In winter, the paths along the valley are surrounded by winter nature: crunchy brown leaves underfoot, puddles, mud, black almonds hang on the tree forgotten by last year’s harvest, silvery fig branches reach for the weak sun, and everywhere there are grey, faded seedheads bleached white, silvered twigs and stalks leftover from last summer’s plants.

Now, April, things really start to change. New growth bursts forth amongst the old stuff, green and black, green and silver, green and grey. Nowhere is this more obvious than the stand of canes which lines the riverbank. The plumes have over-wintered and are pale golden, almost pewter against the bright green growth of the trees behind: mostly poplar, which love the damp soil beside the river.

5 to remember
un charco – a puddle
plateado/a – silvery
blanqueado/a – bleached
sobrante – left over
un penacho – a plume