Spring is knocking on the door.

It's been since Nixon that things like this haven't happened.

Like Italy.

@mjmilano.bsky.social my grandfather was in danger of being sent to Russia. His infantry division had already received orders to be transferred from Montenegro to Russia.

Between January 13 and 14, 1943, the dramatic Italian retreat began. An epic worthy of Xenophon's Anabasis.

Ok, the whisky stock has been made!

Julius Jacob von Haynau known as "The Hyena of Brescia".

On this day, November 21, 1916, Emperor Franz Joseph I died...to the happiness of the Venetian people.

‘Come now lad, it’s time to go, no need for fear. Take my hand, let’s walk together through this sea of red and onward, don’t look back now, onward lad, onward’

‘She will, son. She will see you in the rising and the setting of the sun. She will see you in the rain and through the tears of those who love and have loved you.

Hear that bugle son? That’s for you, every year you will be missed but loved forever.’

‘But I’m afraid sir.’

‘Is it time to go sir?’
‘It is son.’
‘But who will miss me sir?’
‘You will be missed dearly son.’
‘My mother sir, will she miss me?’
‘Yes, she will son.’
‘My father sir, will he miss me?’
‘Yes, he will son.’
‘My darling Irene, my little Rosie, will she ever know me?’

"It's all right, Cowling! We got them stone cold!"
2nd Lieutenant John "Jack" Scott Youll (6/6/1897- 27/10/1918)....the only recipient of VC on the Italian front .

"TERRE DEL MOSCA" produced by Tenuta San Basilio. I must say that the Euganean Hills can offer some excellent surprises.

The white wine is coming along well. To be honest, I'd call it a "semi-orange wine" because the must macerated on the skins for two days, thus extracting some color.

Fortunately, he passed away quickly and painlessly from heart cancer.I've always had dogs, but this loss hurt me a lot... at least because of how he's gone.

It's already been a week since you left forever.

Masters own,
Who labours, fights, lives, breathes for him alone,
Unhonour'd falls, unnotic'd all his worth,
Deny'd in heaven the Soul he held on earth.

He's fading like a candle. When that day comes, these few words from Lord Byron will come to mind:
But the poor Dog, in life the firmest friend,
The first to welcome, foremost to defend,
Whose honest heart is still his

Lieutenant Colonel Amedeo Guillet, commander of the "Amhara" Squadron Group, known as "Cummandar As Shaitan" (Commander "Devil")...the bête noire of the British Army in East Africa.

And this second step has been done.

I don't think that's the case. Grappa is more infamous than whisky.😂😂🤣

After a long day of harvesting, I think I deserved this half cigar and a glass of Grappa Poli "Riserva di famiglia" distilled 25 years ago

Racking and pressing of the pomace in progress.

The grape harvest has begun.

Homemade grappa before going to bed.

This bad news make me deeply sad. I enjoyed reading his posts on all his social media. He was a decent man for his kindness, humanity, and sense of duty to society.

Ausdie mode, suffering face and pain in both legs

How to spoil the dog

Magnaboschi British Cemetery....The lads rest under the blue Italian sky, caressed by a gentle breeze.