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.

Saturday 8 February 2014

Weather cycles come and go

Our skies heavy with rain clouds. Its been non stop rain . Interludes now and again . Then it returns together with winds and heavier rain.
               Not to complain really, as the fields are becoming greener and greener.  Lots of food for the horses when we move them down to my pastures.
               My pebble area in the front garden -  It seems a collection point.  The ground is more clay here, so it collects quicker.
                               puddles everywhere.
This february , I would say, is the worst I have known for many years.  It's not so much the rain, although bad.   Its the cold.  Its been bitterly cold.    Our temperatures going down to 3ยบ --
                         This is a familiar image for many of you.   It is the only place that the Blue winged azure magpie likes to fly down to.    I watched them for over an hour.  They are a beautiful bird.  They swoop down in groups of around 4.  Take the bread i leave then fly off.   They are very alert and quick
Once they see me at my kitchen window, off they fly.
                  Pedro cut the grass last month.   Its ready for another cut.  I can't see that happening for a while.  The land is soaking wet.
        Pedro also spent a day building up the walls last week. We had a few hours respite so , cement mixer was on and he was able to do a few hours work.  Its coming along really well.   You can see that the right side of the little store room is higher than the other.  That is where we will put the beams .. I have decided on wooden beams.   You can also see there is a cut in the back wall.  That was the small original store room.  I have made it bigger - ordered the aluminium window.  I have the door, and floor tiles. Had them for some years.  I am happy with this project. Its going forward.  Advancement in this area. Lots more to do, but slowly does it. We will get there.


So as the cycle of winter is still with us.  Our weather man tells us , that this weather is here to stay for another week.

In The North of Portugal. In the seaside town of Nazare and along that coastline.
waves of over 100ft hit the promanade entering the road .  and flooding the streets.
In Porto.. High waves entered the river front and swept cars up like a thimble and carried them down the road.
You might have seen on the tv. a Brazilian riding the biggest largest wave in recorded history. In Nazare.  A very very dangerous coast during winter.      The American surfer- Mac Namara. comes every year to ride the big waves.





I am not sure what bird this is.  It looked like a kite- but could have been a hawk.  It was hovering for sometime over the area.. it must have seen something on the ground.  It was there with two others for a while.
 Amazed at how my Fuschia has survived so long.  It has a flower on it just about every week. See how the leaves are thriving.


Thinking of all my dear blogging friends, who are being affected by the floods in England, blizzards in America, monsoon's in india- such bad bad weather this year all over.   Climate change is upon us.

I have only been out once this week. Its just so bad.  

Wishing you all a relaxed and cosy weekend wherever you are.


val

30 comments:

  1. So sorry to see that you've been getting the same cycle of storms as we have, Val. Is it very windy with you too? The good thing is that you won't be short of water for the crops and garden for a long time.

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    1. Hello Perpetua,
      I am behind with my comments.
      Yes, it seems that the weather patterns all over the world are changing. Its rain rain rain and heavy winds here. Thanks for popping over Perpetua.

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  2. just amazing - you have so much rain and others like california and australia need it so badly.

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    1. Its amazing how the weather patterns are changing. Poor Australia.
      I saw on the news that more fires on the way for the south of Australia..
      Here its raining non stop.

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  3. Hi Val: It is really frightening how the weather is changing all over the world. What is going to happen. We are have the worst drought in a number of years and although we have had a steady rainfall the last couple of days, I think we have a long ways to go. There will be bad fires this coming summer, I'm afraid, if something doesn't change. Looks like Pedro is keeping busy around your place. Could you share him a little bit??? Your land is looking very pretty with all the green..Happy Weekend..Judy

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    1. Hello Judy,
      Nice to see your comments again.
      The weather all over is bad. some places worse than others.
      Pedro is my handy man..he is very helpful.

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  4. ΅We have also had too much rain this year Val! It's not bad if we avoid floods.
    Have a nice evening!

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    1. Thank you for your comment
      Yes, the weather is very bad. still raining here.

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  5. It seems to be a harsh winter everywhere. That blue-winged bird is beautiful. Stay warm. xo

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    1. It is a bad winter everywhere .. We are lucky.. its not as bad as some other countries.. but its very bad for us.
      The blue winged Azure magpie.. is such a clever bird

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  6. We had rains in my area for three days Val!!I do'nt like this either!Fuschia is one of my favorite plants!Wish you a happy weekend!
    Dimi...

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    1. Hello Dimi,
      I am amazed at my fuschia.
      Its still raining here.
      Thanks for coming over to see me. xx

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  7. All that rain has made everything so green and it will be beautiful when Spring does arrive..Pedro is doing a wonderful job...it looks terrific and has lots of room!...:)JP.

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    1. Hello JP.
      Thanks for leaving your comment.
      I am not sure if the sun will be here soon. Its so so cold and raining non stop.

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  8. Lots of interesting things happening in Portugal, Val. I did see that giant wave on TV, and thought of you in Portugal. The pepple garden looks very pretty under the water, love those blue magpies, and I'm impressed by the fuchsia. They are very exotic and I have never tried to grow them. Happy Sunday Val. XOX

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    1. Hello Patricia,
      thank you for leaving your comment. nice to read them always.
      The giant wave was so scary. The surfer took such a chance.
      I too thought the pepples looked nice under the rain water.x

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  9. Dear Val - I have just been looking at photos of flooding in Brittany too - it seems to be all across Europe. I am just grateful that I live high up on the top of a 750 foot hill. The sun and better weather must come soon.

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    1. The weather patterns are changing Rosemary.. this year seems worse than the others, that happened many many years ago.
      I was thinking of many of my blogging friends.. and am pleased to know that you are high up. We had a little sun yesterday..but the rain is back..

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  10. Dear Val, Seeing all of your green pastures makes me feel wonderful. It will be a while before I see a green blade of grass. Wouldn't mind the rain either.

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    1. I am pleased that you like all my green fields Gina.
      Its due to the non stop rain we are having.
      Your area I see is under snow.
      stay warm.

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  11. You have such a beautiful garden dear Val and the rain makes the grass look so lush . :)

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    1. Thank you for leaving your comment Pallavi.
      The grass is lush.. but growing so fast. Its getting water logged.

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  12. Experts are now saying that we will have water restriction by June due to the lack of snow in the mountains. Hard to understand when we've had a lot of rain this winter, but the 'snow pack' is what is crucial for the reservoirs.

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    1. Hello Pondside,
      This is just an amazing sign of how the weather patterns are changing.
      Canada is known for such heavy thick snow in the high mountains..
      Its such a shame. A great subject for a post Pondside.

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  13. Cold winter here as well; coldest, they say, since record keeping started. Will it ever end? and do we ever tire of complaining about the weater? haha Soon, I'll be complaining about the heat!

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    1. Thanks for coming to visit Sanda.
      The weather is puzzling so many. Its just non stop rain here at the moment.
      I do understand what you say. Here it will be so hot during our summer months. It will be complaining about that as you say.

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  14. Sorry you too have been suffering the adverse weather in Portugal too. What is happening to our weather lately? Sarah x

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  15. Dear Val , I hope that the weather is better now ...I saw at TV that in Portugal the weather is bad and all the west Europe ... In many places there are so bad physical phenomena ...I see that the work going well and soon it will be finished !
    Have a lovely week .

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  16. Hi Val, sorry you've had this awful wet weather too. The world's weather is definitely changing. We've been quite lucky in that we have not had any flooding in our area but it's been so miserable. Like you, I haven't been anywhere and quite happy to batten down the hatches and stay inside. Love the blue winged magpie. Take care.
    Patricia x

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  17. Sorry to read that it has been so cold and wet there Val. You must be looking forward to a change of season.
    It rained here last night and the garden is lapping it up. It's cool today too, for now. I think the heat waves have finished. I certainly hope they have. It's been a hot and tiring summer.
    Your green grass looks so nice.
    Keep well and warm.
    Betty

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