Flea Market Heaven

If you love a good flea market, you'll love El Rastro, held every Sunday 9:00 am to 3:00 pm in Madrid. Some 3,500 vendors sell their wares, from clothing to antiques, in this outdoor market that spreads blocks and blocks throughout the city. Jim was a good sport to come along (Thanks, honey!) Take a look at some of the cool things we saw this past weekend...

Everyone needs one of these.

Did these ever actually work?

Did these?

Only in Spanish flea markets....

Reminded us of "home" in the Adirondacks

Pistol, anyone?

Reminded us of a place we want to go....Africa.

For some sort of drink. Bootleg, maybe?

Winter Sunset

Last night we sat on our roof top patio with a glass of vino and saw some pretty amazing views...

6:30 pm

A freighter far off at sea. 6:31 pm

Lone kayaker. 6:33 pm

Going. 6:34 pm

Going. 6:36 pm

Gone. 6:37 pm

January Flowers

While Jim is in Florida, I went exploring with my 

new Christmas camera. I've never before lived

 in a climate where wildflowers bloom 

every month of the year---even in January! So, 

I'll try to post a flower a month to 

show you what beauties are here...

Oxalis Pes-caprae or Bermuda Buttercup

Here's an up-close shot. This grows all over the place. Roadsides, hills...

Lantana or verbena, I think. I've seen shrubs of this in
landscaped areas, so I don't think it's wild.
It probably was planted at some point on the side of this cliff, but it
 continues to grow unattended.

This is the same little plant we buy potted in the summer in Saratoga.
Here it grows into bushy 6-foot tall shrubs!

And last, but not least, is Lobularia Maritima or Sea Alyssum.
 At least that's my best guess.
 It grows in the grass by my office, up in the hills by the beach
and any sandy spot it can find.

That's all for now. Hasta luego! Deb