Not all Rosy round the garden!

Its not all Rosy  around  my garden . Our weather has changed dramatically, within the last week. The stillness of winter is in the air, and the harsh chills of early mornings has arrived.  Mr wind is blowing fierce and the rains come and go. Cold crisp days are here to stay for a while  

                                      Mid January, the olive trees will be  pruned . they are looking a little ugly now after the harvest.
The garden looks all forlorn and a little sad.

The sun chairs are looking lonley -pergola drapes put away until next season.

 

                   After all it is the season for the flowers to sleep and the garden plants to rest.   Maybe a good day in between some things can be done! The bushes to clip and the pots to a kinder warmer area ,where they can sleep until they wake to show us their glorious blooms. Of red , pink, white, and blue's

                                        The wind has blown the rosemary bushes over and they are breaking. I shall cut it and put it in a vase and have sweet smells around the cottage.

                                      creepers taking over , they have grown like mad after these last rains.

                                       I still have some roses, but they are looking pretty thin with less leaves.  Think!  I am still  very lucky to  have  some boldly fighting off Mr. Winter

This poor yellow rose is fighting hard to blossom  against the wind and the rain. I took this snap with Mr wind blowing  with all his fury.

                                     Take a look at the skies.  Here comes the rain again took this about 20 min ago

                                      The rain washed the bark from the flower beds and some of the olive branches fell off.  Weeds are popping their heads up all over.  No sooner do I sweep, then it happens again.  I've given up.

                                        The path is ready to be mowed and cleared, but I like to see the yellow flowers that are now all around the fields .They look so pretty.

  More bark washed off the rose beds.

No use working in the garden now- Mr winter is here with gusto again .  Without fail she visits and heaves her heavy wrath of rain,wind and snow upon us
.  Some days , she's mild others she's furious.
 And the wind blows like mad.!
I am going to curl up now next to my fire now read my book and sip a hot cup of cocoa. mmmmm!

So you see dear friends.   Sometimes its not all Rosy around my garden here.

wishing you a warm weekend.  Hope some of my dear blogging friends have not been affected by the awful flooding in GB.

val

        

Some new tricks!

     I am sure many of you will remember 'Surprise'  Our young filly that  I might say is very naughty.
I posted a blog about her and her mum Pascoa and Shilah coming into my inner garden and eating a lot of my plants earlier on this year.!     Here is my youngest son Filipe riding her for the very first time. Her first day to be mounted.

                  She's looking beautiful and ready now to learn some new tricks.  That is what has been happening around Mr. M's farm during these last few months.    Mr M. has hired a Brazilian 'goucho' Ze.  He has been in Portugal 2 years with his wife and daughter and grew up near the border of Argentina working and training horses..   You can see how instead of a bridal.. Ze has tied the "reigns" to the saddle. This makes the horse totally submissive ..For Surprise its awesome, as everything has been done to try and train her , but she is stubborn and just does'nt want it.   It was fantastic to see how Filipe managed her on her first ride. Filipe has been riding since a child..and spent some time in Oklahoma on a friends ranch helping with roundup with the cowboys of the ranch.    He was amazed at how different this process was with the horses.

                 Here is Ze..a very sweet man and a very capable horseman. He is mounted on Pascoa..Surprise's mummy.

                    Filipe is getting surprise to bow.  My grandson Thomas in the background. He is a natural too but Sheilah doesnt need the new tricks.

                                Getting ready for their ride back to the big farm

                                      deciding which way to ride

 Reaching the end of the land ..They went on for a long ride and home again.

A little sad to see them walking off.   How I wish that I could have joined them .
Their visit , made my Sunday.

Happy wednesday
val

The Sado Estuary Nature Reserve Portugal

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The Sado Nature Reserve  is round 23.160 hectares .  It is declared a natural reserve for more than 300 + species.
Sometimes when taking the old road to Lisbon ,closing in near to the salt flats and the wide open spaces of the estuary we can often catch a glimpse of some of the magnificent Flora and Fauna of this area.

            Storks, Herons, Flamingos, White Swans and more.   The fish species include Bream, Mullet, Skate, Sole and the Lusitano Toad fish.    The estuary extends as far as the salt water at the river mouth.

               Playful bottle nosed dolphins follow the fishing boats or the odd yacht out for a sail or a day's catch..

 The Sado Estuary twists through diversified countryside, of huge rural properties connected to agriculture and forestries. Areas rich in fish and sea food.

      Some of the Flora within the Estuary area

                                                        Grande Egret

                    I wrote a post about Alcaçer do Sal some time ago.  This is one of the views looking towards some of the Sado Estuary.  Very strict rules are applied to fishing in these areas ..Its of great ecological importance.
Its area is full of marshes and rish in rushes..  It also extends to the sea.

 I thought this such a lovely post for the last  Sunday in November.   With Autumn leaving us soon.  
I am happy here and count my blessings.

A peaceful blessed Sunday to you all.

val

Someone Special

I call her "The Easy Rider" - I'd like to introduce you to my wonderful, beautiful daughter Nina.    She is the eldest of my four children  and my only girl.
She lives Lucern , Switzerland.    The magical land of snow , sunday church bells ringing,  the tinkle tinkle from the cow bells up on the hills, of beautiful lakes . wild flowers ,wonderful elegantly kept gardens ,swimming in the lakes during the summer months . Skiing during Winter.  I become the "dog sitter" I stay to the bottom slopes and look after Lucy ,Nina's Bernese mountain dog..she is 'ginormous'-  (I cant ski).  Of course we cant forget  the best chocolate that one can ever indulge in!
 My suitcase is packed with chocs for the family on i return.  
Winter skiing - Nina's 3 brothers join her .. its their winter family time.


Nina told me when she was around 13 or so.    " mum, I will have a Harely by the time I am 30,  only then will i  be able to afford one "!  .. Well , she sure made that dream come true.

 photo taken by P  on
her Harley -" Billy Jean".
Nina and P belong to the "William Tell Chapter" of Harley riders of Lucern
 Its true what she said to me! .  Most of the riders have professions that allow them to own one of these bikes they are pretty expensive.

A great group of riders from her chapter.
Most weekends when the weather permits get together  and away they ride off for the  weekend.  They like to ride to Lugano, or Lake Como, Ticino,Bergamo  Italian swiss cantons.

This  summer  8 riders from the chapter, went for 5 weeks to the USA  .. The tales from their  trip ,were just wonderful to read, and of course, what would we do without "Skype".! A wonderful time had by them all.
She had  fulfilled  another of her dreams..! Having lived and worked in the US ,some years ago . She was now able to fulfill her dream of all time  to  ride on' route 66 .'

They had a fantastic time seeing so much of the US,visiting so many interesting places and meeting some great people from other Harley chapters of America.













Nina,  is married to P   and her  two girls are my eldest grandaughters.
Nina lectures English at Zurich University and also has her own Language school in Lucern, with great success .  I am very proud of Nina(Antonia) by the way , she dosnt like to be called Antonia..!!
She has a couple of degrees from London University, and has worked hard to get where she is.

Maybe many of you know about Switzerland!.  I visit often and enjoy the very organised way of life. The Swiss are very "Green" conscious, the country is very clean ..Its a charming Country, and the people are so very friendly.
 When I am there ..I shop,window shop. fill myself with all the lovely swiss pastries and delicacies. I   feel very civilized indeed.  It's a place where I can wear my clothes other than just my country wear. It a shopping haven.!

                  I am coming to the end of my roses now.  I possibly might get another vase..but its nearly time for pruning.   I picked my roses today. thinking of my dearest Nina, and missing her very much. She has given me many years of true love and friendship and two beautiful grand daughters.

                                A peek at my lastest water colour.(Hibiscus) -   I am sure that Nina will take it home with her when she comes for Christmas.  She has a few of my paintings hanging around her home.
Can't wait to have my family all together.  What more can one ask for.

Wishing all my dear friends a joyful happy weekend.

Val

A three day post!

November is a busy month. I wonder some days, how the time can pass so quickly. Its been a month of mixed weather.  From heavy rainfall for a few days, lightning and thunder.  Then warmer days with some sun coming through the clouds around 11am.   If the sun is out , I am out.

These photos I took during the last three days. 

MONDAY.

After the rain stopped i grabbed my camera and took my doves once again sitting on the wall.. first one then two. Looking up I saw a whole grouping of them on the telephone wire. Then they flew down onto the the ground and started pecking away.. I am thinking it was the olives on the ground they were pecking at!  If you look closely, you will see a nearly totally white dove.

TUESDAY

A couple of rose buds that had been opening.. Most of the blooms were damaged with the heavy rain. but these two were so lovely, still with some little drops of rain on them

WEDNESDAY.

Yippee.. today the men started picking my olives. I was sure they weren't going to come. I sure was wrong.  Lots of fallen from the trees due to the heavy rain.  They really should have started last week. I am pleased. Today its just snr. Jose. but he has cleared a few trees.

I can now look forward to at least some olive oil in March.

 Nets on the ground. snr. jose is clearing the trees in the inside garden.. they are making such a mess.
It really is a back breaking job.. and as dear Demie wrote on my last blog post.. Only when you know what it  entails to pick and harvest olives , do we appreciate the Olive oil.

Olive oil is pure and healthy.  Hope you all keep some on your kitchen shelf. Wish  I could send you all some.


Wishing you all a happy week.

val

Green day @ val's Alentejo. linking with Fiona @ Raindrops and Daisies

It's Olive picking time. This is one of my many olive trees.  I have 8 that are within my inner garden on the land. On the other side of the fencing I have hundreds.  In years gone by , it would have been easy to organize labour for the harvesting.  Now no one wants to do it.  For the past two years I have made a deal with a man from the village.  He picks my olives and then he gives me the Olive oil after having been taken to the "lagar" the pressing factory. Last year my trees were laden with olives . It was a good year. This year is not too bad. My olives are organic, I dont spray them with anything at all, as some farmers do. I was promised that they would start picking tomorrow. I do hope so, as they are now falling all over my paths . I am a little tired of sweeping them away.  Crunch crunch when you walk over them. 

                                          Fallen olives ripe and ready for the press. We are having heavy winds and rain at the moment, so they are falling onto the ground..not sure if there will be much left by the time they come to pick them.!

                         I was lucky to get this shot of an egret  .. He moved off as he saw me . They are all over now. Time for "front line" on the dogs.!

                                                        overhanging branches laden with olives

                                              I love to see the new ploughed fields .. This is opposite me. Farmers use the bater system sometimes.  This farmer used it with the owner of the land, who is now very old.  He gets some lamb.. and the owner gives him the field for his sheep. It works.
I use the bater system with my olives.  The man gets the olives and I get my olive oil, and the trees are cleared.  This year he is going to prune them. So next year there will be no olives.  Its all in the joys of farming.

                          Wishing you all a Happy Friday.  Enjoy every moment life is good
                                                                            val