AUGUST EXODUS

August has arrived, signalling the annual exodus from Granada Capital to the beaches of the Costa Tropical. Most families living in the city own an apartment in one of the coastal resorts dotted along the Costa Tropical de Granada. During the rest of the year these are mainly occupied at weekends, but when August arrives the city is deserted as its residents flee from the oppressive heat to enjoy a month by the beach and a climate tempered by the sea breezes. Photos taken yesterday of the centre of Granada published in today’s Ideal, the provincial local newspaper, show deserted strees with the headline “Dos de Agosto,la cuidad fantasma”.

There is no sea to cool off in up here in Guajar Alto, so summer visitors are few; but we do have our own little beach by the River Toba. Here, the villagers partially dam the river for the summer to create a swimming lake. This year it has been improved as the access road has now been cemented, the area cleaned up and stone tables and benches constructed. This is a favourite place with the village children and a popular picnic spot for families. See photos taken yesterday.

ANDALUCIAN HEATWAVE

It’s high summer and the temperatures have soared into the 40s. At this time of year, the droning of little yellow firefighting planes, carrying water to and from the big reservoirs in the north of the province to extinguish mountain fires, is not an unfamiliar sound.

So far this summer, Andalucia has been the region most badly affected by fires, and in Almeria there have been two serious fires during the last few days, both in the same region. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from Mojacar, a popular resort, and on the TV news, there were startling pictures of the famous hill town silhouetted against a red wall of flame.

The airborne firefighting force comprises co-ordinating planes, helicopters carrying water, including some of large capacity, and a fleet of water carrying planes. On the ground are teams of specialists, fire appliances and experts from the environmnent department. Due to the professionalism of these forces, not to mention their remarkable bravery, fires are rapidly controlled and extinguished.

High up in the mountains of our area is a firewatch tower, permanently manned. From there, the beginning of any fire would be clearly visible. Obviously, the more quickly they are spotted, the easier they are to control. It ought to be mentioned that the worst fire ever in this region, in the Alpujarras, was started by a British person who made a bonfire in a densely forested mountainside. By coincidence, I was travelling from Granada to the coast when I saw the first flames devouring the mountainside.

Photos of my olive grove this morning

Our olive grove, which in spring was carpeted with wild flowers and lush grass, is now sparse stubble, parched tinder-dry by the ferocious sun. When we irrigate at night, the wild boar rootle around the bases of the trees for grubs and insects, churning up the damp soil as they do so.

Although we are experiencing a very hot and dry summer, thanks to the heavy snows which fell on the Sierra Nevada in this year’s unusually cold winter, the province of Granada has enough water to last a year, even if we don’t have another drop of rain.

THE WISE OLD BOAR

The Wise Old Boar is now on sale. Copies can be bought on line at http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TheWiseOldBoar.html
I will be happy to sign any copies brought to me.

THE LONELY DIGGER

The Lonely Digger is on sale now. Copies can be bought on line at http://www.strategicbookpublishing.com/TheLonelyDigger.html

I will be happy to sign any copies brought to me.
info@margaretmerry.com

PRINCESS THE PONY

I have just finished my third children’s book inspired by Los Guajares. It is titled The Adventure Of Princess The Pony. The main character is a tiny Shetland foal who belongs to Jean Pierre, our local French baker, who has stables near Guajar Fondon. Other horses in the book which belong to Jean Pierre are Princess’ mother, Tornado his Andalucian stallion and another foal called Rosie. Among other animals featured are a mule from Faraguit, donkeys who live on an eco farm overlooking the sea in Salobreña and Luther a Spanish war horse who lives on a farm near Velez de Benaudalla. Here are some illustrations from the book and a synopsis.

I have received from the USA proof copies and draft press releases of my other 2 books, The Wise Old Boar and The Lonely Digger. Publication will be very soon. When they are released I will announce this on my blog and www.margaretmerry.com.

THE ADVENTURE OF PRINCESS THE PONY: SYNOPSIS

Princess the pony, a miniature Shetland foal, yearns for a playmate. One day, she manages to escape from the corral where she is stabled with her mother and sets off on a mission to find a friend. She has various encounters with other horses, as well as lambs, goats, donkeys and mules. Because she is so small, all the horses she attempts to befriend regard her with contempt, and the other animals want nothing to do with her.

During the course of her adventure, Princess leaves behind her  a number of unclosed gates, including a paddock where Luther, who reigns over all the other horses, is grazing. He wanders out of the paddock and leads the horses to a river. A sudden downpour, followed by a flash flood, causes the river to swell and as the horses flee to safety, Luther’s leg is trapped in an abandoned fox’s lair. His companions try to release the leg by pushing their noses into an opening in the mound of soil, but they are all too big. At the last minute, Princess appears. She pushes her nose into the hole, and summoning all her strength, manages to free Luther’s leg.

The other horses applaud her courage and thus she becomes a heroine, with everyone wanting to be her friend.

THE CULTURE FESTIVAL OF LOS GUÁJARES

Every year, Los Guájares holds a three day festival of culture comprising various events such as local drama group performances, exhibitions, activities for children, workshops and live music. The three villages - Guájar Alto, Guájar Faragüit and Guájar Fondón - take turns to host the festivities, and this year it was the turn of Guájar Fondón to do the honours.

Sunday, the final day, was celebrated by an open air mass, in the square by the church, to the accompaniment of a female sevillana choir, resplendent in flamenco costume. Afterwards, there was free paella for all, cooked in a giant pan in the street below. While people were queueing for their paella, they were entertained by a group of musicians dressed in mediaeval costume.

Exhibitions of paintings, crafts and photography were on display in various buildings around the square, and I was particularly impressed by the mimbre exhibition which consisted of baskets, hats, sandals, mats, etc., woven from the esparto grass which grows in the surrounding mountains. This, sadly, is a dying art and the examples on display were crafted by a local octogenarian called Antonio.

The atmosphere, typical of village events, and enhanced by perfect weather, was relaxed and pleasant.

LAS CRUCES DE MAYO

Throughout Spain, at the beginning of May, the arrival of Spring is celebrated with the festival of Las Cruces de Mayo. Here, in Southern Andalucia, Spring has been with us for some while but this is no excuse for not celebrating the fiesta of Las Cruces.

In Granada and large towns like Motril, this is a major fiesta which lasts 3 days. Garages and empty shops are converted by the neighbours into temporary tapas bars, often with live music to which girls and women of all ages, resplendent in their flamenco dresses and embroidered shawls, dance the sevillana. The centrepiece of the celebration is a cross bedecked with flowers.

In the little village of Guagar Alto, our Cruz de Mayo was a humbler affair. The cross of flowers was erected in the square outside the church, and on Sunday afternoon the villagers congregated to enjoy food prepared on the spot and distributed free. Migas was cooked in a large cauldron and flavoured with sausages, fried peppers and bacalao. A barrel of beer, to which the villagers could help themselves, was also set up. The sun was warm and the village streets were saturated with the scents of jasmine, citrus blossom and roses.