Poinsettia.

They grow into large shrubs in the Algarve.  We have seen some nice ones in the gardens.  If you planted them in the UK it would shirvell up.

Ann instructed me not do any more blogs about how warm it is, this one is about how cold it is.

Sunday night it rained quite hard.  Yesterday it was windy.

The temperature dropped to 9° last night, now thats cold.

Do I detect a wave of sympathy heading our way across the ether?

Thought not.

When we get up in the morning we have to open the blinds at the front of the van. A signal to our neighbours that we are up and about.

If Portugal imposed a tax on single use carrier bags they would be in the black inside a month.

Keith speaking.

One of the species I was hoping to see is the Spanish sparrow, what happens? they turn up in England.

Little B’s must have known I was looking for them.

Who said I am a twitcher?

The wonders of modern technology, the interweb and all that stuff.

Jan reads the digital version of the Daily Express, Keith the Daily Telegraph.

We have just paid our subscription for the Dover Mercury.

We can read them anywhere, providing we have access to the Internet, and it works out a lot cheaper.

One day steam railway!

I previously mentioned the toll road, an update.  We avoid it, and, apparently,so do lots of other people.

The gantries and associated equipment has come under sustained attack, shot at, set fire to and cables severed. When engineers were dispatched to carry out repairs they too were attacked and needed police protection.

At one point it was estimated that police cars outnumbered other traffic.

The tolls were introduced on the 8th December.  Estimated cost of repairs so far €200,000.

It will take a long time to get that back.

We hope you people in the UK who are suffering with the weather will understand this.

Let me start by saying that according to local residents it is hotter than normal for this time of year.

We have started to head inside around lunchtime because it as been so hot.  Yesterday it was in the high thirties outside, thirty five in the awning and twenty eight inside in the van.  Today about the same.

Hate to think what it must be like in summer.

Back to the lesser spotted woodpecker,  today the male.  He was clearly visible on a telephone pole on the site.  Got him in the scope, the colour? amazing.  The best bit, he was drumming on a metal plate, the vibration through his skull was clearly visible.    I have read about this behavior but, never witnessed it.

Yippee

If you want a picture google lesser spotted woodpecker.

Janet got a tablet computer for Christmas and is slowy taking to it.  Today we set up an account to down load the Daily express.

She is a happy bunny.