Abdication

News of Pope Benedict XV1 and his Abdication after 8 years,   Is all over the world news at the moment .  

The Holy Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church.

This morning he said his good bye's to the Cardinal's and yesterday to his followers.  I thought he looked tired and old.  His Abdication , came as a shock to many of us.  I believe the first time a pontiff, has abdicated in over 600 years.

                 Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger was the 265th pope.  He was born April 16th 1927 in Marktl am Inn-( Bavaria).  A university professor of theology before he was ordained , a very highly educated man. With a love and dedication to the holy catholic church.

I always thought him a very pragmatic quiet man and true to in his faith and beliefs  as the head of the church.
  I wish him well along with the millions of catholics around the world in his retirement .. We now wait for a New Pontiff . - We now wait for the white smoke to  emitt from the vatican enclave of cardinals. Many good christian men within the enclave ..Maybe a younger Pope this time..  Benedict asked for a shorter period for the enclave to decide on his next successor.

                                 I was in awe at the sight of St. Peter's , when I went to Rome.
I have family that live in Tuscany.. and my niece was married and living in Rome for many years. I stayed with her in her beautiful home in Fregene. a suberb of Rome.. on the sea.
A most amazing city.  I am sure that many of you have visited.    Its charm, its History, its people , call you back again.

          St. Peter's Basilica - Late renaissance .. designed pricipally by Donato Bramante - Michelangelo, Carlo Moderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini.       It remains one of the largest churches in the world, and possibly the most visited.

                                  The Creation of Adam-  Sistene  Chapel - by Michelagelo.. Evokes many thoughts on the subject of Adam and Eve..

               The Swiss guards have served as bodyguards since the late 15th century. Not only as household guards for the Vatican City.. Also as regular Swiss mercenary regiments .. in various armies - France, Spain and Naples up to the 19th Century.  We mainly know them as the Swiss Guards of the Holy See.
The chosen men have to be swiss and catholic.. also with higher education, before they can apply for the post.. they are changed every 6 years.
My son in Law .. has a very good school friend, who is serving at the Vatican  Swiss Guard at the moment.

                                  Strong Intelligent men. Not just statue's !!!

'Mater Ecclasiae ' within the vatican grounds, where the pope will eventually live and retire .

The end of another papal  era.

For the moment Pope Benedict will be living at 'Castelo Gandolfo' long been the summer retreat for more than 4 centuries for the Popes.  A view of the exquisite gardens at Castelo Gandolfo.

              ........................................................................................................................
Wishing you all a blessed day.  

On the way home

 I thought that I would drive home out of the back way from my village.  I love this view of the church and all the little white houses.
Vila Nova is a quiet village.  A little more movement and activities during the summer.
Today was like a spring day.   The sun was out and when not in the shade it was a little warmer.
We have not passed the cold spell, but hopefully soon.

I decided to stop and take a few photos .. Photos below  are the  village washing tanks, they are a little walk out of town.    Open in the summer for the ladies of the village.  
When I first saw them many many years ago.  The ladies washing and singing around the tanks.. the children playing with the water and laughing with joy on a hot summers day, what joy to see them. These ladies are not involved in the every day politics of the outside world.  They are in their own world . Some went to school together, and their mothers were friends. A close knit community.

I somehow felt a little guilty all those years ago.  I must admit I was 'ignorant' for want of a better word, as to how the village ladies lived.     I went home and thought.  Gosh, those poor women, working all day at home or in the fields looking after the children , having to wash by hand.

Of course, how wrong I was and  I found out quick enough, that is not the case at all.
The women of the village, not all of course, go to the tanks to chat and exchange gossip and bring themselves up to date with the daily happenings of the village. They have fun.  (most have washing machines at home) ): Its a passtime a way of life.
Here in Vila Nova.. The church bell tolls  , when someone dies.  Word of who that person might be, soon spreads around.. and the tanks is where lots of stories are told, and the news gets around..also in the little taverns.
Whenever I pass the tanks during the warm balmy months of summer.. the ladies are there until dusk, with their short sleeves on waiting ,putting their washing in their baskets. Waiting for the cooler evening breeze to arrive and give us all some respite, as they carry the baskets home on their heads.

The water in the tanks are kept pristine and clean.   

The village is a close knit community and the men also take pride in keeping the tanks and water fountains clean. The water in the fountains filters through from the higher hills about 3 or 4 kilometers  distance away from the village.

 You will often see the horses drinking from this tank.  My son Filipe and friends, always stop off to give the horses a little water here. He has friends on the other side of the village.

 No! its not snow.. at the moment the fields are thick with the tiniest of little white daisies and some deep red leaf plant that grows inbetween.. The sheep and horses at the moment have their 'bellies' full.  These beautiful fields never cease to fill my heart with joy.






All over the village are seating places for the elderly or who ever wants to sit out and get a little sun.  You can see one of the water fonts here

More water fonts.. The one above is next to our station. The  one  below is on the way out of the village..  but its always kept clean and painted. 

I received my driving license renewal today.  The years go by quickly. From now on, I have to renew it every 2 years.  I think that a good thing. It should be compulsory for some of the younger drivers too. ! Many drive far too fast for these country roads.

I arrived home from my shopping .  Put the kettle on . I was so ready for a cup of tea.  Changed into my house clothes.. much more relaxing

put my slippers on ,my feet up .. a few 'bikkies' and a hot cup of tea,   I then settled in and  started to read .

I have not finished ' Island Beneath the sea'.. so I am going between these two books at the moment. I often have two books on the go.  Keeps the mind active.!

'Call the midwife' was given to me while on my workshop.

The series has just started here on our TV.  So I am rushing through the pages.

One of my very old friends in South Africa.. was a midwife in London and the areas spoken about in the books during the 60's.. The series has not yet arrived there.  She is so looking forward to seeing it.

lots of hugs to you all 

Wishing you some good days ahead.

Val

starting on the spring garden

I am slowly getting back to normal around the Quinta. 

Even though its been raining most of the week and our temperatures have dropped. 

Mr. Sun peeped his head out of the sky to say hello today.

Thoughts of impending spring and all the lovely activities that go with it, came to my mind.

I have bulbs to plant.. seeds to sew and flower beds to prepare.

While I was away.. Dear Pedro, who helps around the garden , has already started the clearing up process. 

I gave a skip and a hop as I walked around this morning. 

                                                            Lililies to plant

                                                           Blue skies overhead

                                                My first daffodills /narcissus

                                    So beautiful in the morning sun.  I dont have enough. and hope I might be able to get more in this week and have a better show.. if not, I will for next year.  I read somewhere, that daffodils are 'lent lillies'- that is why their heads bow down with the breeze.  A reminder that fasting will soon be at an end.! and Easter will be here.

                                          Part of the my entrance all looking neat and trim.  I hope to take out the blue concrete 'thing'.. i dont like it anymore. I think Jeffrey agrees with me.

                                           The pepper trees all nicely trimmed..  Pete's path ready for the new garden at the side... Pete left yesterday... I was a little sad to see an old family friend leave.

 The first time I ever saw a daffodil, I must have been about 6 or 7 years old. My parents booked a holiday in Wales on a working farm. The fields were full of yellow and white daffodils.. thousands of them. I never forgot that sight.  It was like a magic carpet of yellow. 

                                    I took this photo at the entrance to' Leath barn', while on my workshop.   in Somerton... you can just make out the whole of the grass on the edge is full of daffodils some ready to bloom.

                 I WONDERED LONLEY AS A CLOUD
                 THAT FLOATS ON HIGH O'RE VALES AND HILLS
                 WHEN ALL AT ONCE I SAW A CROWD, A HOST , OF GOLDEN
                 DAFFODILS; BESIDE THE LAKE, BENEATH THE TREES,
                  FLUTTERING AND DANCING IN THE BREEZE.
               
               

       We can all remember learning this at school.    I think its such a touching poem.  It gives me the feeling of hope .. that life has so much to offer us.  That we must enjoy today for today.
I end my dear friends, by saying :-  That is just what I did.

I hope that your last Sunday in February was a good one for you all.

Val

Workshop and Norfork (ll)

Hello there! Good morning.  

I started pottery as a hobby about 40 years ago.  The usual once a week class. My dear teacher..now passed away.. was also a dear friend.  We both bred Irish setters,so had much in common.

All those years ago, was really the start of my journey, that has brought me up to this time now.

I had never attempted water colours.  I always thought it too difficult, and it is. 

Most of you already know that I have been on a few work shops ,but only for oils.

Corfu was my first experience working with water colours, and I fell in love with it.

                                              Beaming like a Cheshire cat!  was I thinking, perhaps one day, who knows.. there could be a 'Monet' in the making ):  You can see through the french windows in the studio, the weather was excellent and only green fields all around.

                       Fresh pots of flowers for us to choose from.  The course I chose, was loose and free. very difficult. Now I have lots of techniques I have learnt that I can put into practice.. getting further to my goal of painting 'my masterpiece' ):

My work table

                       Entrance to the Leath Barn guest cottage..where I stayed. No transport in the area.
If  I go again.. which I would love too.. I would need to hire a car.

                                    My work... loose and free no pencils just  wash and paint.

                                  Jan, besides being an accomplished water colour artist.  Is the perfect host.. our meals were all vegetarian.. lovely salads and all sorts of yummi food.. the table was full.. morning tea and buns, Lunch, and afternoon tea is provided. I can tell you, I didnt need much for dinner.. I was pretty full.

                          The course group enjoying a hearty lunch with lots of laughter and chats about the terminology and words used in the art of water colour painting.  I leave that to your imagination.. it was hillarious.  A great group of people..

                                                More masterpieces..!!

                   You can see the sea on the horizon.

                               I did not want to intrude too much on Jan's privacy.. here is a peek view of her lovely comfy lounge in her guest cottage.     If you would like to see more of where I went, you can find her on  'Jan Blanch Cottage Flowers.)  Her beautiful home is full of all her originals..
She also sells her cards all over the world..

I did not get to meet up with sweet Anna.   I was not far away.. but  I had no transport.  Maybe another time.  It was also very intense and I needed the rest over the weekend.

Its been non stop rain, since I arrived home on Wed.. Its dull and miserable.
I am sure you can imagine, what I will be doing over the weekend.!  Yes.. painting.

Thank you for all your super comments.   It really was a treat for me to be able to speak my own language and hear English humor at its best.  It was all well worth it.

Happy weekend
Val

Norfolk Broads and Workshop (1)

 Waiting to get on the plane.. I was jittery with the excitement of travel once again.  The skies were overcast on leaving Lisbon.  Settled in my seat. I was on my way once again to the beautiful British Isles.. The photo below is taken coming into landing at Gatwick.

I had no idea where I was going..Other than it was some miles out of Norwich.  Of course I had researched my maps and knew had seen on the web images of  the broads with their vast open plains.. but never did I expect it to be so beautiful..  It reminded me of Alentejo in a round about sort of way.  The flat land .. Sheep, horses, very big farms .  I passed through some lovely looking little villages.

                                I am sure that you all know this building.  The tallest building in Europe. I followed the building of it.. 95 stories high.. I took these photos from the train.  My objective was not to sight see, but to get to my workshop and start painting.  The excitement was building up.

THE SHARD... SO SO HIGH.  THIS PHOTO TOOK ME FROM THE OLD CHIMNEYS OF  THE VICTORIAN ERA OR BEFORE ..SO MANY OF THEM AROUND.. AND THERE THIS ENORMOUS CONE GLASS BUILDING.  I WAS TOLD THAT THE CHEAPEST APARTMENT HERE BEGINS AROUND 5 6 AND 7 MILLION POUNDS AND BELONGS TO THE QUATAR ROYAL FAMILY.. IT SEEMS MOST OF LONDON IS BEING BOUGHT UP BY THEM. HARRODS INCLUDED.
LONDON HAD CHANGED.. IT SEEMS AS THOUGH A NEW ERA IS COMING.. NEW LARGE BUILDINGS GOING UP.. NOT JUST BEING BUILT ..BUT BUILT UPWARDS.. AS THERE IS NO MORE SPACE TO BUILD SMALLER BUILDINGS.. IN SOMEWAY..IT REMINDED ME OF A NEW HONG KONG..OR MALAYSIA..WITH ALL THE TALL TALL BUILDINGS.
IT WAS SUPER TO LEAVE THE CITY BEHIND AND GET OUT TO THE COUNTRY.

                                 Turnip fields.. the heavy rain had damaged a lot of crops

Finally arriving at my destination at Jan's lovely converted barn. The part you can see is the 4 bedroomed guest cottage where I stayed and shared with a very nice lady called Felicity. She had booked herself on all of Jan's workshops for 2013. 

                                     At the weekend I walked some of the lanes.. lots of trees around the hedges and pheasants flying off as I passed by.

                                  A lovely little thatched roof cottage at the end of another lane..
  My final destination after 2 train journey's was  West Somerton.

I arrived home yesterday.  I was very surprised to come home to rain and cold weather.    The weather in Norfolk was warm and sunny..

Today my 3rd son Miguel is 40. My eldest son Manuel, flew yesterday to Los Angeles to be with him for his birthday.  I can just imagine what they will get up to.

  I took Pete out for lunch.. It was a sort of celebration for me to celebrate Miguel's birthday and also thanking Pete for watching my 5 babies and my home, for the beautiful path that is now finished.. He is off on Saturday, on his travels once again.

I am sure that I have missed some super posts ... and look forward to getting back into the swing of things, and trying to catch up.   It seems I have been a way a long time.
I hope that all my dear blogger friends are well.  I know that some of you have had bad weather out there too, and some of you have the wonderful sun on your backs..
At the moment the heavens have opened up and its raining so so hard.

I will  post again tomorrow..
Its great to be back.