Thursday, February 2, 2012

Giorni della merla

An Italian legend says that the last three days of January are the coldest of the year and are called the “giorni della merla” (literally: days of the hen blackbird). Different versions of the story say that the “merla” was a bird, a cannon or even a noblewoman. Sometimes the days are stretched until the first of February, but if this period is very cold, spring will come soon and it will be warm.Scali delle Cantine seen from piazza della Repubblica under the snow, LivornoScali delle Cantine” seen from “Piazza della Repubblica”.Piazza Garibaldi under the snow, LivornoThe monument to Garibaldi, in his namesake square, is surrounde by the snow.The Capitana bastion of the Fortezza Vecchia under the snow, LivornoThe “Capitana” bastion of the “Fortezza Vecchia”.Monument to Leopold II of Tuscany and church of San Benedetto in piazza XX Settembre, LivornoMonument to Leopold II of Tuscany and church of “San Benedetto” in “Piazza XX Settembre”.Snow in piazza della Repubblica, LivornoPiazza della Repubblica” in the early afternoon.

See also: Snowfall (2010)

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Everything looks so very beautiful where you live !


It did snow over here as well. Thank you for the hope of spring. Please have a good Thursday.

Michelle said...

It looks like a beautiful, crisp January day. As it should be!

Randy said...

I read about the Winter storms. Looks lovely but cold.

Jack said...

It is great seeing some familiar sights in a new way, with their rich covering of fresh snow. Excellent!

Halcyon said...

Livorno looks great under snow! Beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Everything is beautiful in the snow...hope your spring comes soon!

Luis Gomez said...

Thank you VP. Beautiful legend. What a wonderful post. Love your images.

Lucy Corrander : Photos said...

A completely different atmosphere when the snow falls. It almost becomes a different place. Fortunately, I don't think we have the same weather-saying here. ('Fortunately' - because, although there has been a dip in temperatures over the last few days, an early spring would mean we'd hardly had winter at all.)

cieldequimper said...

Les jours des merles... It is very cold here now since yesterday (-8 this morning) but not a single snowflake so far. I envy you, these are all magical!

joo said...

Oh, it looks lovely under the snow!

Stefan Jansson said...

Great series of winter photos. Keep them coming.

Dina said...

I am enjoying every photo here, but especially the Capitana with just enough frosting.
May your spring come soon then.

Israel just had the wettest January in recorded weather history.

brattcat said...

these are so beautiful with their lace of snow.

Kaori said...

Oh wow! Everything looks familiar and yet so different with all the snow!

PerthDailyPhoto said...

Such a beautiful series of images VP, did it happen,were the last three days of January exceptionally cold? The image of the Capitana Bastion is very impressive indeed!

Unknown said...

I hate cold but these shots are amazingly beautiful! Have not seen Livorno like this before, I think.

Rob Siemann said...

What a joy to look at this!

Karl said...

Great great winter photos VP, and surely unusual for Livorno...

Traveling Hawk said...

Good looking bastion, VP!

Interesting, "merla" is "mierla" in Romanian:)

Cezar and Léia said...

Tuscany with this white blanked is just as beautiful!
God bless you!
Cezar