Since the last full moon – the blood moon, I would say most folk around here have felt just a tad jangled. A situation not helped by the raging wildfire in Monchique this past week, about 70 km distant from Boliqueime, where I live. Ironically, Monchique is known for its spring water, and the waters are said to have curative power.
Someone I know quite well turned 78 yesterday. She once told me her mother-in-law was a great believer in the healing powers of the baths at Monchique, and so used to make the two-week journey by donkey cart once a year to benefit from the wonders of nature. Her mother-in-law did not have anything particularly wrong with her; I suspect she merely enjoyed the pampering. I understand the whole affair was much grander then than it is nowadays.
So much for that. Monchique is in the grips of a huge fire which seemingly, refuses to go out. There have been strong winds blowing, and this afternoon they brought with them dust and ash just so that everyone and their mother-in-law could take a photo of the sun and remark how otherworldly it is. Two hours later, the sky was clear again – and blue, but the murky fog lives on in our mind’s eye.
©2018 Allison Wright
That elusive pair of jeans 
Say something here!