Weather
Micro-climate: Snuggling into the ‘Alpini’ at 300m altitude we are subject to the mountain’s ‘micro’ climate: we could be engulfed by a precipitous cloud whereas just 10km away on the coast there are clear skies and blazing sunshine.
Storms: It’s been a hot, humid day and you know a storm is brewing but it takes it’s sweet time getting to us: we can see the skies much higher up in the mountains black and angry but still nothing. Then at 2am the storm thrusts itself upon us, finally. The thunder rolls continuously, bouncing its booming bellows around the valley, louder and louder… then more softly as the wind whips its voice away momentarily. Then the lightning! Like I’ve never seen before- not flashes and ‘kazams’ but a constant lighting up of the sky! Absolutely fascinating to watch; blinding bursts then softer glows, iridescent here, fluorescent there, racing rays brighter than the sun and steady pools of light swimming in between. This award winning display of power, stamina and true magnificence continues without reprieve and you cannot help your eyes drooping (you’ve been entertained by it for over an hour now!) and you drift back to sleep. When you awake, all is calm, the sky is blue, not a cloud in sight, the sun shines steadily, it is a comfortable 29 degrees and there are no signs whatsoever of the storm. She has been and gone like an expert adulterous creeping in to have her fun then departing, leaving no trace.
Rain: Will come down in sheets, heavy, relentless and weeeeeeet! Great big drops rebounding off the tarmac like Olympic pole vaulters. Or, fine mist like in a fairy dream.
Either way- it doesn’t come down as often as it does in Bristol so, happy days!
Sun: Warm, hot even (we’ve regularly enjoyed temperatures of 39 degrees) clear and nourishing- my children have both grown about a foot this summer!
Ah, the sun! I frequently say in my Pilates teaching to ‘lift your face to the sun’ but mostly we are doing this with our mind’s eye only- at last, the opportunity to do this for real, for real! Watch this space for future ‘Pilates with Zoe’ retreats here.
Wind: Howling and whooping and invasive, bursting into the house slamming doors and windows like a furious teenager. Gusting through the valley at phenomenal speeds, penetrating the smallest of gaps. Curtains fly, papers scatter you understand why horses go wild in the wind- you feel a little like this yourself!