Rain on the Roses

This is the only rose I actually bought, and I love the way it goes from deep to light yellow as it opens, and its scent. I bought two of them, but as is often the case, wasn't able to plant it where I'd imagined, and the other one eventually died. 

Always difficult to decide what to Blip, but chose this because spent a fair while this morning watching the birds through our windows. There were so many: pied wagtails, crested larks, sparrows, tiny birds with pale yellow breast and eye mask, male blackbirds, a smaller black bird without a yellow beak, blue tits... wish I knew them properly. But anyway, the second I move or speak, even through the window, they're off. So no photo.

Just as I was wondering what to do for lunch, Ermelinda rang to invite us for açorda de alho, which they used to sing about in the Adega, but we'd never had. It's what the poor raised their kids on here - basically, garlic and coriander, or other herbs like purslane, in boiling water poured over hard stale bread, with an egg or a bit of cheese or fish if available. Cecílio being the cook, it was definitely a rich family's version, you can see it here. And baked apples for dessert.

Today was a holiday for Portugal's patron saint - the Immaculate Conception of Mary - which is why they could stop for a relaxed lunch.

Gratefuls:
- eating good food with these good friends - again
- walking to theirs and back in the fresh air
- Mike making progress on the furniture he's building, though not much sun for power tools