On Saturday we went to the Fiesta de Porca Celta with our neighbours. Porca Celta is a local rare breed of pig. The Celtic Pig was prevalent in Galicia before the Franco era and almost died out, but is now being bred commercially again by a group of enthusiasts. The oak forests around Sarria areContinue reading “Festival of celtic pork.”
Category Archives: LIFE
Appreciating my neighbourhood
Facebook reminded me yesterday that it is eighteen years since we made the descsion to buy this house. We had first viewed it a couple of months earlier, and we were on our second viewing trip in the area. After a couple of days, we realised that each time we saw a house; we comparedContinue reading “Appreciating my neighbourhood”
Resolutions or Not?
Do you make New Year’s resolutions? I always have done in the past simply because I like to start the new year with a plan. I like the idea of a fresh start, that whatever happened last year is past and that the best is still to come.That last sentence has become more important asContinue reading “Resolutions or Not?”
Christmas Traditions
Christmas has officially started in our house, or it will when Steve arrives back from his Spanish lesson. We are cooking today — some lovely treats — for our Christmas break. Of course, we are retired, so maybe Christmas break is a misnomer, but it doesn’t feel like that for us. It feels like aContinue reading “Christmas Traditions”
New year resolutions Part 4
At last I have reached the final five resolutions. The nice thing about this time of year is that everything represents potential. We know that spring is coming and the days are getting longer, but we don’t see it yet. Instead, we look hopefully for the first buds. We peer at the sky in theContinue reading “New year resolutions Part 4”
Spring
It’s been months since I wrote a blog, so long that I forgot my own rules for a readable post and had to start a new project for 2024 BlogsLike other writers, I sometimes doubt my ability and reasons for continuing to write.But I’m back now. Another and more cheerful reason is the recent additionContinue reading “Spring”
Locks, Dogs and Gypsies.
Scones
I recently watched a TV cooking competition on YouTube. The judges asked the contestants to cook something which was a family tradition and reminded them of home.One girl made scones. She told the judges that every day after school she went to her gran’s house, and her granny made the best scones. Her face litContinue reading “Scones”
The mystery of the metallic manure.
When we moved to the Galicia fourteen years ago, we had never lived in the countryside before. We couldn’t speak either the local Galician language used by our neighbours or Castilian Spanish. Over the years, there have been many misunderstandings because of both language and lack of rural experience. I can’t hope to explain howContinue reading “The mystery of the metallic manure.”
Publication, Prayer and Pilgrims.
The week after I publish a book is always strange and often, I mooch about the house, not quite knowing what to do with myself. In theory, I start the next book, but the time immediately before the publication date is so intense that I have to shake that off before I can think ofContinue reading “Publication, Prayer and Pilgrims.”
Abigail Thorne 