My blogging has been on a back burner, not that I haven’t had many wonderful things to share and thinking about, but my laptop has died !  The only computer we have now in the house, is the OH’s at the back of the lounge, in a cupboard come office and I just don’t feel at home there.

I have spent many weeks giving my website a facelift, on a makeshift laptop, that after every five minutes lost it’s internet connection, that along with learning  an all new,  wordpress premium theme programme to me, was enough to put me off technology and social media for a while, well apart from FB and Twitter of course !!

So here I am, out of my comfort zone, in the cupboard trying to catch up.

The Autumn had a heady warm start, crazy sunshine filled days have been a joy.  Local visitors and holidaymakers were able to soak up the weather, and the relaxed rural atmosphere of the mountains, and I was lucky enough to cook for many of them in there chosen holiday abodes.  Traditional dishes, with many home-grown and always seasonal ingredients, delivered to the door in hampers ready to for them to enjoy.

As a family we have taken on some new hobbies.  I have bought a new bike, and we have enjoyed coastal cycles all together, stopping for picnic and long beach lunches, and then burning off the calories .  My youngest has finally after years of pestering me, started horse riding and seems a natural, enjoying riding in the mountains and learning all the necessary roles of horsemanship, muck and all !

Taking the fitness one step further Zumba and tone has become a weekly class I can’t wait to go to, and I even persuaded my OH to don his dancing shoes and we are learning the Argentine Tango together. We may live rurally on a side of a mountain, but there’s still plenty going on and our life is one new experience to the next .

The vegetable patch has been fruitful, and I’m still overwhelmed with Aubergines,  we are waiting for the next good rains, to rejuvenate the garden and start planting up for the winter months.  The grapefruits, lemons and clementines are growing  riper on the trees and olives almost ready for picking. 

We’ve been working hard on the mountain at La Rosilla, lots of pruning to trees and shrubs, that had grown too big for their boots and were obstructing our to die for view.  New cane roofing on our pergolas and cutting back of climbers, so it’s not so much of a wilderness.

We treated ourselves to a ‘Firepit’ which has been a delight, since the clocks went back our weekend evenings have been extended outside, around the comfort and warmth of the fire, chestnuts have been roasted and songs, sung until the early hours.

Our family was reunited over half term , with our eldest daughter flying home from college in the UK, and Halloween and bonfire festivities were enjoyed on many a night.  Facepaints, back combed hair and masks seemed the norm for the last week or so.  Hearty and cockle warming foods were enjoyed with family and friends, hotpots, cheesy fondue, gluh wein, marshmallow toasting.  Pumpkins everywhere and even a mini ‘Guy’ for the pit .

The Autumnal skies this week have been spectacular, we’ve had wind and sun, and there feels a change in the air.  Winter is around the corner, so it’s time to make the most of the warm  daytime sunshine, before heading in doors for the evenings when the sun fades behind the mountain.  Time to plan for the upcoming season.