The Day They Come and The Days They Go

Although this has not been a stellar time for weather here in the Algarve, we still manage to get enough wonderful sunshine to enjoy our daily dose of vitamin D, et out to enjoy a hike or two, and today, our first seaside patio lunch, with a persistent seagull to keep us company!

Yesterday saw us hike once again up São Miguel. It was incredibly hot during the walk, especially as the path we took was a dried up riverbed and was slightly recessed and protected from any wind.

I loved the chickens in the metal crate! They were cooing and throat clucking, not overly perturbed by our presence but wary! There were several others pecking around the yard while the “madam” of the house was hoeing nearby. Such tranquility and for whatever reason, gave me such pleasure.

Saw what I thought was an odd phenomenon. A cement cistern, about 2×3 feet, was half full of water. In the water was a cluster of drowned honeybees and all along the waters edge, many honeybees, dipping their feet in then pulling away. The entire thing buzzing with an anxious sound. I don’t know if the queen had drowned and the others were not sure what to do but it was so odd to see them repeatedly dipping a “foot” in, pulling it out, moving along then dipping it in again. If anybody could enlighten me, that would be appreciated.

Today was gorgeous. I started off with laundry and much to my dismay, shortly after hanging it all out to dry Joanne, who was outside, came in to tell me the clothesline had broken and all my clothing and towels, were down on the ground!! Growl. Needless to say, this afternoon a new line was installed and all is good in the world.

We decided that we needed to do a grocery shop and as we all know, you don’t do groceries on an empty stomach so…..we headed to Olhão and enjoyed a veritable feast on the side of the harbour at the Olhão marina.

Our food was fabulous, we’ve eaten here many times but I think today, for whatever reason, was the best time. Perhaps it was simply the sunshine and the sea but whatever it was, it made the four of us happy campers!

Tuna belly, tuna steak, and monkfish/shrimp kebab. The entire time a very quiet seagull sat just on the ledge beside Marc and André. He wasn’t bothering us, simply keeping an eye out. When the waiter, an older man with a twinkle in his eye, was clearing the table, he gave it left over French fries!! I expect that was not the first time and was one of the reasons it was so patient.

On the way back to the car, a beautiful bed of these…….I think they are called osteospernum. They were, as the photo attests, vibrant and rich in colour.

And that’s what we’ve been up to this past couple of days. Hopefully our warmer weather stays for a while this time as this back and forth, and especially the wind, has not at all been agreeable with my delicate nature!!!!