La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
I love the word for wintry in Spanish. Invernal. It feels like it should mean “infernal” and, in my humble opinion, that’s what our recent weather has been. By the way, “infernal” is “infernal” in both Spanish and English. But back to my point. San Geraldo would agree. Since New Year’s Eve, it’s been mostly dreary and rainy. There’s supposed to be sunshine Tuesday and I look forward to that. The drear has gotten to me. The forecast reads: “the kind of weekend that goes well with a blanket.”
Less than a 15-minute walk from the kids’ holiday fair on Avenida de Gran Capitan, and just a few minutes from the train station, is a winter wonderland, Córdoba-style. I didn’t pay to enter the different activities, but I looked over fences for photos. A section of the Paseo de Córdoba, a 1.5 km-long park, is taken over by magical light creations of animals and flowers, and butterflies and dragonflies with flapping wings.
There’s an ice rink, a sledding hill (with a plastic surface that you ride down, one at a time, on what look like padded inner tubes) and a rough bump near the bottom that I don’t think was intentional; or maybe it is intentional, to slow down the riders at the bottom. There are snack bars and, of course, churros and chocolate. I saw a belén (reproduction of the city of Bethlehem) that was filled with giant-headed, cartoon characters all in a long row. I would have had to pay to get close up, but, after a glance inside, I didn’t think it was worth it. I was there around 7:30 p.m., at least an hour before the crowds arrived.
Big news: Our Christmas cactus, thrust upon me by our neighbor, has a number of buds that are starting to open. Per San Geraldo’s instructions, the cactus has not been moved or even turned. I’m keeping my distance. I think my problem is I pay too much attention.
And then there are the cats who are paying an awful lot of attention to their new sous chef.
Me encanta la palabra para invernal en español: invernal. Parece que debería significar “infernal” y, en mi humilde opinión, así ha sido nuestro clima reciente. Por cierto, “infernal” es “infernal” tanto en español como en inglés. Pero volviendo a mi punto, San Geraldo estaría de acuerdo. Desde Nochevieja, ha estado mayormente gris y lluvioso. Se supone que habrá sol el martes y lo espero con ansias. La tristeza me ha afectado. El pronóstico dice: “el tipo de fin de semana que combina bien con una manta”.
A menos de 15 minutos a pie de la feria navideña infantil en la Avenida de Gran Capitán, y a solo unos minutos de la estación de tren, hay un paraíso invernal, al estilo cordobés. No pagué la entrada a las diferentes actividades, pero miré por encima de las vallas para tomar fotos. Una sección del Paseo de Córdoba, un parque de 1,5 km de largo, está invadida por mágicas creaciones de luz de animales y flores, mariposas y libélulas con sus alas batientes.
Hay una pista de hielo, una colina para trineos (con una superficie de plástico por la que se baja de uno en uno, sobre lo que parecen cámaras acolchadas) y un bache cerca del final que no creo que fuera intencionado; o quizá sí, para frenar a los que bajan. Hay chiringuitos y, por supuesto, churros y chocolate. Vi un belén (reproducción de la ciudad de Belén) lleno de personajes de dibujos animados con cabezas gigantes, todos en una larga fila. Habría tenido que pagar para acercarme, pero, después de echar un vistazo al interior, no me pareció que valiera la pena. Llegué sobre las 19:30, al menos una hora antes de que llegara la multitud.
Buenas noticias: Nuestro cactus de Navidad, que me regaló nuestro vecino, tiene varios capullos que están empezando a abrirse. Siguiendo las instrucciones de San Geraldo, el cactus no ha sido movido ni siquiera volteado. Mantengo las distancias. Creo que mi problema es que presto demasiada atención.
Y luego están los gatos que le prestan muchísima atención a su nuevo sous chef.
• Entrando al paraíso invernal de Córdoba.
• Papá Noel devorador de niños.
• Patinaje sobre hielo. Hielo de plástico, patines de plástico. ¿Magulladuras de plástico?
• Mirando por encima de la valla trasera. Quizás debería soltar unas monedas y sumergirme en la magia.
• Churros y chocolate, izquierda. Buñuelos y chocolate, derecha. Me he abstenido.
• Demasiado precioso para mis gustos (aunque me gustan los cerdos).
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
Maybe I’ll show the cactus picture to my plant. It’s producing one flower at a time. When that’s completely faded, another bud appears. I think it’s working to rule. Boud.
Boud:
Just don’t tell your Christmas cactus where this Christmas cactus resides.
I’m not much of a green thumb, but I have heard that some plants don’t like to be moved at all, it’s too stressful for them. I believe young Norfolk Pine houseplants are in that category. Good to know Christmas cactuses are too?
Debra:
Yes, Christmas Cactus is apparently one of those plants. I never knew (and should have). We were constantly moving them to what we thought were better locations. And rotating! I was always rotating only to learn it should not be done when there are buds because it can cause the buds to drop (they twist themselves off as they turn).
I’m like you; I’d be moving it and turning it and over-watering it, and then under-watering it. That’s why Carlos is the Plant Manager in our home.
He’s also the chef for the cats. Go figure.
Bob:
Moving and turning works for most plants and even Christmas cactus when not in bud or bloom. I’m usually a good plant manager. But not with these! SG is still cat chef, but I have proudly risen to sous chef!
What is winter like in your area of Spain? I lived in Tampa Bay for several years, the temperature never dropped much below the mid-30’s. I would go to the beach in January.
Rade:
Average highs in the high 50sF and lows rarely below the high 30sF. We haven’t had any 30s yet (they’re rare) and have had low 60s. Recent cold days have been in the 50s… and we complain about how cold it is.
I’m so sorry, Scoot! I glanced at the plant photos. Expect death soon. The boys are safe, though. The Deedles death ray only works on plants. Not on purpose!
Deedles:
Oh crud! And there they go. All the buds have dropped. Thanks. (Not really. They’re opening and still beautiful. Maybe your death ray loses power across the Atlantic.
Now with a few real snow drifts and a few flurries………as I look out our windows here……your winter wonderland would be complete.
Your winter cactus is very happy. Our desert rose has grown back most of its leaves but no sign of buds yet. I will ignore it as it says to do about these plants. We will see.
And look at those two just keeping their eyes on you!! What have you started!? lol
Jim:
Yes, what have I started?
Those butterfly lights are rather fab at the “winter wonderland”, as would be the death-by-chocolate stalls!
I have fond memories of my Nan’s Christmas Cactus; the flowers are so garish and OTT – and the reason for not moving it once it starts into bud? The buds twist themselves to adjust to the new light source, and have a habit of shearing themselves from the plant in the process. Ain’t nature wonderful? Jx
Jon:
Thanks for the info about twisting buds. I just read about that, finally. And it makes perfect sense. Merchi turned it while cleaning last week. We turned it back and I’ll have to let her know about that this week.
Winter flowering plants, cactus and poinsettias, bloom from the stress of a lack of water and sunlight. There way of trying to reproduce when they feel threatened. The cats are clearly thinking “he is here, snacks can’t be far away!”
David:
Our Christmas cacti have always been more temperamental than that. And I have pushed them to the point of death with my lack of watering and sunlight. Whatever is happening this year is working.
That looks like a healthy cactus plant, from what I can tell! As someone else in blogland once told me, Christmas cactuses seem happiest when they are left alone. But not TOO alone.
The butterfly walkway looks like it might have been worth the price of admission.
There’s something pretty sad about “ice” skating on plastic. Why do it at all?
Steve:
Clearly one thing I’ve always done wrong with Christmas cactus is move them to what I think are better locations and turn them to keep them balanced. I think I’ll go back this week and pay for the butterfly walkway. SG and our friends Nick and Alyson plastic–ice skated in Fuengirola and had a good laugh. But I doubt they’d do it again. SG is a good skater and he said it was nothing like the real thing. No gliding.
So I just went and took a close look at my Christmas cactus and took a picture of it with the plant ID app, “Picture This” which can diagnose problems in plants and give suggestions for help. Not surprisingly, my cactus NEEDS help. In short, it may be dying.
Sigh.
I think I like the dragonflies best in that butterfly walk. I bet a lot of kids had a fabulous time at that Winter Wonderland.
Those cats. Such attentive little boys.
Moonsigh
Moonsigh:
I wouldn’t use that app. How depressing. Sometimes ignorance is bliss.
Oh, it’s quite apparent that the plant is suffering mightily, even without the plant app’s confirmation.
Cordoba certainly puts on a show. I love it. And I think you’re being stalked.
ellen abbott:
They’re kind of obvious stalkers. And, yes, it’s constant.
Those butterfly lights would be worth a closer look-see at night, the rest of the carnival is clearly family-oriented and boring.
Moose and Dudo have become your groupies/boy fans — keep up the good sous chef creations!
January always seems like it’s 74 days long, especially on the Canadian prairies. We should be grateful it’s only rain or snow falling and not bombs.
Tundra Bunny:
I regularly now wonder when a bomb will drop. What a fricking world. I’ll go back to the butterflies and forget for a while.
The figurines of the little guard and pigs remind me of a Rankin/Bass cartoon.
I’m not into kids…snot and germs and young yoddles….but I would risk all that for churros and chocolate!!!!
Mistress Borghese:
I can’t believe neither of us have broken down and had churros and chocolate. We were spoiled in Sevilla by an amazing Villar chocolate cafe.
They’re certainly keeping their eyes on you….
and I’ll take churros sans chocolate.
Kelly:
I never thought much of churros until we moved here and discovered the churros and chocolate tradition.
A very cartoony-looking Bethlehem. Love those butterflies.
Kirk:
I plan to go back and pay to walk among the butterflies.
Moose and Dudo’s big eyes just looking at you with intent, kind of makes me chuckle 🙂
Judy C:
When I peered around my desk and saw them I chuckled, too.
I like the cats most.
Urspo:
No surprise.