Jo’s Monday walk : Corte Pequena

At this time of year I’m seriously enamoured of almond blossom.  Singly they are like small girls, spreading their skirts in a graceful curtsy.  On a laden bough, they are the chorus line in Swan Lake, fluttering together in delicate motion.  Like the dying swan, their days are numbered, for already they’ve been in bloom for a month.

The variety of colours confuses me.  I was told recently that the paler blossoms are sweet almonds and the darker ones are bitter but I haven’t been able to verify this.  I’m happy just to admire.  In any case, I digress, and it’s time to get started on our walk.  You will have gathered that I’m back in the Algarve hills, this time our start point a small village, Corte Pequena, with its own orange grove.

On a Saturday morning all was peaceful, far removed from the bustle of the city.  A small terrier took it upon himself to defend his territory, but soon realised we were harmless enough and gave up.  We didn’t have to walk far to find blossom.

Nor the wild clover that blooms everywhere in the Algarve at this time of year.  It’s widely regarded as a pest, but so pretty!  We followed the gentle gradient of the hills, climbing to a vantage point overlooking the dam at Odeleite.  In the distance a herd of goats graze.

Despite recent rains the water levels are still quite low.  Strangulated trees lean into the valley, some twisted by nature while others were burnt out some years ago.  Bamboo follows a narrow stream through the valley bed, but we find a good point to cross, with just a stride or two and a held hand.  Sometimes it can require a good plodge.

Soon we have come full circle and the village is spread out before us.  As we descend a young dog decides that we will make good company.  He gambols playfully alongside us, setting off a chorus of warnings from his wiser elders.  Perhaps they are aware that sheep wander loose here.

For a moment we think that we are going to be playing Pied Piper to the flock, followed by an irate shepherd.  But fortunately sheep have a short attention span and we are less interesting than the juicy grazing.  I suspect you know the feeling.

That has to be one of the tastiest almond tarts I’ve ever eaten.  The mural and wonderful metal sculptures were at the start of the Amendoeira (Almond Blossom) Trail, at nearby Alta Mora.

walking logo

I’ve been walking with you weekly (or weakly!) for 6 years next month, and I’m thinking I should call time on our perambulations.  Or cut back to a monthly, or fortnightly, event.  I’m just as restless as ever, but I’m resident in Portugal now and many of my wanderings are local.  I don’t want to bore you all, and I might like to try something different.  I expect there’d still be occasional cake.

Meantime, thank you for your support and your wonderful company.  Here are this week’s walks.

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If only Janet could walk in a straight line!

Monday walk… weaving around

Alice lives in a very beautiful place, and is happy to share :

A Symbol of Hospitality- Pineapple Fountain

A gentle look at life from Drake this week :

Winterly mood

It’s ages since I went along to the other end of the Algarve.  This is a lovely walk!

Randonnée / Hike from Armacáo de Pera to Praia de Marinha

Reminding us that Valentine’s Day is almost here, Natalie takes…

A Walk Among the Roses

While Cathy looks at local and Civil War history in Virginia, US :

Cedar Creek & Belle Grove National Historical Park

And Rosemay checks out a little family history in north London :

Off the Tourist Trail in London – A Stroll round Islington

Wishing you a great week!  Hopefully the storms have passed.

 

173 comments

  3. I can understand the reasoning behind your decision to cut down, you are a very busy lady. I haven’t shared many walks with you in recent months because the ones I do tend to be the same as ones I have already posted about and like you say that can be boring for viewers. Once a month would be a good compromise, but you could share the odd photo or two in between. And maybe more walks when you visit other locations? It’s your blog and you can be as flexible as you like. Just as long as you don’t disappear from the blogosphere altogether! As for the yellow clover it might be a pest but I bet the pollinators love it. Can’t say I have seen yellow clover before and given the height of the plant I am guessing it is not related to our native ground-hugging clover. Have a lovely week. Still 60-70 mph wind here, even worse than the weekend so I am going nowhere today.

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    1. You get a bit one trick pony and I don’t like that. Nor do I like being led by the nose on the challenges. No offence! I’m well aware of their place in our universe but I do prefer to wander at will. If nobody follows, well, bad for my ego but no bad thing. I’m sure you understand, Jude. I intensely dislike the spammers and hangers on that blogging attracts. But I love you folk 🤗💕💕💕

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      1. No offence taken 🙂 I like to challenge myself by having something to discipline myself and it is lovely if others join in. But no big deal if they don’t. I do enjoy joining challenges when and where appropriate and because I have an enormous amount of photos they enable me to publish some of them. It is also nice having a lovely group of regular followers to chat with. You are so much more sociable than I am; I rely a lot on my blogging world!

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      2. Well, I’d really miss the folks too, and I’d have to keep popping back to check on you all. As I said to Mari if I don’t become a stop at home I’ll go on posting. Sat on the roof with a book all afternoon. Shameful! Conserving energy for a hard walk tomorrow and the weekend was full on with walks Saturday and Sunday 😎💕

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      4. Hi Dina 🙂 🙂 Just finished Neil Gaiman’s American Gods. I’ve been reading it for ages so it was great to finally reach the end. Brilliant author! But I should probably have been doing Portuguese homework 😦

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  4. It amazes me how different your world looks from mine! It is gloomy and rainy here; it definitely doesn’t beckon one to go outdoors! It looks like spring there; I love the almond blossoms and even the pesky but oh-so-pretty wild clover. And the sheep. So cute. Thanks for the link, Jo! 🙂

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    1. It absolutely is spring here, Cathy. Around 22C this afternoon and I’m sitting up on the roof waiting to see if Mick can be bothered to move. Portuguese this morning must have worn him out 😊💕

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      1. Language learning always wears me out, so I can understand Mick’s exhaustion. I have to go to Spanish tomorrow. It’s hard. Lucky you to have spring so soon. It actually was a bit warm here today, but still gloomy and rainy. I finally bought our tickets for Chicago, so I guess we’re going. 🙂

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      2. I’ve always wanted to see that city, though I’m not fond of high rise. I think it’d be a love/hate relationship. Be interesting to see your take on it.. 🙂 🙂

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      3. Chicago is Mike’s idea, Jo, and I have to say I’m not that thrilled except that it’s a chance to get away. I’m still feeling sad we scrapped our plans for Trinidad and Tobago. Maybe it will still be in the cards for a later date. I admit I’m dragging my feet a bit on making any plans, but I better get busy before May as I don’t want another Rome experience in Chicago!

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      5. No, I was trying to do too much. It’s not your typical Caribbean island and that made it appealing to me but Mike didn’t seem thrilled. We have some other big things planned for the year, and it was just too much. You never know though. I may want to go at Christmas because I’m tired of the whole Christmas thing if the kids can’t even make it!

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  6. Such a beautiful walk and gorgeous photos, Jo. I like the almond blossoms, the sheep family and the hill covered with wildflowers. Thank you for hosting and sharing your walks all this time. I understand your desire to try something different on your blog. I look forward to reading your next post. Thank you for mentioning my walk.

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  7. I love your delightful description of the blossom, comparing them to a small girl curtsying and the ballerinas Jo, a perfect comparison. Such a peaceful and gentle landscape you have taken us through this week and that tart does look so yummy. I can understand you wanting to cut your posts back to maybe fortnightly or monthly I can imagine the amount of time each post must take. But I will never tire of wandering around with you and will look forward to seeing and joining you however many posts you share with us

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  9. A wonderful walk indeed my Jo 🙂 Such wonderful photos. I can understand why sheep would follow you…..I do 😀
    I will miss my weekly stroll but understand completely as long as there is a surprise cake every now an then ❤

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  10. Those almond blossoms are so beautiful Jo. I’m sure that where ever and whenever you amble, we’ll still be enjoying your gorgeous jaunts. Lovely pics and words 🌸❤️

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  12. I love your walks Jo and never get bored of them but will follow along whatever direction your blog takes! The almond blossom is gorgeous and I love the wild clover – so pretty even if it’s considered a pest 🙂 The views are wonderful and well the almond tart one more can one say? Thanks so much for including my little stroll in your walks this week (though actually we did cover a lot of ground that day come to think of it)! Enjoy the Algarve sunshine it looks so pretty at this time of year and spring already seems to be well on its way for you 🙂 🙂

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  15. I was just writing a “walk” post now. Hope it is not too late, in case this is the last Monday walk! Monthly sounds like a plan if you do continue. I am coming up to ten years of blogging and I agree we need to try new ideas to keep the blog fresh and enthusiastic. We finally had some rain downunder so I wanted to share ll that with you, along with some noisy Aussie baby birds. https://seachange.home.blog/2020/02/10/walking-with-kangaroos-and-galahs/

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    1. There will, of course, be a Monday walk next week, Amanda. It would not be fair on those who share regularly to just cut off like this. I’ve blogged for 8 years or more and there are times when there is more to life but I would miss the sharing and the lovely people. 🤗💕

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      1. You are a good woman, Jo! And I can relate to what you are saying about the community here in the blogosphere. It is hard to walk away from such a supportive, interesting and friendly group.

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  18. I really look forward to your weekly walks and would miss them if you don’t continue – you go to such picturesque places and take such beautiful photos it would be a shame not to share. By all means cut back if you feel you need to but please don’t give them up completely – besides, where would I get my cake fix? 🙂 I love the sheep, especially the baby in the forefront, and I could sit all day just looking at that clover-filled meadow and hill 🙂

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    1. Thanks, darlin! You know I’m retired so I don’t have any excuses, but life here is, of my own making, extremely busy. I do sometimes find it a struggle to get the blog up and running, but there is no doubt that I will continue to walk. I just might need to share less frequently. And I so don’t want people to get bored. 🙂 🙂

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  19. Well Jo, I guess you could switch your posts theme to your “weekly cakes” and although I’d miss the walks, I’m sure I would enjoy the variety of cakes. This almond one looks scrumptious. The bright yellow clover brings back beautiful memories of our time in the Algarve some years back. The cliffs by the ocean North of Lagos were covered in it and I recall a lovely picnic amongst it all.Love the sheep photo…. those babies!

    Peta

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    1. I think we’d still be walking together sometimes, Peta. It’s part of my life. As are cakes, I guess 🙂 🙂 I actually don’t eat as many as I post, but I do my best.

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