Three weeks and a day in Galicia

Beautiful Galicia

I certainly expected to be posting about this trip long before now: I arrived Sunday, June 9th, and I'll be leaving Galicia exactly a week from today (a day earlier from Trasulfe, as the plane leaves early in the morning, and I have no desire for a trip in the middle of the night to arrive at the Santiago airport in time for the flight).

There's a reason I haven't found time to blog. My husband stayed home on this trip (as I did in April) to take care of our old and ailing dog. Because I'm alone, I was busy opening the house (and this Sunday will be busy closing it). Because I'm alone, all our friends have been inviting me places. Because I'm alone, I was busy shopping and cooking for company. Because I'm alone, I've been the one driving everywhere, and managed to get lost twice, ending up in towns I didn't truly plan to visit at the time.


But, it's all been a grand experience. And, since I am alone, roadside walks take on a special significance. So I thought I'd share with you the wild flowers I've been talking about on Facebook, where I've been sharing short snippets of the trip. (Do come and visit me there:   on my timeline, and also on my author page  )

One day I walked down the winding road to the carretera snapping pictures of all the wildflowers I saw. They are abundant this time of the year (we usually come in spring or fall); some of them are familiar, some of them I've only read about but was able to look up, and some of them are still mystery plants that maybe you can help identify for me. Here they are:

Wild foxglove, and all in
this lovely color. All along
roadsides. 

Small white daisies -- and
a mysterious purple flower
I've never seen. Have you?

Wild broom everywhere;
really a bush more than a
flower, filling the landscape.

I thought these were
dandelions, but a closer
look makes me think not.
Maybe yellow daisies?

Purple thistles -- but so small!

Queen Anne's lace. 

I also have seen lots of yellow buttercups, pink and white primroses, and blue forget-me-nots with tiny yellow centers, but I haven't taken any pictures of them. 

Of course, ferns aren't flowers,
but these are abundant on
roadsides and in fields.

This wild elderberry bush
is growing just a few feet
away from our house. 

But what is this mystery flower?

Maybe the sheep could tell us if they weren't so busy having their mid-day meal:

If YOU know what that flower is, let me know.

Hasta luego.

My Husband's Photography Website & a Contest

Monastery

Ribeira Sacra Doade

I am pleased to announce my husband's new website, VARADANARTFOTO.COM

featuring his black and white art photographs.





Many of you have commented on the photographs of Galicia posted in my blog. Most of them were done by my husband, Rajan Varadan, whose specialty is actually black and white photography. Ever since we’ve been going to Galicia, he’s been captivated by the beautiful old stone buildings and walls (some of them in ruins, and some in beautiful repair). And the countryside especially offers beauty because of the various textures in the landscape (vineyards, forests, pastures, and rising mist). 

A Small Vineyard

For about six years he made calendars featuring 12 of the particular year’s best. Then last summer, our friends in Galicia, Terri and David Anderson, arranged for an exhibition of those 60 photos at the Concello in Ferreira, a town near where we live. We weren’t able to be there, as we’d returned from a trip in the spring, but they sent pictures of the exhibition, and I blogged about it in my May 28th post this year (you can click on it at the right margin.)

Now he has started an online gallery with photos to share: So far he only has the Galicia gallery up, but in the future, he will have a California gallery and a gallery with photos of places in India. (He’s from India, and is especially enamored of the Belur Halibid temples with their many exquisite sculptures and carvings.)

Sheep Grazing in Bramble

At present he is featuring 62 black and white photographs of Galicia, many of which were not in the show. The website is VARADANARTFOTO.COM  When you go to the site, click first “Portfolio” and then “Galicia”.  

A Path through the Village

The Gathering

Scroll through all the photos, each of which has a name and number.

The latter is important, because we are running a contest! Whoever wins gets an 8-1/2 by 11 print of their favorite photo free, including free shipping -- from wherever you are. 

Here is how to enter: Each one of the following is a "point" and your name goes into the hat.

1. Comment here.

2. Tweet this post.

3. Share it from here on Facebook.

4. Leave a comment on HIS website in the “contact” section about your favorite photo (the one you want to win.)

   That's your name in the hat four times already.

On my Facebook you can get more points, spelled out by my post on my timeline. When the contest is over, I use a randomizer to pick the winning number.

Contest starts Saturday, November 10th (tomorrow!) at 1:00 a.m. PST and ends Saturday, December 1st, at the stroke of midnight, PST.

Meanwhile, scattered throughout this post is a sampler of  photos to enjoy. And remember, you can see 54 more pictures and pick one to win on his website.

Country Lane in Mist

Broken Steps