Orange Rain

Just look at those raindrops! on our Mexican sunflowers, which aren't sunflowers, but are doing really well.

Absolutely thrilled to report a decent rain, though no more predicted for the next week, sadly. As the men in the Adega said, enough for some greenery for the sheep, but not enough for cows, who need it a bit longer to get hold of it. 

Read a small (110 pages) book yesterday, Small Things Like These, by the Irish writer, Claire Keegan. Absolutely beautiful. As Hilary Mantel said, "Every word is the right word in the right place, and the effect is resonant and deeply moving". Here is the opening paragraph:

In October there were yellow trees. Then the clocks went back the hour and the long November winds came in and blew, and stripped the trees bare. In the town of New Ross, chimneys threw out smoke which fell away and drifted off in hairy, drawn-out strings before dispersing along the quays, and soon the River Barrow, dark as stout, swelled up with rain.

Gratefuls:
- people who work at writing to get it this perfect, and gift it to us
- Padre Abraão being lovely in church today
- good chat with Leonor and Milena on way back from Adega