Ciao! I'm Laura.
  • Journal
  • About
  • Writing
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Journal
  • Books
  • Podcast
  • About
    • Writing
  • Contact

Ciao Amalfi

Amalfi Coast, Nature, Pontone, Walking · February 12, 2010

Shhh… the lemons are sleeping

 

As the snow is falling in Rome and much of northern Italy, we woke up to few traces of snow around the garden and white tops on the mountain peaks along the Amalfi Coast. If it had been just a few degrees colder, we would have woken up to discover a winter wonderland outside! 

 

Ciao Amalfi Coast Blog sleeping lemons2

 

Last week on a day that it didn’t rain (remarkable!), I went out for a nice walk to enjoy the sun and the blue skies. The ancient stone paths connecting Pontone and Amalfi take you through steeply terraced lemon groves. This time of year you’ll find the lemon trees covered in black mesh covers. I like to think of them as the lemon blankets. It’s as if the lemons have been covered up and are resting during the cold and damp winter months. But one peek underneath and you’ll see that they’re not really sleeping after all. Bright yellow lemons poke out from under the covers here and there, providing a welcome reminder of the warm sun and summer days ahead.

 

Ciao Amalfi Coast Blog sleeping lemons1

 

I asked some locals recently about the covers. They are used to protect the leaves and fruit on the tree from the freezing rain that we sometimes get on the Amalfi Coast. But it was also interesting to learn that they are primarily used to protect the roots of the lemon trees. The roots are not very deep, making the trees perfect for growing on the rocky terrain and small terraces on the Amalfi Coast, and they are particularly susceptible to freezing.  So those “blankets” do keep the lemons nice and protected during the winter. Shhh . . . keep on sleeping lemons. The weather this morning was a reminder that it’s not quite time to wake up!

 

Ciao Amalfi Coast Blog sleeping lemons3

Posted In: Amalfi Coast, Nature, Pontone, Walking

You’ll Also Love

A Night of Music & Magic in Scala
A winter stroll through Ravello’s Villa Cimbrone
Out & About: Amalfi Coast Mystery Flowers

Comments

  1. Anne in Oxfordshire says

    February 12, 2010 at 11:29

    Thanks for the photos Laura…interesting story about the blankets, I suppose they would need protecting, as the roots are very close to the surface.

    It has gone cold here again, -2 last night,not good!

    Reply
  2. LindyLouMac says

    February 12, 2010 at 15:33

    Our lemon tree is all wrapped up for the winter but sadly is not looking very healthy. Lemons look ok at the moment but leaves are looking very sick! We are hoping it will recover as soon as Spring arrives which cannot be too soon.

    Reply
  3. Sara says

    February 12, 2010 at 18:18

    What a lovely walk you have…and you have educated us about the lemons too. Hope warm weather arrives right on time. Is Amalfi where lemoncello comes from?

    Reply
  4. South of Rome says

    February 12, 2010 at 21:08

    Sleeping lemons, I love it! Beautiful pics.

    Reply
  5. Eleonora says

    February 12, 2010 at 23:31

    Lemon shuteye, poetry.
    Sweet post there Lauretta

    When shlould we sit down for a chat?
    Baci
    Ele xx

    Reply
  6. Leanne in Italy says

    February 13, 2010 at 00:01

    It's not just snowing in Rome and the north of Italy. Down here in Calabria (well my village anyway) we are snowed in!

    Reply
  7. Chef Chuck says

    February 14, 2010 at 15:45

    That's what I call living, a stroll through sleeping lemon trees! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply
  8. Cherrye Moore says

    February 16, 2010 at 15:37

    I see you are getting this wet weather on the coast, too. 🙁 I think our lemons are as anxious as I am to get out … they are getting big!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Next Post >

The two-headed cat . . .

Trending Now

  • ciao-amalfi-winter-things-to-do Visiting the Amalfi Coast in the Winter – 5 Things You Need to Know
  • Amalfi Coast Travel Positano Beach Spiagga Grande A Guide to the Beaches of Positano
  • Amalfi Coast Webcams New Live Streaming Webcams of Amalfi!
  • Amalfi Coast Beaches Colourful Sun Umbrellas at the Marina Grande Beach in Amalfi - Horizontal A Guide to the Beaches of Amalfi

Ciao!

My name is Laura and the Amalfi Coast is my passion and my home. I’m a writer and photographer who is endlessly inspired by the incredible beauty of the Amalfi Coast. Welcome to Ciao Amalfi!

Ciao Amalfi

  • Journal
  • Moon Amalfi Coast
  • Newsletter
  • Contact

Amalfi Coast

  • Amalfi
  • Positano
  • Ravello
  • Amalfi Coast

Explore

  • Travel
  • History & Culture
  • Food & Drink
  • Shopping

Laura Thayer

  • About
  • Writing
  • Book Reviews
  • Work with Me

Latest on Instagram

What 31 days of January morning walks looks like. What 31 days of January morning walks looks like. It’s been gorgeous and windy and stormy and wild - and everything in between. Should I pick a different spot to take a photo a day next month?
Non Amalfi Coast question. Do you wake up in the m Non Amalfi Coast question. Do you wake up in the morning with music or a song in your head? I do nearly every morning and it’s curious to me what shows up. Usually it’s something I’ve been listening to, but sometimes it’s really random, like someone’s left the music room door slightly ajar in the brain. This morning it was a jaunty version of “Loch Lomond” from the 1940s sung by Maxine Sullivan. (You’d think that would be from the random category but I actually listened to it yesterday.) So that’s what was swinging about in my head as I took a walk early this morning. 🎶
Happy Burns Night! I love a country that has a hol Happy Burns Night! I love a country that has a holiday for their national poet. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Here’s one of my favorite poems he wrote.

Musing On The Roaring Ocean
by Robert Burns

Musing on the roaring ocean, 
Which divides my love and me; 
Wearying heav’n in warm devotion, 
For his weal where’er he be. 

Hope and Fear’s alternate billow 
Yielding late to Nature’s law, 
Whispering spirits round my pillow, 
Talk of him that’s far awa. 

Ye whom sorrow never wounded, 
Ye who never shed a tear, 
Care-untroubled, joy-surrounded, 
Gaudy day to you is dear. 

Gentle night, do thou befriend me, 
Downy sleep, the curtain draw; 
Spirits kind, again attend me, 
Talk of him that’s far awa!
After a wild and windy night, there’s a dusting After a wild and windy night, there’s a dusting of snow atop the mountains of the Amalfi Coast. ❄️
On January 1st, I started going out for an early m On January 1st, I started going out for an early morning walk, and it has quickly become my favorite part of the day. This morning—after four days of rainy and cloudy mornings—I watched sunrise over the Cilento coastline across the Gulf of Salerno. Late morning it started raining again and it hasn’t stopped. This little pocket of beauty was exhilarating!
After the storm as the sky clears. #Amalfi #CiaoAm After the storm as the sky clears. #Amalfi #CiaoAmalfi
Winter weather has arrived on the Amalfi Coast! Ou Winter weather has arrived on the Amalfi Coast! Outside there’s the roar of the rough sea and strong winds in the mountain valley. This photo was a moment of relative calm yesterday morning as the storm came in.
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Disclosure

Copyright © 2023 Ciao Amalfi · Theme by 17th Avenue