Visiting Daddy

Well, the trip to the UK was a huge success. We managed to cover shopping, zoo, beach and minature pony park.

It was lovely to sleep under a duvet and to feel a bit chilly now and again. The weather was really good for us and we only had a couple of showers, as this was the shopping day, it didn't really matter. Managed to catch up with my oldest friend and her family for dinner one evening, which was lovely. It's amazing how much children change when you don't see them frequently.

The tomatoes are still green though which was a bit disappointing. I was told by an English friend that I ought to have moneymaker tomatoes, as I will crop more. No. These are plum tomatoes and far more tasty, sometimes it is better to keep your opinions to yourself.

Back on track and coming along nicely

So you can see everything in the garden is coming along nicely. Have cropped a few cuccumbers, and think that I will be looking for corgette recipes in the near future. Am desperate to pick some tomatoes, but they haven't turned red yet. Perhaps they will after my trip to the UK.

Friday the 13th

I lost my very dear friend to cancer last Friday. Today is her cremation in the UK and I cannot be there to say goodbye.

So very quickly

Miss you lots Babe, you have left a huge space in my life that will be hard to fill. Thank you for all the good times, there were no bad times. I am pleased you are no longer in pain. Love you lots, and think of you often X

Thank you for that and hope to be in better spirits next time I post

What season?

Here we are, June 11 and another enormous storm and thunder and lightening, incredible. I of course went out to lunch with 3 loads of washing on the line and bright blue skies! Oh well, I guess it will dry some time tomorrow.

The Daddles now have a new home under one of the Orange trees in the courtyard. Still looking gorgeous, but smelling pretty vile now. Still it is good fertilizer!

They eat loads, and their favourite is mashed snails, which they positively wolf down. The girlies love to feed them these and consequently will now collect up any snails - of which we appear to have millions - from around the garden, without too much prompting. Two birds, one stone - perfect :-)

The Lanternas or Banderas de España for their red and yellow colouring are in full bloom at the moment. I love these plants for their long flowering season and the delicious "herby" smell that they have.

Coming along in the Garden

Well, after all the recent rains, things are starting to sprout, bloom and grow in the garden.

This orange flower is either a courgette, melon of some sort, an aficos, cucumber or aubergine, I cannot for the life of me remember what was planted where!

And this is a trendril of a grape vine clinging on for grim death to it's supporting wire. It's amazing how knotted up it gets all on its own.

La Paella Gigante

The day started sunny enough, with bouncy castles, a ride on train and other activities for the children. Lunch was a communal paella, which they seemed to make quickly enough, all practised experts no doubt.

Ignoring all health advice, they emptied bag after bag of salt into it, after all it's all about taste and not health when it comes down to paella.

Saturday afternoon, we nipped up to the local ferreteria, which was shut. Needed to buy some chickens for eggs. Disheartened we came back home and started to prepare the hen house or corral. Constructed from recycled pallets, it has a definite look of a Cowboy and Indian fort about it. It remained unfinished until Sunday morning, when we popped up to the market and bought two black and one brown hens. Somehow, these managed to find their way into the shopping basket as well!

So cute, who could possibly resist?

So, with chickens in the hen house and ducklings in the kitchen, we had lunch. The heavens opened, and there was a torrential downpour. It was soon over, and I was startled to hear small black dog barking frantically, looking out I could see our big dog inside the chicken coop, I screeched and ran down, but it was too late. He had killed all three. I was very upset, but if you take dogs in off the street, I guess they must be used to having to kill for their survival. New plans, with higher walls are now under way.

Which comes first the Blossom or the Fruit?

At last the sun is shining. Today we have sunshine and according to the forecast more to come. Not before time I might say. In view of this, after dropping the girlies at school - and it was excursion to the beach for No1, I donned the ever trendy backpack, went out and sprayed all my weeds, which due to the recent rains are positively flourishing. I was surprised to see that my apple tree as well as now bearing fruit is in bloom again

I've never noticed this before, I'm used to seeing lemons and blossom, but never apples and blossom.

I feel that I have been neglecting my photography somewhat just recently, and would really like to get my mojo back. One of the nearby villages is in fiestas next weekend, so am hoping to get some pictures of the firework display.