At this time last year, Pablo was shaking his head in disapproval. The valley looked picture perfect, covered in the whites and pale pinks of almond blossom. “No,” Pablo said, “demasiado temprano.” It’s too early. And he was right. The sun and blue skies of January 2013 were followed by the worst spring Andalucía had seen for decades. The result: absolutely no almonds to harvest. The frost killed off all the buds. This year, the story is different. Things are happening as they should. New Year was wet, dank and cold, but then came a week of sunshine and everything changed overnight. The buds on the almond trees fattened, the knobbly buttons of curled-up flowers hinted at a pink soon to burst forth. But they didn’t flower, the cold returned, and the buds are safely wrapped-up, waiting for the right time. Fingers crossed that this year, there will be a harvest of almonds.

5 to remember
este tiempo – this time
el año pasado – last year
la desaprobación – the disapproval
décadas – decades
el cuento – the story