Autumn Rambles

The perfect weather, warm and sunny for the time of year, continues. The stunning beauty of our own Sierras and the mountains of Malaga in the perfect Autumn light are inspiring me to paint more landscapes. We have enjoyed many mountain rambles recently.
See www.guajar.blogspot.com

Book review and interview

Illustration from The Wise Old Boar. The animals consult Bruno.

Tania McCartney, in Australia, has published an interview with me and a review of The Wise Old Boar. Please have a look.
www.kids-book-review.blogspot.com

I have also created some BookBuzzr widgets for my books which I think help to market them on line. They can be uploaded as margin widgets on Blogspot blogs and into pages on your web site. Unfortunately they are not available as WordPress widgets yet. Have a look at mine on
http://www.margaretmerry.com/index.php?act=viewDoc&docId=6

A ghost story for Halloween

I have posted an article on my blog www.guajar.blogspot.com after receiving a request for “true” ghost stories. This article is an update of my piece “Ghosts of Granada” which I published on the same blog in October last year.

This article is being set up for discussion on the American web site on 19th October
http://www.phibble.com/halloween
and will be talked about on the radio (link from the site) on the 26th October.

El Dia de la Hispanidad

Today is a public holiday in Spain – el Dia de la Hispanidad – so we decided to take a drive over the mountains to the neighbouring village of Lentegi which is only about 6km from Guajar Alto but to drive to it up and down the winding mountain track takes about 40 minutes. The journey is worth it for the spectacular mountain views, particularly on a day like today in the lovely light of the soft October sunshine.

I have posted more details and photos on www.guajar.blogspot.com.

Romeria in Salobreña

It was a glorious morning so we drove down to the coast at Salobreña to watch the procession of horses in the annual romeria. I particularly wanted to see the beautiful Andalusian horses and get some inspiration for painting and writing. I was not disappointed and I also came across an old friend Cantares (Luther in The Adventure Of Princess The Pony). He is the big black horse on the right in front of the carriage.

I am posting lots more photos and a description of the procession on my village life blog
www.guajar.blogspot.com

Olives and Winter vegetables

Now is the time to collect olives for preserving and sowing and planting winter vegetables. I have posted today on my village life blog
www.guajar.blogspot.com
information on preserving olives for eating and what to plant in the vegetable garden at this time of year.

Book reviews

Carrie at 5 minutes for books has just reviewed my first two children’s books. You can read the reviews on the following site -

http://www.5minutesforbooks.com/1863/margaret-merry-books/

Princess The Pony is on sale

Princess the pony, a miniature Shetland foal, yearns for a playmate. One day, she manages to escape from the corral where she is stabled with her mother and sets off on a mission to find a friend. She has various encounters with other horses, as well as lambs, goats, donkeys and mules. Because she is so small, all the horses she attempts to befriend regard her with contempt, and the other animals want nothing to do with her.

During the course of her adventure, Princess leaves behind her a number of unclosed gates, including a paddock where Luther, who reigns over all the other horses, is grazing. He wanders out of the paddock and leads the horses to a river. A sudden downpour, followed by a flash flood, causes the river to swell and as the horses flee to safety, Luther’s leg is trapped in an abandoned fox’s lair. His companions try to release the leg by pushing their noses into an opening in the mound of soil, but they are all too big. At the last minute, Princess appears. She pushes her nose into the hole, and summoning all her strength, manages to free Luther’s leg.

The other horses applaud her courage and thus she becomes a heroine, with everyone wanting to be her friend.

The Adventure Of Princess The Pony may be purchased direct from the publishers at
http://www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/TsheAdventureOfPrincessThePony.html or from all major on line and high street book stores.

Ruta de Los Guajareños

This morning we walked the first part of the old mule track, Ruta de los Guájareños, that the people from the village took to reach civilisation before the current road, along the Rio Toba, linking Guájar Alto with the main Granada road, was built.

You can read more about in on my other blog www.guajar.blogspot.com

Guajar Alto from the old track

Mountain walks

I took time off painting and writing to go for a long walk this morning. It is just about getting cool enough to tackle again all the lovely hikes we can do from our home. I have posted a description and more photos on my village blog www.guajar.blogspot.com.

Ruins of Cortijo de Girón