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A quote from Charles Dickens.

 "It was one of those March days, when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold; When it is summer in the light and winter in the shade"

                    These last few days, have been just like Dickens wrote.  Hot then cold. Sunny then windy.
The weather has changed again today.   Its become very cold, It rained all afternoon yesterday.    I have lit my wood burner this morning and slowly the cottage is warming up.  When you go outside the sun is out, but one just gets blown away.

                           A few flowers that have started to show their heads.   I have two of these plants, but don't know their name.. they are like a tiny bottle brush tree, but with purple brush like flowers.

                                  Lovely orange daisies growing around one of my olive trees.

                   I had a chance a couple of days ago, to sit in the sun and close my eyes and soak it all up.  When i went inside to make myself a coffee  , Jeffrey -Cassidy , had decided that he liked it there too.  The sun then went behind the clouds and I retreated inside. He decided to stay.

                                         Tis is a little ground creeper. I thought it was dead. I was mistaken..here is a little head that has popped out. Such sweet colors and shape.

                                 My outside patio, that most of you know. At the moment everything is covered up for the winter. I cant wait for the real warm days to come along . So I can get everything into place once again.  
But for the moment.-  I have a new member that has joined our family.   Here he is. His name is Vouga- named after a river in the north of Portugal.. He was born at my cottage.  Then went to live and be watchdog to mr M.-Who loved him so.
   As Filipe can now only come up to the farm every other weekend.  I have taken Vouga into my fold.
He is a wonderful loving dog.  He has known me since a baby,    but if anyone goes near him, while you are there or not there  .. Oh no.. not near Vouga. He's my baby watchdog now.

          Filipe brought Vouga down to me on Sunday.  I put a sun bed on the floor for him to sleep on.. he has ripped that. (nerves I should think)! Not being used to my place.  I have put the big kennel there for him.
   He has to be tied up at all times.  As he will go straight to the sheep .  It might sound cruel.. but its not.   He is perfectly happy.  I walk him three times a day and he loves to play.  For the time being , he is on my patio  at Olive cottage, next to Rose cottage, where I stay in the winter, when I dont have guests.
 I have a closed in area at Olive cottage where my doggies play around.   Pedro is coming later on today, and we will be fixing an inner area where Vouga will have his new home. It will be his space. he can play till his hearts content.
Dear friends. I dont like to get "soppy" as one would say.. but I cried so much when Vouga came to me. He reminds me of Mr. M.  (enough said)

                                     Vouga.  He is very obedient.

                      Vouga is a cross labrador with a Raffeiro Alentejano.. The Raffeiros, are big dogs that protect the sheep.    - Somehow Vouga, got it the other way around and went after them,hence having to be tied up.      He only has one eye he would frighten anyone );-  When he was up at the big farm..now Filipe's.. No one would go near the farm,  they would stay at the gate and pulled the bell  cord, to attract attention.
 I am ever so happy to have him and Filipe is delighted.   He will soon be running with his cousins around the place.  Lots of patience and I will get there.

                              Another member..    My new car. A lovely Honda Civic.. only had one owner. A surprise gift from my son M.   The old family VW..was on its last legs.  He said he didnt want me to drive it.  So this arrived as a surprise on Wednesday last week.    " I'm in heaven", I'm in heaven" my heart beats so that I can hardly speak"-



Thank you to all my dear blogging friends who left comments on my last post.  You are all so very kind and I am lucky to know such lovely people.  Happy blogging to you all.


Wishing you a very happy week.

                                                                   Val

Bits and bobs .

  The sun is out and its getting warmer.   I have just been messing around with bits and bobs in the garden. I went to the garden centre with a friend during the week.   I didnt buy much..but just wanted to get some color.   Here are some pansies still to be planted.. they are in the wheelbarrow in the shade.  

I love their colors.

                                 Put the rest of the fertilizer on the new plants..

                                        This pansy is just delightful . I think i want it closer to my cottage.

                                 Testing out an old plant pot holder I found to see what size planter to buy when next at the D.I.Y.   This is where i will put my pansies. The geranium is doing very well.

                                        My fucshia is getting so many blossoms.  it loves its place.

                                     Bright color on the fence with mesamesthremums..wow! sure spelt that wrong. such a vibrant orange.  I think i might get some more.

                                   A new little Fuschia planted.  I hope that it likes its new pot and will grow as my other has.  This one has a different flower.

                                     Oranges from the big farm.. delivered to me - how am i going to get through all these.   !!! will be giving some to friends.

                            Snr. Ze Maria, brought me my olive oil this morning.  I am so delighted.  Olive oil for the rest of the year. The food and salads taste so different with fresh olive oil.

So am off out to do more bits and bobs.. after a nice ham sandwich and a cup of tea.

What have you been doing this lovely Sunday.

Secrets of the trees

If trees could only talk!  What tales they could tell us.    Tales from hundreds of years ago. tales of even today, when I walked down the lane.     When lovers walked hand in hand and whispering, declared their love for each other. Thinking no one heard, but the tree did!      secretly they listened.

  

A tale of  when the old man and his donkey passed by to cut the grass at the side of the lane , to take home to feed his rabbits, and the trees secretly listened.  

When in  the deepest deep  of  the night,  the owl's would sit and woo and call out to for a mate.

                           Entertwined the the tree had grown together. Secret holes for the Mongoose or weasel to hide in  , leaves hanging from their branches.  All the while listning to  the tales of the people passing.

                       ! Let's sit here a while the lovers say! Darce not let the village folk see, gosh what trouble we would be in.  " Lets share our plans with our old friend the trees  . Her lover replies.  " We dont need too, they already know"-   This is where my great grandfather proposed to my great grandmother.    Shhhhhhhh! lets listen.. they might just tell us a thing or two.

                                wild lilies growing within the protection of these old old trees. When in bloom secretly picked to give to a loved one.

                            I can hear the churchbells ringing!!!  One of the twin trees said.  "yes, its Maria from the bakery" she is getting married tomorrow.  Old man  Mario was talking about it last week.

                             And the roots grow , and the tree holds its secret of the Rabbits who come to visit .

                              No! " am am not twisted.. Its mother nature. She made me so I could see all around me. I hold many tales to tell.
" I am glad that they dont cut us down anymore".. If they did, our secrets would be gone forever. Where would the Foxes hide and the Hares that come to say hello.  And old mr Tortoise ..he has lived here for so many years.

We are all trees together.  Some of us are stranger than others.   I like to live here, and see the people walk the lane. " I think they like to see us too"
Gosh, how many tales and secrets we can share."









Mr. Woodpecker comes to visit often.  The hawk and the kites too.  We are so lucky.!!! Old mr mongoose like my hidy hole.. he visits a lot.

The woodmouse and the mongoose are our friends. 

     "Did I tell you, that the nocturnal boar comes to visit me often." he seems to like lying and resting at the foot of my roots"- and so they talk about all their many secrets of days gone by.

                                         Gosh! The sun is going down.   Closed my camera .. drove home and thoroughly enjoyed my walk down lovers lane.   I think I heard the trees whispering. !!!

Some of these Olive trees are hundreds of years old.   Each one so very individual.  When I look at them, I see shapes and outlines.  They seem to come alive.

Happy days.   Spring is on its way.

Said goodby!!!!

This is the sky here at the moment.  Its just unbelievable how, in one day, the temperature can rise to 21º with beautiful sunshine and some warmth from the sun.  To a morning of heavy wind.  Clouds of heavy rain on the horizon. Bringing with it another cold front. 

Weather patterns are certainly changing.  

                                A little blurred .  As I went out to get more wood for my salamander .. I spied another of my lovely little blue magpies.. There were many of them flitting around, but i am not quick enough to catch them flying off, and it was cold outside.

                                     The oleander trees bending in the wind

 The tow truck came to take away my poor little fiesta on Thursday.   I was rather sad to see her taken off down the drive.  I waved goodby to it.!!!! then had a little cry.(crazy woman).   Its been a whole week of sorting out the paper work to take the car off the road.  Papers here and papers there to fill in.   All paper work is finished now.
 I have the old family vw. she is looking in pretty good shape, and I am happy to have her. I like old cars, they have a lot of character.(this one has)!!!   She had a good wash and clean.    So now I am at least able to get around.

                              Just needs a new side mirror on the right. My handy mechanic is looking for one. Many of you mentioned insurance.  I only have 3rd party.  It does not cover fire . I did not have to pay for the tow truck.. and I recieved 90 euros for the scrapped car. !!!  I will put that towards new plants.

                              Most of my pots are now empty  at the moment. Yesterday was such a wonderful day.  Pedro and Maria gave a good clean up at the front of the cottage.. removing all the broken glass and burnt cinders.    

          The pots are now  ready to fill with some nice bright plants.  I hope to take a visit to the nursery , when the  weather is more stable enough . so I will wait a while.

                                  My rose bushes are slowly getting new growth.. I cant wait until spring.

My apologies for not replying to all your kind comments.   Its been a busy time for me, and taken a little wind out of my sails!!!!   Thank you so much to all of you who left your comments . So very much appreciated.

Wishing you all a very happy Sunday.

A busy week ahead

Its been a week now since my car blew up.    I am hoping today that the insurance will send a truck to take it away.  It gives me an ache, every time I see it. 

                           March I hope will bring some sun. Our weather has been very dull and raining most of the week.  Not having a car, has made it a little more isolated for me.   Pedro and Maria, have been wonderful and been buying my groceries.

                       My yellow daisy bush cheered me up a little yesterday.  Still lots to do around the garden

                 I planted this bamboo last year and its growing like wild fire.. needs a nice trim.   The boarding at the side is coming loose..another thing to add to the list of cleaning and getting things into spring order.

I would like to thank all of you , who left such kind comments on my post about my poor car.

I did not reply individually, it was so overwhelming for me.    

                                             A very big thank you.  Wishing you all a happy week   val.