Its been what seems like ages again, but to be honest, as its winter and things get tricky for us in winter, we try to limit the trips into town to an absolute minimum to save on fuel. Also... we are so damn busy, its just that the days fly by and we dont realise it... I'll try to get into this update all thats being happening but its tough, and then when Ive done, I'll remember everything Ive forgotten...
The lads are still with us, its been oh... around 7 weeks now I think, so long we've lost count... they have settled well and look and seem happy enough.. They are working hard and still accomplishing so much for us its excellent... although I seem to spend all my life cooking and preparing food that as soon as I turn my back has vanished... they sure can eat...
Gareth has finshed his project, and it looks wonderful, Im so pleased, its turned out just as I'd hoped if not even better. Its very pretty and come the spring will be even better with some nice pots of flowers. Its completely made from our scrap stone, and no cement, Rick showed him the old way of using clay instead , its the way our house was built 250 years ago...
Gareth is understandably very proud of it... and so he should be...
Osian has finally finished stone walling, he's built another one to finish off the terrace by the house, again it looks lovely and fits in completely. The whole area outside the back door has completely been transformed. It was a rubble and weed filled rubbish dump, now it looks like a real garden and will be a beautiful place to sit during the summer.
We have also added another almost full row to the log barn, no mean feat in itself... but we do have the range going all day now, the weather has been stunning, although for us a tad chilly morning and evening, the boys still cant believe it and are in tee shirts.. This last week it was so warm Osian worked in shorts...
its been around 20-22 degrees for best part of the week, on sunday we decided to have what will be the last cookout of the year...
We fired up the old bread oven and I made fresh pizza and then rick lit the BBQ , we have a good brick built one, and we cooked chops Id been marinating over night, some in yogurt with orange juice and basil, some in balsamico and oil and garlic... yummy... plenty of rice & salad and some good red wine of course... it was a great afternoon, Gareth played his Guitar and we sat in the sunshine and relaxed..
The broad beans we planted in the orchard have all popped up, looking good... this week the lads are strimming and clearing the two terraces above the orchard level, tidying and clearing old branches and trimming back old vines. We also have lots of clearing up to do nearer the house now the vines have all dropped their leaves..
We are making a huge bonfire, looking forward to our Winter Solstice Celebrations... it will be a first for the lads so we want to make it special, rick will be building a Solstice lodge for in the garden and we hope to hold the celebration outside if its not too wet...
We have also picked a few olives, we had an excellent crop, but sadly most are on the ground and not much good now, but we'll manage about 6-8 sacks in the end we hope, not a great year but its so delicious... I cant manage without it... I use a litre a week nowadays... Well hopefully thats all...
