A little drop of rain....

Pitres in the glow of Christmas sunshine

The second half of December and most of January is usually a beautiful time here in the Alpujarras. One can normally expect to find settled weather with a good number of sunny days, and nights that are clear and frosty. Not so this year, it would seem. With little rain in November and October we all welcomed the forecast of some heavy showers as we approached Christmas. Finally the rain started on December 20th; light rain becoming steady, the very best sort, the type of rain that slowly penetrates the dry earth until it receives a good soaking. But then it grew stronger and become a downpour, something a dachshund would not voluntarily venture out into. And it kept on falling. By Christmas Eve, the sodden ground could take no more and it started to move. First of all the footpaths slipped a little and one or two of the bridges weakend. Rocks fell on to roads and trees were blown over as the wind built in strength. The often gentle mountain streams turned into waterfalls as all around the valleys gave voice to a great roar of cascading water. A reminder that our mountains are not always tame.

Rio Bermejo - the island you can see towards the top is where the bridge used to be.

The GR7 between Cortijo Opazo and Pitres - the site where the foot bridge once was.

As a dachshund, it has been calculated that I must have a two day bladder, meaning that I can stay indoors without having to relieve myself for about two days. But eventually even I had to set paw outside. Ears flapping in the wind I was dismayed to discover the extent of some very local damage. Our morning walk has now all but vanished, the bridge washed away along with half the side of the gorge in a landslide. In just a few days we have had 400 mm of rain, that's 400 litres of water per metre squared. And it is still raining.

But this is all good for the garden in the long term, the flowers of early summer are sure to be glorious and maybe at last those bones I planted might start to shoot in the spring. As the two tall ones say, we never complain about the rain in Andalucia, every drop is welcome. The agents responsible have set about making repairs; all roads have been quickly re-opened and already work has begun repairing the tracks and paths. Nature has roared but will be calmed once more.

It's now New Year's Eve, the house is full and my two legged companions are cooking for the guests. I'm still getting fat on turkey skin and Ella is going stir crazy since she hasn't had a decent walk for more than two weeks. The Dogblog is almost a year old now, so whilst you await the arrival of 2010 why not cast a glance back at some of the entries I have made during the year.

Time for me to think up some New Year resolutions for Ella to keep.

Best wishes for the year to come,

Yours, looking for a piece of coal to do my 'first pawing',

Fergus.

PS - Is it natural for a dog to like satsumas? Ella has a passion for them, but then Ella can develop a passion about a draught blowing under a door.

All I want for Christmas.

It's hard to believe that we are entering Christmas week and I've scarcely updated my Dogblog more than once this month. Business wise the main event has been the double national holiday tacked on to the weekend of December 5th. The motive for the double celebration is that there is one day off for the Fiesta of the Immaculate Virgin, and one day off to celebrate the National Day of the Constitution - an important date for Spain since there are many people here who remember a time when Spain was not a democracy and did not have a constitution. The reality is that for many Spanish this is the holiday when everyone should head for the mountains to catch the last glimpses of Autumn and maybe even glimpse the newly fallen snow. During this weekend the Alpujarras was full to bursting point.

The garden is gradually falling into its winter sleep, but there are some striking winter colours to be seen. I try to get out during the afternoons when I can to see what the two tall ones are up to and have been pleasantly surprised to see them working hard on the far section of the land erecting some form of winter warmth tunnel. It is a most agreeable place to pass a breezy afternoon, but I hope they don't fill it up with too many plants otherwise there'll be nowhere left for a dachshund to warm himself and keep out of the occasionally chilly winter wind.


Ella and I are all set for Christmas. We've had a look through the TV programming and have set the DVD player to record 'Slumdog Millionnaire' and 'Dogone with the Wind'. As for gifts, well Ella has sent her letter to Santapaws. I helped her out with the spelling this time, so know that she has requested a pink mobile phone from the 'Hello Kitty' range, although she'll have no idea how to use it. I hope she gets a 'Pay as You Wooff' contract otherwise with the amount of barking she does it will break the bank. Failing that, she'll settle for the song by the winning contestant in X factor, which, due to an untimely power cut, she still thinks was her favourite, Stacey. As for myself, well this year I have shunned the obvious carpet slippers and hot water bottle and have put in a request for an 'iphone' complete with a paws free kit. This way I'm sure I can update my Dogblog with bark recognition and not have to clean the mud off my paws first. Not sure what our neighbours below are planning for the holidays, but I hope that the Christmas sun makes the grass taste sweet for them.


The house is full once more for Christmas and the New year, so I'll have my work cut out. I'll try and squeeze in one more Dogblog before we say 'adios' to 2009. In the meantime, have a great festive season.

Yours, ready to chuck another Yulelog on the fire,

Fergus

Paws for concern? When I arrived in the Alpujarras in 2003 I was the only dachshund in the village - possible the only pedigree. Recently, I have spotted two more youngsters bearing that same elegant long body and fine wirey coat. Two separate but good looking examples of my breed. Have I set a trend or am I being challenged? Watch this space.

The Return

It was good to be able to welcome back Eric and Margaret for an Autumn holiday at Cortijo Opazo, they've been coming here longer than Ella has been around, and they make a lot more sense too! For example, and I quote from their comment in our guest book:

I am sure that saying this is our ninth visit to Cortijo Opazo says how much we enjoy the area an most of all Robert's and William's hospitality. As always the apartment was immaculate. Once again we enjoyed one of William's delightful meals.
During our eight day stay we have experienced all weathers from sun bathing on our second day to tramping in the first snow of the winter today (November 30th) - this was up at Hoya del Portillo above Capileira. We were pleased to be able to achieve another 3000 metre peak, El Caballo, approached from Lanjaron by a mountain track. Whilst walking in the Rio Toril we were delighted to spot two groups of Ibex - eight in total.
It has been interesting seeing how the garden has matured over the years and hearing the plans for its further development.

Eric and Margaret, November 2009

I am sure the guests who follow will also be grateful to them since Eric, in his enthusiasm for chopping, left behind more fire wood than he burnt, all collected free from the mountainside.

Yours, enjoying the fireside,

Fergus