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January
'14
New
Year Resolutions
Mainly, to have a better year than last year, especially with the
olive crop so we can earn some money.
To
get the garden worked over and planted up with veg and (maybe) get
some chickens.
To
see more of our son Alex (once he finishes his University course).
To
get some of our friends to come out and visit us (Yes, you know
who).
Ploughing
Early
We have decided to plough under the olive trees earlier this
year. The idea is to keep the growth down and then roll it in May
while there is still some rain to help flatten the ground. Then
the summer will be dry and that will keep the growth down. It's
just an idea, like. We will have to see how it works out.
It
Rains Here Too
We
were given a rain gauge for the finca, which has let us keep daily
rainfall records since the beginning of 2011. The monthly totals
are interesting, but the devil is in the daily figures. The November
2011 weekend downpour (that word doesn't really describe it properly)
with over 220mm on 1 day and over 78mm the next, rather skewed the
figures for what was otherwise a very dry year.
All
in all December looks like the month with the lowest rainfall while
March-April and October-November seem to be the periods that generally
get the most.
|
Month
|
2011
|
2012
|
2013
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
January
|
-
|
38mm
|
36mm
|
|
February
|
-
|
3mm
|
43mm
|
|
March
|
225mm
|
77mm
|
78mm
|
|
April
|
121mm
|
75mm
|
90mm
|
|
May
|
47mm
|
9mm
|
66mm
|
|
June
|
16mm
|
21mm
|
143mm
|
|
July
|
24mm
|
16mm
|
24mm
|
|
August
|
-
|
2mm
|
19mm
|
|
September
|
-
|
95mm
|
13mm
|
|
October
|
38mm
|
120mm
|
11mm
|
|
November
|
470mm
|
158mm
|
66mm
|
|
December
|
-
|
7mm
|
-
|
|
Yearly
Total
|
941mm
|
621mm
|
589mm
|
Diamond
Day
Pam & John celebrated their Diamond wedding anniversary this
January. Family and friends all joined them for a wonderful celebration
and a great speech from PG's brother Graham.
Flooding
hell
The floods in the Henley- Reading area were much worse than in previous
years. These pictures were actually taken at a relatively low point
in the floods, after which the river rose again making this lane
inaccessible. The "water meadows" are well named and the
Kennet was getting close to the riverside bars in the centre of
Reading.
Sunrises
still spectacular
Especially when there is some cloud out there. Makes it worth getting
up each morning just to see what's happening.
Sheepish,
Pookyish & Speechless
One of the village shepherds has been grazing his flock on the grassy
terraces below our house all winter. Here he is on a grey day. "House"
is doing his best to be endearing so he will get taken for a walk.
And lastly, well I'm not quite sure, but there are definitely some
weird people around.
Early
bathers
These guys staked their claim to the sunny side of the pool late
in the month. I think they will be disappointed in the lack of in
pool restaurant facilities.
Ciao
December 2013
February
2014
PB
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