Well Im off to Ireland on Saturday, for how long I dont know, depends on dads health. At the moment he's in hospital so its anyones guess.
My lovely uncles are all arranging this for me, paying for flights, picking me up from airports in UK and then organising the next leg of the trip the following day, all without me paying a penny... aren't families wonderful when you need them most... considering Ive not seen them for years... I feel very blessed.
Im really sad to be leaving our beautiful new baby, she truley is gorgeous, Bonnie is just perking up now, they were playing in the garden last night for the first time, it was a joy to see her so happy again. It will get better as Beeza get bigger... and bigger.. at the moment Bonnie gets a little exuberant...
Although she's a cross, she's a typical Rafeiro in looks, she looks as if she could be pure even though we know she isnt.
http://www.google.pt/imgres?imgurl=http://images01.olx.pt/ui/1/69/52/7016752_1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://montijo.olx.pt/rafeiro-alentejano-puros-iid-7016752&h=469&w=625&sz=55&tbnid=Q3atQAdwRZut3M:&tbnh=102&tbnw=136&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drafeiro%2Balentejano&hl=pt-PT&usg=__sVsyoDMDepp0zFpaMBbnQowk-ok=&sa=X&ei=kFxRTI7iKsqK4AbhrvyfAw&ved=0CCMQ9QEwBQ
hopefullly that link should show a pic, the puppy behind , looking at the camera with a spotty nose, is exactly her
Frugal living in the Portuguese countryside,Eco-tourism, Agri tourism, recipes,family life, self sufficency, eco living, vegetable growing, tips and self help ideas for country living.
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Wednesday, 28 July 2010
This 'n' that
Hi, sorry its so long since I updated this blog, I suppse really its been a mixture of us being busy, and me getting a little down and not coming into town etc etc...
So. Whats been happening, well, we've had the last of our helpers for the time being, Jim worked reasonably well, and did quite a bit of the things we had planned, but I know that we were not the most jolly of hosts for some of his stay but we did find him a tad hard going. He wasnt as relaxed as the girls we'd had, nor as consiencious, or as sociable... he made a great start on the log barn though and for that Im very grateful, but I think we'll maybe stick to girls ...
He certainly ate more than his weight in food...
The veggies are doing well, ... most of them, Ive come around to the idea that this year, the beetroot just isnt gonna happen... why, I dont know... its just very poor... the butterntu squash is slow and not so many this time as well. We will have some, but not the 141 we had last year!
But.... the spuds are excellent, we still have three sacks left, the beans are the biggest crop we've ever had... Im picking kilos a day.. the tomatoes are just coming and are lovely , there will be tons, same with Aubergines... Im waiting on peepers, big plants, but not many peppers yet... the corn is almost ready... the jerusalem artychokes are reaching for the sky... we have cabbage coming out of our ears... and rows of carrots that wont be long... tons of herbs too!!
So although some poor results... a lot of good stuff too...
So, to the big news of the week... two lots...
My dad has been sick again, so I am looking to go to Ireland in the near future for a visit...
And....
We have a new puppy....
I know we said we wouldnt... and to be truthful we didnt really want to at all... but our lovely Bonnie was so unhappy, we tried to wait and hope it would pass but she seemed to get worse... so our vet Dr Paulo gave us a present... he knew we wanted a big dog... and this is certainly going to be big... I mean HUGE....
She's a Newfoundland http://www.google.pt/search?hl=pt-PT&q=newfoundland+dog&aq=1&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=Newfoundland&gs_rfai=crossed with a http://www.google.pt/search?hl=pt-PT&source=hp&q=rafeiro+alentejano&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=Rafeiro&gs_rfai=
I hope those links work out.
She's 6 weeks old, and called Beeza...
So. Whats been happening, well, we've had the last of our helpers for the time being, Jim worked reasonably well, and did quite a bit of the things we had planned, but I know that we were not the most jolly of hosts for some of his stay but we did find him a tad hard going. He wasnt as relaxed as the girls we'd had, nor as consiencious, or as sociable... he made a great start on the log barn though and for that Im very grateful, but I think we'll maybe stick to girls ...
He certainly ate more than his weight in food...
The veggies are doing well, ... most of them, Ive come around to the idea that this year, the beetroot just isnt gonna happen... why, I dont know... its just very poor... the butterntu squash is slow and not so many this time as well. We will have some, but not the 141 we had last year!
But.... the spuds are excellent, we still have three sacks left, the beans are the biggest crop we've ever had... Im picking kilos a day.. the tomatoes are just coming and are lovely , there will be tons, same with Aubergines... Im waiting on peepers, big plants, but not many peppers yet... the corn is almost ready... the jerusalem artychokes are reaching for the sky... we have cabbage coming out of our ears... and rows of carrots that wont be long... tons of herbs too!!
So although some poor results... a lot of good stuff too...
So, to the big news of the week... two lots...
My dad has been sick again, so I am looking to go to Ireland in the near future for a visit...
And....
We have a new puppy....
I know we said we wouldnt... and to be truthful we didnt really want to at all... but our lovely Bonnie was so unhappy, we tried to wait and hope it would pass but she seemed to get worse... so our vet Dr Paulo gave us a present... he knew we wanted a big dog... and this is certainly going to be big... I mean HUGE....
She's a Newfoundland http://www.google.pt/search?hl=pt-PT&q=newfoundland+dog&aq=1&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=Newfoundland&gs_rfai=crossed with a http://www.google.pt/search?hl=pt-PT&source=hp&q=rafeiro+alentejano&aq=0&aqi=g10&aql=&oq=Rafeiro&gs_rfai=
I hope those links work out.
She's 6 weeks old, and called Beeza...
Monday, 5 July 2010
Potatoe Floddies.
This is what I do with all the odd potatoes that get damaged when digging them upor a little soft or just for any reason, its a way of storing them in the freezer and very economical too...
Boil a big pan of potatoes...
Mash with a fork, not too smooth!
Add two beaten eggs, a couple of big handfulls of oats, a large grated onion, grated cheese to your taste, a sprinkling of herbs, good ones I've tried are thyme or sage, or for a nice spicy flavour try Cumin...
mix well.
with hands, form a burger shape, roll in seasoned flour with seseme seeds in, and put on tray to open freeze... pack into bags when frozen hard, shallow fry from frozen.
Yummy.
Boil a big pan of potatoes...
Mash with a fork, not too smooth!
Add two beaten eggs, a couple of big handfulls of oats, a large grated onion, grated cheese to your taste, a sprinkling of herbs, good ones I've tried are thyme or sage, or for a nice spicy flavour try Cumin...
mix well.
with hands, form a burger shape, roll in seasoned flour with seseme seeds in, and put on tray to open freeze... pack into bags when frozen hard, shallow fry from frozen.
Yummy.
Sorry for the delay.
Yes its been very tough couple of weeks and quite honestly we didnt cope with it at all well.
Thank you all so much for your kind thoughts and messages.
We are now trying to get on and live with things as they are, we miss him desperately as does our lovely Bonnie, she barely barks at all any more.
Sooner or later, we feel we will find another special friend for her, but just dont feel ready yet.
So....
Meanwhile life seems to have continued on without us ... we had an excellent helper Called Ana who was a great comfort during a very difficult time, she worked like a Trojan in the veg plot and got it all under control for me. She really was a lovely girl and soon became a good friend too. Sadly she had other commitments and could only stay two weeks.
We now have another helper called Jim, a very tall English bloke, he's been with us a week now and its going great, he works as hard as he eats!! He certainly takes some filling! But its good for Rik to have another man around to help with the heavy work and they plan to start on the log barn (and filling it up) during this week..
Our good friends Alik & Jan from England came and stayed for a week and again really brightened up a difficult time. It was lovely to see them and we were very sad to see them go... LONGER next time eh Alik? Im making it plain on here as we know he reads it often...
The place is really starting to look better, Ana and I sorted the veg plot, Ana & Jan have tidied the front of the cottage , and car park, now Rik and Jim have graveled and planted up stuff its looking excellent, very pretty. We have Spanish Guests in the cottage fr a few days and more due at the end of the month too... so we need to keep it looking spick n span.
Its very hot.... and I mean VERY hot at the moment, today 38 degrees.... Im trying to avoid cooking as much as I can, but we genuinely dont feel like eating much till its more or less bedtime as its too hot to eat... just drinking tons of juice and water...
The veg are strange this year... we had a very poor crop of peas, due to the wet weather and then mice eating the seed, but the beans are cropping well, Im picking french beans every day now, Ive pulled the onions, and although there isnt as many as last year, I think on weight we have more as they are much bigger... we have dug all the potates, we had about6 sack in the end, we gave one to a friend, one to the man who gaveus the seed and ahve three put away to store and still are munching through the rest...
The beets are poor this year, we had to start again and replant as they were so bad...
Carrots are excellent! We've been eating them now for few weeks, as are the cabbage, the few caulis that hearted up have been good , so we've run the risk of planting up another 45. Just have to hope the hot weather doesnt harm them.
The squashes are finally moving a little, so slow this year. This time last year we were eating Courgettes ... now they are just coming...
Yet---- the tomatoes are going to be stunning... so many I'll be buried under a pile of them all summer, the aubergines are doing well as are peppers and chillis. The few corn that germinated are looking good, so have high hopes there too...
All in all a mixed bag, so bad but a lot good too... we wont starve this winter...
Thank you all so much for your kind thoughts and messages.
We are now trying to get on and live with things as they are, we miss him desperately as does our lovely Bonnie, she barely barks at all any more.
Sooner or later, we feel we will find another special friend for her, but just dont feel ready yet.
So....
Meanwhile life seems to have continued on without us ... we had an excellent helper Called Ana who was a great comfort during a very difficult time, she worked like a Trojan in the veg plot and got it all under control for me. She really was a lovely girl and soon became a good friend too. Sadly she had other commitments and could only stay two weeks.
We now have another helper called Jim, a very tall English bloke, he's been with us a week now and its going great, he works as hard as he eats!! He certainly takes some filling! But its good for Rik to have another man around to help with the heavy work and they plan to start on the log barn (and filling it up) during this week..
Our good friends Alik & Jan from England came and stayed for a week and again really brightened up a difficult time. It was lovely to see them and we were very sad to see them go... LONGER next time eh Alik? Im making it plain on here as we know he reads it often...
The place is really starting to look better, Ana and I sorted the veg plot, Ana & Jan have tidied the front of the cottage , and car park, now Rik and Jim have graveled and planted up stuff its looking excellent, very pretty. We have Spanish Guests in the cottage fr a few days and more due at the end of the month too... so we need to keep it looking spick n span.
Its very hot.... and I mean VERY hot at the moment, today 38 degrees.... Im trying to avoid cooking as much as I can, but we genuinely dont feel like eating much till its more or less bedtime as its too hot to eat... just drinking tons of juice and water...
The veg are strange this year... we had a very poor crop of peas, due to the wet weather and then mice eating the seed, but the beans are cropping well, Im picking french beans every day now, Ive pulled the onions, and although there isnt as many as last year, I think on weight we have more as they are much bigger... we have dug all the potates, we had about6 sack in the end, we gave one to a friend, one to the man who gaveus the seed and ahve three put away to store and still are munching through the rest...
The beets are poor this year, we had to start again and replant as they were so bad...
Carrots are excellent! We've been eating them now for few weeks, as are the cabbage, the few caulis that hearted up have been good , so we've run the risk of planting up another 45. Just have to hope the hot weather doesnt harm them.
The squashes are finally moving a little, so slow this year. This time last year we were eating Courgettes ... now they are just coming...
Yet---- the tomatoes are going to be stunning... so many I'll be buried under a pile of them all summer, the aubergines are doing well as are peppers and chillis. The few corn that germinated are looking good, so have high hopes there too...
All in all a mixed bag, so bad but a lot good too... we wont starve this winter...
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