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 
Its such a perfect time of year to walk with the wildflowers and blue skies. Hope your Hubby didn’t hurt too much. I noticed the wasp are out here and they are so aggressive
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We usually tiptoe past if we know they’re about, Alice, but this one snuck up on us. 🙄💕
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Probably not a honey bee then as they can only sting once.
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Love the wild flowers and your spirit to explore the wild! The ruins at the crest always add a charm… so much of romance in the air – sad to know of the bee who fell in love with yours n smooched him ignoring your presence! Must have been a difficult situation for both of you… 😐🙃 jokes apart, hope it was not a bad sting… take care 🤗
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He wasn’t smiling at the time but he recovers well. You just have to promise cake 😉💕
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So sweet 🙃
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Let us know how the 50% capacity restaurant openings go. I’ll be curious to see how they work that out. It looks like a beautiful walk, and I love the way you wrote about it: “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.” And: “the rock formations with their crumpled, lived-in faces and wrinkly frowns.” I’m so sorry about Mick’s bee stings; hopefully he’s not allergic and didn’t have a bad reaction, although bee stings are painful enough without allergies. I’m glad you were called to follow the path! 🙂
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He wasn’t happy at the time, Cathy, but he soon bounced back. Lunchtimes at restaurants will probably be fine for 2, or maybe 4 of you, because we can eat outside. We’ll know tomorrow as we are walking with 2 friends 🤗💕
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I’m sure he wasn’t. I was eating something sweet one time on a hike and I accidentally got a bee in my mouth without knowing; I chewed it up, getting stung inside my mouth in the process, and spat out the chewed up bee! It was disgusting! I hope you were able to eat with your friends at the restaurant. And I hope you enjoyed your walk. 🙂
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Just home from a lovely mish mash of a walk ending with a warm welcome and good grub in a local restaurant 🤗💕
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Good! I’m glad to hear things are returning to normal, at least for some people. Not us…. 😦
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That is what we do…..where does that road track lead to and off we go. I love clouds as the ones described. Oh poor Mr He will have to change his walking sweet now. Thanks for the walk Jo. I reckon we should buy a fixer upper on the top of a hill 😀 😀
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I think you’d be very happy there, Brian, but I always need to be in walking distance from the sea. Mick prefers to know where he’s going on his walks… And not get stung 😕💕
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Not getting stung is a good option but where’s his sense of adventure. It started well in marrying you 🙂
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He’s had plenty of time to regret that 🙂 🙂
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Oh dear I did laugh at that Jo 😀
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🙂 🙂
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That’s a cautionary tale if ever I read one. I’m always being told that bees won’t sting you if you just let them buzz around you but I’ve never been convinced. I also remember the terrible tale I heard when growing up of the party picnicking on a mountain-top near where we lived (a favourite Sunday walk for adults in children in the days when that’s how Sundays were spent!) and one of the uncles was eating a jam sandwich (again, that’s what we had then) to which a bee was attracted. He was stung on the tongue which swelled up and they couldn’t get him down the mountain in time so he died. Ever since then, I never eat jammy things outdoors and I keep well away from anything that buzzes!
Lovely pictures and I’m happy I went on your walk. Sadly, my walks are restricted to the beach these days and as I can no longer drive because of my eyesight, I am restricted to the only part I can walk to. Go too far and I’m trying to find a taxi to take me home and that’s not easy these days.
Happier note. My original site is back again with my Premium restored and apology from WP. I shall ditch the other one I think when I’ve transferred whatever is on there – eventually. With this lovely weather I’m loathe to spend too much time indoors on the computer and I don’t like working on a ‘phone or tablet.
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The beach is fine by me, Mari. We were there again this morning. Not usually bee problems there either! I can remember jam sandwiches too and just occasionally I might want a wodge of fresh bread with butter and homemade jam. A friend gave me a jar of apricot yesterday and it looks wonderful. Glad you are finally back to ‘normal’. Much patience exhausted in the process 😕💕
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Oh, I love the beach too, but I cannot walk far now so I can’t get a variety of photos. Later, when the lock down is lifted I can take buses to other beaches and walk on some different sands. How great that will be!
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Lovely place and the images, Jo. Hope your hubby was not in pain for very long. Some of the bees are more agressive than others.
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He was really unlucky, Rupali, because there wasn’t a bee in sight till it got him! 🙄💕
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Oh. Please take care next time.
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I’m in love with the landscape and beautiful wildflowers! I hope your husband is ok, bee stings are so painful and believe it or not, but the best remedy to speed up the healing process is honey! Thanks for sharing and have a good day 😀 Aiva
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Sorry, Aiva- this ended up in Spam so I’ve just spotted it. 😦 He was sucking a honey and lemon sweet for a tickly cough at the time so we don’t know if this might have attracted the bee. The funny thing is, he doesn’t like honey! Well, not so funny, really… but he’s fine, thanks.
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👍
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😉🌤️💕
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what fun exploring . . but oh my how awful about the stings. I wonder why they took a dislike to him. Must have been a rotten bee. Thank goodness he is not allergic to them as one on the lip could have really been nasty
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I’m not sure. We normally try to be quiet and not disturb them and they were a distance away. He was sucking a honey and lemon throat sweet as he sometimes has a tickle cough y
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perhaps they thought he’d stolen the honey from them!
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My thinking too 🤗💕
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Tee Hee – fingers got confused as well as the brain. 🤣🤣
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Your poor hubby, I hope he’s okay by now. Reading your reply to Margaret made me smile – I think the cure for anything just has to be cake 🙂 Apart from the bees this looks like another lovely walk – gorgeous views, pretty flowers and fluffy clouds, the first photo for me has a bit of ‘wow’ about it. One reason I enjoy being on my own so much – if I see a path or a lane and wonder where it goes I can go and find out 🙂 Thanks for the link by the way, I didn’t expect that one 🙂
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He bounces back fast, Eunice. Years of being with me! If I wasn’t so prone to getting lost I’m very happy on my own too 🤔💕
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I am sorry to read about your poor hubby being stung. But he is a champ for agreeing to the exploration; it looks like such a beautiful place.
Hope being able to get out a bit more helps lift the spirits, and that you get to see your boy before too long.
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Thanks, Su. I felt very guilty because he really didn’t want to go that way, but it was beautiful 🙄💕
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I bet he remembers the day fondly in times to come. So much what we do that we don’t really enjoy at the time becomes the stuff of oft-repeated family legend.
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The walk looked lovely apart from the double stinging incident. Obviously being stung is far worse for guys than girls (not that we make more fuss of course, it just is!). Have to agree about clouds too, I love a blue sky punctuated with small groups of white fluffies.
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All was going so well… You know the feeling, Jonno 🙄💕
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I hope he was a brave little soldier?
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No choice, is there? 🤔💕
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Hope your bedside manner was gentle and caring too? I’m sure he’ll survive.
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Oh poor M, was he brave? I hate wasps, beastly creatures. But what a gorgeous walk. All these years and it’s your first visit. Hope you’re well my lovely, I’ll email you soon xx
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Hello darlin! So nice to hear from you 🤗. I wonder, Gilly, but we’re all a bit at sea right now, aren’t we? 💕💕
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I agree about the clouds, and oh dear about the bees – I’d have been shouting and swearing. Maybe he was and you’re just too discreet to mention it! Thanks for the link, as always. I have another one coming out later, but I gather your plans might be changing so now worries if no longer required.
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I will post a walk next week, Anabel. I’m just a bit adrift at the moment. And let’s just say he wasn’t a happy chappy. I daren’t suggest going that way again, but I know what’s there now. 🤣💕
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I bet he wasn’t happy! I understand your feelings, adrift expresses very well how most of us feel I think.
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Ouch! Sorry to hear about your husband, Jo. I can’t imagine being stung on the lip. Maybe beach walks are better since it’s usually bee free. Gorgeous photos! Thanks for sharing.
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Good idea! I think I’ll drag him off to the beach today, Jill 🤣🏖️💕. Thank you!
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Enjoy!
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That turned into an adventure! Although I rarely get to find out, I always wonder where roads and tracks go.
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I’m the world’s worst! I’ve been known to have a mild sulk if we can’t go and check it out 🙄💕
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🙂 🙂 🙂
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Beautiful, Jo. I love your pictures. All the beautiful wild flowers, the rocks, the light and airy clouds.
And the sky is so very blue.
miriam
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Hi, Miriam! 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much! We do tend to be spoilt here for blue skies, so much so that some of us get the sulks if too many clouds appear.
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Oh dear Jo, your poor husband. I hope he is ok now? The wild flowers are looking so pretty, I hope the bees will stay away for your next walk. Take care my friend.
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Life and it’s ups and downs, Gilda! Right now it’s me who’s in the wars, having jammed a finger in a car door. It’s a wonderful purple colour to vie with the flowers. Fortunately my left hand 🙂 🙂
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Oh dear, that is a bummer 😦 I have done that before and it is soooo painful. I hope your finger will be better soon.
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Oh, your poor husband. I hope he’s feeling revived now. I see from your comment on Eunice’s post that you may not continue with these walks. While I don’t blame you, it would be very sad. But you have to do what’s best for you. I hope you’d continue blogging, anyway. And apart from the debacle with the bees, this looks to have been a lovely walk.
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He rallied remarkably swiftly, Margaret, thanks! I’d have been inconsolable. He just needed cake 🙂 🙂 I hope to put out a post later this week about the current situation. As you can imagine, it’s far from normal here right now and I’m struggling a bit to adjust to it.
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Oh, Jo. Look after yourself. Virtual hugs x
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