WELCOME TO Val's Alentejo -I write about my region of Alentejo. My art ,painting, my cottages, Family life, my animals -Travels And my love for Roses- and rural country life.

Monday 27 July 2015

indisposed

typing with one finger. is  certainly a first for me. As is falling and breaking my thumb. its been a tough couple months ,with my major back surgery. now falling down my back steps.  it reads like a novel. honestly dear friends. i had second operation saturday. i have a bennett fracture.  the thumb is totally dislocated from the fingers.  i have wires in now and plaster on hand and arm.  with all the wires and titanium in my body. Manel said to me- mum you have built in antennas.  

I miss all my dear blogging friends.   I hope that you are all enjoying summer. And the weather not so bad for my friends in australia.

sending hugs

val


Iam not leaving.  hope to be better next week
its  42ยบ  real hot here.

XXXXX



Friday 10 July 2015

The village & sweet memories

Having lunch or dinner in my favorite village restaurant.. is always so relaxing.  I have mentioned to you all before, that my dear friend Dita ownes it.  There is always something going on and village news  to have a little gossip about.  I am off there again for lunch today.   After lunch, when the restaurant is closed, we sit on the sofas with the cool breeze coming from the fan and the open windows and drink a  refreshing iced tea, catching up on family news.

      From my quinta.. this is the way, i enter the village.  In the background, you can see our tennis courts.   I used to play, 20 years ago now. But some of the children play.. raquets and balls are kept by a lady in the village, and you can play, whenever you want.
                             I live on the outskirts of the village, where there are a few farms and quintas.  I love this gate, Its never opened.. Only once a month, when the old lady who ownes the place comes out to see her flowers.   The roses in the vases on top of the wall are imitation .. she is about 86 or so.. I see her bending down to tend her beloved entrance.. so sweet.
       It's been so so hot here in the Alentejo.  I am sure many of you will have seen it on the weather channel.  We have been up into the 40's.. here my neighbors sheep, just been shorn..are huddled in the shade of the barn.
                                                        the central village park again.
                                             I took the photos from the top wall, but you can see the fountains .. the palm trees all looking so healthy.   I dont go here much, its more for the younger crowd and their children.
                                  central village main road.. one bank, two greengrocers, one restaurant and a taverna, and bakery.  The owner of the taverna is 94. I suppose its true.. a couple of glasses of wine a day, keeps the doctor away !!!    The house on the corner with the steps has just come up for sale.. the old folks go to the city to live with their son's and daughters.
                                                           my entrance and the road below to the village..taken from my car.
Sweet memories here..   Like the Australian aborigines.. once someone has passed they dont say their name ever again.    Here is a photo of my dearest Bonita.. her back to the photo.. She went on a walk about. this monday.  She always comes back.. she never wonders far.   This time, she never came back.   Its been very hard for me, to even think about her.  I just cannot believe she is gone.  My vet said, that sometimes, dogs do that when they want to die.     I have prayed to our dear Lord, that he watches over her and that she has not suffered in anyway.  She was my sweet loving rescue dog.. the house is empty.. her brothers know she is gone.  I mention her name, and they look out the window. 
The laws of nature, can be so cruel.   I really thought that she would come back.  She was going on for 9...as some of you will have read my post about her..she was cruelly treated by the hunters. She was blind in one eye and partially in the other.    She is missed, and I loved her very much and she went without nothing.   God bless her. 





A happy Friday to you all.

Val

Saturday 4 July 2015

A birds life

Living in the rural countryside, we  also see some good things and bad , that mother nature sends .   Pedro was working in the garden, clearing the usual garden stuff.  I was helping a little.. not that i can bend down  to do the hard work or anything. but i like to do what i can.    As I walked around the back of the one hedgerow of Oleanders .. There was my little Jeffrey- Cassidy , with something in his mouth.. he came over to me  with such happiness in his gait.. dropped a headless bird in front of me. His eyes looking up at me with sheer glee. As if to say.. look I am a good boy. 
   This has happened before .How do I know,! well one would think I had a cat here at my Quinta.. but i only have the 5 dogs, and often I see feathers around on the ground..  Before Pedro took it away, we examined the bird. it was a bird with large feathers. very different.    I know that in that area, early morning or late afternoon, I have seen blackbirds hopping along the ground and fly up into the trees.  I am sure it was a female blackbird.
 
 Next morning, while having my tea.   I heard this very faint sound of tweet tweet.  I looked for several minutes.   And there I saw her.    A tiny little baby.     My heart went out to her. She just sat there not moving.  Obviously waiting for mommy to bring her food.

                           I got in as close as I could to take these photos.. i didnt want her to fall.
So so cute.. i wish i could have kept her.
          The bird that Jeffrey had cought.. was the mother.  The feathers are the same.   I am not sure if it was a female.. as males have yellow beaks.. "melroes" in portuguese.  You can actually tame them.
Isn't she just the cutest little thing.  I have never been so close to a little baby bird.
         She was there for most of the day.. later in the evening.. i went to look for her, and she had gone. I hoped that she had flown to her other members of her family, that I know are close by.

I cant chastise Jeffrey... He lives in an animals world.  Its the way of nature.    There are all kinds of little creatures and snakes and rabbits that are around., a few years ago, he brought me a little baby rabbit.

Just a little story of a little bird and daily life in the country.


Val

Wishing all my American blogger friends.. A very happy 4th JULY.

Wednesday 1 July 2015

Quenching one's thirst.

Many of us are experiencing excessive heat waves.  
I cannot remember it being so hot and dry here in Alentejo for many years. 
Recently I read an article about keeping hydrated.   My youngest son Filipe, when he phones, asks me. "mum, did you drink your intake of daily water".
I don't know about yourselves .. but its so important for our health. 
A recent BBC report .
Not surprising for me, as my mother was a great believer in drinking tea to quench one's thirst.
They say that tea is better for you than water.   Some of us may agree or disagree.
Water essentially replaces fluid - Tea replaces fluids and contains antioxidants.  Specifically flavonoids , some of the research believed and found that same compounds can ward off heart attacks.
My parents had 4 to 5 cups of tea per day.. and lived a very healthy life.
I wrote a post about tea some time ago.   Its a very healthy drink and hydrates our body.
Ceylon black tea.. is one of the best.  You can cool it and put a sprig of mint in it , better than caned iced tea.
Herbal teas.. are ideal.. black fruits , camamille.. Its also good for loosing a few extra pounds.!



Some other drinks to quench our thirst.  Fresh fruit juices.. as sugar free as possible.   Sodas and carb drinks are not healthy for us.  Its so easy with our blender, to make a fruit smoothie, fruits that have natural sugar content.
My daughter in law Sasha.. makes her jugs of fresh water, and adds mint, or lemon slices.. make sure its a fresh lemon that you cut open.. and just puts the cut fruit in the water.. its so refreshing.

  My two favorite drinks to quench my thirst are  -Water 1 to 2 litres a day.. never go anywhere without my bottle of water.  Its good for the skin too.    And of course my cups of tea.  I drink more of these than other drinks.

Just a little post to remember , that during these very hot summer days ..we must stay hydrated.  Being de hydrated can lead to a drop in mood and energy levels.  

Its the 1st of July.. Take time to think about your health.. its worth it.  So many people drink sodas and pop.   Try some of these drinks and you will feel the benifits...

Stay in the shade. take care of the suns rays.  use organic sun cream.

Where ever you live .. wishing you a happy Wednesday.

Val