Country Life

Thank you, ydd. Yes, I "inherited" the talent from my father, no real formal training, but only started serious painting less than a year ago with the encouragement of GC folk.

I did some training as an architect in my late teens and have done all our houses in re-designing. I also worked as a draughtsperson, but that was with NASA contractors working with rockets ... so chalk and cheese.

I just enjoy anything creative and will try my hand at anything.

Life is too short to waste it, me thinks.

 

WOW LOL.

 

We went back up into the Serra do Caldeir�£o today so it's just mountains, mountains and more mountains, I'm afraid.



To the mountains ...



... and to the sea ...







... we just came up from this lovely little hamlet beside the river ...






... to be continued ...

 

... Serra do Caldeir�£o continued ...

The reforestation programme here following the severe fires a few summers ago is with pines ...



... a nice Eucalyptus ...



... and an old Olive tree ...



... Arbutus unedo which is now fruiting and were they ever fat, juicy and sweet, mmmmmm ...



... a yet unidentified scrambling shrub growing all over this area ...



Down below the river with lots of cane bordering it ...




And nothing to do with today's outing, but from Thursday at our local where we had lunch after shopping. They have Mobile Medical Units here which go to the outlying hamlets once a month and all the old folk gather to have their blood pressure checked, prescriptions renewed, etc, etc, pretty good, I think.

 

Nice ones again LoL.

Still crowds wherever you go, I see. :D :D

 

Thank you, pete ... I thought you would point out the crowds as you know I like them as much as you.

Here's one for you of the Canas (pronounced can-ash) by that riverbank ...



... very tall.

[ 10. November 2007, 10:08 AM: Message edited by: Lady of Leisure ]

 

What am I looking at LoL, all I can see is trees, cant see a river bank. :confused:

 

Sorry, pete, the river is where the Canas are ... the line of tall things crossing the middle of the picture. Guess I take it for granted everyone knows Canas grow on riverbanks, whether you can see them (the riverbanks) or not, and whether they are wet or dry. Muitos obrigadinhos, meu amigo.

I believe they are olive tree in the foreground.

 

I thought the plant life in the background was the same as in the foreground, but I think I can now see what you mean.
Could look good on the allotment, perhaps. :D

 

Second thoughts ???? Probably would look good in the background if you want to hide all and sundry, if you know what I mean?

You can always try and give up but you'd have to contain it I think, a bit like Miscanthus, is it? but this grows very, very tall given the permission to do so. :D

By the way, you can just see it's blooming at the moment with huge plumes, absolutely wonderful.

 

I think I'll wait until I'm rich enough to own my own bit of river bank.
That would upset the anglers. :D

 

There's a windmill up for sale here with land for about �£60,000 ... but it's not on a riverbank unfortunately.

 

sorry have trouble with wind, so not a good idea.
It sounds real cheap though, go for it. :D

 

:D :D May do. :D

 

It was back to the Serra de Monchique today between the mountain town of Monchique and village of Alferce.





To a tiny hamlet of a half dozen houses that were purchased and turned into an Art Gallery, Tasca and Restaurant, called Porca Preta (black pig).







It has many seating areas on different levels ...



... and let sleeping dogs lie ...



And this is for walnut ... this is the mother Cestrum elegans being strangled by Convolvulus (Morning Glory) ...



... to be continued ...