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 OUR
REGULAR NEWS FEATURE FROM
SUNNY SPAIN |
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JANUARY 2009
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First - our weather ... |
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January proved to be very much a curate’s egg of a month
starting with quite heavy rain so that we actually saw flowing
water in the rambla and the arroyo ...
as you can see from the
photograph below
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At
least the rain has helped raise the reservoir levels to
acceptability –
no
hosepipe bans here! |
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After the rain we
endured about
10 days of high
winds
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...but nowhere near as
bad as north eastern Spain and south western France where wind
speeds exceeded 200 kph.
As you may know the
wind claimed 15 lives in the north and was followed by forest
fires fanned by the “breeze”. |
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At least down here we
can only suffer campo (countryside) fires,
as apart from olive and
almond trees there is very little forestry. |
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The wind died away to open a dull depressing
period but this was followed by our first taste of spring with 2
or 3 really glorious days when English style cooking was no
longer acceptable.
The
improving weather brought
...the almonds ... |
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...and mimosas ... |
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into blossom and
afforded us a tantalizing preview
of what is to come.
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The local goatherds are
starting their treks
around the campo. |
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The country in Spain is essentially open to all,
which is a bit alien to the Brits, however, pet owners have to
be on their guard for illegal poisoning
...and the shooting of dogs
...does take place.
Strangely
the Spanish dogs don’t seem to suffer as they normally patrol
the streets in small groups during the day and are very sociable
when compared with the highly disciplined British animal. |
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A local policeman had cause to approach a
British dog owner at a market recently and politely commanded
“no woof, woof”!
It is really unusual for Spanish dogs to go
“barking mad” ! |
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BIRD INFORMATION
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Our
Robin Redbreast
has returned once again and visits every morning without fail. |
The Magpies have been a mite subdued, although
they are still around. I suspect that courting has given way to
egg sitting. |
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Meanwhile the
Wagtail
swarms continue to entertain |
and the
Serins are starting their breeding activity. |
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The wet weather is probably the reason why our
amphibian chorus is particularly loud and raucous this year. |
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SPANISH FESTIVALS |
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The fifth of the month was the eve of
Kings Day which with it being a Monday with Bank Holiday
therefore on Tuesday meant that the Spanish “Bridge” once more
swung into operation and precious little work was done although
increasingly supermarkets etc. stick to the rules.
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It is quite fun for Susan as the fifth is her
birthday and so the parade of the local children, in decorated
farm carts, visit to hurl sweets into our garden, which is a
rather nice present for her.
(And it saves me considerable expense ) |
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On the
seventeenth of the month
Saint Anthony’s
(St Anton) Day was
celebrated (he being the Patron Saint of four legged animals in
Spain)
and around the country, especially in those towns where
St Anton is the Patron Saint, people take their gaily-bedecked
animals to church to be blessed by the priest.
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It is not considered good form to laugh and make
fun of the beribboned four legged friends. |
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All in all
I don’t think we have done too badly this month, friends of ours
have been out to Australia then returned to England thus
jumping from the” frying pan into the fridge”!
Whilst our son
and daughter in law in *Kentucky suffered Ice storms which
brought down power li nes, fences etc. leaving them “powerless”
for some days.
Like they
say, “The only Way is Up”
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PSST ...
*TO SEE THE NEW KENTUCKY KIDS OF 2009
CLICK 'NEW KIDS.09' |
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Spanish Customs |
FESTIVALS |
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click for
BIRD WATCHING |
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Sue says
please to click
for
More
Spanish Garden 09
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AND new
from 2009
SUE'S
WALKS
AROUND ALMERIA...
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RECIPE (TAPAS)
OF THE MONTH
CONEJO
A LA CAZADORA
[Hunters
Rabbit]
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see this and more recipes at
MIKE'S TAPAS BAR |
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REMEMBER! To find
a DIARY MONTH from our Newsletter,
just click
DIARY DAYS IN SPAIN
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And
see more recipes at
MIKE'S TAPAS BAR |
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©
PLUS
2006