So are we! We returned as you know on Tuesday but we have not yet been able to settle back into our routine because of the weather. Not only are the after effects of last week’s Storm Emma still evident in the Algarve – uprooted trees, damaged buildings and localised flooding – but some minor storms have been circling this week and the next big storm, Storm Felix, is expected to make landfall this weekend. The result is that our usual long walks are on hold (don’t dare risk the river crossings) and worst there is hardly any fish in the market.
Still it is warm and as you can see from my gallery below we are getting in plenty of short birding walks. I have also been able to stay on top of my photo challenge on my other blog. So we might be a little bit unsettled but we are happy to be back. And some of the birds are delighted by all the new puddles!
We are hoping tomorrow that the farmers’ market won’t be too affected by the weather, but I won’t be surprised if there are lots of gaps. All being well though I will find some purple carrots and yams, and we will be able to restock our olive jar. There are plenty of olives in the indoor market but we have recently discovered olives prepared in salt rather than brine. And wow they are good! Fingers crossed the stallholder is there tomorrow.
Oh I do love a flamingo! There’s just something so surreal about them, it’s such a privilege to see them out in the wild isn’t it? You’re not doing badly for other waders either judging by your pics! I hope everything is calmer now – did you escape the latest blast that hit us this weekend?
Didn’t get the snow but boy did it rain. Still the frogs are very happy as are the storks who are finding the frogs!!
I was just thinking… We had some snow even and low temperatures. Next year flamingos will think twice whether to return here or proceed more to the south! 😮 Let’s hope it returns to normal soon even though this might be the new normal.
Currently glorious blue skies here – so they seem very happy out there today. However the winds are just beginning to pick up and suspect they will disappear soon. Really hope this pattern of extreme weather doesn’t become the new normal 🙁
Do you actually buy yams, what do you do with them?
The orange coloured ones are delicious roasted in honey and olive oil. I’ve completely converted MrB!
Ahh sweet potatoes?
yes 🙂 I’ve just stopped calling them that because MrB then expects a potato taste and is always disappointed. Now I have got him to expect something different he loves them.
Lol, I have a dreadful photo of myself pounding yam in a Ghanaian village, couldn’t quite picture you doing it 🙂
Yikes – no you definitely wouldn’t get me doing that!!
Yearning for a salted olive. 🙂 🙂 And do purple carrots taste different? Happy paddling but I hope he doesn’t hit too hard. Mr. B stopped hobbling now, I presume?
No hobbling, no paddling and so we bought loads of olives in sunshine – wish I could get them to you.
Carrots slightly sweeter and the colour is glorious 😊
That’s not good Becky. Hope everything settles down soon so you can make me envious of your walks and bird photos 😁
Signs are looking good for an improvement soon 😊
You said you needed rain!
I know!!! Just wasn’t quite expecting a months worth in a week. The frogs and farmers are very happy 😊
I would love to see flamingos one day. Glad to hear you’re settling in again.
They are such fun birds to watch. Unfortunately they don’t breed here in Portugal so we don’t get to see the really young ones.
Your birds are fabulous, but don’t flamingos look funny when they are flying?
Even more odd when they preen as they fly! Something they do quite a lot.
And here I was imagining you basking in sunshine and lazily strolling the dappled lanes and photographing birds! Your bird fotos are, as usual, superb.
Mostly we do but this week it’s more of a dash. The much needed rains have arrived in one go. Still the birds, frogs and farmers are very happy, and I look fab in my waterproofs!!