New Trees by Road

It took us about 3 weekends to clear the mess from the loggers- and then we could get on to the fun bit!
We went straight out and spent the €300 from the logging company back on trees for replanting.
This is what we bought:

1 Liquidambar 6/8 2m+
1 Quercus phellos 180/200
1 Quercus rubra 150/200
5 Cupressus x leylandii 80/100
1 Sequoiadendron giganteum 60/80
2 Photinia red robin 40/60
3 Prunus laurocerasus (cherry laurel)
1 Vibunum tinus
1 Picea pungens Globosa
1 Cedrus atlantica
1 Platanus 160/180
1 Grevillea
2 Liquidambar
2 Quercus rubra/coccinea
3 Pinus pinea
2 Arbutus unedo
1 Ginkgo biloba
1 Quercus suber (cork)
3 Cupressus
1 Tilia

Liquidambar

Baby Sequoia

Pine Forest Clearing

We made the decision a couple of months ago to let the loggers take the big pines from the site- to save us a bit more work and hopefully put a bit of dosh towards replanting. We've had three or four people show interest, but they've never come back. This week there was a different log company clearing just across the road- so we talked them into clearing ours too while they were local. They offered a smaller amount of money for the trees- basically called them 'palha' which means straw. The longer we leave them- the less they are worth, and we just want them gone now.

They cleared them all in a day- one guy on the chainsaw, the second in the big machine, and a third with tractor and trailer. Fascinating to watch, but also quite sad!

Yesterday, the day after the loggers left- was a public holiday- All Saints Day, which meant we could have a day on the land and start clearing up the mess they left behind.

Beppie the boxer on holiday with us and having fun out on the land

Maggies tree

Just noticed this week that Maggie's (our first boxer) crab apple tree is shooting from the base. A year on! Just goes to show it's important to be patient!

Autumn 2018

Not sure if it is because we've gone past the year marker, or just the fact that autumn is here and things are greening up again- but we're feeling quite positive about getting this place back on track.
Had a brilliant weekend clearing with Spud. We've got a long way to go-  the task of taking out the dead trees is still very daunting to me- but we can only do what we can do and every week we make a tiny bit of progress.

Day 365- One Year On

So here we are- a year on. I guess we've achieved quite a lot with the recovery of the Quinta -  pigs, chickens, gardens, plus all the house repairs- new windows etc, but the fire still seems to be very much a part of every day with burnt trees everywhere reminding us of that horrific night.
It's been an extremely hard year for us personally, but hopefully we are starting to come out the other side and we continue to stay positive, making plans for new projects to try to get the old Velagota we loved so much back.

Day 364 - Hurricane Leslie

It was a year ago today the hurricane came through and fanned the big fire and caused so much devastation, loss and heartache. Last night it seemed like deja-vu with a hurricane coming through the area, and the bombeiros sirens signalling a fire a couple of villages away.
We've been through the worst case scenario here, fire-wise, and this year we can be re-assured that there's not a lot left to burn- but it doesn't stop the anxiety when those sirens start up!
This morning we've had a walkabout and there are a lot of trees down- better get the chain saw out...

Day 363

Day 362

Day 361

Olives on the new olive tree in the side garden

Day 360

Wednesday 10th October- the Bamboo, Wisteria and Liriodendron (tulip tree) are back from the fire and doing well.

Day 359

Day 358

Day 357

October 7th- Echinacea, Rudbeckia and Zinnias bringing some late colour

Day 356

Now we know for sure the large pine trees up near the road are dead (many started coming back but beetles, disease and drought have finished them off) we've arranged for them to be taken away. Around 80 trees in total.

Day 355

Cleome hassleriana- Spider flower

Day 354

Thursday 4th October- Our beautiful forest slowly disappearing, but a big view is opening up.

Day 353 Lenha!

Logging continues and we have stacks of it!

Day 352- Quinn's Tree

Quinn's Tree- a Quince Tree!

Day 351

Brother helping us collect logs 

Day 350

Day 349

Saturday- bit of help from family and friends with the ongoing tree felling

Day 348

Friday 28th September

Trachelospermum jasminiodes by the front door- only planted earlier this year and almost to the top of the wall. The old one was a favourite roosting spot for one of the blackbirds here so hopefully it won't be long before it's bushy enough and the blackbird will return.

Day 347

Thursday Sept 27
Almost one year on and some things are only just sprouting- just shows it's important to be patient and give things a chance.

Cornus (florida?)

Nerium Oleander

Day 346

Day 345

The family are here and weather is hot!! eating al fresco

Day 344

Miscanthus sinensis

Day 343

Sunday 23rd

Day 342

Baby in the house!!

Day 341

Friday 21st
some late summer colour - Echinacea and Sedums

Day 340

Baby frogs in the pond!

Day 339

Garden below the house growing well

Day 338

The house &  land almost a year on- still looking pretty devastated

Day 337- safari queen and larey pigs

Day 336

Slightly more relaxing sunday- cleaned out the pig stye and the chicken house and cooked our first roast for a while- Autumn must be coming.

Roast duck and orange eaten in the garden. 

Day 335

Saturday Sept 15th
strimming the paddocks (one day we'll have a tractor topper again and the job will be done in a fraction of the time!)