Country Life

Hey, dearest, for several years my holidays were in the sunshine slaving away. We got 25 (I did, t'other half 30) days annual holiday. Our employers allowed us to take them split into two 12/13 days.

We would drive down here, that takes two days, SLAVE for 10/11 days, then drive back TWICE a year. We need a holiday when we got back ... but it's all worth it ... you've seen the Casa'd site and seen how it progressed.

Hard work, LOTS of sweat (not very nice for a Lady) and you've got it. No regrets!

It can be a summer holiday now ... by the way, Cliff lives about 20 minutes away!

PS Maybe not the pig pens, but what about the cows ??????? Eek, smelling on the doorstep in the summer ... I had to hold my breath ... that is BREATH, taking the picture! :D

 

Today's outing was up through the Serra da Caldeirao, heading toward the Spanish border.

It is quite different than our Serra da Monchique, far greener but then they did not have as many fires two years ago.

It was a bit of a grey day for taking pictures, especially for li'l ole me but I've got a few to show you ...

Cork stripped from the trees, probably the ones behind, and then abandoned for whatever reason ...



Cork trees numbered for their next stripping. As we have passed 2004, these will be done in 2014 ...



The flora is somewhat different as well as it's rocky ground that way ...







... you can just about see the mountains in the distance on this one ...



... and I can never resist one of these shots and someday perhaps I can get a close up (I've found another pair in Silves in the old part of town and they are low down so maybe, just maybe ...



Forgot to mention about the basic names they use here. We passed hamlets (a half a dozen houses like ours) with names like Fat Head, Leg of the Dog, Owl (just the place for woo) Valley of the Beans and Foot of the Mountains. Two bar/cafes we passed were A Small Strong Black Coffee Cafe and the 1st of January Cafe!

I can't really talk, ours is called the Bald Place of the Holm Oak (which they used for hanging).

[ 14. January 2007, 04:30 PM: Message edited by: Lady of Leisure ]

 

Today's trip took up to Alte, a small village in the hills where there is an ampitheatre on top of a foot bath edifice that you sit in and the the mountain spring water runs over your feet ..







... seating for the ampitheatre ...



... how about this for a house with a private lake?



... and this tiny picnic area up in the mountains ...



This is just such a beautiful country, I hope you don't mind me sharing it with you.

 

Nice pics LOL.
The ampitheatre/foot bath is a strange combination, and an unusual looking place.
The house with the lake looks nice, maybe you should ask the owners to move.
:D
Dont think I could put up with the crowds though. :D :D

 

Good evening, Pete, and thank you. I hope you are well this afternoon.

Yes the ampitheatre/footbath is strange. You sit in the two tunnels to the left, you can see the stone bench in the right-hand one and there are one or two stone seats outside the tunnels. I shall have to investigate this, age, who built it, etc. It's a lovely place we really only discovered a couple of years ago ... and it's only 20 minutes from us!

Both of us fancy the house on the lake but I don't think our budget could quite afford that.

On our travels around this area, we saw one man on a put-put (a bike that goes about 2mph and it's a wonder the people don't fall off), one man hoeing his field by hand and one car ... it's really getting crowded here! May have to go somewhere more reclusive.

By the way, I found another possible Norfolk Island Pine today so have got a close up ....

 

Yep, that looks like a norfolk island pine to me.

:D :D :D

 

Your first picture looks like portugals version of my village - bridges over the stream.

Wish I had my camera tody on my sunday morning doggy walk, children on ponies, puppies on outings and a local with his poney and trap - his dog sitting under the seat of his trap, all very rural - I love it, not much flora & fauna though just yeat appart from snowdrops and aconites carpeting the woods.

 

I don't believe it!! I can't see your picture of the Norfolk Island Pine, LoL - just that little icon in a square!!!! Can you post it to me as an attachment?

No worries - it's just appeared!

Yes, you can see it's a monkey-puzzle relative for sure now!! Pete's right, as always! :D

 

Horrors ... I've just seen today's photos are dated 31 May 2001. Please believe me, it was today.

I didn't take my Kodak with me today so had to resort to the Polaroid kept in the car. The Polaroid was bought on e-Bay (the Kodak on e-Bid, a riduculous Portuguese thing). T'other half has just admitted he has not set the dating/timing on the Polaroid and we've had it for two years! :eek: :eek: :eek:

Remind me not to use this for the Photo Comp, please!

 

LoL, haven't you got a N I Pine on your deck or am I mistaking it for something else?
I have a baby(2ft high) indoors.

 

Ola, strongy, muito tempo nao fala, meu amigo. I hope you are well and warm in Weymouth?

I did answer this but then we had a total power failure ... not just us, the whole area and things got lost here.

No, I have the Monkey Puzzle Tree, same family as you know. I will take a pic of the "needles" tomorrow so a comparison can be made from the NI Pine pic I took today.

 

It wasn't clear in the pic, just looked like a NIP.
Btw 5 Thevetias up and now 6ins high.

 

You're joking ... seriously? How can you have five when I sent two? (I'm sure in the Christmas card).

Mine are thriving in my lovely Victorian planters on the dance floor through our winter and we're looking forward to their progress in the Spring.

I'm tell K-G this good news .. she'll be delighted.

 

Lovely pictures, and I envy you the footbath in a spring - can think of nothing better on a hot summer day - well almost :D

 

Looks lovely, especially the mountains, and the Norfolk Island Pine is most cool :D