Spring Cleaning
It’s that time of year where the weather is not quite sure what to do with itself. Living in Catalunya between the mountains and the sea it’s a green and pleasant land around us. Rich soil means we have a vibrant agricultural landscape with fields yielding early, mid and late season crops. Just now the blossom is on the apple trees in the orchards, the fields of canola (rape) with their acid yellow blooms are like painted squares in between the rapidly growing grain crops. Tractors slow down the traffic and the pungent aroma of silage muck spreading fills the air. A funny little story to illustrate our urban/countryside – on the way over to the coast yesterday as I cut around the back of Toroella there is one part with speed bumps and zebra crossings as I came upon one at a corner I had to stop to allow a rooster and two chickens to cross. They meandered across in a little line heads bobbing, a chap driving a van on the opposite side of the road looked at me and we both burst out laughing. It just seemed such a sensible and clever thing for hens to do. Anyway I digress, our garden had gone wild and Darren has done a stirling job tidying it up after winter. The daisies are pushing through in the grass at the cabin, the temps are hitting the mid twenties when the sun shines and I spend the rainy days crafting little slow stitch pieces like my spring inspired easter egg cosy.
Over at the cabin there are jobs to be done. Easter weekend the campsite was busy with big family groups, mostly local with the occasional van of older Brits here for their early season break and it was, surprisingly, hot and sunny. In the garden of the cabin the lavender is looking splendiferous as are the succulents both survived tramuntanas, winter sea fret and drowning rain. Even the little cabin stood up to the elements resolutely. It was worthwhile putting the side fencing away with the outdoor furniture and much easier to rehang as I labelled them last year and put them in the back utility room in the order I took them off. Inside not a bit of damp or rain damage which for a vintage wooden chalet is really quite remarkable! All that hardwork renovating last year was worth it. Of course, there are jobs to do.
The deck is showing signs of peeling paint as are a couple of the panels on the exterior. The deck had only had one coat when it was installed so that was the first job I tackled. A few bits of cladding needed reattaching, I’m really quite the whizz with my bosch drill and screwdriver now. Stripped off all the peeling exterior paint panels and gave them a coat of sealant primer then repainted. Good as new. Time for a bit of Tortilla and salad as a treat in the late afternoon sun. Still have the front fence to reconfigure now that my neighbour has gone, the wind has definitely given it a bashing without his static there to protect it so a more robust solution for me to tackle next week. Then it is on with the canopies and lighting which I really want to get up before my mum in law comes to stay. My return journey from the coast to home was truly spectacular, the hedgerows are bursting with wild spring flowers. the fields and forests in every shade of green and all down the main highway the backdrop was the pyrenees, more peaks visible than ever before as they are covered in brilliant white snow against an azure blue sky. I must get a dash cam fitted and film this journey it really is a joy.
This weekend I shall be mainly reorganising my spring through to summer wardrobe, I got new Skecher sandals today and can definitely see them getting worn next week you never know I might even stretch to some time at the beach!
