mountains – Gardens. Travel. Life.

Posted on March 10, 2023March 10, 2023 by happyretiredblog

A bit of Black and White.

It’s no surprise to many but I do like to take a photo or two. Just ask Ian. He will tell you that all my photos of him are ones of him walking ahead. That’s usually because he continues to walk on as I stop and take a photograph. Then when catching him up I take another. Usually of his back. I even had a photo book printed of a number of those photos. The funny thing is that he can say where each one was taken.

Since retiring I have rekindled my love of the camera and latterly taking photos with my iPhone. I always have my phone with me. Not glued to my ear but ready in hand in case. Not for a call but an opportunity. Years ago I took a lot of black and white. On a camera. No. Before yo say. It wasn’t a box brownie although I remember one in the house growing up. Mine was an Olympus trip. I didn’t realise that the Trip bit was a marketing reference As the camera was aimed at people who wanted a compact, functional camera for holidays. During the 1970s, it was the popular British photographer David Bailey advertised the camera. So that’s why I now realise why my mother used to comment when I was taking a photo ~ ‘ who do you think you are David Bailey!!

But with that camera photos were taken with real film with the added excitement of not instantly knowing what the picture would tell. Then the disappointment that out of a reel of 24 you might have at least one good one. If I was lucky. Then having a load of photos that were put in a box and not looked at again. My mother kept the ‘best’ ones in an old milk tray chocolate box. Now I keep them on my phone. Don’t ask how many are on here. Too many. This one came out of the chocolate box when the house was cleared. Taken in the early 1930’s and no. Not by me. Taken on Barry Island beach ~ pre Gavin and Stacey. My mother and her twin sister and brother with cousins and Granny Morgan. My great grandmother.

Back to now. My friend in Cómpeta , Dave, who is a great photographer ~ loves analogue photography, has given me the encouragement to take black and white photos again. Some on a digital camera. Some on iPhone. Some on both. Dave shoots on proper film and develops the photographs in his darkroom. I wouldn’t be allowed to be near the chemicals but more to the point I neither have the skill or the patience. It’s digital all the way for me. I envy Dave. He has more control over the finished photograph in the development stage. He exhibits his photos as well.

So this is a different blog than usual. Not a Garden blog. Not a Travel blog. But a Bit of black and white.

We have driven this lane so many times over the last 30 years. I’ve always called it ‘Pig lane’ which it isn’t. But there is a large stone statue at the top end of the road of a Boar. I love the hedges when they have been freshly cut as the road draws your eye through what could be a maze. It’s a very different picture later in the year when the hedges are in full growth. And when you meet an artic heading up to the agricultural tractor place at the top. But to me it’s quintessentially English countryside.

Hello Waterloo station. I had been in Somerset for 3 weeks and because I’m an idiot who had forgotten an appointment for 6pm on a Friday I had to get the train from The Temple of Doom up to the city. Those that know know. For those that don’t The temple is Templecombe station. A pretty little station which is handy to get back to Clapham or Waterloo. Or Exeter. Or Salisbury. I thought I had time to kill so had a wander through the concourse. Well actually above it looking down. People coming and going. All with their own story to tell. Or not.

Somerset. We can see these trees from the bedroom window high up in the fields behind the cottages. I love the shapes especially as the sun goes down. Looking back at the photos there are many shots of these.

There were some benefits of lockdown. It made us walk a lot more. We found places that were on our doorstep but we had never been to. When I was working it was home to office to home and an escape to Somerset on a Friday night. Or a Thursday when I dropped my days. This is Burgess Park. Not in lockdown but a few weeks ago. We were walking back from London Bridge through the park. No filter. An opportunistic shot. One I am framing.

Another on our walk back through Burgess Park. Quite often there are people fishing at this spot ~ little tents erected. Fishing wire. Little camping seats. Today they were the other side of the man made lake.

Competa. Trees marching up or is it down one of the mountains It’s a great sight as we drive in and out of the Pueblo Blanco. I keep expecting them to tumble down in the wind and not be there the next time we pass by. Competa is 2,000ft above sea level.

The awesome structures of the Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias Valencia. The buildings are awesome. Futuristic and one episode of Dr Who was filmed here. We have visited Valencia twice and will be back.

Tickets please. The beautiful station in Valencia. A stunning entrance hall. A fabulous original row of ticket sales windows. Glorious in colour. Atmospheric in black and white. This is another that will be printed and framed. Thanks to Dave I use a place in Valencia for printing as these will be framed for Competa.

Waiting for Ian near London Bridge. The shard ahead. The old and the new. After 40 years in London I still love its architecture which changes like the seasons. Buildings pop up all the time and the skyline views are amazing. The costs of getting to the skylines are amazing as well.

Valencia. I love Valencia. A walk through the narrow streets through the area with a lot of antique shops. Compra ~ Venta. We did neither. Everything I wanted wouldn’t fit in my small carry on case. But we are off to Barcelona soon and guess what. The Spanish Mr Glass has a shop there. Makes note. Take a large suitcase. Each.

This blog is like me gardening. A bit of a butterfly. Flitting from one bit to another. I do that gardening. A bit here. A bit there. A bit over there. This photo is back in Competa. Well it may be Competa. It may be Canillas. What I do know is that it’s the walk between the two.

Bilbao. It was cold outside. Cold and wet. That was us too. So we stopped for coffee. I loved the picture on the wall. We walked past the Guggenheim the night before ~ it’s such a stunning building. The people in the photo are a bonus. Currently being framed.

I liked this one so much I’ve had it framed and it’s ready for hanging. Another one in Bilbao. I just loved the street scene ~ we were staying just along the road but I never got another chance. Another opportunistic shot.

People said what would I do in retirement. Take photos. Travel. Sleep. Be bored. Never.

As a foot note. Black and white photos are timeless. Two from the chocolate box. One late 1950,s. One early 1960,s. Neither taken by me.

Posted on January 19, 2020January 20, 2020 by happyretiredblog

Here and there. There and here.

It’s been a busy time in the Mathieson ~ Jones household over the last few weeks. It’s been a bit here there and everywhere. But we managed to get a few weeks together over Christmas in Spain. Second Christmas and third New year. How time flies. In Spain not with Ian. Ask him he’s says about 8 years. That’s dog years by the way. Add another 20 and your nearer the time.

The weather can be changeable and when I arrived it was wet. Now spending half our time in Somerset for the last 25 years you’d think I’d be used to wet. But in Spain it’s a different kind of wet. Yes I know I’m a little bit bonkers but trust me it rains in the West Country. It’s often biblical like last night as I returned on the A303 and the M3. Rain so hard you couldn’t see Stonehenge. To be honest not that I want to. If I have time to see it it means I’m stuck in a traffic jam and after 25 years of passing it it hasn’t changed. Not a bit.

But the weather was proper pants when I arrived. I didn’t go out for two days as it rained so hard that the water was rushing down the hill. You would have been able to surf down La Rampa I’m sure. Not that I’d know. I didn’t venture out for two days. But the rain makes me happy in Spain. Wet ground means easier planting. Our water deposit is full.

Ian arrived a few days after me and it’s always amazing at what he manages to pack into his case. As well as some Xmas goodies which we would struggle to get and of course we can’t live without there were some major additions. A while back I had bought a fabulous cake stand and dome from my friend Mr Glass in London from London Times Vintage up in Islington. I wanted to bring it to Spain but was nervous. It’s heavy. On a stand and is glass. It arrived with Ian in his suitcase. All in one piece.

Those who follow me on Instagram are well used to seeing Ian’s back. This is one I made him stand still on the terrace looking down to the coast.

Trust me you don’t know how hard it is to get Ian stand for a photo. Let alone pose. Before I’ve even pressed the shutter he’s on the move thinking it’s done.

But the weather picked up. Chilly mornings. Glorious days. Chilly nights. That I can cope with. Oh. And have I ever mentioned sunsets. Maybe one or two. Hundred. At this time of year they are stunning and the views vary from the campo to the town to the areas above the town. Luckily there are others as obsessed as me who take sunset pics

On a clear day we can see the coast of Malaga, to the left Gibraltar. And further to the left usually on a different day Morocco.

As we had rain it was an opportunity to plant the final bulbs. Many I had planted with a pick axe earlier had started to poke through so this time planting was easier with the ground being a little damp. The garden in Somerset is like a paddy field after all the rain we have had. In Spain we do actually have a pick axe. Not that I use it that often but it may be useful if I ever want fancy dress as one of the seven dwarfs. Ian says I’d be a mix of grumpy, dopey and sleepy. Point is. He’s probably right.

Last years freesia are already in flower and a gorgeous yellow one was in bloom. Was is the correct term. I knocked the head off as I clumsily passed by! They grow amazingly well in the garden and I finally planted the last batch. We have pots dotted all around and the scent is fantastic a big winner from Peter Nyssen again.

There is already colour in the garden. The osteospermum are spreading like crazy and as each day gets a bit warmer more open. That and the one Gazania that seems to be way ahead of the others.

The almond trees are bursting into flower. Sadly not ours this time as ours are the latest to flower. Probably in the whole of Andalucia. Which in many ways is good. Maybe a bit less windy to have the beautiful flowers blown like confetti across the garden.

There are two different flowering types in our garden and our neighbours. Both our neighbours are out already. I love the pinky red throat of the second almond flower.

Patience is a virtue. One that I’m not great at. Particularly where plants and flowers are concerned. To be honest best I just say patience isn’t a virtue.

I witter on about the roundabout that’s not a roundabout. Not a lot. But it’s so coming into life. The acid yellow of the oxalis pew caprae is beginning to carpet the ground. This year they seem to be taller and more abundant than last year. I blame the weather!

We are over 600m above sea level. A bit exposed in parts so when the wind blows the wind blows. The enormous leaves of the strelitzia Nicolai get shredded. I’m gutted that there are no signs of flowers ~ we last had them in 2018. Fingers crossed for this year. They are magnificent in their blue/black beauty.

We have a number of strelitzia Reginae with flower spikes which will be bursting into the fabulous bird of paradise flower in the next few weeks.

When we moved into La Casa I was surprised to find that we had a Swiss cheese plant. As a child growing up we had one along with the obligatory rubber plant sitting in the sitting room. This one is in the garden. Really slow growing and to be honest it’s taken me over two years to like it. But I do. I’m hoping it doesn’t grow as large as the ones in the Botanical Gardens Malaga. Then I won’t like it. But I suspect there is no chance of that. The seed pods of Sesbania Punicea are still hanging and are a great shape. You can hear the seeds rattle inside as the pods are so dry.

The dodonia s a pretty dull plant most of the time but when autumn and winter come the green leaves turn to a gorgeous red. I’ve tried replanting some of the seedlings but they just don’t take. The final leaves of the grape are falling ~ hurrah as they are a pain to keep sweeping up. I know I should store them for leaf mould, but I fear the tree rats or some slithering snake may take up residence.

I love the foxtail agave. A lot. This is one at the bank at the back of the house. Them there’s the plecanthrus which is in the main bed. Has a bit of a funny smell. I can’t explain it. Looks a bit like an alien as it grows. Succulents on the back bed. Mr Prickly ~ the one of three healthy prickly pears. Which fruited this year.

We also did a bit of walking ~ down at the coast in Nerja. And a walk from Canillas de Albaida to Competa. A walk in an area between Canillas de Albeida and Canillas de Aceituno.

It wasn’t all gardening. Quite of bit of this trip was leisure as well. Picking lemons from next doors garden. With permission! Making the final batch of quince jelly. Picking olives to dry salt them. Making limoncello. I must remember to take that one out of the cupboard when I’m next home

So for now it’s a waiting game. For some more rain. For the alliums to start poking through. The orange blossom to make an appearance. Time to prune the grape and the olives. There’s never a dull moment, and nearly three years later I’m still excited when I drive up the wiggly road.

And surisingly. It all starts again soon.

Posted on November 6, 2018December 30, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

The beginnings of Autumn España

Last year we had little or no rain right through Autumn and most of Winter. Until the heavens opened in March. Boy did it rain. But it filled the reservoirs.

We are still in October as I start to write this and the heavens have opened already. For more days than I’d like. Yes. We need rain. For the garden. For the reservoirs. To enable me to plant. Which I have. A lot. But give us a break. It’s been running down the streets. Towns have been flooded. Oh. So has Venice!

At least the garden looks lush and green. There’s a second flush of some of the flowers. Everything smells fresh and lovely. The birds are singing. So am I. But badly.

After a log hot summer and a dry one it’s wonderful to see the colours again. It’s amazing how quickly things recover.

I think that I may need to fleece the banana. Just in case. Usually we don’t get a frost even though we are 650m above sea level. What’s a bigger problem is the wind. It shreds the huge leaves of the strelitzia – but they are huge.

When we first saw the house I loved the lavender path. A curved path leading from the gate to the house and the terrace. The scent and the buzz of the bees sold me the house. Literally. Ian said ‘ you don’t even need to see the house do you?’ You know what. He was pretty much right. But the lavender was a bit woody in parts and I decided to replant at some stage and nearly 18 months later it’s done. 28 new lavender plants. Ordered. Delivered and planted.

The planting along the path

The replanted lavender path

As I was having the plants, compost and some feed delivered I was tempted to buy a decent sized cyclad. So I did. Convinced myself that it could form part of Ian’s birthday present. So it’s planted. I didn’t make the silly mistake I made when we first bought the house and ask if the pot was frost proof!

There continues to be colour dotted around the garden with the Lantana which there are three different colours. This one I hacked back as it was ‘if it grows it grows’ If not it’s goodbye. It’s grown.

The nispero /loquat is in flower. I thought it was early but I checked with last years photos and it’s roughly a similar time. Nispero are a bit of a messy fruit. Doesn’t travel or store well and this years crop was pretty rubbish.

This has been my favourite flower this year. By far. I’d almost given up as they started to flower as I left for two weeks. But they were still flowering when I arrived back and continued through the next three weeks. I suspect they will be over when I get back.

I’m going to order more. The only downside is that the flowers hang down and you don’t easily see the flowers beauty. But boy are they beautiful.

The border on the bank

I love this border. It’s at the base of the steep slope and is a real mix. Rosemary sits with bottle brush and lantana. With succulents my favourite agave. The foxtail agave. The rosemary is getting woody. Maybe time for replanting but not just yet.

I bought 10 new agapanthus in the sale at the end of July and have finally planted them. Five in pots to go along the white wall of la Casa. The other five – the white ones planted in a border. I’ll add some alliums to that border. Which reminds me to put it on my list. Bulb planting. Now we have had copious amounts of rain the ground is more workable. Plus we are having some top soil delivered this week. The soil is thin in parts. And poor. I’d like to be thin in parts too. Butbulb planting isn’t my favourite thing to do.

I have been staggered at the number of flower spikes the potted strelitzia has given us. It continues with the Autumn flush. There are another 4 spikes growing which will keep us with flowers until beyond Xmas. The ones planted in the garden don’t do so well. There are flower spikes but not as prolific as this one. I have replanted two into a pot. Let’s see how they perform.

I just wish the black/blue and white strelitzia Nicolai would have a second coming. I’ve been told to divide the two we have in the garden. I’m a bit nervous of doing that. I also need to see where they can be planted if I do.

These seed heads are gorgeous. But the tree is massive and will feature in the pruning exercise to be undertaken in January 2019. It May mean less flowers in 2019 but needs must. It’s just too tall next to the house.

Pineapple guava fruit

The pineapple guava are getting bigger. Will be some to eat when I return. I’ll let you know if I still like them.

Yes. It’s a citrus. A lemon. Citrus Buddha’s hand. Pretty rubbish for the kitchen if you want juice. As there isn’t any. No pulp either. But a fragrant fruit – a lavender scent with a lemon taste, the pith is used for cooking for drinks and the white pith isn’t bitter. So you can just cut off the fingers and use them in salads. That’s a whole new take on finger food.

A present for us from a friend who was staying for the week. A bit of a talking point already. Not her staying but the plant as you walk into the garden.

I only went into the garden centre to pick up a couple more lavender to fill in some gaps. Lucky for me there had been a delivery of plants. Come and have a look at what we have says Lorraine Cavannagh the owner. So I did. Delivery no 2 then.

This Colocasia ‘mojito’ was sat there. Waving it’s big silky leaves at me. So I had to. Didn’t I? It’s a beaut and I had the perfect place for it.

Colocasia ‘Mojito’

Busy bee

So I return this week after two weeks in London. There has been rain. Sun. Rain. Colder days and nights. More sun. So it will be interesting to see how the garden has fared.

Don’t worry. I’m sure I’ll tell you!

Posted on March 4, 2018 by happyretiredblog · 2 Comments

You’ve gotta have friends

So this trips not all been about the garden.It has also been time for friends. Ooh Allo Mike was out for 5 days. Then the ‘dream team’ were on tour. The Dream team. Common Farm dream team. Since I’ve retired I’ve spent some time with Georgie , Lorraine and Sharon helping out at the Flower Farm. Been the gofer. Bottle washer and even let loose on the wedding flowers. Lorraine on the other hand is queen of the jam jar posies. Sharon and Georgie the leaders of the pack. The experts.

So we planned a ‘dream team’ trip to our house in Spain. A chance for me to show them the garden. The town. The wine. I managed to book a trip to the Alhambra. Despite living close to Common Farm flowers it was the power of social media that brought us together. Me ordering flowers from the flowery lady up the lane. Then her delivering to the cottage. And it went on. Progressed into friendship

The date was set. Tickets booked. House cleaned. Garden tidied.

The flight arrived early. We arrived 5 minutes late. They were in arrivals. Wearing tiaras. Waiting. Smiling. ‘ Well’ they said. ‘You’ve said all week on social media it was a royal visit so we have arrived prepared’. They only came off once we got to the car. Trust me to be mean and park in the car park with the longest walk. Home up the dark and windey road. Wine. Snacks. Bed. In that order. But only after a lot of catching up.

To be fair. Saturday morning wasn’t a great start to the weekend. Table laid for breakfast. Orange juice squeezed. Kettle on the boil for more coffee. Boom. Off went the electrics. Nothing else to do but head up into Town.

We managed a wander around the market, coffee and croissants in the Plaza and then happened to bump into the plumber. Now I know what your thinking. Electrics. Plumber? Well along with our friend and Estate Agent they arrange everything for us. He promised that if it wasn’t on in a few hours Domingo would come out. On a saturday. Just like that.

Theres always something going on in the town. I couldn’t have arranged it better. A children’s fancy dress parade through the town. Some parents ( mothers!) dressed up. Some grandmothers. Tiny babies in pushchairs. A great family event wandering through the narrow whitewashed streets.

Next stop Nerja. A drive down the wiggly road to the coast. I need to up my game. This is our standard itinerary. Competa and the market if its a Saturday. A drive to the coast. Either Nerja or Torre del Mar. Today was Nerja. A short drive – after depositing Ian at the house to wait for Domingo – oh and after a couple of glasses of Cava – them not me we headed off.

Now you cant be in Spain and not stop off at a traditional Tapas Bar. Surprise surprise. We did. Packed too. With Spanish. Always a good sign. So we sat at the bar like locals. But stood out like we were not. Tempting Georgie into trying the different choices. A typical Tapas. One drink. One small tapas free. Oh. And wine and beer. For them. Not me. We had to get back up the wiggly road

A wander through the streets. A look at the sea.

Presents for the children. Not the spanish children obviously. The wriggler and Bear back in Somerset. And back up the hill to a house with electricity. Good old Domingo.

Supper at one of out favourite restaurants El Pilon.

A bucket of gin for an aperifif – Dani doesn’t know the word small. Even in Spanish. After 3 weeks of lessons I do. But to no avail. I try when he pours my caramelo. Caramel Vodka. My nightcap of choice these days. Another great evening – great food – conversation and catching up

Back at the house and time to relax. Not quite sure what Lorraine was explaining. But this was during the day and no drink was involved!

Sunday was our main event. A trip to the Alhambra. Now its not easy to get tickets. But it is. Booking opens three months in advance and tickets are limited to the Nasrid Palaces. Entry to these are by timed tickets. So unless you know your dates in advance you can struggle. Most of our visitors haven’t know their dates so far in advance so we always start with well it would be nice but. But. No guaranteed. Persistence is key. Keep checking the official website and days open up. Slowly. So I’ve managed to get dates for Feb. April and May. Yes. Glutton. one word of advice – they have a new booking system and they ask for names. Passport numbers and ages. Sorry ladies. I know and I will keep it secret. Passports required to be carried. But rarely checked.

I knew Lorraine wouldn’t arrive without something ‘dream-team’ related. I wasn’t wrong. Printed Tshirts. Yes before you ask. Im breathing in. We loved them. Thank you Lorraine.

A fashionable arrival. A pashmina that would mean Georgie wouldn’t get lost. Lorraine hidden under a parka. Umbrellas supplied by Ian. Yes. It was drizzly and cold. I keep forgetting how different the temperatures can be. But the Alhambra is high up in the Sierra Nevada. There’s skiing and snowboarding close by. Not me of course. Imagine. Me. Snowboard. Never. It would need stabilisers. But it was cold. Bloody cold.

A wander first around General life and the gardens. They are just planting the annuals in the beds so it will be interesting to see how it goes between now and my visit in May. Apologies to Lorraine. I kept wittering on about the box. But it looked sad. Very sad. They also had some myrtle hedges. Interesting.

A rare sighting of Ian. You usually only see him walking ahead if me.

Why are they laughing below? Because Mr Camera was trying to get a good shot and nearly went into one of the rills. Wet feet. Freezing cold. I would have wanted to go home. But its a nice picture.

I have become a regular visitor to the Alhambra over the last few months and every time I visit there is something else to see. Things I’ve missed. Things I see differently.

Its also great to see it through other peoples eyes. Standing in the midday queue being read the history of the Alhambra. Rather nicely read too. In one of these pics Georgie is talking poo. Poo and soil. She did a live Insta feed on it too.

The gardens change every visit. Two weeks before the dream team visit they were planting the bedding plants. In some areas there were gorgeous ranunculus. Shiny red ranunculus. Stocks. Scented. I am back there again in a month. Then again in May.

The Nasrid Palace is the jewel. The tiling. The ceilings. The stonework. Its beautiful and I think it exceeded expectations

. I know i can be a bit blasé about it. But I’ve been 4 times in the last year and have another two booked in. But it changes. Not the palaces obviously. But the light. The gardens. The tourists!

During the late summer I will book for a night tour. I think to see the palaces at night will be magical.

We even had chance of a silly selfie! Thats unusual. Both in a picture. At the same time.

You’d never know it was cold would you. Not by the look of Lorraine all wrapped up in her coat. Hood up. Shes the one in the blue by the way! The pink hat and green coat had nothing to do with us! Or Lorraine.

The one thing you do at The Alhambra is walk. And walk. And walk. It covers a large space. The gardens. The towers. The palaces. Up and down steps. To the top of the towers with amazing views of Granada. So there’s always a relief when you get a Saga stop. Especially on nice chairs!

A chance to sit and look out over Granada. Rest the pink trainer feet. Catch a breath. Post an Insta.

We spent five hours there. Yet still you don’t have time to see absolutely everything. Back home up the wiggly road. Out for supper.

But first Georgie wanted to see a sunset. She had seen loads on my timeline. But she wanted to see one for herself. Saturday night was overcast. No sunset.

Thankfully Sunday night obliged.

She isn’t really having to reach above the hedge to get a good pic.

It was a great weekend. Lots of chatter. Garden chat. People chat. Nonsense chat. Wine. Good food. And especially laughter. It will be repeated. Hopefully when the sun is hot. But not too hot. Diaries at the ready.

Posted on December 14, 2017December 17, 2017 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

The Rain in Spain

Its a myth you know. The rain in Spain isn’t mainly on the plain. Well it certainly wasn’t on Sunday night and Monday morning. The rain and the wind was up in the mountains. Whistling around the house. Lashing on the roof. Overfilling the gutters. I know. I was outside. At 4am. Checking the gutters. Whilst Ian slept soundly through it. It continued as I drove him to the airport later. The rain. Not his sleeping. Am i complaining? . Not about the drive to the airport. Certainly not about the rain. We need it in Spain. For the garden. For the reservoirs. And we need more.

What it meant was that the ground was workable. With a spade rather than a pick axe. Time to finish the planting of the alliums. Plant some foxtail lilies. Move a plant or two. Which I did.

It’s still exciting seeing what plants are popping up around the garden. What’s flowering now. Whats to come. The excitement of knowing that there are bulbs coming up. When we were looking for a house back in March – was it only March! – some of the houses we walked past had the wonderful scent of freesia. So I have planted 50 around the terrace and the path. To add to those that there are already there.

I have planted tulips in the white wall planter. Last year in London I had a great display of Belle Epoque. So I have planted them here hoping for a similar show. Amongst the red trailing geraniums which continue to flower and which you can still buy and plant. So strange but they are better in the Spring – summer just gets too hot. A bit like me really. I’m a spring flower.

The pots have the lovely Brown Sugar and Ronaldo. I can hear someone moan. Not more pots. Yep. More pots.

The bank at the rear of the house was cleared in the summer. Largely as I was paranoid of fire and the temperatures were soaring. Which has meant that some of the plants that are there have been growing steadily now the grass and weeds have gone. I have moved some of the baby agaves to the bank in the hope that they will take. I think they are on their way. There are some massive ones on the bit i call the roundabout. Which its not. But is a piece of ground that we have behind the house and across the access road. We had that cleared too and it and the bank at the front of the house is now covered with oxalis. So the roundabout will hopefully be a blob of yellow. I’m slowly weeding them out of the the main garden as it will become invasive.

I’ve also been tidying around the various succulents generally whilst being stabbed by most. Checking the cactus. Even the cactus which we call a cactus but is actually a euphorbia. I have said it before. And I’ll say it again. I wasn’t a huge fan of cactus and succulents. But you can not love them when you have a mediterranean garden. In Spain. Which has many.

Someone remind Ian please I need new gardening gloves! I swear these plants see me coming and ever so gently move. To stab me at every angle.

The citrus are doing well. At one point in the summer I thought we may lose the orange trees. It was so hot. I watered. Never sure if it was too much. Or too little. But the fruit has set and will be ready to pick in the new year. Just as well we are there for a month in Feb! They are also now quite heavy with blossom. I can’t wait for them to open. A bit of a warm day and the scent of orange blossom. Bliss..

The pink grapefruit I planted is heavy with fruit. Well. Heavy with two fruit. Admittedly they are fat. We have one lime – not on the grapefruit tree. Obviously. We were advised to take off the fruit this year. But I had to leave one. The potted mandarin has a lot of fruit. I think it will be ok. Big schoolboy error when I forgot to check that the new pot had proper drainage. It didn’t. Whispers the last bit and hides.

The winter jasmine is just starting to flower. A welcome bit of colour. Such a shame there is no scent. I only realised there were buds when I found some fallen flowers. The garden has a number of Jasmine. Whilst I love the colour of this ideally I prefer a scented one any day.

There has been lots of colour in the garden – mostly leaf colour but the flowers are starting over.

The fallen leaves of the grape vine driving me mad. The lovely colours of the leaves of the non fruiting pomegranate. Lovely on the trees. Not so lovely on the ground. The unusual blue of the plecanthrus suddenly flowering in abundance. The berries of the myrtle. My huge excitement of the strelitzia all in bud. I have counted nine. I love the rich colours as the flowers get fatter and are getting ready to open.

Ive been out on the bank collecting fallen pine cones from the few pine trees that we have. The contrast of the pine and the sadness of the sick prickly pears. I have managed to save two at the side of the house. Which are pretty cool.

Tthe autumnal feel of the colour in the garden continues with the colours and seed heads. No doubt poisonous as everything that you seem to grow in a mediterranean garden is!

Its not been all work. I have stopped and sat and admired the garden. Ate chocolate biscuits. A whole packet. To myself.

The groundwork and major planting done by the previous owner. I’m just adding things and tweaking to suit our use. To suit the lack of water and the fact we aren’t there full time. It does feel like it though.

We also managed a walk out along the road. Its just that once we are behind the gate we rarely move. Well out of the garden. I do actually move. But venture out we did. For a walk. And the views were great. We found quince fallen from the tree just off the side of the road. Makes note for next year to add to the six fruit we had in the garden.

Looked back at the house from a different angle and realise that we are well hidden!

So I am excited about the Spring. The bulbs. The colours. The almond blossom on the three trees we have. The fig trees getting their leaves back. The nespera fruiting and being able to pick them this year. The soon to be planted new pomegranates near the almond trees. To plug a gap.

The excitement of not quite knowing what the garden will bring from now until May when we will have done a whole years garden cycle.

The town is gearing up for Xmas. We had the fair at the garden centre. A great place and the owner is the author of my go to book for identifying the mediterranean plants in the gatden. We have had the fair in the town. And the town itself. Covered in poinsettia. Which I view often as I sit in the Plaza Almijara drinking coffee.

The steep road up to the square has a wall covered in bright pots. Filled with poinsettia . With more along the railings. I like the plants. But only for two weeks over Christmas.

I have closed the gates at the house for another two weeks as we head back to spend Christmas in London. To return for our first of what I hope will be many more New Years.

Posted on November 9, 2017November 9, 2017 by happyretiredblog · 2 Comments

It’s not all about the garden

Being in Spain isn’t just about the new Mediterranean garden. Though at times that’s how it feels. It’s all new to me. The plants. The soil. The weather. Oh. The weather. I do like a bit of sun. But not in July or August. It’s too hot. And I never thought I’d say that!

But there have been visitors. Which I love. Which means we have to explore. And explore we have over the last 6 months. Trips to the Alhambra. Twice. Trips to the coast. Numerous. A trip to Malaga. Oh. The trip to Malaga. Where I parked in the car park of Cortes de Ingles. And walked into the old town. And where I couldn’t find the car in the car park when I got back. Had to retrace our steps back through the store. You could smell the fear. A hire car. Whose registration I don’t know – yes it’s on the key fob I know but in the panic I forgot. We eventually found it. After half an hour. By which time I was ready to cry.

So we bought a small house in Andalucia. In Competa. Up a long and winding road. In the hills. By now you will know it has a garden. A lovely Mediterranean garden which I have bored the pants off everyone with twittering instagramming and generally talking about it. Even in my sleep. A style of house I didn’t want. I wanted a town house. A terrace. No garden. No pool. A walk to the bar. To the cafes. Which is the total opposite to what we bought.

Casa Verano Eterno. – House of Eternal summer.

We were also due to be based in Frigliana another white washed village but the owners of the B&B we had booked cancelled a few days before. Not because we are bad guests but because they had a family crisis.

So Ian did his research and we booked into a fantastic B&B in Competa –Casa b Run by Carsten and Bente who’s hospitality and breakfasts are incredible. But being based in Competa it gave us a lot of time to explore the town.

Where is Competa? I asked the same question to Ian when we booked to visit in March. It’s just over an hour from Malaga and and hour and a half to Granada and the wonders of the Alhambra. It is the jewel in the crown of the whitewashed villages. It’s breathtaking on first sight. Surrounding by the mountain ranges and is that type of place which you would say has a lovely feel. Which it does. The town has everything you could want. Great places to eat. Pharmacies. ( important when you get a swollen eye!). Bakeries. Fruit shop. Great places to eat and watch the world go by. Wine shop with lovely local wines. An amazing ironmongers. A petrol station. A kitchen shop ( heaven for me) and excellent friendly service from everyone. The Estate Agent we used has guided us through the first 6 months with a general ease.

In August every year is the Noche del Vino – the night of wine. It’s an enormous annual event in the town and there is a lunch cooked and prepared in the Plaza de Vendimia. The grapes are crushed by the Mayor and the lunch is served – Migas. To be honest. It looked a bit like gruel. It’s olive oil and fried breadcrumbs. Add plenty of local wine to wash it down. Which is good. We were wimps and didn’t stay up to watch the flamenco dancing. There’s next year.

It is a lovely white Andalusian town. High on the hill. And with its own lonely goatherd. Where the man and his goats wanders across the hills from side to side. You can smell them before you see them. A whiff of goat is not to be forgotten. Ever. And I love it. Hugely. The town. Not the smell of goat. Which I don’t by the way. The mountains are high. And no. I haven’t had a Maria Von Trapp moment running up the hills. Singin I am sixteen going on seventeen. More like 60 going on 70. If I could get up the hill in the first place.

I can usually be found in the square of a lunchtime. At my favourite place Casa Paco. Or in the evening to be fair. Or at any time of the day. It’s friendly.

We are lucky to be able to get to the coast in no time at all – should we wish to. Which we do occasionally. Thrty minutes down the wiggly road you get to Torre de Mar. A long beach with a very long promenade. Which in the summer is busy. And I mean busy. Out of season it is lovely. Much quieter and the cafes are still cooking their sardines on the beach in boats on coals.

Edit

Down the opposite road from the house. – the windy road rather than wiggly – you get to Nerja and further beyond the Costa Tropical. That’s a new one on me. Costa Del sol. Costa Brava yes. But never Costa Tropical. I was taken for supper to a lovely restaurant La Barraca on the beach at playa de Cantarijan. In the summer the beach and restaurant is only accessed by bus down a hugely steep hill. At night you can take your car down. I’m not sure I will. It’s very steep. Oh. And it’s one of the areas famous nudist beaches. We went at night. And ate. Fully clothed. Me. Naked. With mozzies. Never. The food and beach is great.

It’s in a natural park and there is the fear of fire. You can drive down in the evening. I keep meaning to take a ian there. Maybe next time.

We hadn’t explored Nerja much until I had a friend staying this time. To be honest it was complete noseiness on my part. Some friends have said they are coming to Nerja early in 2018 and if we were here we should meet up. So i went in search of their hotel. And found a new part of the town I didn’t know was there. Lanes of Tapas Bars and a nice long beach.

Ian has a weird desire to go to Torelominos. Which we will do. Just for a look – it has nothing to do with the IKEA close by. Honest.

There are hidden gems we have yet to explore along the Costa Tropical. To explore beyond Malaga on the Costa del Sol. There’s MIjas. There’s Marbella. Worth a visit when we have friends staying.

There have been a couple of trips to The Alhambra . Visitors say ‘are you sure you want to go again ‘ the answer is always yes. It’s an awesome place to visit and its a bargain. A day visit with entrance two the Nasrid Palace is one €14.95 euro. The Nasrid Palce is awesome and I want to go and visit at night. The visit is worth it just to see the beauty of that palace. This weekend we visited in the rain. And boy did it rain.

But the skies were kind to us and we had enough of a clear spell to do the outside.

The drive to Granada is easy and we have earmarked a weekend to stay overnight and explore the town. It looks fabulous. It’s too much to do The Alhambra and Granada town in one day. Unless you are on a tourist trip doing the whole of Eure in a week. Which we are not.

Of course i have managed to look at the gardens at The Alhanbra on each visit and i have done a bit of a blog already about my August visit. Link to that is here. A friend has reminded me about the Botanical garden in Malaga. That’s been added to the list. That’s what I love about social media. People tell you things you didn’t know. There are some gardens open in and around Granada so some forward olannning is needed for next year.

This visit the general life gardens at the Alhambra remained colourful but the flowers were going over. I do think that even when not picture perfect the flowers look good. I was still surprised at the planting. In August I thought that the planting looked pretty English. There were plants I hadn’t seen in a while. Some my parents had grown in the 70’s. Those tall red bedding salvias for one. A lot of orange tagetes. Some plants I want for my garden next year not the previous two but a fabulous euphorbia that was fantastic against the orange.

There was an abundance of agapanthus the flowers of which I had missed. Come to think of. It. There were no seed heads to be seen when we were there this time.

Colours in the Alhambra gardens Nov 2017

Malaga is interesting as well We will be there for New Year and apparentky they decorate the town at Xmas. Will be interesting to go and see. My friend Helen and I did the Cathedral this time and it was interesting. Shame my pictures weren’t which was disappointing. Must have been all that incense wafting about! There is always a next time. But at about €6 Euro it’s a bargain.

The colours of some of the houses in the old town are fabulous. We need more time to explore. The Picasso Museum is earmarked for the December trip. As long as I’m not Picasso’d out. I have seen a fair few PIcasso exhibitions these last 18months but I’m sure the museum here should be fab. If not there will be more Tapas time.

What I also find interesting here is the cost of entry into the places of interest. By interesting. I mean how inexpensive it is to vist. Unlike many in the UK. We have two days in Seville with friends at New Year which we are all looking forward to. We are so liucky that there is so much within easy reach to visit. Cordoba is on the list for 2018 as well. We have yet to decide whether we drive or let the train take the strain.

But I pinch myself regularly just as to how lucky we are to have such wonderful opportunities. I didn’t expect retirement to be so exciting So varied. And such fun

So. It’s not all been about plants. There has been food. Tapas. Of course. An amazing Paella at El Pilon, a lunch of avacado and spicy prawns at Casa Paco. Food to fuel the gardening. I can’t help myself.

Toasted avocado and spicy prawn at Casa Paco

For me learning a new language is hard. Last week I learnt a few phrases to introduce my friends to the waiter at the restaurant that we use. A lot. All was well. He understood what I had said. Corrected one word. Then bingo. He replied and my face was like a rabbit in the car headlights. I got the first and last word of the sentence. Nodded my head said Si a lot. And smiled. They need to speak to me like some peiople speak to them. Slowly. Very slowly. BUT I am determined to get there but be prepared for some disasters. Ian is doing brilliantly and we are both looking to arrange one to one conversational classes when we are there.

I am so looking forward to the next 6 months. the garden is already showing the start of the growth of the bulbs – back to the garden – I know. it’s exciting to see what will come through. I have planted alliums. Freesias. Every time I return something new is in flower. In fruit. We have Seville to look forwards to. A trip to Malaga – suppers with friends. Another season.

No doubt I’ll let you know.

Posted on July 31, 2017August 3, 2017 by happyretiredblog · 2 Comments

Hello again hello.

It’s the last week of July and after a trip to Italy and a quick whizz around two NGS London open gardens I’m back in Spain. The open gardens were fab – two very different London gardens.

Jack Wallington garden was a revelation in what you can do in a small London garden. Great planting. Huge varieties and all plants labelled! Oh dear. Please don’t judge me Jack. I always forget what names. Let alone plants. But jacks echiums are giving us ideas for our new Mediterranean garden in Spain. Other plants Ideas for our small London garden. Oh. And it’s open again on 10 September.

So after an abscence of three week what would the Spanish garden have in store.? Well. Certainly drier than in London. I’d been panicking a bit about the heat. The temperatures are high. Even for summer. In the Andalusian hills. There is an irrigation system. And someone to go in and water. But…….

At the back of the house we have a slope. I’ve mentioned it before. The last time I went up there I itched for days. Was worried I’d encounter a snake. And we had an Italian experience. I don’t think I’ve mentioned that.

Was worried about fires so we arranged for it to be strimmed. I was asked. Why don’t you do it yourself – you’ve got the time. “Excuse me” I said. “Strimming an extremely dry slope in 30* heat dressed from head to toe in overalls.” Thanks. Maybe next year. So it was done. Not by me and looks so much better. The almond trees look better and there is a good crop. Quite what I’ll do with them is another question. . The figs are ripening and hopefully will be ready to pick when we have friends staying in the next two months.

Lovely figs. Waiting to ripen and turn black

The other side of the bank doesn’t look as great and needs some more planting. The prickly pears look like they are going down with a disease again this year. I know they were all cut to the ground last year and a skip filled between two houses. I’m hoping to have a mix of nespera, olives and some succulents dotted about. But the ground is as hard as iron. We need to wait for the rain.

Down in the main garden most of the plants were looking ok. Some are struggling in the heat. Even those that are drought tolerant. There are three areas to the garden. The main area at the front of the house. Three beds. A lavender path. Some citrus. Some pots. To the side of the house and ro the back two sloping beds. Cactus. Succulents. Stuff. The mandarin and lime that Ian wanted and are in pots are looking good. Plenty of mandarins. No limes this year. There will be next.

The pearly agave in a pot is looking fab. Particularly if you catch it in the right light. I’ve found another at the back of the house – I’m hoping they will flower.

When I left three weeks ago I thought the Stephanotis would flower and be over by the time I got back. Its in a large pot and has struggled a bit but there were still beautiful waxy blooms. As I tidied the plant up I found one single solitary fruit. I never knew that they could fruit – mind you I have only really seen them as pot plants. Indoors. Used in bridal bouquets apparently. Not mine.

They smell lovely.

I forgot to take a picture before I left – the fruit has changed a lot in a week. Apparently the black silky seeds can be easily propagated. Not by me I fear.

This border and the circle under the old olive tree is doing well. There are loads of olives. The strawberry mint I planted and which I thought had died is growing again. I didn’t think that even I would be able to kill mint.

The lavender likes me being away. I tend to overwater. So it does better when I’m not there.

I cleared a bit of the oleander next to the garage. And found a lovely plumbago. Struggling behind the oleander but the blue is lovely against the white of the garage. Now I know it’s there I’ll make sure it does well. ( right – as if )

The wall planting has one solitary red geranium flower – we are in between blooms. The scented pelargoniums are doing really well. I find them a bit boring. Insignificant flowers. But boy. As you brush past the scent is delicious. And they are pretty hardy in the dry.

I also found that there are six quinces on the quince tree. Well what else would you expect? But I was surprised. Now to see what I can do with them.

I’ve mentioned before that my mother was the queen of deadheading. Something she instilled in me. I’m not as bad as her – I don’t walk up anyone’s path and deadhead as I go. She did. But these little flowers drive me insane. I’m forever taking off the dead ones. I mean forever.

The agapanthus have finished and are setting seed. I’m going to let a lot self seed this year. There are a lot of plants. I have space for more. Don’t I? But I have been making a note of some really dark ones. There have been some great suggestions of new agapanthus for me to look at on twitter this last month.

It’s not all been gardening. I managed a day wandering around town taking some photographs. But the heat defeated me. I had to sit in the square people watching. That was so hard to do. For hours.

The sunsets are awesome and are something I don’t think I will tire of. Glorious from our terrace. The sun was so red and bright in the sky as it went down behind the mountains.

The town of Competa. A 10 min drive from the house. A glorious white washed Andalusian town. Nestling on the hillside.

So I’m home for just over a week and then back to Spain for three. It was supposed to be only a week in August but we have visitors coming for another week – and we can’t not be there with them. Not when it’s our two favourite boys arriving with their parents. Wouldn’t be right would it.

Ian will be there for a week as planned. Largely to drink wine. On 15 August the town celebrates its wine festival – NOCHE DEL VINO: – which starts with the wine treading on the Plaza de la Vendimia. Then goes on all night. Not that we will. We also have. A friend staying for that. But we are also heading to the Alhambra. In August. In the heat. But it will be worth it. It’s such a stunning place.

I also found some gardens that open near to Granada. Though we may not have time this time.

But. As I left the forecast for the end of this week is 41*. With night time temperatures of 24. Who know what I will find next week!! I’m sure I’ll tell you though.

Posted on June 15, 2017June 16, 2017 by happyretiredblog · 5 Comments

More garden adventures

So here we are. Back again. This is the time that we were expecting to collect the keys to Casa Verano Eterno. But the transaction was completed two weeks early. So we are back. Ian for a short visit. Me 10 days. Hurrah. Ian has reluctantly gone back to London – the joy of retirement means I can stay a little longer. Oh that hurrah wasn’t because Ian has gone back. But that we are here again. He has become the gardeners assistant.

The road to Competa gets no less windey each time we visit. Nor less beautiful. The sight of the mountains as we drive up is truly spectacular. I’d take a picture. But I am driving and as I have started I will finish. But I will take one. Eventually. Ian says look at that. Look at this. I see nothing but the long and windey road.

A week is a long time for a garden. I had worried that the timers wouldn’t have gone off. I knew that the pots had been watered as I was sent a pic of the estate agent and friend at the house. Watering the pots. They were fine. As was the watering system.

The garden has been largely planted for drought resistance plants so it doesn’t need much. I was greeted with one of my favourite plants bursting to flower. The garden has a lot of agapanthus. Some I suspect have seeded but I am not complaining. I love them so I am more than happy that they are here. Next year I will have to smuggle some poo in my bag.

The lavender path is holding up well. I have a tendency to overwater and I know i can’t do that with lavender. Nor should I.. especially as the cost of water here isn’t cheap.

The jacaranda tree is in full bloom and is best seen from a distance. Or looking at the floor as it is constantly dropping its flowers. Is it romantic to walk on a flower covered path, swathed in blue flowers. No its bloody well not. It stains the floor and i have been sweeping up on the hour.

Slight exaggeration there but I don’t need a workout. I’ll get a wash board stomach yet and get rid of the washing machine and tumbler drier one that Ihave now.

I was never a fan of succulents – ! but having a new Mediterranean garden i am going to have to get to like them. That and Cactus. There are a few prickly pears in the garden ( maybe Ian and I will. Be know as the prickly pair – we are grumpy enough).

There are some great big triffids on the bits of a hill that’s ours. Bit grand really but its across the access road and has a few fig trees on it and is basically scrub. It will stay that way too.

Ian also picked out some plants. I thought they were cactus. But they are euphorbia. Euphorbia candelabrum cactus . to be precise. News to me. I have potted them and they will probably stay at the front. Another with a poisonous sap.

The garden has a lot of interesting plants and its a huge learning curve. I’d only just got used to my cottage garden planting! I have arranged for someone to come in in Sept to talk plants. Pruning. Some new planting. I have also discussed spring bulbs – there are no flies on me – and my order has to be done before the end of July. They stocked some of my wish list last year and I have requested Brown Sugar to go on the list. Plus alliums. I need to check that they will grow. It’s odd. There are things growing I wouldn’t have thought. There is a great show of hollyhocks on the drive into the town. I have bought two to grow in for next year. Hopefully they will self seed

Twitter is a wonderful thing you know. As well as being pretty rubbish. But that and Instagram when you need a plant identified is awesome. Like the Daucus carrot. Thanks to Phillips Burrough, Sara Venn and Georgie Newberry. I know know what this plant is growing on the bank at the rear of the house.

There are other things I don’t know. Lots of them. But I will before the decade is out. But something else I don’t know What it is.

Rather stupidly last time I was here i went up onto the bank. In shorts.. never ever again.. My legs were as itchy as hell. Not only the moziies had attacked me but I had a reaction to the grasses that were there.

Unlike the man who was weeding the bit of ground outside his house as I drove past yesterday. He was in the shortest shorts that could almost have been budgie smugglers. . No shirt. Flip flops. His skin as red as the shorts he was wearing. Spraying weed killer. In the heat of the day. Weed killer obviously doesn’t affect beer bellies. It may even enhance them. I’m not about to find out.

But I had to stop the car as I was laughing so much. I didn’t dare take a snap. But the vision is in my head. Protective clothing. Never,, health and safety. Never. So I have safely arranged to have our bank strimmed by someone else. The weeds and grass are as dry as. I’m hoping to grow some wild flowers there. It’s not a meadow. It’s a slope. An incline. Dry. Rocky. So maybe poppies. And more cacti. More succulents. Some more almonds and olives. Sounds grand but there are three almond trees loaded with nuts. .

Things are dying back. Things are coming to life. I have had a mother moment and spent most of yesterday dead heading. A snip here. A snip there. Just like she used to do. I’ve said it before. In her own garden. And if she walked up your path she couldn’t resist deadheading a rose or two. Irritating that. The garden is not somewhere you can burn the cuttings. It’s too dry. So no bonfire here.

We collected Ian’s lime tree which is now potted up and ready for the watering to establish it. It will fruit this year but we will take them off and wait until next. Not so the manadarin which is going great guns so far as are the two established orange trees.

.Talking guns. I asked what the black and white sign was outside the gates. Apparently is a no hunting on this land sign. Great I can safely take my shirt off in my own garden without the threat of great white whale hunter appearing as I get in the pool,

Which I have done. As its now warmed up enough for me to get in. I am a bit of a big girls blouse with cold water to be honest.

I also went on a rescue mission. I rescued a lemon. Forget driving over lemons. Try crawling on your belly in the border under yuccas to retrieve the one and only lemon that you have in the garden. Which has dropped off the tree when you weren’t looking. But you were determined to retrieve it.

I was determined that it wasn’t going to waste so it will sit in my gin and tonic this evening. Not the whole lemon. I will remember to slice it. Or as I found an electric juicer in the cupboard I could juice it. But really? Gin sounds better.

We had a business day on Monday. Off to the bank in Nerja as they had cancelled my bank card. Here two weeks and it gets cancelled. Only because I hadn’t signed a form. But I emailed on Monday early and saw my personal account manager at 10am. Excellent service and I signed in about 46 places and got my card reactivated. Then onto the lawyer to sign the insurance papers. A two hour wait before I had to see the notary meant a little bit of a shopping. So. A bit of pool art in the name of Nemo. Placed at the pool side and looks great. Great colours but be careful. It’s tin and gets hot. Behind it on the rails is a lovely Jasmine. Jasmine Azoricum. The smell is just gorgeous.

A trip up to Frigiliana to see an artist that we had seen previously and two pictures later we were on our way to the notary, who this time hadn’t disappeared to Rome. A swift flick of a pen and my will was signed.

So surprise surprise I have been busy snapping away in the garden. Partly because I can but also so I have a record of what’s what. I am not here for a month and the garden changes so quickly.

I’m pretty miffed that I will miss some of the agapanthus at their best as well.

But the main thing is the stephanotis that is just about to burst next to the front door. I swear they weren’t there a week ago. I’m sure the smell will be fab and there are loads of separate buds. Ah well you can’t win them all.

I have deadheaded some little blue maugerite type plants which I think flower continuously so hopefully they woill be awash with colour when I am next here. I have admired the black or blue bird of paradise yet again. It’s a real bee magnet.

So I am in the square again. It’s Thursday and there will be no horsemen riding by. That’s a Sunday. Ive decided to have breakfast on the square. watching. Observing. Practicing my Spanish. Ian’s worried that I will repeat the phrase that came out wrong when I was doing my homework last week. Speaking into the iPhone app in my best accent it was translated back into English as long penis. Quite what I was asking for I don’t know as i collapsed into a quivering heap of laughter. So Far the only potential issue could have been when I was looking for Salvias and asked if they had hot lips. I kept a straight ( yea I can do it) face and carried on.. they didn’t by the way. so i bought two others. And yes they have been planted.

So. Off i go to the hardware place that is always full of builders and workmen. I must try not to embarrass myself as I’m only getting keys cut. Maybe.

Two More days and then back to my window boxes and tree ferns. Retirement is hard.

Posted on May 15, 2017March 10, 2021 by happyretiredblog · 1 Comment

Driving over lemons.

When I mentioned to some friends Matt & Clare at my favourite local breakfast haunt Petitou in Peckham that we were looking at a place in Spain Matt said that he had recently recommended the book Driving over Lemons to his daughter. A book that was sitting on the book shelf at home. It reminded me that I had read the books some years ago and thought I’d go back and read them again. I’ve started and they are wonderful and particularly relevant to the new adventure we find ourselves having.

As well as twitter I use Instagram. A lot. My camera was a purchase not long after my father died and was a more expensive one than I would normally buy. But I’ve loved it. Never far from my hand it enables me to snap away. That’s why the pictures of Ian are always of him ahead of me. Firstly he hates pictures and there are very few of us together. Secondly. I am always hanging back snapping away happily. This and that.

I digress. But only a bit.

A fellow instagrammer commented on some of my recent Andalusia pictures and said that it was like Driving over lemons. That had me smiling. Two mentions of lemons in such a short space of time. I almost gave myself a squeeze with delight. Rather than usually having a face like I’ve been sucking a lemon.

It’s all about the citrus. Oranges and lemons. Lemons and limes.

Andalusia is indeed special. Has beautiful scenery. Mountains. Great light. Long and winding roads where motion sickness pills may be required. Just to get to the bottom of the hill. Zig zag roads. Twisty. The road from Competa to Torrox Costa a roller coaster of a drive. There is Coastline. Beaches. Mountains. Natural parks. People. ( back to the horse rider again). Tapas. Wine. The attitude of don’t do it today if it can wait for a week. Maybe not next week. But a week. You can’t be in a hurry in Spain. Unlike London where we are always rushing. Here there. So it’s a glorious difference and a great adventure to be starting. Part time. Not full. I need no convincing.

The mountains are spectacular surrounding the Andalusia Towns and villages. There was snow on the mountain tops in early March when we were last there. Now its all gone. With bright blue skies. And a moon. Oh and heat and a mosquito. Or two.

The white washed towns and villages hang onto the side of the mountains. Pristine. White. Narrow streets – steep and winding. But making you want to see what’s around the corner. At the top of the steps. Breathless. Both in body. And spirit! Ian ahead of me As usual. Striding to get to the top. Me just striving to get to the top. Eventually.

The white washed town of Competa rolling down the mountainside. Beautiful. White. A pretty spectacular sight as you turn the bend on the road from Malaga.

Dramatic skylines over Competa.

I have found my Spanish’ Petitou. Casa Paco is situated on the square. Is friendly. Always busy. Now to try and order in Spanish. Or spanglais. I can ask for the bill. For toothpicks. Say hello. Ian is better than me. We both have apps on our phone trying to learn. If you see Ian on the tube. He’s not talking to himself. He’s learning his verbs. If you see me. I probably am.

Town squares to people watch. Eat Tapas. Drink wine.

Just down yet another long and winding road is Torrox Costa and then onto Nerja . Nerja with its restaurants. The beaches. Glorious torquise sea. Rocks. A coastline. Sea air. A slight detour to Frigiliana another white washed town nesltling on the hillside. But more touristy – has tour buses. Tourists. Like us. Except we have driven.

So back to Competa. On a clear day you can see down to the coast a 45 minute drive away. Probably quicker if I am not driving. Slowly. Ignoring my co driver saying. Ooh look at that. Sorry Ian. All I can look at is the road ahead.

The villages have these amazing doors. Original and painted in vivid colours. Or left to the old wood which is equally striking,

These are known as the hanging houses in Competa. There are literally hanging on the cliffl looking pretty moorish lit up at night.

I wonder if i can get a part time job. The goat man with his herd of goats. Who walks them around the town and mountainside. Ian unimpressed with my sound of music rendition of ‘High on a hill with a lonely goat herd’. He hasn’t heard the yodelling bit yet. You smell the goats before you see or hear them. And the man has a whistle that they seem to understand. A bit pied piper to me . The downside for the part time job. That suit. I’m not sure it would suit me.

These plants are lethal. They seem to have taken a dislike for me. Big time. I swear they see me coming and jump out to scratch my arm. Badly. My hand was swollen after getting stabbed by one of these. But they along with the palms are beautiful and majestic.

More great views across the mountains.

I wish I had shares in white paint. Every house is white. The churches are white. Some of the streets are white. But I don’t have a head for heights.

I am looking forward to further forays into the surrounding villages. A trip to Granada. To Córdoba. To Malaga old town. A train trip to Sevilla. Oh. There will be pics. Lots of them. But not of me. Maybe of the back of Ian’s head. Of plants. And definetly of a horseman riding by.