Often when I’m walking, or we’re driving, I’ll have those ‘wonder where that goes?’ moments. Sometimes I never find out. A week or two ago the other half gave in to one of my impulses, and lived to regret it! We were walking in the back lanes, here in the Algarve, not far from our home. Close to the pretty Ermida de Nossa Senhora de Saude, that you saw last week, a rust brown dirt track leads up and over a hill. Well… what are we waiting for? I need to know where it goes.
I’ve discovered an affinity with clouds. Not those solid grey things, that blanket out the sun and planes have to carve their way through, but the soft-edged wisps that drift into the distance. I love to watch them float over a hill, or sail out to sea. More interesting than seamless blue sky.
Something else that fascinates- the rock formations with their crumpled, lived-in faces and wrinkly frowns. And often a thatch of green clinging to the tops. Here and there the skeleton of a tree, once ravaged by fire, still clings to life.
The motorway interrupts the scenery for a few brief moments, empty as it often was, even before the virus, and I get my bearings. The trail heads north to meet up with a few inland villages. As always, there’s a ruin at the crest of the hill.
With a magnificent view to the distant sea. The trail undulates gently, a carpet of wild flowers on either side. Can you see the bee hives down below? You would think that with all that nectar they’d be contented, happy creatures, but that was not the case.
Suddenly my husband gave a cry. He’d been stung on the lip. The creature was in angry mood and a few minutes later he’d been stung again, on the back of the head. A dark cloud threatened our morning.
I was lucky. I wasn’t the victim. For a while we walked very cautiously, but then the beauty of the surrounds, and a sign pointing the way home, lifted my spirits. A conical house, all alone, would make a perfect sanctuary.
Before long we were walking beneath the motorway and back down the Fonte Salgada road, into Tavira. Kettle on for a well-earned cuppa.
Time to share a few more walks. Thanks to all of you for keeping them coming!
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I love it when I meet someone else who loves our great outdoors. Meet Donna!
Janet has something rather delightful to share this week. Well, two somethings, really!
Jo’s morning walk…bathing beauty
While Natalie shares the beauty of a very wise tree :
Blossom and peaceful scenes on Debbie’s home patch too :
And you can always enjoy a good gallivant with Anabel :
Or a jaunt round Lancashire with Eunice :
Even a smile or two with Drake :
Cee has joined us again this week. How did she know I love figs?
Jo’s Monday Walk – Arneson Garden in Canby, Oregon
Only for the more intrepid amongst you, but you’ll certainly enjoy looking over Kelly’s shoulder :
And touring some of the world’s most beautiful artworks, with Cathy :
It’s 18th May. Another landmark in restoring life to ‘normal’. Today restaurants are allowed to open, with 50% capacity and other restrictions that will make the dining out experience far less carefree than it once was. There are no tourists so we must continue to try and support them. I’ll let you know how it goes. Meanwhile, have a good week and many thanks for your company.
restlessjo 
Bee sting aside, looks like a beautiful walk about. Thank you.
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It is quite beautiful around here. A little too warm to enjoy it fully at present, but I do know how lucky I am 🤗💕
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Oh dear, unlucky for your husband. The skies and clouds look wonderful. We are having a glorious June here as it is not too hot! Am busier than ever working outside and still only a few walks with my friend and her dog but the flowers are still amazing. Your yellow flower looks like tolpis. There’s a lot here too. Stay well.
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He was soon over it, but we both get very jumpy around beehives now, and there are quite a few in the hills. It’s beautiful here too, but hotting up this week so walking is a bit more restricted unless you’re an early bird. Which Mick definitely isn’t! 🤣💕
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Neither are we! Think we would see more birds if we were!
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Oh dear am glad your husband didn’t have an allergic reaction! The walk looks lovely though in spite of the little hiatus. Glad to hear things are starting to reopen. Same here – cafes and restaurants can now have sit down clientele but only 20 patrons maximum, which makes it unviable for larger venues. Strict physical distancing apart from members of the same household and families and sanitation bottles aplenty. Fingers crossed we will proceed in cautious steps towards normality again!
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The restaurants are desperate to start earning again and are happy to comply with anything. We are glad to help out while there are no tourists. It will be different when the borders open, and potentially a lot more dangerous. We’ll have to see how it goes 🙄💕
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Yes that will be the concern Jo once visitors and travellers start returning. I know the state government here in WA want to get the local economy up and running but with border closures remaining. We are happy to support local businesses as much as we can. Really we have all we need here and if it wasn’t for overseas family we’d be happy to say put indefinitely. However there are now some legal challenges in the high court about the state border closures as some people are trying to get them overturned and force the Western Australian government to reopen the state border. Then of course the risk goes right up again … only yesterday we had 4 more confirmed cases here, a family of 4 who were returning to Victoria via Perth on a flight from Doha. Naturally they were in enforced quarantine here in a hotel in Perth as per the current requirements where anyone returning has to isolate at the port of entry before being allowed to return to their home state (where they then have to do a further 2 weeks quarantine). It highlights the problems of travel at present and the associated risks. As you say we’ll have to see how it goes – I know the Australian authorities will be watching closely to see how things go in Europe over the new few months or so! Take care xx 😃
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Thank you for sharing yet another stunning walk.
Hope your husband is ok – it is the price of sharing the outdoors with so many other critters. But twice stung????
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Glad you could come along with me. 🙂 🙂 He was very cross at the time, but there was cake waiting at home, and he soon recovered.
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I would have been really put out if it were me – but cake would have sorted me out as well!!!
Ah! Is that the moral of the story, Jo? To always have cake waiting?!!
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Oh a nasty surprise for your husband! Hoping the bites didn’t cause him too much grief. A gorgeous walk and loving those bright blue skies.
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Put it this way, Sue. It hasn’t stopped him eating cake 🙂 🙂
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A beautiful walk Jo. A lovely mix of flowers, ruins, blue sky, clouds, cliffs – and your inimitable prose. A pity about the bee – but at least no allergy.
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I’m writing the saddest post for tomorrow, Meg. Despite all the beauty.
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I can’t imagine being stung on the lip! Hope your husband was OK. No good idea goes unpunished!
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Shame it was him that got punished. I did get my come uppance a day or 2 later when I slammed the car door on my middle finger. Purple is such an attractive colour. 🤭 Hope all is well with you? 💕
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Sehr schöne Aufnahmen, ich mag die Natur sehr… 🙂 ❤
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Sehr gut, Ernst! Guten tag 😊💕
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You take breathtaking pictures, wow!
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Thank you! I have beautiful scenery to work with 🙂 🙂
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Hope hubby is ok by now and no lingering problems. Such beautiful scenery Jo and I agree about the clouds adding interest. Jack has a fascination for how they go back to the horizon getting smaller and smaller. And I love exploring those tempting tracks with no names…
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He’s fine, Pauline, and we have lots going on to take our minds off our troubles right now. The restaurants and cafes are reopening and life as we knew it is slowly starting up again. 🙂 🙂
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Same here Jo, but only 10 allowed in restaurants, so they are taking 2 hour shifts and you have to book in and give name, phone number AND address and have the tracking app on your phone. But we can also go for 150km drives. But the weather is turning cold, low 20’s and wet, winter is nearly here, so not the best for drives. But we have plenty to keep us busy.
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My husband is one, like you, that loves to go for drives. He has gotten me to get out and about to places I would never have experienced since I am not the kind of person that would, on my own just go for a drive. He likes to go on the backroads rather than on the main ones.
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I’ve always felt the need to explore the world around me and broaden my horizons as far as possible. My husband, not so much 🙂 🙂
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We each seem to have selected someone to keep us balanced.
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I would have wanted to explore that road, too, and I’m glad that you did. I love the clouds! Your blue, blue skies are just breathtakingly beautiful. Thanks for the walk!
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We are rapidly approaching the hot bit of the year here, Lynn, and I shall be seeking out clouds whenever I can. Lovely to have you come and walk with me 🙂 🙂
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Ouch! Unusual for bees to sting when undisturbed. I hope your husband is OK!
Such beautiful photos and wonderful blue skies 🙂 Thanks for taking us on your walk.
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I think we’re stuck with blue skies here for the foreseeable future 🤔💕. Thanks a lot! Expect we’ll cope 🤣
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Oh dear Jo, reminds me of the book title “A good walk spoiled”. The book is about golf but would also apply in your case! Thank goodness hubby isn’t allergic! We too are gradually reopening. Hoping we’re not all putting each other at risk out there. Stay safe my friend, and watch out for angry bees!
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Hi Tina 🤗💕 Just home from a lovely mish mash walk with friends, through the salt pans and ending in a warm welcome at a local restaurant. We did the chatting on the walk so it didn’t matter if we were distanced at the restaurant. Lovely outdoor space too🤣🍷💕
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A+ Jo!!!
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