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Spring at last ... |
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MARCH NEWSLETTER |
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Well that’s another
winter over and this year it has been an exceptionally mild
one. We had a few cloudy days and a few windy days with wind
coming off the High Sierra which at this time of year is very
cold (at least in our terms). |
To check out
our weather
click the
CLIMATE IN SPAIN
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Toward the end of
the month the weather stabilised with blue skies and bright
sunshine to welcome the spring
We are in fact in
the worst drought since 1912 although the Spaniards seem to
manage water efficiently either by transferring from wetter
areas or by desalination and deliver it at about a ¼ the price
of the English who are hardly short! |
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The beginning of the
month saw the arrival of the first
swallows
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some of which are no
doubt on their way to northern Europe.
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March also saw the vines burst into
life, leaf and
blossom...
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which will later
become
[
Wines of Almeria
]
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By the end of the month the
passion flowers
have started
to bloom |
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and the pomegranate trees are in bud and we look forward
to their beautiful red flowers during April.
 to
learn more click
Pomegranate |
Punica granatum
by
Otto Wilhelm Thomé
(1840-1925) |
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Sue has created some
stunning colour in our Garden
... as you can see here |
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The bright red clump you can see opens and closes as the
day progresses
...here it is just closing
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This red tree is the
Bottle Brush Tree |
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This clump of flowers are Gazinias which seed themselves all
over the garden.
They are wind assisted planting and once you have them you
are never without.
Sue Says "I love them, but once again they close up at
night as well"
For a video of the Gazinia (a musical
interlude) click
HERE |
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The month was somewhat disrupted this year by
Semana Santa
(Holy Week)
...for
whilst modern Spaniards are not very religious they don’t need
much of an excuse to have fun. Processions, Parades etc in
abundance!
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The problem here is that normal working
practices are disrupted on what seems to be an individual basis
with postal and gas deliveries being intermittent and shop
opening hours varying according to whim.
But, it is all part of the charm that makes
Spain what it is. |
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The end of the month saw my brother his two
daughters their partners and our two great nieces come to visit
which was most enjoyable.
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Finally, to celebrate the arrival of spring the
beautiful
Bee Eaters
have appeared ...announcing themselves by “phoning” ahead.
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Their distinctive call sounds very much like a
standard mobile phone. This means that we cannot fail to miss
the sun shining through their glorious wings as they soar
overhead |
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We are now eagerly awaiting the arrival of
their beautiful blue cousins
the Rollers |
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|
IBERIAN NATURE
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A notable feature of the month has been our cat´s
dramatic change of personality.
Upon arriving as a stray some 15 months ago he couldn´t wait to
get out of the house and would scream at the door in the morning
and have to be shouted in, in the evening.
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For some perverse reason (which only he knows)
the situation has been reversed and now he spends most of his
time indoors – quite a welcome change really, perhaps we have
now earned his trust! |
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Meanwhile over in Kentucky Chas and Heather have
proudly produced four grand kids for us -
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and that is not slang for they are the
offspring of goats Maisie and Eliza...
(named after our great nieces)
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See the grand Kids (from the USA) by clicking
GRAND KIDS |
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...'til
next time ...
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My Recipe (TAPAS)
for March is
SPANISH OMLETTE – TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA
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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