Kristina

In her comments Kristina asks about our weather and what time of year we can start working our soil for veggies.

Well we are blessed with general mild weather here compared to most places. All winter we can still grow some cabbage, leeks, turnips etc. I start prearing the land in mid Feb, rik will give the land a once over with the rototiller to chop up any remaining weeds and turn them in, we'll open up the compost heap and spread it around, plus sprinkle on all the wood ash Ive been saving all winter from our log burners . Then we leave it untill maybe mid to end of march depending on how warm it is... I then plant the peas, beans, leeks, cabbage, caulis, onions etc and wait untill im sure there will be no late frosts to catch me out to plant the toms peppers and aubergines and squashes, about mid april usually.
I start my seeds off on our veranda, bringing them inside at night. sometime we'll make cold frames ... just havent got round to it yet.

During the winter we generally get mild frosts during Dec , jan and sometimes feb, and the odd sneaky one in late march early april... but thats as bad as it gets...

Frugal Living. This weeks Menus.

Last week went well. I pretty much stuck to the planned meals.
This week we are trying to eat as much easy one pot stuff as possible as I plan to be outside as much as I can , not inside by the cooker...

Evening meals this week.

Last night (Fri) we had a smashing roast pork dinner, Rik had seen that Pork joints were on offer locally and treated us. We had a 3.575 kl joint for just over 6 euros!! It was gorgeous too... the crackling was perfect... It fed us and two friends last night, and I cut off enough meat for another 5 bags for the freezer. We had it with roast potatoes, carrots, our cabbage fresh from the garden, plus our peas from the freezer... scrummy.

Sat. Tonight we have Porkbone stew, with potatoes and dumplings. I'll cook up the bone from last night, which had a few scraps left on, with pearl barley, green lentils, carrots onions, garlic, a handful of green peppers and chopped leeks from the freezer. Add a handful of soup pasta, and some herbs... it'll make a huge pot full..

Sun, Hopefully there will be leftover stew from sat, and we'll have it with rice.

Mon. Baked pasta. All our own veg made into pasta sauce, just buy a little cheese for the top. As I have tons of pasta in the storecupboard.

Tues. Homemade Pork &leek pasties, pots and cabbage from the garden, I'll cook extra for bubble and squeek lunch for weds.

Weds. Portugues style sopa. My neigbour gave me her recipe. It involes chorizo sausage, dried beans, massa de pimento and loads of veg... very cheap, filling and good for you. I make a big pot and we eat it two days running. With rice.

Thurs Sopa and Rice.

Fri Liver. we try to eat liver often, its cheap and versatile and good for you. Rik does a smashing creamy tomatoey liver we eat with rice, and it means it gives me a day off cooking...

Sat Pork and apple casserole, pots and peas and cabbage... notice the inclusion of plenty of cabbage... we have tons in the garden at the mo...
I'll also add fruit deserts here and there, we still have tons in the freezer and Ive just been given ANOTHER bag of kiwis that need using up...

So there you have it.
This weeks shopping is....
Butter 1.19
Coffee 2.79
Cream 57
Tom pulpa 48
Sack Pots 5.00
Kg carrots 48
2 kg Onions 50
12 roll pk loo paper 1.99.

Obviously we have stores still in the cupboard so shopping is minimal.

Dry weather

Hey hey.... we've now had a few days of dry weather so we've really been cracking on outside, we now have another three smaller terraces uncovered and reclaimed with another couple of tangerine trees and 4 more olive trees... There is still quite a way to go before all is done down there but its looking so good!! Although Rik being a pagan has caused him a little angst about cutting down so many trees , as the whole area is full of wild oak trees and saplings are everywhere, sadly oak is a weed here, its of no use for its wood as it splits too easily in the heat, and we desperately need the space they are taking up. So we've cut them down, most will be used as logs to keep us warm next winter, we have started a planned planting to try to make up for it though, plenty of fruit and nuts should help for a start. We have also been offered some good free sweetchestnut saplings to plant too, we just have to decide where to put them as they grow very big and we dont want them to overshadow other areas too much.

On monday I'll be leaving Rik to work on down there alone as I have to start making the area around the cottage look pretty for the spring, the bank by the carpark where I have my spring bulbs planted is very overgrown and tatty, as are the flowerbeds by the patio. It will all look a little bare untill flowers grow again but at least it will be tidy.

This Years Goals.

Hmmm we've been thinking of what we'd like to achieve this year...

In no real order of importance...

Make the house absolutely water tight.... this always seems of paramount importance at this time of year... yet come the warm weather and suddenly it doesnt.... hehehehe .
We must finish the digging out round the back to accomplish the above.....
Rik has also promised me a porch on the front door, that will solve the water problem of the rain blowing under the door.
Upstairs, hmmm the cost of rendering the outside of the newer part of the lounge is beyond us at the moment, so the rain will still penetrate on bad days untill we can afford it... but its minor... (untill it rains a lot hehehe)

I'd like a real back door to replace the wood frame and plastic sheeting on we have at the moment, but hopefully that will come during the summer.

We'd like to finish the kitchen and move the range to the other side of the room. again all depends on money for new wood worktops.

The spare bedroom still needs finishing, but again down to money.

Planking doors for the spare room and the spare, spare room...

I'd like some lino for the bedroom floor before next winter...

The van needs new wheel bearings.


Hehehehe I think thats enough to be going on with. As always living how we do , there will always be more 'needs' than money to accomplish them, its a fact we are happy with though. As long as we can carry on we are happy, quality of life for us is not hinged around money, we love the fact that we can spent so much time together, working outdoors in a beautiful place, doing what we enjoy so much... what more could anyone want.... and coming up to our 4th anniversary in the wonderful country, we still have no regrets, and love it more now than ever...

Frugal Living, costs...

Ive been doing a bit of working out of our living costs, to see what we get as incoming, and what goes out ...
Basically last year we had 5,500euros incoming last year... and our 'must do' expenses were -

Electric , 45 euros bi monthly (ave)
Water, 20 euros bi monthly (ave)
Van insurance 220 euros per year
Van tax 45 euros per year
MOT (equiv) 29euros per year.

I wish there was some way of getting off the grid but for us solar is out of our pocket range completely at the mo, so I have cut it to the bare minimum. But as Ive said before we dont have tv, or computer at home, no electric gadgets, apart from a washing machine and a freezer, so we keep it low...


A tip for grocery shopping I was given years ago and still use a lot is this.
Look at your cupboard, and freezer, everyone always has far more food stored than they generally use, so write down what you have, work out a weeks menus just from your storecupboards, and then PUT ASIDE THE MONEY YOU DIDNT SPEND.
If you usually spend 60 euros a week on food, save that money as if you spent it...
If you work out in your head your general meals you eat on a regual basis, and then each week buy the odd extra thing, a pk of sausages one week, a extra loaf of bread for freezer, just the odd stuff here and there, you dont notice it in your shopping bill (if you dont go mad) and then very soon within a matter of weeks with careful planning, you'll be able to have a shopping free week and save that money!
Whenever we get a reasonable amount of dosh come in, I always bulk buy something thats cheap, flour, pasta, rice ect... so I always have a basis for a meal.

Ooooh an Orchard!

Well we have an orchard... we kept to our word and have spent two more days on the land, regardless of the weather making sure we got things done. We were rewarded for our choices by the second day (yesterday) being a lovely warm fine dry day. We finally finished the strimming, clearing up, and burning . (Well on the main large flat terrace) and were able to plant 6 lovely new trees. 2 apples, a pear, an almond and a plum, the others will go in, in a couple of days. The area towards the back of the plot was flooded as we have a small water mine there which in the weather we've had is now a raging torrent. Rik spent the best part of yesterday afternoon digging a gully for it to run across the land and over the edge of the terrace... within two hours you could walk with only a little squelching underfoot... another couple of days and it'll be great for planting our remaining six trees. We also already have three clementine trees down there which we've been rescueing from years of ivy growth... amazing stuff, great ropes of it thicker than my wrist, not good for the trees though so it has to go...All in all a very productive couple of days, we have another three terraces to do down there though, all choked with brambles 10 ft high , oak saplings, ivy and general scrub. There are some old olive trees to recover and also some vines we hope to make productive again over time. So lots still to do! We have to really press on fast new as only another month before we start to work in the veggie garden, and that really does take up most of my time during the spring and early summer, so Rik has the work on the land to do by himself.

Frugal Living, Menu planning.

Due to all this wet weather time on my hands type thing, Ive made a resolution to actively increase my menu planning, and more importantly that will help with small amount of groceries we do have to buy. Just a little more time each week sat down and planning meals round what we have will pay dividends and mean less spending.
Of course there are things we cant do without, and things you cant grow... loo rolls, shampoo, and washing products, any tips or recipes (practical ones not ones that take hours to produce please) will be welcomed.

I'll try to post the menus on here as often as possible to give ideas for anyone who wants to try this out, any ideas and comments welcome.

Right. ### All veg ´from freezer´ is our own homegrown and frozen by me)

Menus.- only dinner at the mo... as we tend to make do with home made soup and bread or bread and marmite/egg on toast most days...

Today(Thurs.)
Chicken stew and dumplings, cost about 1euro! due to my buying the chicken at cheapy deal the other day.
Kiwi and blackberry pancakes (all fruit cost nothing, kiwis grow everywhere here, as do blackberries)

Fri. Left over stew, potatoes and cabbage from the garden.
Apple turnovers (free fruit again)

Sat. Baked pasta ( home made veg and herb sauce, from store cupboard) toms from freezer, cheese bought .

Sun. Pork and Chestnut stew. (has carrots, onions, green beans in a cumin sauce) with deep fried potato cubes .Only thing to buy is pork but only use 2 slices belly pork anyway and carrots.
Rice pudding (home made. )

Mon. Roast veggies and eggs. butternut squash, carrots, pots, onion, turnips,(from garden) in a herby olive oil... with fried eggs, healthier egg n chips...
left over rice pudding...

Tues. Soya Spag bol. made with all own veg, peppers, aubergines, toms, from freezer, I buy soya granules at 1.30e for half a kilo and it does us about 6 meals... spag is 32 c a packet...

Weds. Lasagne made with left over sauce mix from last night, a herby white sauce and a bit of grated cheese on top and there ya go! Cauli from freezer.
fruit parcels... free fruit from freezer, drizzled with honey and cinnamen all in foil parcels popped on top of log burner cooker... yummmy.

Thurs. Liver n Onions... Pigs liver is 2euros a kilo here and does us 4 meals... baked pots and cabbage. ( I do extra pots and cabbage for a bubble n squeak lunch tomorrow. )

So there we have it.... very little to buy at all this week.
I'll also have a baking day as its still wet, to make a few loaves of soda bread, and a few treats for Rik.. biscuits and a cake etc

Update.

Well the rain continues, not so bad though as its just a gentle misty rain today, pretty mild though, not sure of the temps but much warmer than yesterday...
As the outlook for the next quite a few days doesnt look any better, we are going to go ahead and try to get our new fruit trees in the ground, we've had to revise the plan of where they will be placed, but at least they'll be in and have a better chance of survival. I wanted to get some more cabbage in too but theres no chance at the moment as the ground needs turning and its just too wet to even try....
So apart from buying new waterproofs (we've had ours since arrival in PT) there is nothing to report on really, we are both very active people and this weather is keeping us indoors and making us twitchy.. hehehe we were both pacing up and down the kitchen yesterday looking for something to do...
But we've sat down and discussed it now sensible, the weather isnt going to change any time soon, so we just have to get on with anything we can, if that means working outside in the rain, then so be it. We have a warm fire and hot bath to come back to if we feel chilled, so whats the problem???
We are trying to do things around the house that doesnt actually cost anything, as money though a bit better lately is always going to be tight for us during winter, we dont like spending anything we dont have to. Particuarly on building materials...
I dont mid this time of year too much, it gives me plenty of time to spend with Rik just relaxing, during our busy spring and summer periods when we have guests, Im working on the land cooking, housework, ect although we are both home, we dont actually see much of each other apart from mealtimes. Now we can sit by the fire and relax, we do crossword puzzles and play scrabble in the evenings, and just generally have a laugh and toast our toes ... it recharges the batteries for the busy spring to come. Especially this year as if 'The Job' actually happens I'll be coping with the food production on my own most of the time. No news on the job, thats not unusual though as things like this involving local government and outside agencies tend to get bogged down in redtape , and as normal move like 'a ton of bricks in the wind' as my old dad says....
For all those who have asked. He's fine, not able to travel at the moment, due to some medication for a blod clot, but he's not too bad, and seems to be making progress, we hope he'll make it again in the autumn. Ive asked him to think about making a permant move but he's not too keen.... I hope to change his mind soon... at least to spend the winter here, Ireland is so cold and damp it gets in his bones...
Well thats about it for now.

CONTADINA!!

Please could you give me your blog address I cant find you...

Hey hey... weather, and more weather...

The snow has gone, melted away within the day, but now this morning we awoke to the usual sound of rain hammering on the roof, add to the a howling gale and you'll get the picture. Please let me state clearly though, this is not normal for us... Although we are generally getting some of the wet stuff during winter, this kind of prolonged wet weather isnt normal. But on a good note, the temps are up this morning to reasonable levels again, and forcast to be almost 60 by the end of the week.... still wet though...
At least the lakes and dams are full and it'll mean less forest fires later in the year... you have to look on the bright side... at least over here, we know that sooner or later we'll get a lovely hot summer.... and it lasts longer than the three days the UK gets.... by the end of the summer Im generally really ready for the cool wet weather.... thats why we came here, we wanted seasons, real defined seasonal weather.... we sure are getting it this year heheheeh.

Just as a little note to anyone here reading this, Intermarche have an offer on whole Galinha ( boiling type chicken) at 1.10cents a kilo, great stuff, Ive just bought over three kilos for 3.45. Chicken stew for the rest of the winter!!! That amount will feed us for weeks... Its not nasty stuff either, all PT bred, and nice and yellow from being corn fed... yummy...
I put half a chicken (they are small) into a big crockpot, with carrots and onions and garlic ect, cover with water, and bring to boil, (Jan and Alik, you can do this on top of your new log burner) then add a sprinkling of rosemary, and simmer till tender... remove chicken, and place in oven to crisp a little, thats another meal!!! Take a little chicken for the soup, and add it to pan, cook the stew/soup as normal adding soup pasta, and any odd veggies and some dumplings ...
The cooked chicken can do a curry or pie or pasties, or rissotto the next day.... lovely. Just try to lose the idea that you have to eat tons of meat all in one go... if you have tasty food it doesnt really have to be all that meat...

Suprise suprise....

We have snow!!! lots of it....
The forcast was for sleety rain yesterday after some nice dry and sunny days, but yesterday morning it started with a bit of sleet and very quickly moved onto heavy snow.... hmmmm not amused... by last night we had a thick blanket of the yucky white stuff covering everywhere and we didnt think we'd get into town today as our driveway is very steep. But we've made the effort and the sun is out now and its melting ... thank goodness... It all looks very pretty but when your house is as unfinisged as ours is... its damn cold! Luckily we have plenty of wood to keep the home fires burning so to speak... but it wont last forever if this lot keeps up..
Our neighbours are amazed, one, they havent seen snow like this for over ten years... and two... they thought as 'English' we'd love it... wrong...

Our orchard work has ground to a halt at the moment, we've almost finished clearing the land, but all the wet weather we've had means that the water mine down there is overflowing everywhere and we spent a whole day up to our ankles in muddy water, and have decided we must dig the trench to draw the water away and channel it properly before we plant, we have also tons of scrub stuff to burn, and finsh clearing too... its too cold to plant new trees at the moment,... oh well... these things are sent to try us....

I'd still rather be here than anywhere else on earth....