Spring

I think we're coming to the end of our extraordinarily mild spell.  Afternoon temperatures are well up into the twenties, and winds have been pretty slight for the region.  The almonds (and the peaches grafted to almond stocks) have gone from blossom to full leaf, and the Judas trees and irises are in exuberant bloom.  Most of the vines are now starting into leaf, and the avenues of plane trees are crowned with a cloud of young foliage of a pinkish pale green that I'd have to work hard at to reproduce.  The mares' tails in the sky presage a change to dull and wet, however, so today's the day to do the laundry and get out with the cameras.  We need to go to the market town today anyway since we're very low on essential fluids: red, rosé, olive oil and diesel. 

Nice long Sunday lunch yesterday with Martin and Patricia, he having just paid off a yacht in Gibraltar after a couple of weeks' course in pursuit of his yacht master's ticket.  While we have been basking in the sunshine, he and his companions much further south were cold and wet, and sailing in force 5 to 8 winds on the Atlantic and the Med. 

Essential fluids replenished (according to the volume delivered, the car was a coffee mug away from empty), we paused on the way back to take a few photographs, and Martyn walked back into the village.  Compositions were quite difficult because of the constantly changing light, but unlike a proper painter, I'll be able to choose a fixed image from my pictures.  If I tackle any of them at all.  But the fun photos of the day were of the local notaire fettling TV aerials on his daughter's roof across the road.  I shall keep them off the internet - for a suitable fee.