Misty

                                         FROM OUR TERRACE
 Do you ever find there seems to be a theme running through your day or week? You know you keep hearing the same song, reading or seeing something connected. If there's a theme running through this week it has to be "misty". To start with we heard the Johnny Mathis  1959 version of the song "Misty" on the radio the other day. Serves us right I suppose for having radio 2 on. Brought back a few memories for John of the days before he was a heavy metal fan. His first record player, some of you must remember what they are, Johns was a portable and modern enough to be electric! I remember the girl next door to my childhood home having a wind up one, OK so none of you remember those!!
Anyway from the mists of time so to speak came a memory of his mother bringing home a Regentone Record player, bought from a work colleague. The seller had included some records as well, one of which was the Johnny Mathis song. Oh the nostalgia of it all. Well we must have heard the same song a couple more times since. Enough misty for anyone you might well think and you'd be right, even though we find ourselves singing along.
The theme though continues because this morning we woke to find it was very very MISTY indeed. Cue the music and more memories of just such beginning of days in Cornwall and Scotland, only difference is by lunch time here we were sitting outside in the sun. Lovely.

one more thing, you know your getting old when you find your memories are museum pieces.

 http://www.museumoftechnology.org.uk/domestic.php?cab=gramophones

Two for Joy

The thieving magpie, magpies are often referred to as "thieving magpies" due to their attraction to shiny objects, such as jewellery and shiny coins - They are also consider to be bad luck by some. In Scotland a single magpie near the window of a house is not just bad luck but the sign of impending death; the somewhat scary idea that they carry a drop of the devil's blood under their tongue adds to this tradition. When we lived in the Highlands of scotland we missed this striking bird, it is the one part of UK were you do not see them. Take a close look next time you see one, they are not just black and white you know. When seen close-up its black plumage takes on an altogether more colourful hue with a purplish-blue iridescent sheen to the wing feathers, and a green gloss to the tail. Remember to salute them too to ward off bad luck, better safe than sorry, As I say moving to the Highlands from Cornwall meant we left the magpie behind. Living down on the costa blanca we had no sightings of them either so its been a real pleasure to make their acquaintance again. They are a noisy chattering species who will get up to all sorts, they are many things,scavengers, predators and pest-destroyers. To us they are a welcome, homely site and we rather prefer the view the chinese traditionally have of them, in China their name translates as the happiness bird. Magpies usually mate for life so seeing one on its own is as sign of sorrow because it's lost it's mate, whereas if you see two it's is a sign of joy as it's with it's mate. This is why when you see a single magpie you ask after it's wife, thus suggesting it has a mate and is in fact happy - hence the rhyme one for sorrow , two for joy! The magpie is consider by some to be the cleverest of animals, I suppose by stealing other birds eggs it is eating well and cutting down the competition. Personally I would not rate its intelligent by the fact that it can be taught to speak as parrots can, I am sure the clever ones stay well away from we humans. if you have missed hearing the little rhyme about our feathered friend here it is: One for sorrow, Two for joy, Three for a girl, Four for a boy, Five for silver, Six for gold, Seven for a secret never to be told.

One (or two) swallows and Pay It Forward

Very excited to see the swallows are here, I know that one swallow does'nt make a summer but Hey we saw two,flying around and sitting on the electricty wires. We live a quiet live here so we get excited about simple things you know. No really, I do think its a good thing to keep in touch with nature and all her wonders. If more people took notice we might see more respect for the environment. If I remember rightly it used to be May before we saw the swallows in the Highlands of Scotland. The days are drawing out too here. Its after 7 and still light. Bec and Joaquin just called, they had another great paella lunch on the island at Formentera, lots of families there making their own food and music, dancing too. Bec said it was great how the Policia Local went over just to have a chat. One more thing today. You may recall how I lost my phone and it was quickly returned by a local farmer. Well we had to chance to pay it forward today. John found a phone early today while walking our latest foster dog. It took a bit of technical know how but he found the owners details, checked out the guys web site and rang him at home. A very thankful Spanish gentleman was happy to call by and pick up his phone which contained all his business contacts. Lets hope he gets chance to pay it forward too.