La Viñuela Month by Month
January-During this time, we gather olives for oil and pickle some with local aromatic herbs. It's also the season for pruning and transplanting. Nights are cold, and some winter days are sunny, occasionally accompanied by snow.
February-The almond trees begin to blossom, and the bulbs start to sprout. The seeds of tomatoes, peppers, etc., which we have carefully selected, collected, dried, and stored, take their place in the seedbeds to be transplanted later into the vegetable garden. Winter is fading away, not without leaving some rain, snow, and windy days, but in the meantime... the sun always shines.
March-Spring is approaching, almond and mimosa trees are in bloom, daffodils, lilies, and a trail of bulbs adorn La Viñuela. Fruit trees begin to sprout, and the first vegetables are planted in the vegetable garden, all accompanied by birds that never cease to sing.
April-With all the irises already in bloom, daisies, tulips, wisterias, and the rest of the fruit trees such as cherry, apple, and quince also blossom. Spring rains make the grass very green and it keeps growing, vegetation bursts forth, and the vegetable garden is growing. Grapevines sprout to provide shade for the porches in summer... And the white poplars shed their cotton, covering La Viñuela for a few days with a white mantle as if it were snow.
May-Now it's time for the rose bushes and lilacs to bloom! Hundreds of species of wildflowers grow everywhere, trees unfurl their new and fresh leaves, and the irrigation channels and pools fill with water flowing through La Taha from Sierra Nevada. In the vegetable garden, the first vegetables start to sprout, and strawberries bear fruit as temperatures rise, allowing guests to enjoy the pool.
June-We already have cherries, loquats, apricots, daisies, and flowering bear's breeches. In the orchards of the area, lettuces, peppers, strawberries, and raspberries are growing, and we make some jam. Sun, mild temperatures...
July-We already have cherries, loquats, apricots, daisies, and flowering bear's breeches. In the orchards of the area, lettuces, peppers, strawberries, and raspberries are growing, and we make some jam. Sun, mild temperatures...
August-Peaches, apples, honey from local beekeepers... Hibiscus in bloom and many products from neighboring orchards for salads and gazpachos... The festivals in the surrounding villages begin, you can't miss a concert! Summer nights, although in the Sierra you always have to cover up to sleep...
September-The days are getting shorter but the sun continues to shine, figs, grapes, and blackberries abound for eating straight from the tree, for desserts, and for seasonal jams.
October- It's the month of almonds, raw, fried, roasted, sugared... they can already be harvested and tasted. Autumn arrives with sunny days and some rain, the trees change color, and sunsets also give us theatrical hues.
November- Quinces, chrysanthemums, persimmons, medlars, pine cones, chestnuts, etc... Sunny days alternated with rain make mushrooms and champignons of many species grow along the paths and terraces.
December- More mushrooms, persimmons, and almonds. The olive trees have borne fruit, and we pick olives for seasoning. Christmas will come and temperatures will drop, but the sun accompanies us during the day, and it's nice to be in the countryside... what wonderful winter walks!
