Finally, after four consecutive days of crashing rain, sun rays penetrate through the clouds. The surprise was that the moment we stepped outside, it started raining again. But after five minutes the rain surrendered and we could finish our daily exercise, a 4-kilometer walk which equals about 6000 steps on my pedometer. ^tvo
Today the Spanish daily newspaper El Pais posted a message on its website about negotiations on a water treaty between the countries’ two biggest political parties – the Partido Popular (PP) and the Partido Socialista Obrero Español (PSOE). Next Wednesday (the 7th), thousands of farmers from Alicante, Murcia, and Almeria will protest at the department … Read more
On November 27, 1959, Pope John XXIII declared the Virgen de la Cabeza patroness of the diocese of Jaén. Jaén is a city situated in the Andújar Mountains, a two-hour drive by car north from the village where we now live. But probably there is no link with the reference on this picture to the … Read more
This is what rain does with you if you live in a country where the sun is supposed to shine every day. You feel barred. For emphasis, each drop captures this feeling. ^tvo
Although San Isidro Labrador is the patron saint of the farmers (and of Madrid), it didn’t stop the members of the Cooperativa named after him to work on a Sunday. In Canillas de Aceituno this small factory in the picture produces olive oil. The existence of such a factory here is obvious, because of the … Read more
We’re no fans of a fireplace. But the alternative is a gas heater. Both have their pros and cons. The pros of the fireplace are that it’s hot and cozy if you’re fond of coziness. The cons are that the side of your body that’s not exposed to the fireplace stays cold. Like a pig … Read more
Today it was cold, although we could sit in the sun out of the wind on the terrace for a couple of hours this afternoon. When it’s cold, it’s nice to eat something warm. So I made pumpkin soup this evening. The recipe is very simple. You peel a pumpkin and throw it in boiling … Read more
February is the month to harvest olives. From the terrace of the house where we now stay, we oversee several olive orchards. The harvest is performed in a standard fashion. A fishing net is spread out on the soil, as you can see under the second tree from the right top of the picture. Some … Read more
Who said living in Spain was easy? The tools in the picture are the ones you need when you have a house in the ‘campo’. Out in the hills and mountains here. For instance, you need pickaxes to carve holes in the rocky soil to be able to plant a tree or some shrubbery. Or … Read more
In winter the nights here up in the hills are cold. During the daytime inside the houses, it’s as cold. So, what you would expect is that all villages are constantly covered in smoke. This is not the case. Apparently, the houses are not heated with woodfires. Butane gas stoves and electric heaters, such as … Read more