WELCOME TO Val's Alentejo -I write about my region of Alentejo. My art ,painting, my cottages, Family life, my animals -Travels And my love for Roses- and rural country life.

Tuesday 13 October 2015

Weather change

Last Friday evening gone. The heavens just opened up within seconds and we were blessed with diluvial falling rain.  We have been  waiting so long for it. .  I sat next to my window and just watched it for some hours., thinking -here comes the cycle once again.  When it rains here, the smell of the rain falling onto the dry fields , stays forever with us.   Its a unique smell the dry earth omits ,after the heavy dry heat of summer.
I was happy , its  good for the trees, the animals, the new crops.  It was wonderful.
Short lived however.  Today the clouds were there again, but alas wandered off into the distance.
This afternoon the sun shone and the day was lovely.
  I can't remember it being so dry .. its been a very hot spring and summer. Now we wait for a little more. Its most welcome.
 Autumn.  is a  lovely month.  The olives are turning black. The flowers and bushes are at their best , most of mine are overgrowing. The roses are in full bloom , with colors of pink,white, yellow, apricot,deep red velvet red and multicolored red and white.     There is a little show of green in the fields and pastures.  Perfect weather.  We get the rain, but its not cold, the doors and windows can be left open.
Outside was like a fish pond here and there. This morning its totally gone.  Its like semi-tropical storms that come and go.
                                                   Early morning rain clouds
                                                            Dry pastures
                                                  Hardy and Isaa, trying to pick up the sticks, on our morning walk
                                                Looking a little forlorn.. waiting for their rations. See how baby Venus has grown, she is taller than her mother.  Pascoa turned 22 begining of this month.


                                                   The roses took a real thrashing from the rain. Some stronger than others, lovely rose petals fallen bellow each bush.
           As George Eliot wrote-
                 'Roses'
 Imagine the fields in the valley full of white and pink petals, soft to tread on
 Smelling so sweet.
It would be like sleeping and waking all at once.
( little snippets of the poem)..



Val

19 comments:

  1. I hope the olive harvest is better than last year. I know the smell of rain on the dry ground, there must be some chemical reaction that takes place.

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    1. Thanks Sunnybrook. I think the harvest is looking good, especially with these last rains. The warm days have come back again...but its really beautiful Autumn days.

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  2. Hi dear Val......first of all....I'm glad you are feeling a little better as of late. I have stopped by to check on you and noticed that you were under the weather a short while back. As an aside.....thanks for visiting me and you lovely comment. I have to tell you something that is quite "serendipitous" We were at dinner last night with friends who had just visited Spain. We talked about your beautiful country for hours. I was totally enthralled with their trip and what they say....and like magic you commented on my blog. You have not stopped by in a while so wanted to share this incident with you. We must be connected by karma in some small way..... (O:(O:.

    xo

    Jo

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    1. Hi Jo..
      Thanks for your comments.. i am feeling better each day.
      Did your friends visit Portugal, while in Spain!!
      Europe has so much to offer.
      Indeed Karma works in strange ways Jo.. I had been thinking of you ...

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  3. So glad for your bit of rain, Val. We are still waiting. Your roses are still so beautiful and they are pretty resillient (sp?) so should perk back up. Sounds like you are perking back up too..Yay!..Happy Tuesday..Judy

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    1. The rain was so welcome Judy. My roses are doing fine. We now have the most gorgeous Autumn days.
      Thanks for popping over.. its always nice to see you..
      x

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  4. It is always love to see the rain with you and the welcome you give it. We really don't appreciate it here! Sarah x

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    1. Hi Sara,
      Here we have many months of dry weather. So when the first rains come..it brings happiness to everyone.
      You get much more rainfall than we do.
      Thanks for popping over to see me..
      x

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  5. Dear Val, what a sweet poem - I have not heard of it before, but very evocative of roses. Yours are amazing, despite the dry conditions. The land looks very parched, like a lot of Australia. Large parts of Queensland have had drought for nearly 10 years! I am pleased you had a decent storm - we thought we were getting one yesterday but alas it went elsewhere are we only received some 'fairy rain'. Keep well, and enjoy the Autumn. xxxx

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    1. Thank you Patricia.. i didnt write all the poem.. but i like it.
      My roses are doing so well.
      Yes, its terrible that parts of Queensland have drought.
      Autumn brings happy days.

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  6. What a difference a good rain can make! And I'm glad you are healing and starting to feel better. Take care sweet friend. Hugs, Diane

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    1. Thank you Diane..
      With faith and determination.. i am getting better.
      nice to see your comment.

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  7. So glad you got rain! We have been getting our share lately.
    I love Autumn with its pretty colors and festivals!
    Take care, and have as good day.

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    1. Thank you dear Sylvia..
      Autumn is lovely weather..
      I am on the road to recovery.

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  8. I do know that smell after the rain....still waiting for some here in Texas. I recently bought a three year old olive tree. I have high hopes it will do well. Thanks for your recent comment on my blog.

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    1. Hi Meggie,
      Thanks for commenting.. nice to see you. I do hope you get rain soon. Wish you well with your olive tree.. dont water it too much

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  9. Dear Val - I have been away but so pleased to see you are back here again and making good progress. It must have been a very difficult time for you, but hopefully it is all behind you now, but take care of yourself.
    I know that smell when it rains on to the parched earth, it always feels to me as if the ground is giving a big sigh of relief and saying thank you.

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    1. Lovely to read your comment Rosemary.
      Yes , its been difficult these last 7 months.
      I feel i am on my way now and hope for even better days.
      Thank you for visiting.. hoping to catch up now and then

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  10. Val, I'm so happy for you that you got the rain that you needed. We are still waiting for the rain here in California. Everything seems to be fresher after a good rain. Venus is looking so sweet at her age. I'm surprised that your roses lasted through the rain. They must be very sturdy.

    I can just see you looking out the window and watching the rain come down. I will do that as well, Val, and appreciate it so very much.

    love, ~Sheri

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