January
Rain from last week
Having had no rain all summer, it decided to pay us pay in spades. Continue reading
Winter has arrived
After seven long months without rain, and with a four month period in the middle where the temperature did not drop below 30ºC all day, winter has finally arrived.
We had 25 litres of rain (per square metre) on Saturday and it blew a gale on Saturday night, and finally died down Sunday evening.
Which is a shame as the majority of the olives that have made it thus far are now on the floor, and can only be rolled up and sold to the co-operative. It has been a poor year, with no rain for the trees all summer – they need a good downpour at least once or twice over the summer, otherwise they do not grow into a worthwhile size.
No oil this year – we had already decided that there were not enough, and we hope to have sufficient oil for the coming year to fill our culinary needs.
It remains to be seen whether we have enough firewood cut and dried – we have cleaned out the chimney and lit the stove a couple of times, but yesterday was the first time we really wanted the fire lit.
A huge vat of beef stew gently simmering on the stove all afternoon finally drove us to eating it early (by Spanish standards) and as there was no power available (no sun all weekend) then we all retired early, replete and ready to face the next day’s tribulations.
I like days like these…
After three days of uncertain weather – cloudy – neither warm or cold, and always with the threat of rain in the air, we finally arrived at the change that is usually brought on by the appearance of the full moon, or luna plena.
The wind got up in the night and has been blowing steadily since. It is an annoying wind that gusts, and blows your head about. Impossible to work outside, so indoors is the order of the day, safe in the knowledge that the batteries are being topped up, and that hot water will soon be available to all, so that we can smell clean and fresh again!
But… it also brings with it clear blue skies and if you can push the various animals out of their various hideaways out of the wind, it is very pleasant indeed. Just the place to have a coffee and a fag outside.
Off to have one now!