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.

Sunday 29 January 2012

Friday 27 January 2012

"Tall tale"

A few of my shells.



I was taking a photo of my shells this morning . Day dreaming with my cup of coffee, i was thinking about blogging. I will just put a photo of the shells ..then My day dreaming took me to the swoosh of the waves and the sea calling to me. A familiar sound that comes to my ears often from time to time from many years of sailing. When i closed my eyes, "yes" i could hear the waves swishing inside the shells.. The sea was whispering to me..tell us a story ..like you always do.

Remembering our youngest son Filipe, when as a little boy, he would call out from below deck.. "mummy ,daddy" i can hear the fish talking. It became ,we thought, a game. After some days of him repeating this. We lay down beside him on his bunk one day , and sure enough ,when all was still and calm , we could hear the the "uuping" noises and sounds of the whales. Of course Filipe was jumping for joy, that we had heard it too. They were calling to each other ,a most fascinating sound that i will never forget. A
day to remember . All overjoyed to be able to listen to the call of the whales.
Sea faring stories are told from times gone by, and always will be . Many of them as though they were taken from the pages of a Jules Verne novel.. Of these I have heard and been told many..

Sailing to Morrocco some years ago.. Filipe then an adult, was below deck.. and of a sudden we heard him shout "Whales"..we were all up on deck like a flash, staring with our eyes over the oceans span and the horizon to see where it or they were..

Within seconds, we were covered with a spray of water. So foul smelling sprayed from his blow hole.. a direct hit, all over us .. Wow..what an experience.
It was one of the longest, largest hump backed whales that we had seen.. Whales like to come up at the side of yachts.. they can be dangerous especially if you are under sail.. quickly our engine was on.. and he swam alongside of us for about an hour then , just as he had come he made his majestic dive disappeared into the depths of the ocean.
As a family, we have been very priveledged to know and seen some of the wonders of the Oceans. This was sure one of our highlights to be able to sail with the whales.

(the photos here on the blog, taken from the net)..
I leave you to wonder, could this be a tale or not..!!!
hope you enjoy..

Happy Friday

Thursday 26 January 2012

"par excellence"





I have started reading "Isabel Allende's" new book
Island Beneath the Sea..

I know i wont put it down .. it is going to be intriguing..


I think she a most excellent author., and amongst my favorites. Her books are gripping and i transend into the place she is writing about at the time. I close my eyes and imagine the people she writes about. They become real to me..

Not only is she beautiful and talented.. Also the cousin of Salvador Allende..

................................................
Writing is a process, a journey into memory and the soul.. "quote" Isabel Allende


wishing you all a happy Thursday..










Saturday 21 January 2012

Sand sculpture

I was amazed to watch this artist at work.  He has sculptured this  "fisherman's" beach scene all out of beach sand.
I took the photo on one of the last days of summer 2011..

Happy saturday

Friday 20 January 2012

Little Isa..

This last weekend, my little four legged family gained a new member.. Little Isa.. She belonged to my son..but as they live in the city and in an apartment, they found it difficult to keep her. She is the mummy of my Hardy..
Once again dear friends..i have been having trouble in recouperating my old blogs..and have had to make a new one..  
Here is little Isa.. showing off.