Ordesa

It takes about an hour to get from Jaca to the car park of Ordesa National Park. the road is narrow and winding; it's not really very far, but you can't go very fast-at least I can't.  All the way there the scenery is spectacular, but it's put in the shade by the views in the park.

Tozal del Mallo

Mountains

Beech woods

We were lucky with the weather-rain had been forecast, but it didn't start till we were on the way back to the car. As we drove away we saw a young deer on the road. 

1st May

It's the first of May and it's pouring with rain!
Out of interest, I've just had a book review published by Awesome Books! You can find it at
 http://blog.awesomebooks.com/2011/05/ancient-rome-through-the-eyes-of-sam-spade-nemesis-by-lindsey-davis-9780099536772/

Wildlife

Aspe valley

Yesterday we went across the border to Somport cross-country ski resort. There's hardly any snow and the resort is closed, but it's a pleasant place to go for a walk on what are ski tracks in winter. The views of the Aspe valley in France are spectacular. 
At an altitude of 1,600 metres or so spring comes later than in Jaca. The leaves of the many beech trees haven't even begun to open yet: most of the buds are still tightly closed. The only green is next to streams. Everything is very dry.
All over the place the turf had been turned over, presumably by wild boars looking for food. This is a phenomenon I've seen before but not to that extent: a lot of the mountainside looked as if it had been ploughed.

I was glad to see the evidence without seeing the animals themselves!

Already summer?

The last few days have been hot; sandal hot! Images on TV of people on beaches are one thing, but here at 850 metres above sea level, Friday and Saturday I wore sandals and short-sleeved t-shirt!

Proof!

My garden's full of blue flowers!

Little rockery with muscaria, scilla and a pink

Flowers in my garden: rosemary, muscaria and scilla.

Forget-me-not

Violets

It's spring, but the only daffodils I've seen are in my garden. However, I've got wild violets (purple ones), and until they cut the grass there were white ones all over a park near us!

They were so tiny it was hard to take a photo of them.

Spring

I looked out of my bedroom window this morning and saw a robin. Then I saw another one! We haven't seen any for ages!
The fruit trees are all in flower. My daffodils are beginning to open.