A Creative Spirit
It never ceases to amaze me how these plants survive. It's mid-August in the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, and it's hardly rained for months. As you can see, it grows in poor, rocky soil. All these photographs were taken from the road, so if you can't hike into the countryside like... Continue Reading →
I love Hibiscuses. Here in our corner of the Western Algarve in Portugal, most of my Hibiscus Plants, which grow in pots, flower all year. Apparently, you can buy varieties specifically for pots. Who knew? I've only ever seen the plant labelled as 'Hibiscus' at the garden centres and not had the luxury of choosing... Continue Reading →
Food Glorious Food If we were having coffee, I'd mention, while desperately trying not to look smug, that I've lost another kilo (2.2lb) in weight. That's 3.4kg, or about 7lb, since the 10th of July. I've only eaten one dessert this week while lunching with friends, then immediately came home and walked 2000 steps to... Continue Reading →
Another Wild Wednesday. This week, I feature the Daphne Gnidium L. - Flax-Leaved Daphne. Photographs taken in the the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina end of July and early August. The evergreen shrub grows between 1.5-2 metres tall. All parts of the shrub are poisonous. The flowers eventually turn to red berries... Continue Reading →
This week's Six on Saturday selection features a mixed six. This little 'Piggy' went to the market last Sunday to discover that the plant man selling the veggie plugs had not arrived. Some of his usual customers we see each month, like me, were also standing around feeling lost. What now? Blew a sigh. I... Continue Reading →
If we were having coffee, I would tell you I normally have a slow-burning fuse on some things while others not so much. Especially when it's 35C, I'm hot, and my legs ache. I was perfectly happy to sit and watch the world go by in the shade at a cafe while Mr. P went... Continue Reading →
Another Wild Wednesday. This week, I feature wild fennel, Foeniculum vulgare. Everywhere I look, I see wild fennel. Apparently, you can use it for cooking, but although there is an abundance growing on the land near our property, so far, I've not been tempted. * * https://www.letseatweeds.com/look-alikes/fennel-look-alikes/ The Let's Eat Weeds website offers interesting references... Continue Reading →
This week's coffee share comes from a cafe on the promenade overlooking Praia da Luz. As I sip on my coffee and stare out to sea across the beautiful sandy beach, I reflect on the last week. I can honestly say my days are never mundane; boredom does not feature in my vocabulary, and I... Continue Reading →
Thanks to the weather, I lost my momentum in the garden this week. I now understand how the UK gardeners struggle when they experience weeks of rain. The drought here continues, and I have just been alerted that we are in an area of maximum fire risk. In fact, there was a fire very close... Continue Reading →
I love the Helichrysum Italicum, or as I sometimes refer to it, the 'curry plant', because of its curry-scented leaves. According to Wikipedia, other common names include Italian strawflower and immortelle. It grows on rocky or sandy ground and can reach up to 60cm high. After picking, the yellow flowers retain their colour and can... Continue Reading →
How time flies! It only feels like yesterday we were having coffee last weekend. This time last Sunday, we were at the local bar watching England lose to Spain in the European Football Championship. Well done, Spain, who, to my inexperienced eye, looked the stronger team. I don't usually like watching football, but I did... Continue Reading →
This week, the weather in our corner of the Western Algarve has been mixed. There has been sea mist and temperatures varying from between 20 to 34C, but there has been no rain. It's only a quick six this week. Breakfast Patio Trying to revamp the back northeast-facing patio to catch the morning sun in... Continue Reading →
We returned home from France to damp and humid weather. When I woke up the following day, this is the view I was greeted with. I initially cheered because I thought it was raining. Nope, we were enveloped in a cloud! Sea mist. We often experience this in July and August as we live so... Continue Reading →
'Hey, tell me about your week,' you ask. 'A week, I've had a crazy two weeks since we last met for coffee and a catch-up.' 'Why crazy?' I blow a long sigh and take a sip of coffee. I want to order a Pastel da Nata but resist the temptation. 'We went to France to... Continue Reading →
Another week and another Six on Saturday, although by the time I finish resizing and preparing all the photographs, it could well be Six on Sunday. The weather this week has been more mizzle and overcast than sunny. We've enjoyed the occasional shower of rain, but not enough to make a difference. 1. Bromelias Mr.... Continue Reading →
"How was your week?" Mine...? My sister and her hubby arrived on Tuesday to stay for a few days. She lives in Spain, and I've not seen her for two years. It was great to catch up, but I did feel sorry for them as I'm unable to walk far on a good day, but... Continue Reading →
For this week's Gardening Six on Saturday (SoS), I have chosen the fruits of my labour. A shout out to Mr. Piglet, who is now the main grafter while I supervise. A nod to our gardening host, Jim, over at Garden Ruminations. 1. Red Onions - June Harvest Finally, the red onions I planted in... Continue Reading →
How was your week? Sigh… Let's start with the dreaded 'D' word. I hold my hands up in despair. I am a porker. I've put back on all the weight I've lost. Can food talk to us? The little voice that says, 'Eat me. You know how much you love cheesecake, tiramisu, pavlova, pastries and... Continue Reading →
For this week's Wild Wednesday in the Western Algarve I offer wild yellow lupins. These can usually be seen between March and August. Como citar este mapa F.Clamote, J.D.Almeida, A.Carapeto, P.V.Araújo, P.Beja, M.J.Correia, J.Lourenço, M.Porto, et al. (2024). Lupinus luteus L. - mapa de distribuição. Flora-On: Flora de Portugal Interactiva, Sociedade Portuguesa de Botânica. http://www.flora-on.pt/#wLupinus+luteus.... Continue Reading →
Piglet in Portugal 