Aclimatising

The Well Where I get Drinking Water

Basiclly, You're Welcome

Recently Peeled Cork Oak

Psychedelic Sunset

Weaving Away the Hours

This is the last day of August and I've been sweating it out under the cover of an insulated tin roof... The temperature rose to 37 degrees outside but now the late afternoon brings a breeze and some relief. It is now 30 degrees outside and 30 inside... I am reluctant to go out in the car so I take a lesson from the dog and just lie in the draught in the shadows, waiting for coolth.

Earlier, before the heat had really struck, I went down to the cob house and carried up large 'biscuits' of straw in an improvised net, up two ladders, to put on the top roof. It was looking thin in places where a big storm a few months back had blown off some of the straw. It seems that after a few seasons the straw does become a kind of matted material that will allow new grass to seed and grow. Until then it needs replenishing. That was hard work. I kept saying I would just do one load, do it, and then say, I'll do another. I had covered about half the roof  when I realised I was so hot and sweaty that it was becoming dangerous to climb up the various ladders. Still, I am pleased with the efforts and hope to continue tomorrow morning, before the heat gets unbearable again.

I am trying to think about living somewhere else as this project started out as a two-person one and since one person is not here I feel I don't want to live with all the work glaring at me, and the top house is growing  big cracks along the east wall. It will be hard to give up my cob house but if I have the opportunity to build another I will leap at it! Until then, I will move down to the village and do the home improvements and repairs necessary to make it rentable again.

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