A Creative Spirit
Finally! After a long winter pounding away at our keyboards, we have finally released the long-awaited third and final book in The Promise Series on pre-order. Publication date 2nd April. This is not your cookie-cutter romance. This is an epic love story between two people from very different lifestyles. Will their love overcome their differences?... Continue Reading →
I've not posted any updates to my blog for a while. That's not because I've been slacking, nope. I've been working on a romance novel that has consumed all my spare time. Even my beloved garden has taken second place, as have my other creative hobbies such as creating mosaics and painting. Anyways, a chance... Continue Reading →
It's been a busy week! My coffee comes from a coffee shop in Lagos, in the Western Algarve. It is Friday, just after 9:30 a.m., and I'm killing time before my appointment at the hairdressers. Much to my surprise, the street was deserted, so I checked my watch in case it was 8:30 a.m. Where... Continue Reading →
I am addicted to succulents and committed to creating a drought-tolerant garden, which is just as well because we will have a hosepipe ban this summer. The drought situation is critical, and restrictions are already in place in the Eastern Algarve. Let's just hope all the tourists who arrive in their hoards this summer refrain... Continue Reading →
This week has proved to be one of the busiest in the garden so far this year. I had (and still have) so much to do that I don't know where to start. I feel like I'm spinning on the spot. Everything needs my attention, and it needs it now, which often sees me start... Continue Reading →
Vertical planters are a great way to grow a lot of fruit and veg in a limited space. The perfect solution for small suburban gardens and apartments with a small balcony. After checking out vertical strawberry planters for sale on Amazon and further research on YouTube, we decided to make our own. We'd bought the... Continue Reading →
This is a tough post because I don't want it to come across as a whine. However, I hope this sign resonates with those who are frustrated due to reduced mobility and strikes a chord with them, like me. Anyway, I saw this sign in a local restaurant. It reminded me to stay positive and... Continue Reading →
What a week!! I need something more substantial than coffee to celebrate! Before I take my first sip of Irish coffee, I apologize for not visiting/commenting on many of my favourite blogs this week. I've not been slacking, honestly! My collab partner, D.L. Keur, and I have been working through the final draft of The... Continue Reading →
It's not been gardening weather this week. High winds, heavy rain, and squalls are not exactly conducive to going outside to the garden beyond making sure everything undercover is watered; the snails and caterpillars aren't harvesting my kale, spinach, and lettuce, and nothing has blown away. I am a fair-weather gardener. I am not moaning--we... Continue Reading →
On January 1st, 2024, I only made two New Year's resolutions: Abstain from alcohol for the month of January. Lose 15kg in weight by June 2024 I am proud to say I completed Dry January with flying colours, but the diet resolution and motivation are flagging. I didn't specify when in June or which year.... Continue Reading →
I like to keep a monthly diary of the fruit and veg I'm growing in my urban garden - successes and failures. It's worth noting the temperature in the Western Algarve is cooler than East and Central. While we do not experience ground frosts, many inland areas do. We seem to have our own microclimate.... Continue Reading →
This week, while I've been busy in my vegetable garden, I decided to focus on flowers for my Six on Saturday gardening update. One carrot looks the same as the next, as does spinach and kale, yes? We've had a mixed bag of temperatures ranging from 6C at night to 18C during the day. Sun... Continue Reading →
Apparently, we scroll miles every year on our mouse and perform millions of clicks. Since my beloved ergonomic HP mouse died a few weeks ago, I have been limping along, moaning and groaning. Would you buy ill-fitting shoes? I trawled around the shops with my dead mouse, searching for a replacement, but it felt like... Continue Reading →
Another week and another Six on Saturday update. Seriously. I seem to spend every spare moment when I'm not writing in my garden, and just as I begin to relax, yet another plant demands my attention. Weather: We've had a mixed bag of weather this week. A couple of days of hot weather at the... Continue Reading →
The Chapel of Our Lady of the Rock is situated on the promontory between the beaches of Praia da Sra da Rocha and Praia Nova, Porches in the Municipality of Lagoa. We stumbled across the ancient chapel purely by chance while looking for the Vilarinho Beach restaurant. After lunch, we drove up to the chapel... Continue Reading →
The first part of the week passed slowly, probably due to the weather - strong winds and heavy showers and I didn't feel like going out - not even in my garden, which is rare. I wrote a job list to try and motivate me out of my funk and then just looked at it. Meh... Continue Reading →
This week's Six on Saturday's gardening endeavours have once again been set against a backdrop of intermittent showers, sun and strong winds. I'm not complaining. We desperately need the rain. The only downside is the mosquitoes that are always so delighted to see me when I venture out into the garden. The daily temperatures have... Continue Reading →
According to Wikipedia In Portugal, the holiday is known as "Dia dos Namorados" (Lovers' Day / Day of the Enamoured). As elsewhere, couples exchange gifts, but in some regions, women give a lenço de namorados ("lovers' handkerchief"), which is usually embroidered with love motifs.[180] I love the idea of a 'lovers' hankerchief'. Something simple. Not... Continue Reading →
Six things that are happening in my garden this week. Hence Six on Saturday hosted by Jim. Where has this week gone? It seems like only yesterday I was preparing last week's Six on Saturday gardening post. 1. Drought in the Algarve The heavens finally opened and we have been blessed with heavy rain for... Continue Reading →
In November 2022, we decided to don our green halo, join the club, and install solar panels. Had to do our bit to help save the planet, right? The sales rep interrogated us on the appliances we used and then recommended four panels. I scratched my head at his assessment. Once we had installed the... Continue Reading →
It's Sunday, and it's cocktails at Lagos Marina, not coffee!! Reviewing life over the last week, I managed to circle back and catch up with my own tail. I completed 'dry January' with flying colours and celebrated my month of sobriety with a strawberry gin with tonic. Trust me when I say it took a... Continue Reading →
Piglet in Portugal 