Pie and Stew

New additions to the farm courtesy of Gloria- A breeding pair of bunnies- aw cute!!!

Looks like rabbits on the menu soon at Velagota.

Fireplace, and a photo for Jo Anne ;-)

WOWEEE!!!!!!

The architect finally produced the drawing for the fireplace- it's the final main work to be done by the builders, and makes an incredible feature to the living area.

Can't wait to be sitting in front of a roaring fire with a glass of red! (might have to wait til next winter now tho'- it's pretty warm here now!!)

Sunset from the kitchen

Spring 2009

Really beautiful here this week- lovely warm sunshine and all the spring flowers and blossom- it's wonderful.

We have three varieties of wild narcissus growing on the land here- one apparently (Narcissus scaberulus) is very rare and only found in this area of Portugal- so exciting to find it here.

Lots going on in the garden- we have ten new chicks (bought from the market)- 6 for eating and 4 for laying (if we're lucky and they turn out to be female!). Mrs duck has made a nest and the geese are getting frisky!

(Mrs Duck's nest- she will probably lay ten or more eggs and then start to sit on the nest)

The tunnel has been extended so it's a new and improved version ready for lots of growing- so far we have salads, tomatoes, herbs, aubergines seeds in, strawberries and after today will have peppers, cucumbers and melons sown too- a very exciting time! And check out the new and improved potting bench build by my own fair hands- I am extremely proud!!!

Lots of stinky stuff has been rotivated into the vegie area to improve the soil, and Paul has started repairing the fallen down terrace walls around the house. We have also planted several more trees- pears, almonds and cherries.

back in the land of the living!

We have finally got our phone line connected so have computer access again.

We are currently living in 'the flat'- the room will be the study eventually but it's the easiest room for us to be in at the moment.

We have had people staying in the cabin so it has given us the push to go into the house. Everything is dusty and we can't find anything but it's nice to be here!

Last tuesday was the carnival (gosh how time flies-the last one only seems like yesterday!) a really fantastic day.