Mother's Day Tiles

Azulejos del Día de la Madre
Tiles on Mother's Day

Your children will be like jewels.
Jeweled and precious, adorning the walls of your life.

You will be as proud of them as a bride is of her jewels.
They are your delight, your joy.

como los adornos de una novia.
Sí, tus hijos serán como las joyas de una novia.
Isaiah 49:18

Mother's Day in the US comes a week later than in Spain. This means that I was already thinking about mothers a whole week early which is good since that way I have a chance at being timely with my mailed sentiments. This year I did something special for my mom. It kept me up late and filled my coffee break moments and was the nicest gift I've discovered for her in years. Wish I had a camera for the moment she reads it.

Mother's Day in the US was always a church service and a brunch to follow, mother and mother-in-law treated to a meal with special desserts and recognition. It's a day of flowers, of lace tablecloths, of spring coffee or tea chats in the garden.

This year in Spain, it's a color.  Blue.  Remembering; deep waters, reflective and still hopeful blue.

Hours later after this post, from my four loves.

Pan y Queso

So, what does a vegetarian who has sworn off meat and dairy for years do when eighteen artisan cheese factories from seven provinces of Spain come together for a fabulous cheese festival, the Feria 'Más Queseras' to sample and buy some of the most exquisite cheeses in the country?  Well, she'd like to say she'd stay firm in her convictions, but the truth is quite the opposite. In fact, farm specialty cheeses are her weak point and it is impossible to resist these small and local artisan wares. Moreover, these particular cheese factories are all led by women, giving the fair its name, and they are all found all along the ancient pilgrimage, The Way of Saint James or Via de la Plata. Astorga is at the crossroads of both ancient thoroufares.
Pan con queso, sabe a beso. Yes, bread with cheese tastes of a kiss.

Pero, ¿Qué hace una vegetariana que ha jurado quitarse de la carne y los lácteos durante años cuando dieciocho empresas artesanales de siete provincias de España se reúnen en un fabuloso festival donde catar y comprar los quesos más exquisitos.  Bueno, a ella le gustaría decir que se mantuvo firme en sus convicciones, pero la verdad es justo lo opuesto. De hecho, los quesos especiales son su punto débil y le fue imposible resistirse a estas artesanas de pequeñas empresas locales. Además, estas empresas queseras están lideradas por mujeres, lo que le da el nombre a la feria, y se encuentran todas a lo largo de la ruta de peregrinaje del Camino de Santiago o de la Vía de la Plata. Astorga es la encrucijada de ambos caminos.

Numbered below are the cheeses that were so good they came home with us. As you can see, it was a fair sampling from the provinces of León, Cantabria and Zamora.
Los que vinieron a casa con nosotros: compramos

1- uno de Facendera; cosasyquesos: pastablanda- queso madurado de cabra, un queso rústico de la montaña de león. Elaboración artesanal (León).

2- Quesería La Brañuca de Bejes, Picon Bejes Treviso (Cantabria)

3- Hircus, Queso de Cabra elaborado con leche cruda y madurado con mohos (Zamora)

El domingo, día 4 a las 21:15 tuvo lugar la charla sobre "Emprendedoras en el mundo rural y otras realidades provinciales."

Café Art in Navarra

So taken by this simple, but intricate chalk drawing
by Amaia Reyes Elu del Bar Villar (Ujué)

Hanging undiscovered,

obscure cafés and humble corners

their unacclaimed works

call for a discriminating eye

a deserved interest

along El Camino villages and

rocky Spanish hilltops.

I marvel, snap a shot and

simply share their charm.

Enrique and artist Pedro, the owner of Bar Orly, Olite 

Autoretrato de Pedro

Melon Marmalade Man

“I have a history of making decisions very quickly about men. I have always fallen in love fast and without measuring risks. I have a tendency not only to see the best in everyone, but to assume that everyone is emotionally capable of reaching his highest potential. I have fallen in love more times than I care to count with the highest potential of a man, rather than with the man himself, and I have hung on to the relationship for a long time (sometimes far too long) waiting for the man to ascend to his own greatness. Many times in romance I have been a victim of my own optimism.”
― Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love

Oh, Elizabeth, this statement is so true of me and how I've entered into my own relationships. If you are someone who relates, at least make sure that your man is a jelly maker. Taking all else into consideration, life suddenly becomes sweeter, measurably more. Here are Chef Enrique's jars of "Dulce de Membrillo," a melon-like jam that has been my favorite since I was nineteen and living in Gran Canaria (the Canary Islands.)  Enrique, I'm so glad you're a melon marmalade making man. 

Day of the Book

Sombra helps Enrique choose from the many selections

in today's book exchange put on by the

Mule Drivers Neighbors Association

in the Plaza Mayor.

Libros del intercambio gratuito de lectura hoy por la
Asociación de Vecinos Los Arrieros, este año en carretillos.

Fresh baked bread from the Panadería Cuatro Caminos
and four new books in hand .

Lee Más:

Mara- Leonesando

Astorga Redacción: Miles de Historias

and here:

Enrique- A Cualquier Cosa Llamamos Chisme

High School Prom

Prom!
El baile formal incluye flores, vestido de fiesta, traje de smoking, una cena, y a veces una limosina entre el grupo. Todo a tope. Hay fotos para cada momento, el ponerle las flores a tu invitada, y el ponértelas a ella a ti. Es un momento único -

I woke up this morning dreaming that I was making pancakes and brunch for the kids that stayed over after last night's prom. I remember that I needed to hustle if I was going to get everyone fed as they sleepily came into the kitchen after their late night. Reality hit like a continent-away sized brick.  Tears, of course. Always tears.
Still, I look at the life, vitality and all the good that surrounds this son and I'm ok again. He texted me about the corsage and boutonnière and he chose my favorite color. Aren't they lovely?

Primavera