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 31 December 2014

2014 Christmas and family& New Year

Christmas behind us, presents put away..  e mails and sms's answered with  lots of good cheer, and good wishes for 2015.
Once again another wonderful Christmas at M and H's  Herdade dos Alfange.. My cottages are too small for  our  large family when we are all together  during the winter get  togethers.
 Christmas Eve Heleen's meal and fare was divine - on the table and kitchen table goodies all around .. christmas lights and trees . presents for the children.  More for little Max to unwrap..as he is the smallest.  He was kept very busy christmas day.  

Christmas day. was with me... food prepared at my home. 10lb turkey and all the trimmings. .Then taken to Alfange ..where Heleen and her mum had set the table with Didi.. It was a really wonderful christmas.   My three boys 4 of my grandchildren.
Happiness all around.  Christmas music and story telling from christmases past.
Nina had visited  from Switzerland  the week before. So the two of us had a little pre christmas dinner together here at Quintinha. Then she spent time with her brothers in Lisbon.
I got to be with all my children during 2014.
Nothing better than togetherness with family.

                                A summer photo.  Part of the beautiful Alfange garden... we all took a walk around on christmas day.  Some of the trees are much much taller now.  My dirt track road ends at the entrance gates to Alfange.  Its walking distance from my cottages.

                                                               Entrance. image from one of the top bedrooms.
                                This morning .. A beautiful morning- The sun shining brightly. We have been blessed with such good weather over this last couple of weeks.   Not to say, that it isnt nippy. Indeed it is, especially at night. I have the wood burner keeping me warm.
                                              clear blue skies.. As close as I could get my zoom to the top farm..you can see my old home on the right.    Through the trees you can see M's sheep, that are now Filipe's .. Also within walking distance.


A jet plane early this morning ,leaving its long white jet stream behind it, on its way to somewhere-    Thoughts of new beginnings.!  of  a new year even better than 2014!  hopefully dreams coming true. For all of us.

So dear friends.. with thoughts of this  christmas past , of future ventures for  2015 -
I wish you all a very Happy and Wonderful  New Year.  Full of love and good health.

Saying good by to 2014.  I thank all my close blogging friends for  supporting my posts. some good and some not so good, but I made it through another year.  Its been great.
 Blogging has become a part of my life, sometimes not knowing what to blog about, then the light bulb goes off and I am on the keys again, writing about this and that, Running around with my camera, taking it everywhere I go, photos here and photos there.  Never thought I would be using my cameras so much.
 Reading all your news and happenings over at your blogs. All a pleasure to visit and to read.
 I am blessed to have made such lovely friends.  Many of you have awsome blogs , I have learnt a lot through these blogging years.

++++++++++++++++++++
. Looking forward to 2015.
To friends in.
Britain
Norway
Italy
Germany
France
Greece
Asia
Australia
America
South America

Happy New year for 2015

                                                                              VAL-  VAL'S  ALENTEJO.

15 comments:

  1. Ah that's a lovely post Val. You are certainly blessed with your family all getting together as I was too. You have been such a good friend to me Val and I so appreciate all your comments and emails we've shared at times. Blogging is the best I agree. There have been times when it gets a bit too much, keeping up with the blog reading, leaving comments and so forth. You only have to miss a couple of days and it's forever catch up let alone coming up with ideas for a post. But I'm feeling more laid back a bit now and if I miss one or two posts and don't leave a comment so what. There's always another one in a day or two. Anyway I'm back with a vengeance now and keeping cool. Enough of me. Your photos are lovely and we have had those blue skies here too although like you it's been very cold -1 degrees yesterday morning. I wish you a Happy, Healthy and Blessed New Year to you and yours Val. God Bless.
    Hugs Patricia x

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  2. Happy New Year Val - lovely to have been surrounded by your family over Christmas and that you have enjoyed lots of blue skies and sunshine. Winter here has been good too with many days filled with a brilliant white sun - a much better winter so far than the rains which came last year.

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  3. What a beautiful Christmas Val. Wonderful to have a family gathering. As always you share great photos of your land and lovely area. Happy new year!! Xxx

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  4. What a beautiful Christmas Val. Wonderful to have a family gathering. As always you share great photos of your land and lovely area. Happy new year!! Xxx

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  5. Wishing you a very Happy New Year Val.....Hugs Suzy xo

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  6. Thank you for your visit and
    HAPPY NEW YEAR!

    ♥ Franka

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  7. i am glad you had a great family-filled christmas! i hope 2015 will bring many blessings to you and yours, dear valerie!

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  8. So glad you had a wonderful Christmas Val. Wish the new year brings you everything you desire, may all your dreams come true...
    Thank you for all your kind visits and see you in 2015 !
    Olympia

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  9. Dear Val,i'm sure you had a wonderful time with your family,at Christmas Eve!
    We also had a lovely weather in Greece,but just now it's windy and snowing !
    My daughter is flying back to the Netherlands.Yes,i am sad.
    Wishing to you and your family a Happy New Year,2015,with health,joy and happiness!Happy Holiday's!Hugs!
    Dimi...

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  10. Sounds like your Christmas was perfect - so good to have your family around you. Sending you all the very best wishes I can for 2015. Happy New Year.

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  11. It's been an eventful year....with highs and lows! Here's hoping this next year brings much happiness! Happy New year my friend, Diane...from Florida

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  12. Happy New Year to you dear Val. Wishing you health and prosperity.
    ox, Gina

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  13. Val, I'm so glad you had a wonderful Christmas with all your family. There is really nothing better and I know you feel so fortunate to have it that way, as do I. Your weather looks like it cooperated throughout the festivities with plenty of sunshine. We have been "told" to expect snow any day now, but nothing so far. I, too, love all the friends I've made through blogging and hope to continue on in the future, and to enjoy all that you are up to..Happy New Year..Judy

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  14. Dear Val, Your family Christmas sounds so lovely and in such wonderful surroundings too. Sarah x

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  15. Your Christmas sounds wonderful, Val - just the way it should be with family and good food. We too had a sunny Christmas, but of course much colder here.

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