Spanish views from a small town

Today is warm and spring-like. But clouds are coming back in, and there is rain off-shore. Another day tomorrow of rain and grey, and then, on Friday, a dry period should begin. If we're lucky, it'll last at least a week. Of rain, we are right now full. At the merest provocation, our well now overflows into the yard. On my walks in the woods recently, I have had to navigate paths that have transformed to either swiftly flowing rivers, or ponds of unfathomable abyss. Just around the curve behind our house, a woodland plot that has young trees planted years ago, that don't grow, becomes Loch Ness at the first shower. The drainage is into our yard, which is now a quagmire until early summer. Whenever I drive or walk by, I fully expect a creature to raise its head from the depths.  Some trees are beginning to show buds. A thin veil of apple green will soon envelope the hills. I'm glad, because the greys and browns of late winter are monotonous and dreary. Pretty soon, my fa...

The weather has slightly cooled here along the coast. Inland, it's another story, as well as the rest of the peninsula. There are forest fires, including one in the Xurés Mountains on the border with Portugal, where a fire fighting plane went down, with one crew member dead. It's August, and things are pretty much normal in that sense. But in the rest of the news, the first story is the virus, just like it's been since the end of January. Then, it's the ex-king and his odyssey from one friend's house to another. Now, he's supposed to be in Abu Dhabi. After that, some clips from Beirut and the enormous explosion that happened, thanks to a negligence that seems so common to Mediterranean countries, Spain included. That is followed by whatever is judged next in importance, depending on the channel and the owner's political viewpoint. Personally, this doesn't seem like any old August, however. Some mornings I wake up and it still seems like May, or June, at ...

The end of March, the weather is still supposed to be rainy and cool. Buds are supposed to be appearing, but the leaves should still be about a week away. Early trees should begin to bloom, and roses should be putting out new leaves. This year, it's been a warmer than usual winter, and spring is appearing earlier than usual, as well.  Of course, it's the type of change winter-weary minds welcome. Early spring, with warmer temperatures, sunny days, and greening trees is always welcome. My favorite time of year is now, from late March to the end of July. The longer days, the warming temperatures, and the restful greenery are like a balm to my soul. After the beginning of August, the sun starts to wane, leaves begin to fall from trees, stripped by winds and the occasional summer storm, and the charm fades. The only thing I don't like about summer is the days when the thermometer rises well above 30ºC (mid-80º'sF). Those days I am become a weather zombie, reacting to outs...

As promised, spring has finally shown its face. And it's done it much like I had envisioned; with a bang. This past week the rains stopped, the sun came out, and the air from Africa brought temperatures worthy of late May or early June. Suddenly, trees remembered they had leaves waiting to come out, and blossoms shook off their winter coats. It suddenly became much more pleasant to be outside than to sit inside the still-cool house. Windows have been propped open to let the air in, and the wood stove has only been lit late in the evening to warm the house (kitchen) for the night, but only for a few hours. Finally, I've started to wear short sleeves, though it's not quite shorts-warm. Yesterday and the day before I've already been walking, to the village and back. Before this week, walking was a question of running out to the car, and back to the door before getting very wet.  I think it was Thursday night, I stepped outside and was surprised by a sound. At first, I ...

Error 404: Spring not found. I was on a shopping trip for my husband to a sports store yesterday. He had bought a balaclava last fall, but misplaced it, and his head in the early morning cold slowly freezes before midday. I went to buy another one. There weren't any. In the end I found a hunting cap with flaps that folded over in front and were held closed with velcro. It was more expensive, but I took one of the last two on the shelf.  There was nothing from winter left, except a few items on final discount. Everything was for spring, including some cool shorts already out on the rack for summer. And then, when I want to buy a pair in May, they'll be all gone. Needless to say, few people were buying clothes of any kind.  It may have been the first day of spring, but the weather forecast was for late January. Here on the coast, daytime temperatures don't go much lower than the upper forties in the winter, and generally stay in the lower fifties (50º/10º). That's t...

There is a hill behind our house that reaches an awkward height at the wrong place. That particular high spot means that when the rising sun is hitting the opposite mountains at nine thirty in the deeps of winter, we remain in its shadow until an hour later. Accustomed as I once was to an eight thirty winter sunrise, I am not fully awake until well into the morning.  But now the sun has been moving back to a better position in regards to the hill. Now, it peeks over a lower side at around nine in the morning, regaling us with its warmth and light much earlier. We are in the middle of February. While it can be a cruel month, it's also telling us that the wilds and darkness of late autumn and winter are almost over. Not that this winter has been especially dark nor wild, because until late January it hasn't really rained and stormed as it usually does. Yet, it has been cold, and the days too short.  One sure sign that the end of winter is near are the mimosas. Native to Aust...