Storm Gloria

Very concerned at the destruction caused by the recent storm. There has been loss of life on the Iberian peninsula and in Catalonia the infrastructure of roads, railways and agriculture has been hit especially hard. I'm sure people will already know of some of this but the link below provides more information.

https://www.euronews.com/2020/01/23/storm-gloria-death-toll-and-fears-of-floods-rise

Winter river (3)

The cry of a single magpie greeted us as we locked our car and walked our luggage across the Cappont bridge in Lleida last Sunday. The sighting of odd numbers of certain birds, magpies included, is considered unlucky according to some customs but this one only made me eager to walk along the Segre, whose marsh grasses and reeds I enjoy exploring, as must be obvious by now. Then from the bridge I could also see a cormorant diving on the waters below. That afternoon however the cold held me back and I ended up taking only short walks in the town, punctuated by a few visits to book stores and cafés. So the picture below is from a previous riverine wander. The fog level was about the same both times! Luck by the way was good in terms of feasting and exchanging gifts, the main reason for the visit.

Winter River (2)