A Creative Spirit
Last Sunday, we finally enjoyed a respite from the rainy weather, which allowed me to catch up on laundry and gardening. I say respite but it was still cold and windy. Mosquitoes and Fly Repellants Of course, when the sun did appear, so did the wretched mosquitoes. They are out in force, breeding like crazy... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee, I'd tell you everything aches this week. I think the continued damp weather is getting into the marrow of my bones. One of my friends said she felt the same so perhaps it's not just me. Can your bones ache? Entertaining Friends—On Sunday, we invited a couple of friends over... Continue Reading →
Today, as I walked around my vegetable garden during the lull between heavy showers and gale-force winds to inspect the damage inflicted by Storm Martinho, I wondered how many of us--if push came to shove--could grow our own fruit and vegetables. A random question. Maybe not. With the world teetering on the brink of war... Continue Reading →
Yay! I did it. I FINALLY did it. I started a Yoga for Seniors class in February; this week was my sixth class. Since the first lesson, the Yoga teacher has been trying to persuade me to get down on the floor. I baulked at the idea and repeatedly told her, "I've only been down... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee, I'd tell you I hit the ground running this week after last week's self-imposed isolation thanks to 'man flu, ' aka a cold. The weather can't make up its mind. Heavy showers, thunder, lightning and bright sunshine. But despite ALL the rain we've enjoyed, the local reservoir is less than... Continue Reading →
Living in a country where English is not the first language certainly takes you out of your comfort zone, especially regarding food shopping. Imagine walking into a supermarket and suddenly seeing none of your favourite foods and familiar brands; throw the added complication of language into the mix, and you may feel you have landed... Continue Reading →
My offering this week for Cathy's 'In a Vase on Monday' is based on symbolism. The colours, vase, backdrop and even the dead, spoiled flowers on the red base hold meaning. Any ideas? * * * I picked these flowers on Sunday afternoon in a brief period between showers. I wanted to offer an additional... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee, I'd tell you that the rest of the week was cancelled apart from Yoga. On Monday, I thought I was finally due to start in the charity shop but it didn't happen - cancelled. Tuesday, after Yoga, as the day progressed, my throat felt gravelly, and my 'get up and... Continue Reading →
My gardening endeavours to share for this week's Six on Saturday are courtesy of windows we had in the weather. One moment blue skies and sun the next a squall rolled in from the sea and we had torrential rain. Pruning Washingtonia ~Only a couple of weeks ago I was moaning to Mr. Piglet, and... Continue Reading →
Every year, we Brits celebrate Shrove Tuesday with pancakes. We call it 'Pancake Day'. This brilliant YouTube video explains why. https://youtu.be/pw6oRE7NKVM?si=_wpNybpoK8A9NFCO This traditional batter recipe dates back to 1439, as per Historic UK Quote: "The ingredients for pancakes can be seen to symbolise four points of significance at this time of year: Eggs ~ CreationFlour... Continue Reading →
I never thought I'd admit it, but I'm 'fooded' out. Stuffed to <<bursting>>. Move over the laughing Buddha and enter the laughing pig. Except I'm not laughing. I feel fat. February has been a month of celebration, experimenting with new and healthier recipes--which I've shared on my blog--and eating out. Eating out three/four times a... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee, I'd tell you I've had another busy week. There were many highs, and then came a jaw-dropping low. Monday, I returned from my first pain hypnotherapy session on a high. With the right mindset, we can overcome certain pain and situations. Fortunately, I have found a doctor who thinks outside... Continue Reading →
My six for this Saturday includes a random selection as I dodge the showers and mosquitoes. Rain, glorious rain. I never thought as a Brit I'd be praying and then celebrating the heavy downpours we've experienced recently. Designed to retain moisture with slow drainage, my raised vegetable beds are flooded, but that's okay. First Seed... Continue Reading →
It's all about the background and lighting... This is subtle. This is waaay too busy Back to nature, I position the vase in the birdbath using the leaves of the strelitzia as the background. I'm not sure ... Seeing the photographs uploaded to my blog, I'm not sure about the vase, which is actually a... Continue Reading →
A Surprise Visit If I thought keeping certain aspects of Mr Piglet's actual birthday DAY a surprise, nothing prepared me for the WhatsApp message I received from our daughter (who lives in France), asking if it was okay to drop in for a surprise visit for a couple of days. I knew it would be... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee, I'd tell you I've had a hectic week with hardly time to pause for breath. Move Over Roses on Valentine's Day I bet I can count the fingers on one hand for the number of women who received a red bromeliad rather than roses or a bouquet of flowers for... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee, I'd tell you I'd have another busy/interesting week. Games Night On Sunday, friends joined us for a games night, and I cooked a simple supper of spaghetti bolognese. We then downloaded a quiz app called' Knowledge is Power' and a trivial pursuit game onto our TV via our PS4 and... Continue Reading →
Let's talk about food. This week, I focus on oranges. Mr Piglet picked a bowl and a shopping bag full of oranges from our tree—about 12kg. Unfortunately, they are waaaay too sour this year to juice, so I decided to get creative and make ... Iced Oranges I've made them before, and they were seriously... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee, I'd confide this week I had three social engagements, which also involved food therefore adding a further strain on my already bulging waistline. Fortunately, I have only grown about 1kg since the 18th of December (checks mirror for growth of Pinnocio's nose). Considering all the naughties I've consumed over the... Continue Reading →
Let's talk about food and healthy options. Recently, I've noticed an increasing number of cookie and cake recipes on my FB feed that use oats instead of wheat flour. Keen to discover more, as part of my quest to reduce the number of ultra-processed foods in our diet and replace with healthier alternatives, I dived... Continue Reading →
Piglet in Portugal 