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.
Friday, 31 December 2010
Tuesday, 28 December 2010
Solstice and Citrus...
I thought I'd pop in today as its a bit damp outside and update this with a few pictures of various things I've rambled about lately. Firstly, our Solstice Celebration went very well, there was eight of us, and it was quite a multi national thing too... Two welsh... One Channel Islander, one English, One Swiss, two Dutch and One Portuguese.... and seven... DESSERTS!!! I unthinkingly told people when they asked what they could bring.... oh just bring a Dessert.... heheheh I made two myself and it seems everyone else made one as well... YUMMY...
It was a lovely evening, and we so enjoyed the good mix of company...
There should be a pic of the table here somewhere, sadly the ambiance doesnt come out with all the candles and fairy lights ect...
And... our lovely Tangerine tree is going bonkers this year... when we first came here it was huge, overgrown and fruited badly and what we had were small and dry and quite bitter... Rik 'pruned´it back so hard I thought I would never recover... but it has and is now doing wonderfully... I went and picked up the fallen ones the other day and used some as Solstice decorations studded with cloves they look good and scent the room too... the rest we have been eating and juicing, so sweet and tasty... and free... our first real crop of fruit (apart from lemons) ...and there are hundreds more to ripen and come yet...
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
2010 end of year Update...
Ive been trying to marshal my thoughts on 2010.. although its been very hard t get past the horrible bits of losing my dad and our beautiful boy Cola, I dont feel that the whole year has been dreadful. I know Rick has found this last year incredably difficult, and at times so have I. Its been a real emotional rollercoaster... the financial problems we've had (and still have) coupled with me going backwards and forwards abroad and then our losses... its been very tough.
But....
And its a big but... I feel there are also so many positives that have come out of all this. Hheheheh Rick often says Im so optimistic sometimes its annoying... but I feel its often the only way to get through all the hard times...
Some of our positives are... our relationship is still strong and working... and we still love Portugal, our home and way of life just as much as always... we have two beautiful dogs, Beesa the pup brings us a smile and much joy almost every day... Bonnie is now putting on weight again and seems her old happy self now she has someone to play with and some company..
We've had a excellent year veggie wise (after what seemed like a bad start) with tons of food stashed away and now planning and planting lots more than usual for the winter months... plus the wood barn is fuller than usual at this time of the year.
The land is in better condition and under a little more control now due to us aquiring Herman the cultivator, and of course the great efforts of our helpers we've had all summer... deciding to have volunteers at our place was a huge success and has made a real difference to our lives. It brought different company to our home and we got lots of projects and work done at the same time...
We've done a few improvements on the house but not as uch as we'd have wished due to money or lack of it... but as long as the place is improving even if very slowly, then Im happy...
We are living more frugally than ever, but actually are enjoying the challenge ... most of the time... I am as always looking for ways to cut the electricity bills and any other expenses we have, still our fuel for the car is our biggest... but at least we've reduced down to one vehicle now, which runs on gas (GPL) which is over half the cost of petrol ...
We are recycling more than ever, Im making door draft excluders from all the thin wispy plastic we cant seem to avoid, I wash and reuse any freezer bags I use, carrier bags are not an option for me anymore , I have two reusuable strong bags, and use those all the time. All food waste goes to the dogs, or compost, paper is torn up and composted or burnt and composted. So we've cut our bin waste down to around one bag every three weeks or so... The fridge is off, the washing machine does one 30ยบ wash a week(I hand wash a few odds and ends betweeen if needed) Now we have sperate switches for some lights we can turn off more at a time which has cut our consumption a lot...
So we dont feel we are doing too bad. We just now need to up our income... or even start earning some... for the new year, or things could start getting tricky later in the Spring.
I have high hopes of the cottage earning us some dosh as I think a lot of people feel they MUST get away this coming year, so as we are very cheap.... well you never know...
Im advertising Rick and all his many talents locally ... in the hopes that it may pay off with some work for him... Rototilling, land clearance, land maintenance, dry stone walling, terrace repairs... building repairs, painting, alterations... you name it really he does it.... Im blessed he's so clever...
So, there you have it... in some ways an appalling year, but in other not bad... we are still here, still living our dream.... still loving Portugall and each other.... and summer wont be long.....
Hheheeheh how corny does that sound....
But....
And its a big but... I feel there are also so many positives that have come out of all this. Hheheheh Rick often says Im so optimistic sometimes its annoying... but I feel its often the only way to get through all the hard times...
Some of our positives are... our relationship is still strong and working... and we still love Portugal, our home and way of life just as much as always... we have two beautiful dogs, Beesa the pup brings us a smile and much joy almost every day... Bonnie is now putting on weight again and seems her old happy self now she has someone to play with and some company..
We've had a excellent year veggie wise (after what seemed like a bad start) with tons of food stashed away and now planning and planting lots more than usual for the winter months... plus the wood barn is fuller than usual at this time of the year.
The land is in better condition and under a little more control now due to us aquiring Herman the cultivator, and of course the great efforts of our helpers we've had all summer... deciding to have volunteers at our place was a huge success and has made a real difference to our lives. It brought different company to our home and we got lots of projects and work done at the same time...
We've done a few improvements on the house but not as uch as we'd have wished due to money or lack of it... but as long as the place is improving even if very slowly, then Im happy...
We are living more frugally than ever, but actually are enjoying the challenge ... most of the time... I am as always looking for ways to cut the electricity bills and any other expenses we have, still our fuel for the car is our biggest... but at least we've reduced down to one vehicle now, which runs on gas (GPL) which is over half the cost of petrol ...
We are recycling more than ever, Im making door draft excluders from all the thin wispy plastic we cant seem to avoid, I wash and reuse any freezer bags I use, carrier bags are not an option for me anymore , I have two reusuable strong bags, and use those all the time. All food waste goes to the dogs, or compost, paper is torn up and composted or burnt and composted. So we've cut our bin waste down to around one bag every three weeks or so... The fridge is off, the washing machine does one 30ยบ wash a week(I hand wash a few odds and ends betweeen if needed) Now we have sperate switches for some lights we can turn off more at a time which has cut our consumption a lot...
So we dont feel we are doing too bad. We just now need to up our income... or even start earning some... for the new year, or things could start getting tricky later in the Spring.
I have high hopes of the cottage earning us some dosh as I think a lot of people feel they MUST get away this coming year, so as we are very cheap.... well you never know...
Im advertising Rick and all his many talents locally ... in the hopes that it may pay off with some work for him... Rototilling, land clearance, land maintenance, dry stone walling, terrace repairs... building repairs, painting, alterations... you name it really he does it.... Im blessed he's so clever...
So, there you have it... in some ways an appalling year, but in other not bad... we are still here, still living our dream.... still loving Portugall and each other.... and summer wont be long.....
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Happy Solstice !!
Happy Solstice everyone...
I hope you all enjoy today, and the longest night passes warm, safe and happy for you all...
We are celebrating the return of the sun (well in theory at least as its pouring with rain) and the lengthening of the days with a nice meal, a warm fire and some good friends for company... and we are really looking forward to it... Ive just popped in to write this and then am off home to cook up a storm...
We decorated the livin/kitchen last night, using pine and other pretty leaves and foliage from the forest, add a few pretty candles and the place looks lovely... no pics Im afraid... it looks its best by candlelight..
The weather is pretty wet, but we are blessed to not have the terrible conditions of snow that many across Europe are suffering, I hope all of you who have those problems keep warm and comfortable till its over...
Happy Solstice...
Pat
I hope you all enjoy today, and the longest night passes warm, safe and happy for you all...
We are celebrating the return of the sun (well in theory at least as its pouring with rain) and the lengthening of the days with a nice meal, a warm fire and some good friends for company... and we are really looking forward to it... Ive just popped in to write this and then am off home to cook up a storm...
We decorated the livin/kitchen last night, using pine and other pretty leaves and foliage from the forest, add a few pretty candles and the place looks lovely... no pics Im afraid... it looks its best by candlelight..
The weather is pretty wet, but we are blessed to not have the terrible conditions of snow that many across Europe are suffering, I hope all of you who have those problems keep warm and comfortable till its over...
Happy Solstice...
Pat
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