Septic Issues and More

This is a little plug for a firm I recently had to call on for one of my clients.  These guys were fast, courteous, knowledgeable and able to do just about anything.  They have first-rate equipment, and can deal with most any problem that you might have with drains, cisterns, septic tanks, the cleaning of tennis courts, blind wells, filtering systems the lot.  They are located in Nerja, but can accommodate most areas along the coast.  I have included their website address in English in my blogroll in the column to the right.  The company name is Manolo Y Paco, SC.

If you don’t speak Spanish and you need help contacting them, drop me a line, it would be my pleasure to pass business on to them.

Here is one of their Youtube Videos

The Hill is Alive with the Sound of Music.

That’s right, Salobreña is playing host to 6 upcoming concerts at the Auditorium.  The price is great, and family rates are available.

Price per person is 4 euros, however if you want to see all six concerts, you can do so at the discounted rate of 20 euros for all 6.

Family rates are also available, so bring the kids.

3 family members for the price of 10 euros

4 family members for the price of 14 euros

5 family members for the price of 17 euros

 6 family members for the price of 20 euros.  What a deal!

Here is the list:

Tuesday Jan 24 @ 7pm it’s El Ritmo y el Percusión

Tuesday Mar 13 @ 7pm it’s La Musica en la Cuerda Floja

Tuesday Mar 27 @ 7pm it’s La Teclas y El Viento

Tuesday April 24 @ 7pm it’s Musica Dando Voces

Tuesday May 22 @ 7pm it’s Musica Y Tecnología

Tuesday June 22 @ 7pm its La Historia de la Bandas de Rock

Information and tickets can be had at the Casa de Cultura.

See you there!

After the rain.

Well we finally got some rain, not a lot, but enough to conjure up some great sky, and although colder than normal, the sun was shining and things got very bright just before sunset.  Remember to click the images to get the fuller sized versions.

From the Peñon

Panoramic from the peñon

It was cold up there on the rock

Looking on the bright side

Bring out your red.

Quasimoto roving reporter

Looking east.

Beachfront chozas

Looking west

The beach at Peñon.

A really big scary looking cloud.

 

Bird Watching at La Charca de Suárez, Playa Poniente Motril.

It’s been a blustery weekend, lots of sun, but a cold wind blows to remind us that it is winter in southern Spain.  I got all wrapped up and headed off to La Charca both today and yesterday.   All of the usual suspects are there, but I did manage to spy a couple of birds that I had not seen up close before.  The place was relatively busy too, there were lots of people quietly creeping around with smiles, while pointing fingers, binoculars and cameras in every direction.

Today I get to post my very first ever photos of these 3 birds.  Enjoy!

Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus).

 

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

Common Snipe

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio).

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio porphyrio).

There is just too much happening in the garden to ignore it.

Everywhere you look at the moment something is in bloom.  The almond trees have started, mimosa is in full swing, and so many others I don’t know the name of are giving us their best show. Enjoy.

Blooming ‘eck, it’s 2012, and Salobreña is under flower!

Happy New Year everyone, and what a lovely new year it has been so far.  The weather is great, and did you realize that we did not get a single drop of rain in December?  This has to be a first in a long while.  Weather conditions like that are perfect for the succulents in the area, all of which seem to blooming at the moment.  From mighty orange spikes lighting up hillsides to tiny delicate pale yellow and blush toned blossoms in my window box, nature is giving us her best.  If you love to garden, then this is the place to be.  I have been scooting around on the scat mobile taking photos of any and everything in bloom at the moment.  How lucky am I?  A little something for the gardeners out there, enjoy.

If you look closely at this blossom spike, you can see droplets of the sweetest nectar imaginable. The bees are on to something!

Echeveria- go on click me.

sedum

Hard at work

On the rocks

The key to survival, is putting yourself out there.

Attention seeker.

Just getting started.

The Big Orange Wall is Back

I love this time of year, the Cape Honeysuckle is in bloom everywhere.

Al Campo round-about

Cherimoyas and Irrigation

On my trip into the campo yesterday I came across this orchard expelling its excess irrigation water into one of the ubiquitous concrete channels that cut through the countryside here.  Life giving water is diverted to the farms and orchards throughout the area.  A complicated grid of canals ensure that each farm is supplied with water by diversion from the canals once or twice a week.  Each farmer on his scheduled day diverts water into his farm and that excess is then collected and carried on to next farm.  You can thank the Moors for this ingenuity.

In the orchard, water is carried around each tree in zigzagging trenches designed to slow the flow of water so to ensure that the soil all around the tree is sufficiently saturated. The excess water then simply falls back into the canal and is carried away.  Along with the water, is carried important nutrients for and from the soil as well as small stones, and sediment.  These heavier items gather in the canal around the entry point and eventually plant life takes hold and life shoots up, seemingly out of nothing.  Due to this fact, the canals are dredged regularly to ensure the flow of water continues.

This particular orchard is consists solely of  Cherimoya trees.  These are a delicious winter fruit grown only in this region in all of Europe.  One of the unusual things about the cherimoya is that it is hand pollinated.  Scores of men and women, paint brushes in hand pollinate each flower to ensure a good uniform crop.  Within weeks of harvest, the trees are pruned,  stimulating new growth and making harvest the next year simpler.  It is easier to pick fruit from  smaller trees, less goes to waste due to being out of the reach of the picker.

Water can be seen zigzgging its way around the individual trees.

Saturation point.

The excess water makes its way back to the canal to be carried on to the next farm.

Sediment and plant life take hold within the canal

Cherimoya middle of last month

A friend with a ripe cherimoya ready for eating.

In this last photo, my friend  and I stopped and spoke to a farmer about the cherimoya, which instigated an invite onto the finca,  followed by a sampling of cherimoya, guava, oranges, lemons and avocados to take away.  A great day!

What a day for a day dream.

Ominous clouds this morning over Salobreña.

 

Donkeys in the dust.

Cape Honeysuckle on the wall of a cortijo just outside of Salobreña.

The main entrance of that same cortijo.

Ready for her close up.

Moon Flower

Moon Flower, so delicate.

Orange tree producing oranges in a pot.

I enjoyed a glorious ride out into the campo today.  The weather was perfect, a little cool, but lots of sun.  The wind has since picked up so I have taken cover and battened down the hatches.  High winds and rough seas at the moment.

A few shots to remind you what you are missing.

Around Town

Santa and helpers on their way to a special guest appearance.

Swimming in December..you've got to love that!

The view from La Garnatilla on Saturday morning

Beautiful Cape Honeysuckle, it's blooming all over the place at the moment