Author: Kate Wilson

Midsummer Musings

~ Kate Wilson ~ 1 Comment

 I am back in Sant Nicolau and feeling full of a wonderful lunch cooked by Helen and shared with her family and Pep.  We sat outside at a long wooden table in the shade of some trees, surrounded by birdsong.
Conversation flowed. That’s not just because we were speaking English because actually we talked a lot in Castellano so that Angie who is from Honduras could join in. I thought about how many awful and awkward dinners I have sat through, not understanding, not feeling able to speak from a mixture of language deficiency and shyness.  I noticed how we all tried to make sure everyone was joining in and I wondered why this doesn’t happen more often to me.
What can help you feel comfortable in a multi-language dinner table?

  • feeling you are liked
  • feeling you are welcome
  • feeling people are interested in you
  • smiling and being smiled at
  • having eye contact even when language is faltering
  • being listened to as well as listening….ie patience
  • an atmosphere of love and generosity

It is so easy to be comfortable when, like today,  these conditions are met. I am not shy when I am with people who like me and show it. But it is quite another thing to be able to speak confidently in another language with people who appear to have no interest in you. This is what separates the sheep from the goats. Those who are shy begin to suffer in silence and want to run away. Those who are more extrovert start to perform.  I’m sure it is possible to learn how to do this but….HOW?

Last night was the revetlla of Sant Joan. We had a barbeque here under the stars, listening to distant fireworks and music, eating lovely food by candlelight and feeling relaxed enough to admit that we were too tired to stay up all night or even until sunrise.

Here is a wonderful blog post by a Norwegian woman who lives in Barcelona. She explains all about the celebration and I think it is better to send you over there rather than attempt to say anything new myself!

Finally, here is another photo mix from my camera app. Not related to any of the above – sorry! Except perhaps, without words, it is saying something about me.

The New Cafe

~ Kate Wilson ~ 2 Comments

Thanks to Kate at Chronicles of a Country Girl  I have discovered a new way to play with my photos. It’s an application called Photo Grid and you can spend many happy hours jiggling all your photos around in different combinations.
Here is this mornings walk

I love that we are in the middle of this busy commercial town and yet within five minutes walk there is a field of wheat – now all cut and drying in the sunshine. Swifts were flying low over the stubble. I think there are less swallows there this year but the swifts are around in huge numbers.

We went for a coffee in the new place I have discovered. I passed by many times and as it looks very boring I didn’t stop to try it out. But in this hot sunshine the terrace is an oasis of shade and peace. The woman who runs it is very friendly and the croissants are soft and fresh.

It is Sant Joan here and Mazey Day in Penzance.

Happy celebrations everyone!

Orxata in La Perla Granollers

~ Kate Wilson ~ 5 Comments

It was 8.30 before the streets cooled down enough to take Bonnie for a walk.
For a Birthday walk as she was 10 years old today. The clock on the pharmacy still said it was 30C but a cool breeze was blowing down the main street and it felt pleasant.
I decided to stop for an orxata – the delicious drink made from tiger nuts, water and sugar.
But I didn’t stop at that, I ordered a cubano which is a glass of orxata with a large dollop of ice cream inside.  Usually I have vanilla ice cream but tonight I wanted coconut

It came with a straw which had a little spoon attached at the bottom, so you can alternate between drinking and eating

I’m afraid I then ordered another – exactly the same. Well it is Summer Solstice.

Volver

~ Kate Wilson ~ 2 Comments

I went back to Sant Nicolau today with Tiffany and Bonnie.
Lots of ideas flowing – plans and projects!

We had a lovely lunch with Helen and Francis and practised our translation skills, trying to explain some of our crazy English conversations to Angie who is from Honduras. She was one of the participants at Blue’s burial and will never forget her first dog funeral, something that would be totally eccentric in her own culture.
One of my reasons for going up for the day was to deliver my Blue Dog sculpture to her new home. She will watch over Blues grave and be a solid presence in the beautiful garden.

What a lovely place!  It was wonderful to return.  Blue – you good dog you!

Hot Evenings

~ Kate Wilson ~ 4 Comments

One of the major differences between the UK and Catalunya is the number of people on the street in the evening. Not just shopping or walking but just hanging out. Like in the square near our house, Apel-les Mestres. Children playing, friends chatting, dogs sniffing around, old people sitting with their carers, people drinking in the cafes.

As the festival of Saint Joan is approaching there is also the constant threat of bangers going off to make you jump.  This picture was taken at 8.30pm and it was very noisy out there.
At this time of year there is a tree which smells incredible – sweet and heady. It’s called the Tila – I am still trying to decide if this is a lime blossom or a linden blossom