Spring still away

Since the pasta making we have been back in the Locoe house where we have managed to improve the stable door , not only by the addition of a handle – left over from the stove flue – and a complicated locking mechanism, but also , and more interestingly, providing a solution to our coat hanging problem , in the form of a very stylish , elongated, two tone ex-oven handle.

We have not started the extension as outstanding jobs on the cultivated parts of the land have left no time for it. At least the work on the vines is now over, after at least twelve hours of back-breaking work; here there are about 30 rows @ 40 vines per row to prune.  This involves BENDING DOWN (or practising squats) to scrutinize each plant to decide how to train its growth – taking into account a series of factors – some of which you have to guess at – such as the weather. You aim to end up with 2 to 3 shoots per plant.

One of our salads. Mostly wild  greens.

My brother was out with his rotavator (motozappa) preparing for the planting of potatoes and generally making the place look more like a garden (his words). Lesley has been busy looking after peas and broad bean plants, weeding and providing support to the plants.

Around the area there is a lot of activity and both young and old people come every day to work the land or to look after their flocks of sheep. Near to us a couple of girls still studying are working with their flock of sheep and today we had a delivery of their own cheese.  It is curious and creates a strange pastoral idyll hearing the shepherd(-ess) calling out to and swearing at the sheep.  You hear the sheep bells constantly, and the shepherds move their flocks in groups from one field to another as they graze.  Nothing like Scotland at all!  Every now and then the dogs which my brother keeps here to guard the land bark excitedly and you are aware that the sheep are on their travels again! Oh, and they look more like goats than sheep to me [Lesley] plus they have huge udders since they are a milk-supplying flock of course.

Risotto with wild greens

Almond trees are in flower, beautiful, as are the fields all around with orchids, vetches, all sorts of yellow flowers (!), poppies, wild lupins and every day someone reminds us how good some weed or other is to eat (lightly boiled, dressed with olive oil and salt and maybe mixed with potatoes, rice, pasta or cheese). Bees are busy pollinating and – very encouraging - many ladybirds have been spotted on the vineyard.

Flowers on the almond tree