SO THAT HAPPENED...

{In the desert, you can remember your name.}

THE LAND WHERE PEOPLE WAVE AT TRAINS...

A long ride on a two carriage train that crosses over a river on a small rickety bridge, goes through mountain tunnels and then emerges into breathtaking scenery to hug the coastline. From the window on one side: slate, sheep grazing on hills and masses of blue and purple hydrangeas spilling down mountains - fields sectioned by miles of dry stone walls. On the other side is the sea. Whenever the train passes people, they wave hello to it.

A celebration at a little house last seen thirty years ago, still the same. Good food and wine, a cake, at night a washing machine drum and some bricks make a great fire, watching stars fall - just look up. A walk to the beach - this beach.

A failed attempt was made to recreate this picture. More food and wine, more croquet, more tea. Many, many sausages later, a train back to where hydrangeas always go faded pink and life is less sweet. At the local station, after crossing the single track, you have to put your arm out to signal the driver to stop. Couldn't get over that. Stuck my arm out like a pro. Looking across fields to the little house - to see all of them waving madly from the end of the garden. Loved that. ♡

ONE OF THOSE POST THINGS...

I feel like posting a bit now I've got that off my chest! Anyway, this is Andalusia back in June - 2 midsummer days of hot white heat at a villa surrounded by wildflowers and mountains. The only neighbours for miles were a few shepherds and their flocks. The light was so strong that I was unable to take actual pictures with a camera before 10pm, when it was still light. We ate outside; dinners of barbecued asparagus and jumbo prawns, alioli and ridiculously cheap wine. Watermelon snacks, morning coffee walking around in my nightie on the white painted roof, from where the last photo was taken.

STILL NOT READY TO MOVE ON FROM THIS...

 Bougainvillea, oleander, almond, eucalyptus, olive and orange and lemon trees - these are my absolute favourite plants, perhaps because they won't grow where I live due to the lack of warm sun. I can't be easily pleased and be into rose varieties can I. In the last picture the black blob on the windowsill is Dirty Bertie - I took this on the first day before I realised he was the most annoying cat ever. Taking a shower? Bertie's outside your window calling you incessantly. Getting into your car? Bertie's on the roof. Making a cup of tea? Bertie's up on ALL the kitchen counters, eating the food meant for the other cats (who actually live there). Oh, Bertie was all right...

BEHIND BARS...

Just a cat friend I met in an Andalusian mountain top village.

TO THE SUN...

Since we last spoke I have seen such beauty. The day after my last post I headed away from August's blue moon and straight towards the sun and the mountains. My ports of refuge and regeneration would usually be the sea or Paris, but spending a few days on the edge of a mountain turned out to be just what I needed - a place I will never forget. One morning I woke up to watch the sun rise from the terrace outside my corner room, which had the most incredible double aspect views of the mountains and of a ruined castle at the top. We were so high up that I kept having nosebleeds but I really didn't mind. That morning all I could hear was the wind, goat bells and some farm dogs barking. 

I got home last Friday and the surroundings of beauty continued - with a weekend spent at the Serpentine Lido (it's now closed for winter) and a roadtrip to the Norfolk coast yesterday. More to come, about it all.

HOLA ES BELLEZA...

{My disposable camera photos. ©}

YES I MEXI-CAN...

Some published and unpublished Instagrams to tide me you over until I get my three films developed. I didn't have my phone on me much in Mexico or at all when we went out, so these are taken around and about our hotel and beach.

I so enjoyed seeing hibiscus, bougainvillea and oleander blooming profusely everywhere - plants which just die in our English climate. I would look at the hibiscus flowers early in the morning all closed up for the night and watch them open as the sun rose higher. Not a bad start to the day.

This reef seaweed was pretty - I thought Tommy would like it.

Warm, clear aquamarine sea I love you.

It's true what they say about Mexican Coca Cola - it's so tasty (no chemicals).

I was there.