Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy New Year... lets all hope for a better year to come...
We have lots of plans, we hope to continue to work on our frugality... I enjoy the challenge and it brings out the meaness in me and makes me feel that Im doing my bit to help the world too...
We hope to continue with having helpers so we can grow more food, plant a nuttery... or what ever you call a large area of nut trees. I want to make sure the Medicinal Herb Garden becomes reality this spring for sure!
Of course Rik has huge plans for working on the house, all dependant on us finding a way of earning more/some income... if things do not pick up for us soon with the holiday cottage bookings, he'll actually have to go away to find some work... which would be disastrous for us... but.. if it has to happen to make it possible for us to stay here, thats what he'll do... We will manage somehow. We are fully committed to staying here somehow or other.
We started clearing the ruin part of the house the other day, we feel we have to live with a positive outlook and at least doing this is moving forward with the house and it doesnt cost us anything but labour, there is room (and footprint) there bigger than what we live in now, effectively more than doubling our house size.
So he will be working on that during the next few weeks and I'll be clearing the area at the other side of the house where I plan a raised seating area connected to the herb garden to be...
The veggie plot is still helping us out with the odd cauli, plus the ever present (thankfully) cabbage, hopefully the grellos will be ready soon for good soup.
My winter planted peas are going great guns... tons coming on well, almost 4 inches high now and no sign of bird or mouse problems...
The broad beans look excellent too, but Im not getting excited, as every year they do... and we rarely get many to actually eat for one reason or another...
I so look forward to the spring and planting for a new season... its such a positive time of the year, I love it... all that anticpation of whats to come... all that lovely new growth and fruitfulness...
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.
