RANDOM ECHOES - ITALY 18/10/05

Cutting rotting grapes from the vine, late at night once the hornets have cooled down and disappeared (and I mean hornets the size of your thumb so yes they scare and sting – 7 times and your dead!) – thick and sultry dark grapes oozing with smelly juice; cutting them so they drop into a bucket with a satisfying splash and plop in there with the rest. Then knocking down the loose dry leaves turned brown and falling in the slightest breeze.