The Bird of Paradise is in flower, right now
Silent Sunday in Andalucía: Spring
Category Archives: Challenges
Silent Sunday in Andalucía: Fishing boats at Rincón de la Victoria
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CBBH Photo Challenge: AFTER THE RAIN
All the time I was searching out my choice of photographs for this month’s CBBH Challenge, a song kept running through my head:
Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens
Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens
Brown paper packages tied up with strings
These are a few of my favourite things
….and the more I thought about it, the more I realised it’s true – I do love to see raindrops on flowers after the rain.
But extremes of weather often make the TV news, and the UK in particular has been battered by storms and flooding over the past months, so your interpretation of AFTER THE RAIN might be very different from mine – and that’s where the fun begins.
For the CBBH Photo Challenge during March I want you to post images of your experience, AFTER THE RAIN.
This is the graceful False Pepper tree (Latin Name: Schinus molle) in my garden, with its clusters of pink peppercorns. I’ve think I’ve read somewhere that the peppercorns are edible in moderation, but I’ve never been brave enough to try them.
Besides, they look great, just where they are …. especially after the rain, when the raindrops clinging to them are of similar size.
I’m a huge fan of the colour purple, so this plant is a favourite, too, but until this morning I didn’t know what it was called. Thanks to the power of the internet, and my lovely readers, Trish and Maggie I can now tell you that this is Hardenbergia comptoniana, a native of Australia. This vigorous climbing plant has scrambled along a rocky ledge and entwined itself in one of the almond trees on the bank above the house. Thanks for putting me out of my misery, ladies 🙂
I love the elegant arching purple flowers, which are even more beautiful after the rain.
My final photo for this month’s challenge is of the raindrops clinging to one of the fruits on the lemon tree. I never fail to be delighted at being able to nip outside, at almost any time of year, and pluck a fragrant lemon from the tree.
So now it’s YOUR turn.
Don’t forget that the CBBH Photo Challenge is a little different from some other challenges, in two ways. First, it’s only once a month – giving you lots of time to consider your entry before the end of the calendar month. Second, and most important, this is a BLOG HOP (after all, it is the CBBH – Conejo Blanco Blog Hop, conejo blanco means white rabbit in Spanish), so DON’T FORGET that in your post you need to add links to two blogs that you have visited and commented on during the past month. That way, when we visit each other, we can HOP OVER to your links, connect with others and share a little blog love around!
My Featured Blog Links for this month:
*** Hola Yessica follows the adventures of Jessica who grew up in California, but now lives in beautiful Barcelona. If you’re looking to discover the very best of what the Catalan capital has to offer, then Jessica’s your girl! Her new video series, “My Barcelona” includes insights as to why football really is a religious experience in Barcelona and explores the fabulous street art around the city.
*** The best way to appreciate the culture of any area is through its food and its wine. And nowhere is that truer than in Annie B’s Spanish Kitchen. Annie shares the delights of living in Vejer de la Frontera in southern Spain, and offers Spanish recipes and cooking tips. You’ll love her easy chocolate and almond cake or, if you are looking for a delicious Moroccan dish, then try Annie’s Chickpea, Orange and Mint salad. Mmmmm …. delicious!
Please HOP over and say HELLO to both of my featured links, and tell them Marianne sent you!
So that´s the CBBH Photo Challenge for March, folks.
Remember, all you have to do is post your entry by the end of the month, tag your entry ‘CBBH Photo Challenge’, link back to this blog and, most importantly, don´t forget to add links to any two blogs that you´ve commented on during the past month, so that we can all HOP OVER and have a look. Make sure you FOLLOW THIS BLOG so you don´t miss next month’s exciting challenge!
For more information on how the CBBH Photo Challenge works click here.
I hope everyone taking part enjoys the exposure the CBBH Photo Challenge offers to featured blogs and, who knows, you may end up finding a new favourite! I´m looking forward to seeing your interpretations.
[CBBH logo Image credit: (cc) Mostly Dans]
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One Trip EVERY Month Challenge: February
I’ve a couple of trips to tell you about this month. My February began in the delightful Andalucían town of Vejer de la Frontera, on the Costa de la Luz, where I was a guest at Annie B’s Spanish Kitchen. Annie not only showed me around her home-town, where we feasted on delicious tapas, but she also took me to the fish market at the nearby town of Barbate, where we bought the delicious fresh ingredients we would use for our cooking weekend.
I’ll be telling you all about Annie B’s fabulous Spanish kitchen in a separate post, later.
My second trip was somewhere that many British expats take regular visits to.
Gibraltar.
Just three hours along the coast, it’s a popular outing to stock up on British goods and groceries we can’t always get hold of in Spain. You know how we English love our cups of tea, so a trip to British supermarket, Morrison’s, can be a bit of a treat.
I’ve been to Gibraltar many times before, but I’ve always driven through the border on previous occasions. This time, I was on a coach rather than in a private car, and as there was a bit of a queue of vehicles, some of us decided to hop-off the coach and walk across into Gibraltar.
No sooner have you crossed into the British Overseas Territory, you are faced with the following sign:
Because Gibraltar is so small (just over 6.5 square kilometres), and within that area is the famous 426m high Rock, space is at a premium. This means that the peninsula’s runway is bisected by its busiest road, Winston Churchill Avenue. Each time an aircraft wants to land or depart, barriers come down to prevent motor vehicles from crossing the airfield.
As you can imagine, it causes quite a spectacle …. and a queue!
So there you have it – my contribution to the One Trip EVERY Month Challenge this month is two for the price of one!
If you’d like to join me, here’s how:
- Each month, visit somewhere and then write about your trip or describe it using photographs – whichever suits you best.
- Don´t forget to title and tag your entry ’One Trip EVERY Month Challenge’, and link back to this page.
- Display the Challenge logo on your post or in your sidebar.
- HAVE FUN!
Are you ready to join me by taking ONE TRIP EVERY MONTH? What are you waiting for?
GO!
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VOTE, VOTE, VOTE for David against Goliath!
OK, OK …. I admit, it’s not really for David – it’s for ME! But we ALL love an underdog, don’t we? 🙂
In my analogy, Goliath is a professional photographer currently leading the vote in a photographic competition I have entered on Facebook. So, even though I AM that underdog, I’m running a close second, only a few “Likes” behind, but with only five more days left to vote.
Faithful followers: I NEED YOUR HELP TO DEFEAT THIS GOLIATH!
If you are logged into your FB account, click on the photo above (it’s of my home village of Cómpeta) and you will be taken through to to my voting page. All you need to do is LIKE and COMMENT on that post.
THE PRIZE is a day trip for 4 people (with lunch), to one of the most picturesque parts of Andalucía along a scenic train line known as Mr Henderson’s Railway – a British-built Victorian train line from Algeciras to Ronda.
If I’m lucky enough to win this competition, there are two further benefits:
1. I will SHARE MY PRIZE by inviting two local bloggers to join me for the day.
2. You will be able to read all about my trip in a blog post, where I will include lots of lovely photos.
Will you help me to share the joy by voting for my photograph?
Thank you.
East of Málaga 