Easter again again again and home.

This is the chap who has been shouting at us from the garden at night I think.

Oh dear its the morning rush hour on the road that skirts the garden.

We had to stay a few days longer than expected as Callum was very unwell so I embarked on a major striming marathon, Carlos and Victoria popped round with some other neighbours to wish us well and show us their new dog Scooby, unfortunately Callum was busy being ill and Rowan was off with Sam and Mel for a beach day.

Scooby is lovely he is only 6 months old and will grow huge but he is really friendly and just totally wonderful. 

I did not get time to do any raking but hopefully the wind will have dessicated and blown away most of the strimmings by now.

I am so glad we put that big window in, Carlos is going to sort out a railing (quitamierdas) to go round the steps before summer.

There is plenty of room to park at the front 

One day I would like to put a big glass door across the opening below the extension, there is a huge space in there, we have some windows ready to go in the west wall so the evening sun would shine in there as well. The rooms upstairs will be a self contained flat one day in theory.

Callum got a little better and seemed able to travel, he was OK but tired on the drive but not long after we left port he became very ill - he does not get seasickness and it was only a 2 meter swell anyway. Every time we leave Santander we say we will visit that lovely long beach but we never have time. I am glad we went for a cabin with a window we spent most of the time in the cabin.

Trying to photograph dolphins is not easy there were hundreds of them over about an hour but this is the only vaguely decent photo I managed. If you go by ferry they usually appear about 3 hours off Santander and are well worth looking out for.

Rowan watched the magic show from a distance, he said it was really naff and from what I could see he was right but the poor guy only had 5 very young children in his audience so not a lot to work with. 

Easter 2013

There was a group of 12 dolphins showing off and having fun about 2 1/2 hours out from Santander, if you ar eon the ferry it is worth being up front for an hour or so around three hours from arrival as that is often where the dolphins are. Catching them on camera is not an easy matter. 

First sight of Spain was a barely discernable shadow under the clouds. 

The lawn had sort of grown a bit, the whole finca needed attention but was not as wild as I had imagined it might be.

 The boys planted a load of fruit stones mostly cherry and some of the wild peach/damson thing that is endemic in galicia. Not sure what has come up but it might be one of each as the leaf colour is very different.

 First trip out after sorting the house was to Vilarrube of course and as usual at this time of yeaer the car park was wonderfully flooded.

Lorena and Stanley were straight in for a paddle.

Vilarrube weird sand

Rowan was straight into the water, He claimed it was warm but I had a paddle and it was just tepid however compared with Cornwall just now where the sea is like stepping into ice cream it was rather wonderful.

Sand stuff making its own contour lines - this was really useful for the boys conceptualising what contour lines on maps are all about, why they are closer on steeper bits etc.

The puddles were definitely warmer than the sea and just deep enough for swimming.

Sand tree.

Bits of the dunes are falling into the sea as the river course eats into the dunes, each clod is a wonderful slice of fine grasses and seaside plants, we threw loads back up onto the dunes.

These trees always stand out like a flame at this time of year.

Lots of current at this state of tide - fun to walk in, less fun to swim against.

I love what the sand does at Vilarrube, details of days gone by saved and mixed with today's artful weathering.

Jen, Cal and Mel on the track back to the car park.

A bit of a bonus - when we got home there was a rather plump bat roosting in the wood store.

Photos of house and garden for potential guests.

The house is located on a 9000 sq meter finca near a small road through Vilaboa village, there is very little traffic on the road, although twice a day a few cows and occasionally some sheep are herded along it. This photo was taken in 2011 the trees were cut back to over 50 meters away from the property late in 2012. Adjacent the the house is what was a carniceria below which is a storage area. This is not used as residential space.

This area is to the south of the house and is for sole use of guests.

THis photo was taken just before we left on our last visit, sorry about all the strimming mess but it shows the north aspect and the long stone table in the front garden. There is a wood burner but there is rarely any need to use it after Easter. 

Looking east from the garden there is a small church and a scatter of houses. 

 Looking south from the garden towards the lake. 

A close up of the church on a misty morning, at the height of summer the early morning mist can be beautiful, it usually signifies a hot day ahead and rarely surrounds the house. It usually clears by 7.30 am.

Looking west in the morning, the garden gets sunshine from sunrise until around 9pm during the summer.

 En-suit bathroom off the larger bedroom. 

The kitchen has an electric oven, hob and microwave, a dual sink, fridge freezer and a breakfast table.

We fitted a patio door/window to the kitchen in 2012 but forgot to take any pictures when we had finished. This is looking through the opening taken while the work was being done and showing the view from the kitchen. 

Same view better photo.

This is the corner of the garden we usually sit in.

Looking East from the garden.

The main bedroom.

Main bedroom.

Dining table in one half of the living room.

Moonrise over the church.

Early morning view, this is close as the mist usually gets, it flows slowly across the valley and lake.