Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Surviving Winter On The Costa Del Sol

San Geraldo's "cyclonic winds" were back again over the weekend. It even rained enough to give us a good soaking. I loved it; San Geraldo complained. The sun and calm returned to start the week, so I went for a long walk. (Click the photos to experience January in Fuengirola.)


SUNRISE, AS SEEN FROM MY BEDROOM, AT THE START OF A CLOUDY DAY LAST WEEK.

OUR SECOND MANGO... FROM PIT.
(THE FIRST — GROWING BEFORE THE FRUIT WAS CUT OPEN — LOOKS BONSAI-LIKE)

OUR MANGOS AT SUNRISE TODAY.

HIBISCUS ON THIS WINTER DAY.

AROUND THE CORNER, PYROSTEGIA VENUSTA (ORANGE TRUMPET)

THE BOYS, WAITING FOR ME TO LET THEM OUT ON THE TERRACE
(AND TO LET IN THE WINTER AIR).

It's always a good day when it ends with dinner at Sandpiper. Even better, they treat to chupitos (shots) of Bailey's Irish Cream. Since San Geraldo began his diet some months ago, he cut out those chupitos. So, Jessica told Juan Carlos (the bartender) to start pouring both into one glass for me. It made me very happy. San Geraldo decided the other night to allow himself his chupito, which did not make me happy. But Jessica and Juan Carlos took pity and I still got a double.

CHUPITOS ON THE TERRACE AT SANDPIPER.
SO NICE ON A COLD WINTER NIGHT.

28 comments:

  1. Naturally, I loved the pictures.
    Naturally, I'm jealous because we'll be in the teens by morning.
    Naturally, my favorite picture was The Boys!

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    1. Bob:
      We're in the teens right now... but that's celcius, which means it's 57F. Brrr. (I'm sorry. I'll try to not be so obnoxious. I'm sure I'm going to pay for this!) My favorite pictures are the boys, too. Thanks! More of them on the way.

      Delete
  2. You get the best pictures of the boys! What a pair. Oh... does Bailey's have calories? Rats! It's just so good in coffee... (or without the coffee).

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    1. Sharon:
      The boys are just so good-looking. Calories? That chupito of Bailey's is a big splurge for San Geraldo. (I also love Bailey's and Coffee... hold the coffee.)

      Delete
  3. Looks like you're surviving a "brutal" Spanish winter. :-)

    I'd much rather be here in Iowa with our negative wind chills..... said no one ever. LOL

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    1. Robert:
      Well, we got married in Iowa... so I do have fond memories of Sioux City... But I think I'll stay here. And, as I've said before, I'm going to pay for all the gloating I do about the weather.

      Delete
  4. I am really quite absurdly jealous and the Great Scot has decided we need to win the lottery and move to Spain...a decision I'm not about to argue with!
    Mitchell, I want to thank you for the lovely comments you leave on my blog; I really look forward to your quips, and treasure your thoughtfulness.

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    1. Jacquelineand....
      First, I like the lottery idea. We're going to win it in February... and will stay here! Thanks for your kind words. I love reading your blog; love your honesty and your humor. You're an inspiration.

      Delete
  5. You guys are really roughing it in Spain, aren't you? I don't blame you and would do the same. Take care.

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  6. Mmmmmm...Bailey's! Lovely photos. ( Especially the one of the boys.) What a tough winter you're having! Over here we're having the wettest coolest windiest summer I can remember in ages, topped off yesterday with a 6.2 earthquake, just to shake things up a little. (See what I did there? )

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    1. Judith:
      We've been here on the beach almost a year, and our first March was dreary, damp, and windy. So, maybe I should keep my mouth shut. Living in NZ is like living in California isn't it. Hope all is well regarding the latest earthquake. I read you have 20,000 a year! It's a good thing they're not all as bad as this one.

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  7. Bailey's and Sunrise?
    Bailey's and Sunset!
    Db B at anytime!
    The Boys are looking good!

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    1. Ron:
      I don't think I've ever done Bailey's at sunset. Something to aim for. I just gave the boys two new "mice." They're in heaven.

      Delete
  8. A chupito of Bailey's! A man after my own heart.

    And hibiscus in January... /sigh/

    Pearl

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    1. Pearl:
      I prefer my "snifter" of Bailey's, but I won't say no to a chupito. The hibiscus here are amazing. We tried planting them several times in San Diego. All we got was white fly. Here, they grow like weeds.

      Delete
  9. I'm sensing someone is gloating here? I may be wrong but I have good instincts for this type of cruelty!! lol
    The last time I saw Hibiscus in bloom in winter was in Bermuda! I have never seen, or have I tried, a mango sprouting from a pot, our trumpet vine died after only a few years in this VERY COLD climate.

    But, those two cuties waiting patiently to be let out have got to be the cutest!!

    But after seeing that beautiful sunrise I guess you can be forgiven for a momentary lapse of judgement, Mitchell. Gloat away!

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    1. Jim:
      When I get blown off the terrace on the next window, I wonder who'll be gloating.

      We'd never tried growing mangos before. But when San Geraldo opened the fruit a while back to discover it had already sprouted, he was inspired to give it a try. It's interesting to compare the two. The first is short with large leaves. The second is already taller and the leaves having even opened. That first one could end up being a very interesting dwarfed plant.

      Dudo and Moose are not usually so patient. Demanding is the word we usually use.

      Delete
  10. Although it doesn't get that cold here on Vancouver Island we see little Sunshine in Winter. Beautiful plants!

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    1. Cheapchick:
      I'd suffer without sunshine for a while just to enjoy the beauty of Vancouver Island.

      Delete
  11. I don't know much about mangoes, apart from occasionally eating one. Will they fruit in a pot?

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    1. Andrew:
      I've read all different things about mangos in pots. Some say they never bear fruit. Others say, if you have a good outdoor environment for them in summer, they will bear fruit. Still others say, if they do bear fruit, the fruit is horrible. So, we shall see (apparently in 5 to 7 years).

      Delete
  12. Despite the beauty or that sunrise it would be giving me the message of "Get ready to run for cover!" - though if it actually did turn out like that you'd have told us.

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    1. Raybeard:
      You're right. Some of these "spectacular" sunrises can be a bit foreboding. But, they haven't amounted to anything of concern... yet.

      Delete
  13. Very beautiful. It's not that I mind the zero degree world I just woke up to, but it's nice to know that somewhere flowers are blooming.

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    1. Kristi:
      I'm so glad you don't mind your zero degree world. I've lived away from that for way too long and my blood has gotten thin.

      Delete
  14. Have you tried Amarula? It is the South African version of Baileys and made from the Marula fruit. You must remember the film "The Gods must be crazy"? Remember the drunk monkeys? Well they ate the fermented Marula fruit. And there is your lesson for today. xox

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    1. Nubian:
      I've never seen Amarula. Granada has its version, which I like better than Bailey's, called Pionono. But it's not available in stores here. They often give us chupitos at Meson Salvador and I found it online. I look around the international stores and see if they have Amarula. Thanks for the lesson. Now I've got to research Marula fruit!

      Delete

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