warm that it was dangerous to control burn the build up of leaf litter. So the accumulation of burnable stuff has really excaserbated the situation. “Poor fella, my country”.
It is devastating for you all. The PM shows he’s not up to the job. And it will go on until the rain comes.
Have just been enjoying Brian Cox in the “Sharpe” series on DVD! 🙂 Congrats!!
So happy he won. He deserves it.
Beautiful post, even if the quote was wrong.
I’ve been waiting to send you a birthday wish until it seemed less likely that WW3 was about to ignite. This afternoon, a Rethuglicant (Mike Lee) actually came out against the justification for Thug’s action – so maybe there is hope of actual testimony in the impeachment trial. i was thrilled to see Meredith’s usage of “Rethuglicans” – does she reserve “Rethuglicants” for the “96% white males?”. By the way, I’ve always called the WH Clown “Thug” and love Meredith’s coinage.
My interest in your work stems more from She Loves Me than Poldark. I watch it on YouTube frequently and this year made it my Christmas movie, replacing Love, Actually. Since then, it has been on whenever I couldn’t stand listening to MSNBC and CNN. The minute Thug comes on, I switch over for at least one scene. No longer any need to watch it – I know every scene from memory and find myself humming the odd songs like “Try me”, “Ilona”, “I Resolve” in addition to the well-known pieces. I enjoyed the show in original Broadway production but the casting of the BBC version is so perfect, natural, not brash.
Last Saturday, I discovered your beautiful site and have been dipping into it with great pleasure. I thought I’d seen all your filmed material that is available over here (have to check my old videos for that RSC Comedy of Errors – I know I’ve seen it and must have taped it). I may have seen you onstage at Brooklyn Academy of Music in Wood Demon. I’ve wondered if I may be the only American lucky enough to have seen two professional English language productions of Wood Demon (the second in London 1997). A delight despite Chekhov’s dismissal.
Ordered two of the cookbooks – anxious to see your take. As a T2 diabetic, I find most cookbooks so restrictive – only berries, lemons, limes and kiwis for fruit, for example. No starchy veggies, no grains, no lentils. This year, I have decided to go off red meat so the Paleo and Pegan (Mark Hyman’s combo of paleo and vegan) are out.
I’m more of a dog than cat person but have a 17-year-old spoiled tuxedo kitty, along with an epilectic retired track greyhound.
Loved the bird photos. I chart the birds at the feeders daily in sequence of arrival – frequently have Mourning doves and 3 varieties of Woodpeckers – Downy, Hairy and Red-bellied.
So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY from a new follower,
Janet Caldwell, from Albany, NY area
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Thanks, Janet.I enjoyed She Loves Me–though singing and dancing presented a challenge! The C of Errors is on YouTube I think. My, NYC was cold in January 1974–but we loved BAM.