Spring is in the air!

After a very cold and wet winter, it is warming up at last and it feels like spring is starting! All the locals kept moaning about it and telling us that it hasn’t been that cold for at least 50 years!

The last few weeks though have been delightful with sunshine, deep blue skies and warm temperatures.

The Wide-leaved Irises (Iris Planifolia) have been adding deep purple splashes to the grassy hills sloping down from the dramatic limestone rocky outcrops overlooking Cartajima since December and the delicate Hoop Petticoat Daffodils (Narcissus Bulbocodium) can now be seen in a few rocky pockets too. The lovely light purple Periwinkles (Vinca Difformis) against its dark green foliage are gracing nearby streams and mountain sides. The Hairy Blue Lupins (Lupinus Micranthus) are about to bloom along the paths and under the sweet chestnut trees still bare.

The migratory birds are also making an appearance! The swallows have been back for over a week now in Juzcar and just a few days in Cartajima. Cartajima being a lot higher from Juzcar maybe accounts for them not arriving at the same time… They are actually earlier than the previous years. They normally come back beginning of March. The Eagles should follow very soon!

Spring is indeed in the air!