Beginnings and Endings

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A daffodil blooms in the patio as the jasmine I plucked on the way home from work one night finally fades and wilts (but remarkably still smells really good!)

N Xxx

Found Photos

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Good afternoon!

SO today's postcards aren't my photos, but rather photos I found in the local flea market.

I bought them with a handful more that I found in a basket hidden among old antiques and bits of scrap metal. There were some repeats, so I think the photographer, whoever he/she was, had a dark room, and these were the practice prints knocked off as they tried to get the contrast right etc.

The first one could easily have been taken here in Spain and she looks like she's probably Rumana. The photo is laden with complex emotions and social questions, that are all too real here in Spain. But I really like it because here, in this still snap-shot of Rumano life, we're on her territory as guests, not the other way round.

The second photo is quite different and looks like a Japanese model having make-up put on. This one I think I'm going to frame and put in the bathroom by my make-up as inspiration! I love the way she's looking up and the make-up artist and not at the camera, and the contrast of the dark background against the pale colour of her skin.

Has anyone else ever bought old photos from markets? What do you do with them?

N Xxx

Setas

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Hello

The mushrooms in Sevilla have grown!

The architectural project has taken over 5 years to get to this point, the same amount of time that I've spent living in Sevilla :) 

The project has had to find it's way around various problems, from finding roman ruins on the site, to protests about the old market being closed down, to safety fears, etc etc. All in all I think they've done an amazing job at accommodating most issues. The Roman ruins were left where they were found, and can now be viewed inside the mushrooms. The market has also been relocated under the mushrooms, and I'm hoping to visit it tomorrow for some fruit n veg shopping (camera in tow... obviously!)

It's quite a shock to see this massive organic structure curve its way around the old plaza, still surrounded by the older, more classically beautiful buildings, but although in many ways I'm a purist when it comes to architecture, this surreal building/sculpture is lovely to walk around, and I have to admit that from hating the idea, I've done a full 360* turn, and now LOVE IT!

Have a good day

Nxxx

Cupcake Sunday

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Guess how I spent Sunday afternoon? :)

N xxx

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cup cake flour

• 1 cup sugar

• 1/2 teaspoons salt

• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 2 large eggs, separated and whites beaten until stiff

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup orange juice

• 1 stick of butter, softened

Orange Cupcake Recipe Directions

Combine butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Cream these ingredients together thoroughly.

Mix flour, salt, and baking powder together in a separate mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients to creamed ingredients 1/3 at a time alternating with adding portions of the orange juice to the creamed mixture.

Fold in beaten egg whites. Spoon batter into cupcake liners until 1/2 full.

Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes completely before frosting with orange icing.

(found at www.cupcakerecipes.com)

Markets and Mojitos

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Ooooooh today's been a good day!

First off we went to the market and seeped up the sights and smells...

...THEN we went to the bakery, and bought a freshly baked chapata, 2 soft rolls for tomorrow's breaky :)

After that we went to the Alameda and listened to a band, drank some beers and snacked on the olives we'd bought earlier, saw some friends and then headed home where we prepared lunch: mixed-grain rice with baked fish and a salad.... yum! (Güini came out to see what was going on and beg a lettuce leaf)

And finally, tonight I tried my hand at my FIRST EVER MOJITO! And let me tell you (she says as she slurps with one hand and types with the other)... it's as good as it looks! hehe!

Later alagator!

N xxx

Crochet Queen

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Afternoon!

Well now, WHAT a busy couple of weeks I've had! I haven't picked up my camera for a very long time, and I've been missing it, but what with work, various projects, and the disappointingly wet weather we've had lately, there just hasn't been the opportunity to get photo-creative :(

So instead I've been throwing myself into other things, like learning to crochet! Oh yes, Crochet Queen I am, despite being called 'granny' by M whenever I whip the hook out, I've now crocheted 2 scarves and a bunch of little hearts and flowers. I love it! I'm thinking blankets, scarves and brooches and all made from locally sourced wool of course... I'm keeping this as eco-friendly as poss, and I want to put something back into the Andalusian economy... god knows it needs it...

How is March treating you?

N xxx

Retro Tea

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Morning!

It's a beautiful day today, warm and sunny and decidedly spring-like. It certainly gave me the edge to get out of bed early and head out to the local Thursday flea market, where I found this amazing retro coffee set for a mere 15 euros! Perfect condition except for a slight chip on the sugar bowl's lid, but I think I can fix that. Then had breaky in a cool little bar that makes their own bagals (sesame seed for me, with philadelphia and smoked salmon, a squeeze of lemon and some freshly ground pepper... yum!).

On the way back home through the market I found the perfect round wooden retro tray for the teaset. Score!

When I got home I realised I'd bought a set that matches the retro tiles in the kitchen perfectly :) Mwahahaha I am SO 1970s!

Hope you're having a fab day, 

N xxx

A Rural Birthday

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Morning!

So I'm finally FREE! Well, free of exams and reports anyway and now... oh joy of joys... a 4 day holiday! I think I'm speaking for all the teachers at our school when I say WE NEED IT! The exam period is all-consuming, and by the end of it all we're a wreck!

That said the whole thing was nicely broken up by the weekend we had in Vejer, and then last weekend we celebrated a friend's 40th Birthday by spending a weekend in a country house. Cold but beautiful, it was a wonderful weekend and fun was had by all :)

N xxx

Fur and feathers

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Güini and I had a trip to the vet today, nothing serious, just a general check up. He's made 'friends' with a parrot that lives there... it's so funny, whenever we go to the cage, Güini leans forward sniffing like crazy, and the parrot looks thoroughly confused by this two-headed human-guinea monster. I'm hoping it'll either pick up English or Squeeks soon :)

Other than that, had a day doing oral exams and looking forward to getting home, drinking a BIG glass of red wine, a fried egg sarnie, a bit of CSI and sending THIS!

N Xxx




ps. Güini seems to approve of the blog... but he's pretty vain, I think he just likes seeing stuff about him!

Sun Day

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Hey-oop!

How are things today? Are you having a nice Sunday? Is it sunny there? Today feels like a real spring day, and we've been taking advantage of every moment. We went out for breakfast and ate jamon and tomatoes on toast and drank fresh orange juice and coffee in the sun on the Alameda, with a newspaper and sketchbooks. 

Then we got our bikes and cycled to the Plaza de Museo in front of the art museum, and had a little peruse of what was being sold by the local artists (I bought the butterfly brooch in the photo above... lovely isn't it?!).

Finally we cycled along the river which has recently been done up the far side with a new cycle path and little jetties into the river and a small 'beach' and had a bit of a chill in the sun there.

WHAT A SHAME TOMORROW HAS TO BE A MONDAY!

Hope you are well and happy, and chilled and funky!

N Xxx

Saturday Guilt

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...I feel dirty... :(

Toasted

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Today was the last day of the week POR FIIIIIINNNN!!!! It's been such a mad week, my students have been having exams, and I've been marking them... I haven't stopped! So this morning I gave myself a well-deserved break and did a little surfing to cheer myself up with pretty things. And looky looky what I found!

I LURRRVE Toast! Such beautiful things so beautifully photographed. So I've ordered myself a catalogue to pour over; virtual's all well and good, but how are you supposed to caress those glossy pages, and wipe the drool off the cover if it's on the web?

N Xxx