50 + favourites

One of the last photos I took before my back went and I didn't take any more new photos for some time. I had an operation for 4 fractured vertebrae (apparently caused by long term cortisone treatment as part of my chemotherapy). Then immediately after suffered a detached retina so another operation, then quickly after that, covid in a big way (5 months in hospital including 2 months in an induced coma). Funny how these things pan out; on the day I took this photo, I'd walked 30,000 paces and felt really really good! Hubris or what? A song I've always liked and a band who always inspired. www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnH_zwVmiuE

Evening sky from the upper terrace. (The setting sun is behind me).

Today was a relief in that the recent calima (Saharan dust cloud), and the smoke from the wild-fires in Portugal and Western Spain finally cleared, leaving a lovely view for the first time in about a week! Perhaps better on full screen. Added extra little titbit (I'm not American so it's titbit OK?); bottom left hand corner of the shot is the top of a pot of basil. Usually they last 1 to 2 weeks and then they expire and you buy another on your next shop (very cheap). But this hardy little bugger has been happily thriving for a couple of months now - almost to the point when I'll have to think up a name for it as it has almost become part of the family! Any suggestions for a name? Please let me know!!

A street near me. (Algete street scene 1) These dramatic flowers are fairly common here. They look especially good against a granite wall and with a view to the distant Guadarrama mountains. A blue sky helps too! Also everything is as was! No editing at all, no cropping, no enhancements whatsoever. The light yesterday was so pure that I could have read the small print off a can of coke (if I had been so inclined) without my reading glasses! Sight and sound: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NR-hmFrR20 - by the late great Tim Buckley. Simply because it's a summery kind of song and with summer on the way out soon, I get a bit of a sadness creeping in. This song helps cheer me up. By the way, younger members might recognise the name of his talented son; Jeff Buckley. Sadly, both died young and both by drowning. Perhaps best on full screen.

Well it's sufficiently different to the last one to merit another airing, I think!

A new oleander sprouted here this year, beside the lower terrace.

Another trumpet vine shot but I don't think one can have too many trumpet vine shots! (Seems to work on full screen too)

A quite amazing sky! H. A. N. W. E. everyone! And a song that I like but, again, no bearing on this shot. I just like it! Sight and Sound. www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1oXdVAEUsE

Very common on marshier bits of coast.

Always difficult to video or photo as they are so quick! They do a great service by keeping the mosquito population down. They are normally seen just as the sun sets. Best on full screen and further enlargement to view the bat!

Steps by the side of the house. Shadow fence.

This could be one of several attractive villages we visited two or three summers ago on a two week touring holiday but since Google stole my notes as well as photos, I can't now remember so I will choose one and say it is La Alberca (and I think I'm right!)

Our weather today - wave after wave of storms. We certainly need the rain! Sight and sound; no real relevance here, I just like Tim Buckley! www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMTEtDBHGY4

I've probably posted this before now but I've run out of new Cornwall shots so the odd repeat will have to suffice! On the coast between Portreath and Godrevy at North Cliffs. Crane Castle, so marked on OS maps, is an iron age promontary fort where only the landward defenses remain; everything else having been swept away by the sea over the centuries. The inevitable will soon happen to the colourful slope you see here and then there will be nothing left of Crane Castle. :o(

Summer's last hurrah! Another longish walk this afternoon (to another neighbouring village, Alalpardo) and a far hotter day than on my previous walk. The weather is due to turn on Wednesday, giving some much needed rain. So I thought I'd better get in a country walk while I still had the chance! More photos to follow. In the notes are my beloved Sierra de La Cabrera and that really is the size of it! But it's a full day's walk from one end to the other and back again. It just doesn't look like that from here! Oh, and one last thing; I've just noticed the Ukranian flag's colours!

We can't quite see the sunset from here but we can certainly see the colour changes to the clouds in the wider picture. I do have to say though, that we do sometimes get some excellent skies!

Saint Day, Cornwall. I add a Sammy Davis Jr musical link simply because I think he was underrated for his consummate performing skills. Again nothing to do with the photo, I just like it! www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Fju4UajL7g

Front garden. Most of the rose bushes spent themselves out by the end of May, but a few hardy souls braved the Saharan summer and decided to have another go, and this yellow rose is a delightful one with a magical scent!