They're only cats...

We've had a difficult few days with Wentworth (Black) and Gawber (Tabby) the cats. About 10 days ago Wentworth came home from his daily wanderings and was obviously sore on his tail and whimpered whenever we went near him. This is a sure sign he had been in a fight with another cat during his nightly adventures. This isn't the first time he has had such problems and we are very used to the process of bite, abscess formation, localised hair loss, abscess bursting, cleaning, scab formation and healing. This time it was a bit different.

After three days the abscess grew and grew, hair loss was significant in and around the bite/s and Wentworth became subdued and generally unwell. It was clear from the amount of scratches on his body and from closer inspection of his tail, that this time it had been a significant fight and he was suffering much more than usual; a trip to the vets was indicated. On examination he had three puncture wounds on his tail and three abscesses. He was given antibiotic cover and a pain killer before having them drained and flushed out with hydrogen peroxide. With instructions to remove the scabs as they formed and continue to drain any puss formation we took him home, grounded him and continued with the treatment regime. Poor little thing (he is only very slight for a male cat), he was very sore and hated our interference with his very inflamed tail. With regular anti-inflammatory medication and wound cleansing his tail began to heal.

We became concerned that despite healing well, he was sleeping for much more than usual and he had developed very watery eyes, sneezing and a build up of mucus in his upper respiratory tract. Apart from the odd bit of yogurt and water, he wasn't eating. We did some research and talked to the vet and concluded that it could be a viral infection passed on from the cat which he had fought with. The antibiotics would give him cover for any subsequent bacterial infections so it was just case of tender loving care and wait and see. Unfortunately we suspected that if it was viral, Gawber, his brother, was also at risk. Sure enough two days later Gawber started becoming unwell.

At first he just seemed to have a bit of a cough and would sit with his neck slumped and his mouth open. He went off his food and wouldn't drink. It was weekend and by the Sunday we were really concerned for his prognosis without intervention, so the emergency vet was called. On examination Gawber was found to have an extremely inflamed pharynx resulting in difficulty swallowing, a lot of pain and respiratory difficulties. Injections of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications were given. With instructions to contact the vet if he should deteriorate, we set about trying to keep him hydrated and comfortable along with his brother Wentworth. When ill, cats can deteriorate very quickly.

Gawber's condition deteriorated rapidly and on Monday we took him back to the vets where a decision was made to give him a stat dose of steroids by injection. It was a worrying 24 hours and distressing to see him gasping, vomiting and extremely subdued. Thankfully he began to show signs of improvement by Wednesday and began to voluntarily drink water. He is now back eating soft food and beginning to recover well as is Wentworth. They both now have runny noses, weepy eyes and frequent sneezing but are doing well. We've been back to the vets today and she is pleased with Gawber's progress. With a couple more weeks of TLC, good food and a few extra vitamins there is no reason why they shouldn't make a full recovery.

They're only cats... This has been said in one of several forms a few times over the years by a few people who really should know better. To set the record straight, the cats are not children substitutes, they are not pampered or spoilt, they are not treat better than humans neither are we wasting money on good quality food, shelter or care. We took the decision to take on the responsibility for the guardianship of two independent, domesticated animals. To us they are not pets, playthings or trophies, they are fascinating, intelligent, graceful and endearing creatures who require us to act as their advocates when it is required. We owe them the best care and treatment we can provide and we will continue to love and respect them as unique and intelligent animals. In our opinion, if you are not prepared to work in this way with another animal, you really should stick to a life without one.

On a final note, whoever developed these multivitamin tablets for cats has obviously never product tested adminstration....

Come rain or shine, there is work to be done...

We've had a couple of weeks of very mixed weather here in Asturias. One day bright sunshine and the next, torrential rain, hail and strong winds. There is snow in the mountains but at least here on the coast, that never causes us problems apart from the chill factor. The fields around us are flooded, there are several trees down and on the coast there has been damage to the promenades and tonnes of wood has been brought down stream in the swollen rivers and has now been deposited on the beaches.

It is always depressing to see such a large volume of plastic amongst the wood on the beach. Why can't people just dispose of water bottles and such, responsibly rather than just tossing them into the void that is apparently also their brain?

The rain in Asturias is relentless at times. Last week we had around 106 litres of rain (per square meter) with most of that coming down in short sharp bursts.

At this time of year we try and coppice the hazel that borders our land on the north side. We have a fence that was installed when the house was built sited just inside of an old limestone wall that has now fallen into disrepair; this wall is the actual boundary. One day we will restore it and remove the fence. About half way along, this wall becomes a retaining wall for our garden which drops down nearly two meters into the field below - hence the name La Pasera meaning the stepping stones. Along this dividing wall, hazels are prolific and thick but provide something of a wind-break from the storms that hit the north coast from the Atlantic and bay of Biscay. Never-the-less they need keeping in check or they become too impenetrable and a nuisance. We are about half way through now and when the weather allows we will continue behind the shed and compost bins. The coppiced wood will be chopped, left to dry and used for firewood or for plant supports in the garden.

In between the storms we have made a start on thinning out the hazel and where possible just leaving a few main branches to break the wind and prevent damage. The cats love the coppiced hazel and spend their time pouncing on the dried catkins, scent marking the twigs by rubbing their noses along the length and hiding from each other amongst the piles of cuttings ready to pounce when the opportunity arises.

On wet days, Wentworth and Gawber take refuge inside but use every opportunity on finer days to explore the surrounding fields and cuetos (rocky outcrops) in search of mice and lizards. Come rain or shine, there is always work to be done.

The geese/cranes fly south

The weather has turned cold here in Asturias with snow on the mountains, rain on the lowlands and winds making their presence known as they travel east from the Atlantic through the Bay of Biscay. It has been a bit too wet to do very much at all in the garden but today the sun is shining bright and out of the shadows, the warmth is welcome. One bonus of the cooler weather is that the Acers are in full glorious colour and look wonderful.

We have been collecting leaves and composting them to make valuable leaf mould for next year. The green oats we have sown for green manure are sprouting and the vegetable garden is still producing a healthy crop of leeks, flower sprouts, endive, beetroot, celeriac, chard, cauliflower, cabbage, carrot and fennel. The early sprouting broccoli suffered early on with rot at the tips but has recovered a little.

The cats Wentworth and Gawber are spending increasing amounts of time indoors and it does not take them long to suss out if the fires are lit or not. This little clip shows them play fighting in the garden, taking the opportunity to enjoy the brief spell of sunny weather.

There is still plenty of wildlife activity in the garden with visits from the pine marten, many birds and insects. You can following the visiting creatures on our other supplementary blog Smaller tales from Toriello. 

Luis is back from Ravenna and in full scale mosaic production. Needless to say he is full of new ideas and energy and is currently finishing fish and water-lily mosaics for the terrace and a sculptural mosaic he started a few months ago. He is currently writing an article about his Ravenna trip for an online mosaic site which I will publish the link to when it is up and visible.

We have seen several formations of geese/cranes flying overhead but as is always the case, I never have the camera or right lens to hand when we spot them.  I did manage to get one not too clear photo and hope to spot them again soon...

footnote: a friend from France says these could be Gru (cranes) I think she might be right. What do you think?

The weather takes a turn...

The cats know when the weather is about to change, you can tell by the change in their behaviour. They become excitable as the breeze gather pace and their sense of smell is heightened with the rising humidity. Both Wentworth and Gawber change their routine and reside themselves to the fact that rain and colder weather is on it's way, despite the brief periods of warm sunshine. They don't venture far and take their comfort inside when necessary.

The gathering clouds signals stormy weather ahead. The winds gain momentum and sheets of strong cool rain advance across the meadows.

The remaining sweet chestnuts are blown from the branches, protected by their bright green but dying spiky casing. The seed-heads release their seed as they rock to and fro in the gathering winds.

Roe deer take greater risks due to increased hunting activity. These two were spotted in the garden at lunchtime - most unusual.

Daily walks to the coast now have a new incentive, with storms out at sea and the high autumnal tides bringing life to the many blow-holes formed in and amongst the jagged limestone cliffs. A high tide of nearly 5 meters ensures a spectacular display of 200 meter plus plumes of sea water and sand ex-pulsed into the air only for the wind to disperse.

Luis on the cliffs watching the blow-holes; some of them reaching 200 meters high. You can just see the people and cars on the other side of the cliffs.

A summer update from La Pasera

Summer is a busy time for us here at La Pasera. Crops are coming thick and fast with beetroot, carrots, marrow and courgettes, lettuce and herbs producing very well indeed. The onions have been a disaster this year with an early onset disease stunting growth and producing little but we'll plant more leeks and use them where possible. Fennel and Kohlrabi are also doing really well so lots of crunchy salads planned.

We have harvested our green and red gooseberry crops and made a totally indulgent 10 kilos of Gooseberry and Mustard Seed Pickle. This pickle was the reason we bought gooseberry bushes. This year we adapted the recipe and used red currants instead of bought dried currants, simply because it had cropped really well and we find them a bit acid. First taste test is good but a few months maturing will help as always. We've pickled walnuts as well but few this year as the trees have produced little.

We drink a lot of infusions instead of coffee these days so we are busy collecting and drying lemon verbena, mint, chamomile and various herbs. These will be used alone or mixed into teas with the addition of spices.

We had a couple of great nights out recently, firstly we went to see Carmina Burana in Oviedo. It was a superb production with imaginative use of projections and imagery to accompany the singers and orchestra. It was also The Ribadesella Jazz Festival this last weekend, sadly just over two nights now whereas it used to be four. It's a free festival in town and really worth a visit. Janice Harrington was the main act on Saturday with a brilliant four piece Jazz band.

Luis has made another Escrino, this time for use to use as a bread basket. It's lovely and just the right size.

The badgers are still visiting nightly and feeding off the fallen cherries. Gawber is fascinated by them and consequently we have treated the cats for prevention of fleas just in case. We have built a small natural water hole near the badgers as an extra source of water for visiting animals and birds; much needed in this hot weather.

Ribadesella is getting busier as the season progresses and there are many fiestas and events up and coming. We fancy going to one of the classical concerts held in a large subterranean cavern at the Tito Bustillo complex if we can get tickets but no-one knows when they will be issued.

The garden is looking good with lots of splashes of colour in and amongst the green bushes, foliage and grasses with many shady spots for the cats to rest during the heat of the day.

A few visitors for us over the coming weeks, a street market to prepare for, lots of processing produce and more building work to complete so lots to keep us occupied and interested.

Garden and vegetable update - late winter...and cake

February has been a mixed month weather wise with significant rainfall, beautiful and warm spring-like days and spells of cold and damp. A dusting of snow has settled on the mountain but we remain frost and snow free being so close to the coast. We have made the most of the better weather to catch up with a few jobs around the plot and begin preparations for our spring and summer crops.

In November last year we sowed oats as a green manure in one of our larger beds, this has now been turned over ready for planting in a few weeks time. Potatoes were chitted (100 Mona Lisa) and have been planted in the smaller of our beds together with a good helping of home-made compost from one of our bins.

Peas, sugar-snaps and mange tout have been germinated and planted and are growing well. We used the pea sticks gathered from our hazel trees which have been coppiced. The remainder of the wood will be used for firewood and to add to the fedge (hedge/fence) which is a great habitat for stag beetles, slow worms and amphibians.

We have replanted the herb garden now the hard landscaping is in place and it will come into its own later on in the year - watch this space. The rhubarb is coming through and it is likely we will have enough to harvest in early spring.

Three mosaics Luis made a couple of years ago have finally been sited in front of the garden shed and are looking great.

Elsewhere in the vegetable garden we are still cropping early broccoli, leeks, celeriac, fennel, swede, beetroot, cabbage and winter lettuce. The beetroot are a bit tasteless but we have discovered a recipe for chocolate brownies using beetroot as a base and they are wonderful.

Despite having their own space in the studio, Wentworth and Gawber continue to milk their cuteness and find the warmest, comfiest spot in the house.  We generally don't have them on the furniture unless there is a throw but you can guarantee that they take no notice and sit where they so please...

Preparing the vegetable beds for winter

There is a break in the weather and although still cool out of the sun and in the evening, the rain has stopped and the wind is helping dry out the soil and garden. It is an ideal time to clear the vegetable beds as they come to the end of their producing cycle.

After a very productive year in the vegetable garden, it is time to give the empty beds a little tender loving care. The bed we concentrated on today had grown: beans; courgettes; marrows; radish; parsnips; carrot; beetroot; herbs; squash...It had produced well and now needed attention.

The old plants were removed and composted. We have two main general compost bins which in turn will be allowed to break down and then dug back into the beds. The fuller bin will be ready for using in a few weeks time before we plant potatoes and onions. We never have enough compost so we compost everything we possibly can.

Luis added more sandy top soil to the bed and dug it over lightly. The addition of the new soil has really helped break-down the heavy clay and it is much more manageable. Oats were then scattered and then raked in. The oats will grow over the next three months then they will be dug back into the soil as a green manure. The cats also love to eat the fresh green shoots of oats so they will be pleased.

If we manage to source any manure, that will also be added to the bed.

Elsewhere in the garden we are continuing to clear the leaves, tidy up for winter and we have begun to survey and prioritise the building work we are yet to do but hope to start soon. We have had a leak in the newly built garden tap so that has had to be partially demolished, repaired and is awaiting re-build.
Wentworth and Gawber are out more during the day, hunting land voles in nearby meadows and generally enjoying the warming rays of the sun.

Rain and Sunshine: Weather

The rain has arrived with the full force of North westerly winds driving it almost horizontal at times. Many  a litre re-hydrating slow-baked earth and refreshing failing plants and trees.

After the driest summer for a few decades, the rains are welcome.

The temperatures have dropped and it is noticeably cooler both outdoor and indoor. With our wood store fully stocked, fires set and central heating fuel full to capacity we are ready for anything.

Wentworth and Gawber are sleeping longer hours and snuggle up together on their cushions in the workshop only venturing out when they can hear a calm in the weather.

The garden pond is once again full to overflowing and the fish and plants will surely benefit from fresh water. The toads and frogs are still singing and calling in between rain storms and the birds take advantage of the windfalls and earthworms that lay amongst greening grass.

The vegetable beds are no longer thirsty and the vegetables are growing before our eyes.

With the onset of darker nights, the time has come to re-focus on indoor activities and enjoy the glow of burning logs.

One thing you can count on in Asturias is a quick succession of weather fronts, torrential rain and then glorious, warming sunshine. No wonder they call it a natural paradise.