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Monday April 21st 2008

Up at 06:00h. I think it's going to be a lovely day.
Jane sets off for Gibraltar while I get to work on the computer after sorting out the dogs and cats.
This is 'Warm Welcome' A climbing rose that we think is beautiful to have near your front door.
I set off at around 15:00h to walk to the donkeys. It's perfect walking weather. 90% cloud cover but blue patches and quite bright. I stop to take a few photographs of wild flowers as we walk along the trail.
Lots of thistles are beginning to flower.

Yellow is the most common colour for spring flowers.
Wild Garlic flowering.
Daisies everywere.
I think this is a type of Cranesbill.
I think this flower is from the carrot family.
Really pretty.
Cuckoo Pint. Not many this year. Last year they were everywhere along this particular track.
Ever get that feeling you're being watched?
This is Alpandeire.
This is Jubrique.
This is Algatocín. Unfortunately this is the direction that the weather was coming from. Looking at the sky I thought I was in for a good soaking.
The dogs love coming out for a long walk. This is Jake and his mother Sally.
This is Jake's dad, Ferdy. Ferdy is thirteen, his eyes weep, I wipe them a couple of times a day. Old age ... but he does well on the hills.
These are strange plants. I think they may be a type of orchid. They were growing in the deep shade.
I tied up the dogs, called the donkeys, I got an eehaw in return and they were soon at the gate. The donkeys like dust baths. Domingo rolls in the damp dust it doesn't do a lot.
I walk the donkeys for over an hour. Letting them munch as much as they can.
This is a pretty red vetch. Lots of members of the 'Pea' family do well in Andalucía
Some of the early flowering plants are already seeding.
Cranesbill.
Another type of Thistle.
A beautiful grass seed.
Jerusalem Sage.
Spiky.
Domingo and little Rosie.
Wild Garlic.
This is a pretty butterfly.
Southern Vetchling.
Early Flowering Orchids.
Giant Thapsia.
A lovely unusual plant. Pretty shaped spotted leaves. Looks a little like an ivy.
Domingo our male donkey.
He's good looking and getting strong. He's nearly four.
Jake our youngest Border Collie. What a difference in just over an hour. It looks like it's going to be a dry walk home.
This is the White Rock Rose. Cistus salvifolius. It is still flowering but many flowers are now seeding. The seed heads are very beautiful. They point skywards for a few days before arching downwards revealing a heart shaped seed pod with a blood red colouring in the centre.
The first Prickly Pear cactus flower that I've seen this year.
Genalguacil.
Juan Miguel. Quite a few unlikely cyclists live in Benarrabá. Juan Miguel is one. He usually appears on these pages with his friend Paco. Both a little worse for wear in the bars and at fiestas.
Benarrabá
Back home. This is a Philadelphus my mother Val bought us. It's planted in a large pot near the 'Entrada' of the apartment. It has a beautiful fragrance.

Poor Jane had gone shopping in Carrefours. There had been a mix up on her till receipt and it took over half an hour of queuing and staff running around the shop to check on prices before it was sorted out. Just what you don't need when you've been out of the house for fourteen hours and still have an hours drive home.

I've been working on the Gibraltar website. I've decided to use a similar look to this website. It's quite easy to add new pages and feedback on the look and navigation has been positive.
It will link to the forums and gallery which I've transferred from the 1costadelsol.com website. These are in place and working. Try changing 'skins'. (bottom left of the page). Until you find a favourite look.
The main site will follow over the next few weeks. So if you'd like to check it out the forums and gallery they are here Gibraltar Forums and Photo Gallery
I added information on the Gibraltar Spring Festival lots of events to suit all tastes.
I also made a start reading a little about the history of Gibraltar and some of the past Governors.

I had Jane's dinner ready. She'd thoughtfully bought me a bottle of Newcastle Brown Ale from Gibraltar. We toasted yesterday's victorious team and got to bed around 23:00h.