Once “indoorsy,” she now spends more time outdoors, though she still calls any walk in the woods “mountain climbing.”

Perhaps it is the scant, delicate detail revealing finer lines, which thus turns corners of Tuscany into an imaginary Hellas. Or perhaps the mere sunny austerity of these rocky sere places, the twitter of birds telling of renewed life, suggesting what, to us, seem the homes of the world's happy youth.

What's griping you?

Today: chilled macaroni, semolina encasing scrag-end of lamb – couscous – and damp Swiss roll.