Wood oven Cookery courses at Cortijo Opazo
Look out for 2019 dates.
2018, what a year, flew by like a bow from an arrow. So much going on here at Cortijo Opazo I have scarcely had time to notice, never mind blog about it. But here are some photos to give you an idea of what we have all been doing.
The garden, our passion and obsession, grows on apace. Most days we can be found pottering and tinkering, shovelling and digging. Work never ends, but then why woud we wish it to?
The gravel garden has worked out very well. We were a little sceptical at first, not sure we wanted to see a lot of grey stone on the land, but it complements the area perfectly and the plants are doing very well, with almost no watering in their first year. Right plant for the right place - thank you Beth Chatto!
We've been doing some entertaining! The garden studio at the end of our land is now able to provide lunches for large groups. Have a tour around the garden followed by a tasty lunch - cold buffet or something cooked in the wood fired oven, who could resist? This group from Antequera certainly enjoyed tucking in.
May saw the first of our new Wood Oven Cooking courses, run by William. Eager to join in the tasting and perfect his own outdoor cooking techniques was local writer Chris Stewart. Follow the video link below to find out what he thought of the course.
Garden gourmets
Along with Friday garden open days we have been welcoming visitors to the garden on the first Sunday in each month and making available a superb gourmet lunch for those who want it. It's proven quite popular, so if you are staying with us during 2019, you might want to look out for this opportunity.
Music in the garden.
In July we had our successful Summer concert with music from the Songbirds of Orgiva and The Ensemble Vargas from Cañar, raising money for the local hospice Acompalia
Music in the Mountains
Music coninued in the local villages as the cultural association Music in the Mountains once again mountained a series of concerts - this one during August in Pampaneira.
Robert at the opera
And towards the end of the year Robert became heavily involved in an opera project, as stage director of a full production of Purcells' Dido and Aeneas, peformed in the theatres at Motril, Nerja and Orgiva, and in the church in Cañar.
Or maybe visit the Jardín L'Albarda, run by the Fundem organisation. The president of this splendid place was kind enough to visit our garden a few years ago and the guys were only too happy to make a return visit - and what an inspiration it was.
So, when I ask myself 'Where has the year gone?' it does not take me so long to find an answer. We wish you the very best for 2019 and my caninie resolution is to keep in touch with you more often.
Oska. It’s been a pleasure looking after you some days during 2018. Even when you had me crawling through brambles to drag you back home. You’re a more chilled lad these days and a pleasure to know. Here’s hoping you, Ella and Rosie have a nice 2019.
Fab to hear all your news and see how you have continued to transform the Cortijo. We have finished the landscaping of our garden in the Cairngorms four years on from purchasing our property
Glad see oska and Ella going strong and the musical events are interesting hope to be back soon