Swallow, my sister, O sister swallow

[Conchita]

The swallows have come with spring (to my neck of the woods, anyway), offering us their joyful prattle! I also heard the song of a nightingale yesterday! These must be very shy birds, since they hardly ever come out of their tree (at least I never have the privilege to see them, not that I take the time to look for them, either!). Maybe some of you bird watchers, like Mister Micawber, can enlighten us on this (glad to see you’re back, by the way, MM – we have missed you on the forums). One night I even heard a cricket or two! It sounded so solitary in the night, like a timid rehearsal, but all the more heart-warming! Oh, and the frogs are also gradually warming up their croaky voices...

Apart from these much awaited spring repertoires, everything is in bloom and the fields and hills are blanketed in a symphony of greens – though probably not for long. Another of nature’s miracles, considering the little rain we’ve had so far this year. Hopefully, we’ll get more of it in April, since, as a Spanish proverb goes, ‘en abril, aguas mil’ (literally: April brings a thousand showers). Allergic people are unlikely to welcome this season with so much enthusiasm, though!