Tag Archives: Spain.

Nov9

The rain in Spain.

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Well I suppose we had to have it eventually, and have it we have – continuous rain & storms since Monday, I’m deluged in water at La Rosilla & last night we had the most spectacular electric storm, keeping the house awake all night.

The thing is our idyllic setting, is just so in all seasons when it’s dry, but now matter how well we prepare, it’s never quite enough, to stop natures force of never-ending rain when it starts.  So today on the mountain I have been digging ditches & getting soaked in P.J’s & pink hunters, trying to persuade the water flow, to take not such a devastating course .  Located half way up a mountain, the water only goes one way, & that is down to the river at the bottom of our land and it doesn’t go slowly but at full  force.

My children’s fairy garden, their den, for making potions, hiding and living their Swallows & amazons’ lifestyle, had it’s own water feature today, it’s going to take some renovation, but at least they didn’t loose their teapot 😉

Check it out here – La Rosilla fairy garden, water feature.

So today at La Rosilla we have had wet dogs & that delightful, NOT  ‘eau de pouch’, Kitty & Cat  not wanting to venture out – A drenched ‘Me’ with backache and mud encrsuted nails, from shovelling ….. and two ravenous children about to return home from school.

Only one thought for lunch …It’s a home made soup, kind of a day ….

So raiding the fridge,

2 Onions chopped, sauteed in oil & butter until softened

1 head of broccoli, floretted ( such a word ? you know what I mean 😉 ) and stalks chopped .

Stalks added to onions .

Hot chicken or vegetable stock about 1 1/2 litres poured over.

Simmer until stalks al-dente .
Then add, broccoli florets , and simmer until just cooked and still lovely and green.

Whizz up with a hand blender & season with Salt & Pepper.

That’s it , easy !

I topped mine with a little crusty bread and a melting round of goats cheese, the children, mopped there’s up with hunks of bread, and refilled their bowls with seconds, before donning their wellies to investigate & have fun in the mud

As I type the rain has taken a breather, but the river torrents are still flowing and the clouds on the mountains in view are hanging low, but hang on a chink of blue & a ray of light.

Chink of blue 🙂

Buen fin de semana todos stay dry !

Jun12

Beside the seaside.

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I have had the most frenetic time recently, work, work & work, but lots of play, play,play too 🙂

Time with friends has featured heavily, in between, cooking for family & clients, Mum’s taxi services, homework patrol, cleaning , blah, blah, blah you know the rest. Sleep seemed to have been put on a back burner, well so much to do so little time, but an odd cheeky siesta was necessary to get me through burning the candles at both ends.

My dear friend Kate from college arrived on a late night flight from Hamburg, for a short-break catchup, after 5 long years of our lives getting in the way, so as you can imagine, wine flowed & tongues wagged. One of our excursion whilst she was holidaying with me, was to the fabulous Tanit Beach Club in Torre del Mar, for our ‘Beside the Seaside’ day. A sea mist kept the temperature bearable and after a much needed coffee and cake to start, we bagsied our sunbeds, we were joined by Maria, and to my delight a ‘Chef’s display’ and TV cameras filming 🙂

Tanit Beach Club

Lunch was enjoyed in their delightful chiringuito, a canape ‘Tapa’ was offered and we shared and grazed on a Salad of goats cheese, walnuts and sultanas with a cana miel dressing, and then Chicken & bacon brochette, with a mustard & honey dressing.

Vino & Tapa

Delicious Tanit Salad

 

Chicken & Bacon Brochette

 

We did brave a toe dip in the sea, but then the lure of comfy beds and a quick shut eye won 😉

 

Siesta Time

 

 

May19

Ruta de la Teja.

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Never enough hours in the day ! – Ruta De La Teja

 Waking yesterday morning, It dawned on me, I needed to put my best foot forward, grab a few hours that I didn’t have, slap on some SPF, fill up my water bottles, don my shorts, as I was off to join Rosie and a small group of ‘Views from the Hills’ members on our hike/trek/walk along the Ruta de la Teja, from the hilltop town of Comares.

Having had a few weeks, or should I say months of hectic-ness, I was actually looking forward to breathing in the air, taking a breather and stopping to look at “ why I live here” ..Being with a ‘dodgy’ motor for sometime, I was kindly collected by Diane with Lisa in tow, who were to be my walking companions. Laughter started with earnest, at my choice of clothes, with the ladies, commenting I looked like a school girl, little did they know, this is what I wanted to feel like, remember the days of excitement when you were off on a school trip ? 😉 – Our’ journey up to Comares allowed us to off load our woes, grumble about aches and pains, bureaucracy and too positive achievements we were all making.

On arriving at Comares we tried to park as close to the plaza as possible, well we didn’t want to waste our energy on the uphill climb, before we’d even started our walk.;) But alas our efforts of plaza parking were duped, as Comares unbeknown to us was in feria mode , Feria de los Mariscos, and the town was being decorated to the nines in Moorish style, with wonderful artisan stalls, an added bonus.

After meeting up with Rosie and friend Rose, seasoned hikers !!! We sipped a necessary coffee in the sunshine, and then started our amble, chatting, taking photos and indulging in the spectacular scenery. The weather was perfect warm and comforting, figs were ripening on the trees, wild gladioli stood majestically, campesinos were collecting herbs and foraging on the hillside , pools of clear fresh water were homes to tiny frogs. Views were amazing, each of us pointing our across the valleys beyond to our homes.

We stopped and enjoyed, our snacks in the shade of almond and olive trees. Walking back up to Comares was the only time, my thighs began to moan a little, but I knew the bar was at the end…ready for me to have a …diet coke ;).

 

We all agreed to take time out of our schedules, even though we thought we shouldn’t or couldn’t was a great tonic, and walking we should do more often…Next trek – Mazmullar.

 Thanks Rosie, thanks walking companions – Enjoyed it x

Mar4

A week of all weathers !

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Clear blue skies and temperatures mild,

exlporing , den making, perfect days for a child.

Sun shining, time to sit with my book,

Inspired for alfresco Paella to cook.

With tasty leftovers in hand,

a day at the beach, picnic on the sand.

Return to La Rosilla with rosie cheeks and smiles on our face.

Memories created, of our special place.

As temperatures drop fire gets made,

time for yet more logs to be laid.

A loud crack, and a flash lights the sky

as rain starts to fall, in my bed I cant lie,

chilled to the core the world has gone mad

Wait a minute is that snow ? Oh my goodness a week of all weathers we’ve had !

Warmth, sun, lightening, rain now snow

Remind me where I live and what month its is,

Cos’ one thing for sure my body and mind’s in a tis.