May....back on the road again.....

[Bierzo Baggie]

After a couple of false starts this week finally managed to get out onto Monte Pajariel. A spot of not so nimble rock-hopping took me across the river and onto the track to Toral de Merayo. After recent rain Pajariel is as green as it ever will be and thick with the sickly sweet fragrance of a million flowers, reds and whites, yellows and purples. Lots of yellow gorse and the delicate white petals of the rock-rose decorate much of the hillside. This is an abundant, but short-lived flower which blooms spectacularly in May before reverting back to its habitual state as an inconspicuous, sticky little bush. There are also huge, mutant Bierzo daisies all over the place. Essential oil extract from the yellow heart of the flower is used locally to make a herbal tea called “manzanilla”. According to my mother in law it’s a great remedy for babies with colic if you add it to the feed bottle. We got some from the chemist but little Lara spewed it out again pretty quickly...so much for the daisy treatment.
Warm today, but not uncomfortably so. Felt OK physically although my calf muscles tugged and occassionally screamed in protest.
46 pondering minutes.