February 2013 - A bounty of blossom

Oska's Dogblog can be found in full at:

 http://www.cortijoopazo.com/blog/bloga.html

Whilst one could never say that the sun always shines in Andalucia it is true that we have seen a lot of it this winter. The tall ones have taken the opportunity to go and explore a little more of the region and have spent a couple of weeks touring around Western Andalucia. Ella and myself, meanwhile, had a fantastic time with our house sitters, out walking almost every day. A very thoughtful couple from the UK who remembered once again to bring us a sack full of dried pig and cow ears to revive us when our knees are trembling with tiredness. Better than the dried biscuit we are used to.

So, western Andalucia was their destination and to start with, the 'Pueblos Blancos', or famous 'White Villages' to be found in the area around Ronda - it has always struck me that the tourist board who grabbed the name 'White Villages' and thereby conjured up the romantic notion of houses stacked like sugar cubes tumbling down a mountainside - yes it has now become a cliché - certainly earnt its money that day by giving the impression that 'white' was the defining colour of the region, I mean, where can you go in Spain where the villages are not? However, 'Los Pueblos Blancos' seems to define this region, so what did they find?
Their first destination was the fortress town of Jimena de la Frontera, from where they took day excursions walking in the hills of the Alcornocales National Park and marvelled at this ancient forest populated with twisted cork oak trees. Day trips also included a train ride to the famous town of Ronda, along with a car journey to Cádiz, La Rota and Sanlucar de Barameda, where they enjoyed a taste of the local Manzanilla wine, as dry as a salted herring, and a plate of locally caught fresh fried fish.
The second week was spent in an apartment at Estepona overlooking the Mediterranean sea and the mountains of North Africa. Apart from an short visit to the anomaly that is Gibraltar, everything was to be recommended, just look at some of the pictures they took! Spain in winter is a glorious place to be, I can never understand why it is the low season, give me January as opposed to August any day - make a note when planning your holiday next year, who wouldn't want to enjoy a spot of winter sun?
Now, closer to home, the garden is waking up once more and demanding attention. The heads of daffodil and crocus beam up at you when you take as stroll, and the cherry blossom flowers are slowly opening their pink bonnets. The tall guys are doing their best to replant the part of the garden nearest to the house, and chop back the dead growth from last year. The new Yurt accommodation has been fitted with its own solar panel to heat up the water and today; at about 10.00am and despite there being a partial cloud cover the water was flowing from the taps at a piping hot 60 degrees centigrade. We'll be having to cool it down for the summer! We'll be putting the yurt back up again in a few weeks time ready for rentals from Easter week onwards, so if you fancy trying it out, have a look at the availability calendar and get in touch.
Out and about, of course, the almond blossom is in full swing and this year it seems better than ever, almost as though the trees want to make up for the lost opportunities of last year's drought. And so the cycle of weeks and months starts to roll out, Easter will come and go and before you can say: 'Book that flight!' it will be summer once more. But before then Ella and I have a very important job to do. A the end of June a couple of walkers from Norway who enjoyed our fully catered walking package last year are returning with their friends for another full programme of trekking, so it is up to the two of us to check the old routes but more importantly, to discover some new ones. So, with walking boots a ready - no, wait, I am forgetting that I am a dog - we place ourselves in the anticipation of more walks. OK tall ones, did I make myself clear, more walks!
Yours, with trekking pole in paw,

Oska, the dynamic dachshund.

The Dogblog moves home

The Fergus Dogblog has now moved its home and can be found at:

http://www.cortijoopazo.com/blog.html

Please follow the link and continue enjoying his thoughts and musings about daily life at Cortijo Opazo.

Fergus responds to the Apple ipad

There's been a lot of fuss in the house recently due to the announcement from Apple Computers of their latest gadget. Finally, yesterday, it was paraded out for all to see, the ipad. A flat A4 sized piece of glass that apparently is the best item of technology ever produced for the home market. Some boast, but I'm not so sure. Yes, with the new ipad you can connect with the internet, navigate around just using your fingertips, read your emails, listen to music, manage your photos, communicate with your social network - whatever that is - and access countless other 'apps' - that's 'applications' to those who are still able to manage a full vocabulary - but can it do anything really useful? Can it follow a scent, can it sound an alarm, can it offer comfort and companionship, and most importantly, can it open a tin of dog food?

The ipad, strange kind of a name, but it got me thinking of a way to I might be able to make a million and provide for my old age. We canines are pretty useful and come with a range of applications. We are cheaper to buy and have a much longer shelf life than any computer. We can learn, and are adaptive to many different situations. And most importantly, we dogs have pads. So why not? Why don't I launch the new, totally original and irreplaceable:

ipaw

Yes, the ipaw, ladies and gentleman, the latest 'must have' gadget. Available in various shapes and sizes to suit your personal taste, but every one is an original masterpiece.

Features:

- Battery life - usually ten years or more.
- Memory size - 100 DB* or more, depending on model. Excellent in dachshunds, although it may be applied selectively.
- Weight - mind your own business.
- Portability - self propelled, except when it is raining.
*DB = doggiebites

Functions:

Browser - the ipaw uses a totally revolutionary browser based on aroma and scent. Using well developed nasal passages, there is nothing that cannot be found by the ipaw. Navigated by not one touch sensitive pad but four on each control stick, otherwise known as legs.

Email - communication is handled via an audible binary code system, one bark for yes, two barks for more, three barks to go out for daily downloads and to search for uploads.

Social networking - Facebook groups can be established via howling at dusk, where invitations are made and accepted by neighbouring networks in the surrounding farms. Twittering, well this is best left to Ella. Myspace, by the fireside if I get there first.

Music - the ipaw music system runs off a the ihowl application, but we must admit to some teething problems.

GPS - ipaw will always get you home for food time.

Apps - the ipaw is the most adaptable and self learning item of equipment you are ever likely to own.

The Fergus ipaw - every one is an original, available in all colours

The Fergus ipaw - also works as a verb when he wants some attention.

A busman's holiday?

One of my most important roles at Cortijo Opazo, besides being chief taster of the morning biscuit, is the maintenance of standards, particularly where they may affect the enjoyment of our visitors. With this in mind, and the time of year being a quiet one, I suggested that we carry out a test of the two holiday rentals by having a mini break in them. This being agreed upon, myself, Ella and our two taller companions have this last week spent two days and nights in La Corona, and the same in El Lujar. All we could take was a small bag of personal items - a few boneos and a brush - but everything else had to be provided by the accommodation itself. It was also decided that at least one significant meal had to be cooked in each apartment - not that Ella and I saw much of this!

It was, I must say, a little disorientating waking up in the night in a strange environment - dogs, as I have said before, like nothing more then regular and repetitive routine - but this apart the experience was most enjoyable and I am pleased to report that the apartments are jolly comfortable indeed and, not surprisingly, we thoroughly recommend them. The whole experience has been a little too confusing for Ella since she is usually told to keep out of the holiday accommodation in case she is a nuisance. A girl with such a small head must surely have an even smaller brain to go inside, so we must make allowances for her undoubted reduced capacity to understand what is going on.


As for other matters, well you may recall my enthusiastic description of a plastic greenhouse tunnel that was installed here in December. This was going to change the way that seeds are sown and plants are cared for. We were all very positive about it. Unfortunately, during the harsh weather we experienced over the Christmas period the aforementioned poly tunnel has now gone, with the wind, and landed on our neighbour's in a tangled mess.



Obviously it was not the practical solution. Not to be defeated, the two tall ones have been constructing some rather elegant, wind defying boxes they call 'cold frames' under which the season's seeds will be cultivated. Very sturdy and solid and likely to last this time.

One of our two new 'cold frames'

Now, in secret, I have been gathering up some scraps of bone and am wondering, if I plant them carefully in a seed tray and place them under the protection of the cold frame, will they grow into a brand new tin of dog food. But let's keep this information between ourselves for now, not a word to Ella.

Yours, ever hopeful,

Fergus

Count your blessings

That's better, a little bit of January sunshine. On the national news last night they sent a reporter to Seville to look at the sun and to ask any Sevillanos who had taken to the streets whether they could remember the last time they saw the sun. It seems that in Andalucia the sun has been absent for more than three weeks - unheard of! Call it a national emergency!

It has to be said that whilst, from a dachshund's point of view, the weather has been pretty appalling, it has not actually been all that cold. I carried out a tour of the 'estate' today and noticed that the grass is actually growing thanks to the heavy rain and the buds are swelling on both the almond and the cherry trees. In fact almond blossom was spotted on some trees lower down the valley, which is very early in the year.



So, the two tall ones have been out working in the garden once more, digging, manuring and planting in the vegetable bed and tidying up as best they can. So busy were they that yesterday they must have forgotten that it was the fiesta of San Anton, a day which locally requires the blessing of the animals. Well, we clearly are a blessing but I am still waiting for my beatification.

Yours, practicing with angelic wings,

Fergus

Anyone know where the Arc is?

As I sit here, paws poised at the key board, I have to confess it is raining once more. Guests here at Cortijo Opazo often ask me: "What is the best time of year to come?" Difficult question, of course. For a dachshund, then any time that the fire might be alight is good for me, but I understand our guests usually want a little more than a comfy spot from which to read a book. January, for those who like to get out and about, is usually fabulous. The days are sunny, the skies clear, and the snow capped mountains add drama to the landscape. So far this year the landscape has largely been hidden by cloud, snow and rain. The reservoirs of Andalucia are said to have enough water to last until the end of 2011, so is enough enough? Most of Europe, it would seem, is currently covered in snow so I guess we should consider ourselves lucky that in this corner of the continent we can still get about.

Ella and I are spending much of the day indoors, waiting for the fire to be lit. Ella is driving herself, and the two tall ones, mad by wanting to go out, then scratching on the door to come in from the rain. I, on the other hand, am more reflective and spend my days thinking of the season that surely lies ahead, when the sun will warm us and the almond blossom will flower on the hillside.

There are, of course, more useful things Ella could be doing than looking for sticks to pester people with. She could, for example, become a vigilante guard, patrolling the land in order to ward off the unwelcome night time intruders that have arrived. I am speaking of the Jabali, or wild boar, that have been driven down from the high mountains by the cold weather and are looking for food. I have no idea what they think they might find under the soil of a well planted ornamental garden, but there's something they are after. It was only a matter of time, but it has happened. They crept up to the house under cover of night and have dug up a part of our well tended lawn, carved up the turfs with their strong tusks. William has made repairs, and all is well again, but it's a serious business.


To ensure it doesn't happen again I have observed the two tall ones taking preventative measures. They haven't shared their plan with me yet, but thin posts have been erected around the garden and a sort of metallic tape has been suspended from them. There is a box that has the title 'Electric Shepherd' on it, and this is connected to an electric plug socket. At night, it is turned on and makes a quiet 'clicking' sound. In the morning it is turned off again and so far, the wild boar have not returned. I don't know what particular powers this rather thin piece of tape holds but it seems to work; I would investigate in person, but I don't like to venture out into the wet. I must ask Ella if she will stick her nose into it to find out more.

Yours, thinking of spring,

Fergus

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.