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.

Wednesday 29 January 2014

Clearing

 Sunday morning, I was woken to the sound of a tractor.   Ze . who attends my olive trees,had pruned them at the end of December, begining of this year.      The old olive branches are cut to make way for new growth.   the trees have to be hollow in the middle.   Much like a rose bush, after pruning.
                               A friend of Ze pushed and dragged the branches and put them into large piles.
                                   Slowly the left part of the land started to look like a different landscape.

                      Here is one burning pile.    We are only allowed to burn during the 3 months of winter. We still have two more piles to burn.  
         These olive trees will only give olives in 18 months. They had a good heavy pruning.   Now the fields are nearly clear, and the little yellow flowers and the tiny white daisies are popping up their heads.
                                 Spied a new flower bud ready to open on one of my geraniums .. I am amazed how some of the flowers have gone flowering through the winter.  But the garden needs some color.
                        Filipe came for a visit in the afternoon .  To give Pascoa some excercise.  We will be getting the electric fencing ready soon, for the horses to come down from the top paddock. (thought her and Shilah were pregnant, but they are not)..
    Some more progress with the store room.   We have had heavy rains with some sun inbetween.  Hoping to get another wall up this next weekend.
      And so the days are busy around "Quintinha das Rosas"..  Here you can see how the land looks so different with the bare olive trees.  
I am finding that the plants are growing fast.  I started this inner garden about 8 years ago.  The bushes and flowers and trees have grown.  There is so much to attend too.

Its been cold and rainy again these last two days.

Hope that all my dear blogging friends are safe.   Lots of bad weather traveling the world.

Wishing you a good week.

val



21 comments:

  1. it looks beautiful and green. i was wondering about your mares - glad you will not be having any surprise foals after all!

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    1. Hi Tex.
      It really is getting nice and green. I thought you might think about my horses.. I really thought they were pregnant. No surprises. Thanks Tex

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  2. I'm glad the rain stopped long enough to get on with the clear up. Everything looks so tidy. That is a lovely picture of Filipe and Pascoa. Sarah x

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    1. Thank you Sarah,
      It is looking nice and tidy. Always lots to do around here.
      It was super to see Filipe again.

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  3. I didn't think about having to prune them but it makes sense It sure looks different. Nice horses, is spring there almost?

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    1. Hi Sunnybrook.
      Yes, olives are like fruit trees. They have to be pruned. Of course not drastically every year, like I have done this year. They needed real heavy pruning this year. We still have a month and a half to spring. Our weather is milder here than yours.

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  4. I can see that Spring is just around the corner at your place, Val. The field of daisies is a great sight, and what a beautiful photo you have taken of Filipe and Pascoa. Good progress on your store room; it will be ready for summer. Happy Days Val, xoxox

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    1. Spring will be with us in a month and half Patricia.
      The fields are looking so lovely here
      Thank you for your kind comments. It was so great to see Filipe. Not having seen him since their sail to the Caribbean.
      Store room is coming along.

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  5. My pot geraniums outside are still in flower too - we are having a very strange winter I have never known them last outside before.
    Everything is looking really organised around "Quintinha das Rosas" and you must now ready for the spring Val. I think that it is good to have strict restrictions on bonfire burning, however, I do love to see a good fire.

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    1. Dear Rosemary,
      I do agree. The winter has been very strange to say the least.
      We at the moment are having such cold cold days ,but with lots of sun. The sun is not warm at all. We will be burning again this weekend. lots of old leaves and garden cuttings to be added.

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  6. Oh my, you always have interesting things going on around you! Beautiful horse.

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    1. Hi Jen,
      Yes, life here is interesting. Its farming area. so always something on the go.
      Thank you for your comment.

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  7. Dear Val, your property is looking good. While you have new green growth we have new snow. We can burn the ditches until May but must always call the Sheriff department to let them know when the fire is out.

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  8. Dear Gina, It is looking good. I am really pleased. Some fences to fix at the end of the month.
    Our rules are the same.. we can burn up until the official date of summer, but we must get permission from the municipality, so the fire department knows.
    Thanks for passing by Gina.

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  9. So pretty and interesting. Thanks for sharing your Olive trees with us.

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  10. You definitely have a lot to take care of but I know you love it! We're cold and rainy here in Florida but I won't complain. Much of our country has a lot worse weather! Stay warm my friend. Sweet hugs!

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  11. HELLO FELIPE! Your horse is so pretty, Val. It sounds like you are doing a lot of work around your area. Everything is coming along nicely. It finally rained yesterday and supposed to rain tomorrow. I'm glad, as we need the rain right now.

    Have a nice Friday Val.

    Love,
    ~Sheri

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  12. Such a lot of work goes into maintaining your beautiful home, Val, but I'm sure you enjoy it. Do the olive branches and trunks have a special scent when they burn? Such a beautiful horse!! Do you ride yourself? I can't recall if you've written about it. Wishing you a beautiful weekend!

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  13. I'm glad you've managed to get the olive prunings cleared, Val. Those flowers make it look as though spring is already on the way.

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  14. Hi Val

    We are extremley hot again in Canberra Australia. Just trying our best to stay cool. Keep up the great work. Shell - A Darlings nest

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  15. Our rain in Essex just will not go away, it seems as though its going on forever but hopefully Spring is just around the corner. You've certainly been very busy Val and its looking good. Lovely picture of Filipe and Pascoa too. Have a good weekend my friend. Patricia x

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