Return to Alentejo

I was away for three months. Mostly in Scotland and some time in Bristol, where I used to live when my children were small.

I loved being in my old country, (Scotland, that is). I had planned to get away to avoid the hot Portuguese sun but in fact it proved to be hot in Scotland and cool in Portugal.

My first farm was on the Isle of Oronsay, next to Colonsay. I was a bit nervous as it was my first time being a wwoofer! I needn't have worried. My hosts were so nice and I could manage the work and I had a bothy to myself. I walked all over the island, discovering the bays and cliff and rocky pools. It was brilliant and the sun shone every day except for my last one.

While I wandered the hills I gathered bits of sheep's wool and used my spindle to spin up enough wool to make a hat. Hebridean black sheep a have lovely soft fleece.

The Walled Garden

My next port of call was to the Outer Hebrides, to wwoof on a croft of a weaver. I was allowed to shear a sheep and did other woolly stuff and gardening and painting the fank.

Sallie's Studio

Angora Goat

One day it did rain and the feel of that fine Scottish rain on my face took me back more than forty years to when I used to live on Mull, where it rained nearly every day. It was a delicious, bitter-sweet moment. It had never been my intention to leave my homeland, but life has lead me to this hot, dry place.

I am still trying to get back to earth. I have mixed feelings about living on this hillside. I love the work that I have done here, but I don't want to work so hard and on my own.

Meanwhile, the flies buzz and shift from bare shoulder to knee to nose. Life goes on.

April showers

We have had days of heavy rain and thunder storms and days of brilliant sunshine. A real mixture. Spring time is so exciting. I have been out walking the hillsides and enjoying the cool temperatures and the fullness of it all.

I built a compost loo at the side of the house. It has a brilliant view of hills and rainbows.

I am about to set off for Scotland, my old homeland. I can't wait to smell and touch and taste and see - BE- there!

Tipping Over the Equinox

So it is Spring, with a capital 'S'. Flowers are going crazy. Leaves are bursting out of their woody tips. I am very excited because my Hunza apricot tree has lots of flowers on it! It's maybe 6 years old and I grew it from an apricot stone, from a dried Hunza apricot.

I went for a walk on the big beach of Malhao. There were two surfer families and a few of those black-clad dolphin boys riding the rather gentle waves. There was NO rubbish on the sand! The water didn't feel too cold, although I only paddled. All in all, it was heavenly.

This is a huge plum tree at the bottom of the land. Every branch is covered in blossoms. It gives golden plums in the summer.

The wheat grows long and lush in the cork trees. It is all very green at the moment, but actually, if we don't get rain soon we will have a draught situation. The roads are dusty already.

Spinning and Dreaming

It's raining! Hooray! We need lots of rain. These spring showers are lovely but not enough, but we may have to accept them as enough. At least it is gentle rain which feeds the seeds and soil rather than the winter torrents we have had in previous years.

A Rather Gory Dawn

Taking The Girls To The Garden Centre

Weaving on the Patio

I am planning a trip away to Scotland. I will go WWOOFing! That is rather exciting and so some of my time is spent planning and dreaming about getting and being in the Western Isles.

Meanwhile, I have some sunset, baby-pink, hand-dyed, Shetland lamb's wool to spin. Perfect for a rainy day. I have not had a fire in the house for a few weeks now as the new firewood is still green and not worth burning. Also, it is not cold. People say to me that I must be so tough but really, it's 16.05 degrees Celsius. With my hand spun hand knitted woolly socks I feel cosy.

So come on rain, let it out!

Saint Valentine's Day

It's Saint Valentine's day and I'm feeling a bit blue. Living on this steep and beautiful hillside can be lonely. It's a fabulous blustery day with not a cloud in the sky.
I have heard that working with the earth can alleviate gloominess so I've been swinging my favourite garden tool, the enxada. It does help to work the physical body and to be outside in this beautiful part of the world. Bonnie came and sat on my jersey and Coco came and sat in the giant heather tree nearby. It's nice to feel the love.

I get a bit obsessive about the stones I find while I'm working. I collect them and use them in the bottom of flower pots or as gravel.

I'm not sure what to plant in the top one. I will let it rest for a bit. The one below it has garlic and peas. I thought they might like to grow together.

I have been spinning and knitting and crocheting but now it is beginning to feel like spring is around the corner. In fact it gets blooming hot during the middle of the day. I will probably do some more digging and pottering but my heart isn't in it. Mostly because I am alone and feel sad that another attempt at the good life has gone south. Ah well. It could be worse. At least I am in a lovely place and have my family not too far away.

And the thought came to me that I have a great relationship with the soil!

From Bare Feet to Wooly Socks

A Very Dry Month

There has been no rain for months. It is very dry. Days of endless blue skies and not a cloud in sight. Neon sunsets. Roses blooming and narcissus coming into flower. I long for some damp days and dream of Scotland.

Christmas and New Year have been celebrated in a quiet way due to a very nasty bug going around that got us all, one after the other. I am recovering now.

It's been very cold at night, frost in the hollows. I feel blessed to have a good stove and a stack of firewood.

I am not a very political person and never keep up with the 'news' but I wonder if this 'Brexit' thing will happen and if so, how does it affect us emigrants. I don't want to lose my ties to the old country (which for me is Scotland, not England). I guess we shall find out in the next few months.

New people continue to find their way to our neck of the woods. Young people with children and dreams. I understand their wish for the good life. This is a good place to have a family and grow your own food, etc. I am curious to see how their new energy and input will affect the area. There are more activities, like yoga, pilates, working with modeling clay, zumba. My daughter has started a small play group where children all with different mother tongues come together and play in the sand pit. Rather special. And the kindergarten where my middle grand daughter goes is also multi-lingual. She speaks German with her best friend!

 

 

View to the North West

Let's see what 2019 brings. I am ready for a change of scene!