Squirrel Nutkin & His Holler Friends~

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Squirrel Nutkin has his favorite chair, where birdseed falls on his head like manna, unasked for, from heaven.
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It’s perfect place for pillow-hiding where no one can see him at all, if only it weren’t for his tell-tale-tail!
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He can scale the walls like spiderman,
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and perch on his chair like a king on his throne.

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Baby-Bunting-Birdie is confused by all the action, but never hops by without leaving a gift, so thoughtful!
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The Grosbeaks create the showers of seeds while stuffing their beaks past full.

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The docile doves just watch the show.

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Cheers to you from the setting sun and another critter-full Holler day~
(Thank you Ms. Potter for many happy childhood reads about Squirrel Nutkin and all his animal friends).

Madrid’s Don Quixote Tapestries~

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The Royal Palace of Madrid,
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has a special exhibit,

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honoring the 400th anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes, the author of, “The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha.”

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These tapestries were commissioned by Phillip V who lived from 1683-1746,
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and depict in detail the life and adventures of Don Quixote.
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I included a close-up so you could see the intricate stitch detail in these remarkable tapestries.
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They were woven sometime in the early 1700’s by the Madrid Tapestry Factory which was founded by King Phillip V. Goya worked for a time in this factory creating designs.
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Cheers to you in honor of Don Quixote who taught us so much about the subjective nature of our perceptions~

Tagus Estuary & Fuente de Piedra~

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Portugal and Spain have extensive wildlife reserves,

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sheltering flamingos, black headed gulls and many other birds!

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Tagus Estuary is the largest reserve in Western Europe,
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and one of thirty natural protected areas in Portugal.
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Fuente de Piedra Natural Reserve in Malaga Spain is known for it’s flamingos.

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To mark the last day of our trip, we escaped the bustle of Lisbon,
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and spent the day exploring,
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enjoying the blooming flowers,
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and belly dancing in little town of Alochete Portugal!
We are home at The Holler now, but it is still, cheers to you from Portugal & Spain~