Kiersten Rowland

Adventures, wildlife, and life in the Alpujarras

Notes – All years

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Visiting the UK again this past week, we didn't see the sun or blue sky for 8 days. It's amazing when it's the norm how much you miss it. When we took off on our way home we popped out the cloud pretty quickly and found where the sun had been hiding all that time 😎

A picture from the window of a plane looking out at a sea of cloud below and the late afternoon sun on the horizon. A picture from the window of a plane looking out at a sea of cloud below and the late afternoon sun on the horizon.

We visited the little ermita Tajos de la Cruz this morning on the dog walk. Rita has always jumped upon the wall since she was a pup, she's now 11. I don't think she does it to admire the view like us, I'm pretty sure she does it to get a good view point of any Ibex that might be below 😅

A white dog stood sideways on to the camera stood on a small wall, next to her is wooden cross with some red flowers at the base. The sky is a light blue with white clouds. To the lower right of the picture there is a Spanish village and lower left and centre behind the dog are mountains. A white dog stood sideways on to the camera stood on a small wall, next to her is wooden cross with some red flowers at the base. The sky is a light blue with white clouds. To the lower right of the picture there is a Spanish village and lower left and centre behind the dog are mountains.

The choice of clean river water or swamp mud ..... The decision was easy for Arko, he went for the facial 😂

A black and white husky with blue eyes. He has dark mud all over his muzzle making his blue eyes stand out even more. His snow nose is prominent as is his pink tongue. He has quite a pleased look on his face! A black and white husky with blue eyes. He has dark mud all over his muzzle making his blue eyes stand out even more. His snow nose is prominent as is his pink tongue. He has quite a pleased look on his face!

It's the time of year again for the cats to snuggle. They are sisters and have always been very close. Completely different personalities. What amuses us, a lot, they can be snuggling, seemingly asleep, when all of a sudden there's an explosion of cats and they've shot off in different directions 😅

Two cats snuggling in a cream fluffy bed. Two cats snuggling in a cream fluffy bed.

Khumbu was never happier than when he was in the snow. Here he is sporting his snow beard ❤️ He maybe gone but I have many great memories of our years together.

Black and white picture of a black and white Siberian husky. Side view of his head, sporting a snow beard. Black and white picture of a black and white Siberian husky. Side view of his head, sporting a snow beard.

Sometimes having to get up to answer the call of nature is rewarding. Our first night off the icecap two of our tents and the rising sun at Laguna Ferrari in Patagonia on our way back to civilisation, still two days away. This photo was taken in 2014.

Orange sunrise reflecting on a glacial lake. The clouds and lake are orange. In the foreground are two orange tents with a rock wall around them pitched on moraine. A mountain side comes down from the left with glacial moraine on the right side of the lake. Bits of snow can be seen. Orange sunrise reflecting on a glacial lake. The clouds and lake are orange. In the foreground are two orange tents with a rock wall around them pitched on moraine. A mountain side comes down from the left with glacial moraine on the right side of the lake. Bits of snow can be seen.

Each year on his birthday I still think of him. This will be the 6th without Khumbu. I hope he's plenty of snow to keep him happy wherever he is, he sure loved the snow 🐺

A black and white husky looking side on showing his perfectly lit face side on and his snow nose. Behind him are shrubs, mountains and clouds. A filter showing snow flakes has been put over the picture. A black and white husky looking side on showing his perfectly lit face side on and his snow nose. Behind him are shrubs, mountains and clouds. A filter showing snow flakes has been put over the picture.

As the sun set on Christmas day we were treated to a great view of the mountains in north Africa.

Picture at sunset looking over hills and mountains in Spain (Europe), down to the Mediterranean sea and across to the mountains on the horizon just below the changing colour of thin clouds. The mountains on the horizon are on the Rif mountains of Morocco on the continent of Africa. Picture at sunset looking over hills and mountains in Spain (Europe), down to the Mediterranean sea and across to the mountains on the horizon just below the changing colour of thin clouds. The mountains on the horizon are on the Rif mountains of Morocco on the continent of Africa.

The advance party of one! Some of the early almond trees are starting to flower. By February the hillsides of the Alpujarra will be sparkling with the blossom from these trees.

A picture of an almond tree flower. Five rounded white petals with 5 green very small inner petals, splashes of pink at the centre. The flower is attached to a small branch with a flower bud coming off to the right. A picture of an almond tree flower. Five rounded white petals with 5 green very small inner petals, splashes of pink at the centre. The flower is attached to a small branch with a flower bud coming off to the right.

Orchid season is starting 🙂 I found the first of the Sombre Bee Orchids (Ophrys fusca) yesterday. They were living up to their name and were in the shade, this particular area gets no sun this time of year, they make it very difficult to photograph them. I've seen plenty of rosettes around and about so many more to come yet, some may get some sun and make a brighter picture!

A small thin green stem holding two Sombre Bee orchids. The background is blurred vegetation. A small thin green stem holding two Sombre Bee orchids. The background is blurred vegetation.

Can you spot the face in the mountains? It looks like a giant laying down. One from our walk on Tuesday.

At the top a light blue winter sky with high cloud whisking through it. Below the sky are lightly snow covered mountains of the Sierra Nevada. In front of those mountains are more mountains but one looks like a human face, side view. Still coming towards the viewer are forested hills and on the front left of the picture is a green pine tree. At the top a light blue winter sky with high cloud whisking through it. Below the sky are lightly snow covered mountains of the Sierra Nevada. In front of those mountains are more mountains but one looks like a human face, side view. Still coming towards the viewer are forested hills and on the front left of the picture is a green pine tree.

The best vegetarian pizza I have found anywhere in the world came from La Cervecería in El Chalten, Argentina's Patagonia. There was no skimping on the veggies like every other veggie pizza I've come across. Each year I have visited it has been the same standard. To all restaurant owners who sell pizza, take note 😁

A picture showing a pizza full of vegetables. Broccoli, shaved carrot, sweetcorn are the main attraction. There is a pint of beer behind. A picture showing a pizza full of vegetables. Broccoli, shaved carrot, sweetcorn are the main attraction. There is a pint of beer behind.

A beautiful new to us dog walk today. Four dogs and four humans very happy. The winter weather was perfect and in traditional style we ended the walk at a bar 🍻

A white dog playing in the water on the edge of a lake with a stick in her mouth. The sun is making the water glisten. Vegetation surrounds the lake. I don't know what happened to the top of her tail in the photo haha A white dog playing in the water on the edge of a lake with a stick in her mouth. The sun is making the water glisten. Vegetation surrounds the lake. I don't know what happened to the top of her tail in the photo haha

Three people and four dogs walking on a dirt track above and to the side of a lake. The lake is blue with a few ripples on it. Trees and hillsides surround the lake, some wind turbines can be seen in the distance. The sky is blue. Three people and four dogs walking on a dirt track above and to the side of a lake. The lake is blue with a few ripples on it. Trees and hillsides surround the lake, some wind turbines can be seen in the distance. The sky is blue.

A blue lake surrounded by hillsides covered in trees and shrubs. In for foreground a bit of grass and some autumn coloured shrubs. A blue lake surrounded by hillsides covered in trees and shrubs. In for foreground a bit of grass and some autumn coloured shrubs.

A rubbish shot of one of the dogs, the husky, bouncing through the lake water. It's just his body and tail on the right of the picture haha A rubbish shot of one of the dogs, the husky, bouncing through the lake water. It's just his body and tail on the right of the picture haha

Rita often takes herself off to stand on top of things that give her some extra height to survey the goings on. Today on our walk she looked great against the Andalucian blue winter sky. She maybe 11 but she still believes she is the fastest dog in the world!

A white dog standing front on but head turned to the side. Mouth open from panting, showing her pink tongue. A very blue sky with white high wispy clouds. Either side of the dog are small bushes. A white dog standing front on but head turned to the side. Mouth open from panting, showing her pink tongue. A very blue sky with white high wispy clouds. Either side of the dog are small bushes.

The wonderful and very vocal Southern Lapwing, possibly the Patagonian subspeices (chilensis/fretensis)? I need someone who knows more than I do to confirm or disagree with that. I like how this shot shows the spur on the wing just pointing through the back chest feathers. These can be used defending it's young or territory. Quite the feisty bird 💪

A wader bird, Southern Lapwing. Red eye, pink bill, black front of face and chest, grey head, bronze oil spill looking patch on the shoulders, white belly. Legs are pinkish grey. Standing among grassy dandelion patch. A wader bird, Southern Lapwing. Red eye, pink bill, black front of face and chest, grey head, bronze oil spill looking patch on the shoulders, white belly. Legs are pinkish grey. Standing among grassy dandelion patch.

We had an amazing encounter with a Bearded vulture (Lammergeier) yesterday in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Of course I had the small point & press camera rather than my usual birding lens and camera. The sky was awful for bird photography. But what mattered was the encounter. It's always so special when an unexpected wildlife encounter happens.

A Bearded vulture flying in the sky. Photographer looking up at the bird. The sky is a light grey colour. The birds is mostly brown with a wedge tail. A Bearded vulture flying in the sky. Photographer looking up at the bird. The sky is a light grey colour. The birds is mostly brown with a wedge tail.

I swear Sooty thinks she is flying an alien spaceship 👽 She makes us laugh when she pops up like this 😅

A picture showing the head of a black cat popping out of a cream coloured cat bed. Behind the cat is a red leather chair. A picture showing the head of a black cat popping out of a cream coloured cat bed. Behind the cat is a red leather chair.

11 years ago this beautiful bundle of craziness came to live with us, we named her Rita, she was/is the perfect addition to the pack ❤

Rita on her first day with us. A picture of a small white puppy sitting beside a bowl of water. Rita on her first day with us. A picture of a small white puppy sitting beside a bowl of water.

A picture of a white dog running and playing in the snow, snow is being kicked up. Rocks protrude through the snow at the top of the picture. A picture of a white dog running and playing in the snow, snow is being kicked up. Rocks protrude through the snow at the top of the picture.