So what what does my garden offer this week? With high humidity and salt winds a coastal garden in the Western Algarve presents its own challenges and this week has proved no exception. Strong winds, sun, heavy rain and temperature from 7C to 20C. Fortunately no snow or frost. On the plus side some amazing... Continue Reading →
Today I went to the hairdressers for a colour makeover. Zoya, my hairdresser, showed me the various colour options and in a moment of absolute madness I was tempted to have my hair dyed purple. Not because I like purple, but more a statement of rebellion that while my body is decrepit and aging, inside... Continue Reading →
This week we have had glorious sunshine so I've chillaxed by pottering/working in the garden, mosaicing and writing poetry. On Friday evening we ventured into Lagos to see the Christmas lights, which was great as for several years austerity measures meant there was no money for street decorations. Unfortunately, I forgot my camera so the... Continue Reading →
Fellow gardeners I need your help, please. The leaves on my hibiscus are not only turning yellow but have brown patches and the veins in the leaves are exposed. I've checked the moisture level and it's fine so I doubt it's overwatering. I must also mention that another hibiscus is also showing similar signs of... Continue Reading →
My #sixonsaturday this week is to suggest six effective ways to upcycle plastic in your garden rather than disposing in the recycling bin, or trash. Come on fellow gardeners, get creative with plastic! 1. Recycling Water Water is a precious resource. When practical I recycle grey water from the house (washing machine, bath, showers etc)... Continue Reading →
... but there are no courtesy seats in shops. I never noticed until I injured my knee (I'm unable to stand or walk for long) that shops no longer have a courtesy chair or two, for those waiting while their companions browse. This week, we went to the new designer outlet at Mar shopping centre... Continue Reading →
Christmas is a-coming and the delivery men are in overdrive trying to deliver Christmas gifts. Finding our house is challenging enough, but when people do not provide our correct address, we are nigh on impossible to find. Needle and haystack springs to mind. Our son ordered my Christmas present and told me it was on... Continue Reading →
My most ambitious project to date is this mosaic table which is 19" (48cm) diameter. I'd observed other members of the mosaic class create some fantastic designs so decided to give it a try. I knew my biggest challenge would be cutting the stained glass to specific shapes which then all linked together, so accuracy... Continue Reading →
A new week, another Six on Saturday and a great opportunity to connect with fellow gardeners. The temperatures have dropped significantly over the last week with a low of 6c at night. Daytime temperatures range from 13C to 19C but at least the rain has stopped for now which means my cacti and succulents have... Continue Reading →
I haven’t cooked this delicious low calorie soup for a while so as I have some butternut squash in the freezer that needs eating what a great excuse. I have cooked many recipes from this book and they’ve ALL been delicious!
I am always keen to try new recipes especially those which are filling and with not too many calories. My biggest problem with losing weight is that I only have to look at food and I pile on the pounds! I tried this recipe from the “Greedy Girl’s Diet” book and it was absolutely delicious!
Despite Mr. Piglet’s moaning and “tutting” the whole time I was cooking the soup that he did not like ginger or cumin, even he, despite his earlier reservations, agreed it was absolutely scrumptious!
Cumin-spiced carrot and butternut squash soup
199 CALORIES PER SERVING
SERVES 4
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves peeled and finely chopped or crushed 1 red chilli (optional) deseeded if preferred and…
I've had many smiley moments over the last week so to keep this short I'll only share three. Onions - A Lost in Translation Moment How can onions make you smile when they are renowned for making you cry? I always grow red onions as they are quite expensive to buy in the shops. So... Continue Reading →
We are plagued by wild campers who have no respect for the countryside. This sign near Praia da Amoreira made me laugh, and inspired me to write a poem which is also about crap! Please Scoop Your Poop Wild campers, (PLEASE) scoop your poop or dig a hole we don't want your faeces on our soles nor your toilet... Continue Reading →
Planting Daffodils and Narcissus brings back memories of gardening in the UK and the arrival of Spring. William Wordsworth's poem captures the moment perfectly. I wandered lonely as a Cloud That floats on high o’er Vales and Hills, When all at once I saw a crowd, A host of golden Daffodils; Beside the Lake, beneath... Continue Reading →
'A Tour of My Garden (part 1)' included photographs of our main outside living areas and garden which is south facing and as I said in my previous post: When I think of the various areas of our garden I try to plan them as different rooms, or a transition from one room to the... Continue Reading →
A hidden me, and a hidden word buried within poem. If you are familiar with the acrostic form you will find the hidden word immediately, so don't spill the beans. Poetry, its meaning Often opaque in delivery Elusive metaphors and cryptic clues Testing – teasing – tormenting its Readers Yet, sublimely addictive. ******** This week's prompt... Continue Reading →
I was sorting through some old photographs this week when I came across this picture of a sign posted outside an Italian restaurant. It reminds me or the daily conversation we have in our house before I've barely opened my eyes, and I'm still considering breakfast: 'What's for dinner today?' 'I don't know'. 'Will it... Continue Reading →
I am always keen to try new recipes, experiment and adapt, so I was encouraged to discover the culinary delights of pea soup. For some reason, in all my xx years, I've never eaten pea soup, yet alone attempted to make it. After I made a sample batch I tripled the quantity and made... Continue Reading →
Gardening is one of my passions so I am delighted to discover #sixonsaturday as a way to link up with fellow gardeners across the world. When I think of the various areas of our garden I try to plan them as different rooms or a transition from one room to the next. Each room has a... Continue Reading →
I am always exploring different ways to brighten shady areas of my garden so with this in mind I decided to create colourful mosaics on stones. This was my first project which I positioned under a small palm. Once I'd mapped out the design, I used stained glass to create the sunflower. However, you could... Continue Reading →
Learn the “Lingo” or live life in an “Expat Bubble”!
I am a great advocate of the fact that when you move to a new country you ‘attempt’ to gain, at the very least, a basic understanding of both language and culture. Without this ‘basic’ knowledge so much of everyday life and cultural opportunities are lost, and you effectively live a parallel existence in your new environment; there in body but not quite in mind. You still watch English TV, read English Newspapers and mainly interact with your fellow compatriots or those who speak English.
I accept, everyone is not a natural linguist and I certainly do not fall into that category – far from it! Despite years of studying Portuguese very little has permeated the grey matter and words just float aimlessly in my memory in disjointed sentences. However, on a positive note, I now often read a Portuguese…
One of my personal pet peeves are my square stumpy feet. They resemble pig's trotters and make me feel like one of Cinderella's ugly sisters. It's official: I hate shopping for boots. Why? Most standard shoe retailers, such as Guimaraes, only seem to focus on women with Cinderella feet, so if you are blessed with... Continue Reading →
While driving through the sleepy village of Brejão in the Alentejo, we happened upon the most amazing street art painted on the side elevation of several houses. Curious to discover more I took several photographs and sent them to my Portuguese blogging buddy, Sami, in Oz. Sami quickly identified the lady in the series of paintings... Continue Reading →
There is a campaign to create a "carpet of poppies" in different countries across the world to mark 100 years since the end of the World War I. Can we create a campaign across the net, a link of poppies across the blogosphere? Centenary Commemorations for The First World War started on 28 July 2014... Continue Reading →
What came first the chicken or the egg? My passion for mosaics developed way beyond the initial Introduction to Mosaics course after my general interest in growing succulents and cacti became a full-blown passion and I expanded my collection. Or maybe I always had the mosaic bug, but lacked motivation and/or opportunity. Living way out of... Continue Reading →
I have been on blogging hiatus for the last few years because I became involved in a writing forum and ended up running the place. I've now stepped away and returned to blogging only to discover 97% of my old blogging buddies have disappeared. When I started my blog back in May 2010 most of... Continue Reading →
I created this low fat fish pie with the idea that it was a complete meal in one dish. Okay, I may have used every pot in the kitchen to prepare it (Mr. Piglet humour) but at least I had time to wash up and clear away while it was cooking. the recipe is still... Continue Reading →
Are you on, or contemplating going on a diet and need moral support? Do you have a sense of humour and the ability to laugh at yourself? If so, I have started a fun FaceBook support group called Piglet's Porkers for like-minded people. This is not a formal group selling a particular diet. Which each... Continue Reading →
Rebirth Mind’s landscape, a mirage of memories displaced between earth and sky Reality’s horizon bears witness as naked limbs shiver in winter’s chill. Leaves tremble memories decay reborn as spirits they rise from steaming earth thoughts gain clarity uncertainty dispelled they bathe in the warmth of winter sun This is my entry and first... Continue Reading →
One of the highlights of our trip to Porto was not the port, but the magnificent vestibule and azulejos tiled images at São Bento railway station - Estação Ferroviária de São Bento. Further research revealed that approximately twenty thousand tiles were used to decorate the station's vestibule which I think you will agree is spectacular!... Continue Reading →
Like a million stars sunrays dance to me across the soulless sea They dazzle me as light and motion pirouette in unison. Tempting me closer --------closer towards the horizon. A path beckons, ---teasing me ------enticing me to walk my dreams-----into the light I raise my glass to toast the golden orb I know it understands... Continue Reading →
Just over a year ago some new friends inspired me to start collecting cacti and succulents. I'd always admired the different species but only as a passing interest. However, once they showed me their incredible collection, I was hooked. Have you ever studied these plants? Structure, leaves and flowers? They are beautiful! Okay, I concede... Continue Reading →
As the autumn evenings draw in, my thoughts turn to log fires and battening down the hatches in readiness for the long winter nights ahead. Summer clothes are now packed away and replaced by winter woolies, thermal PJs and of course my faithful 'onesie' which was a present from a friend. Not the most flattering... Continue Reading →
... That's the million dollar question. I've never had any inclination to grow roses until an unusual striped variety growing in a friend's garden, caught my attention. It was love at first sight and I wanted one! A woman on a mission I went in search of this mystery rose. Armed with a picture of... Continue Reading →
When I was young it was called graffiti now it's moved upmarket and is called Street Art or Murals. At least it has given some artists an outlet to display their work. A few years ago I was walking down a side street in Lagos on the Western Algarve and happened upon this larger than... Continue Reading →
There is a new addition to the disabled and mother and baby parking bays. Or maybe it's always been there and I've never noticed. There is now designated parking close to the entrance of the store for people with walking disabilities. (At least that is what I think the sign means). Fourteen months after injuring... Continue Reading →
Nearly a year after starting my 'tree of life' aka 'tree of patience' mosaic picture, it is finally finished! The substrate for the base was clear glass and the printed picture beneath acted as a rough template. I cut each piece of stained glass to shape before gluing into position. Many hours, days and even... Continue Reading →
Growing succulents and cacti has become my passion. Unfortunately for the plants in my care, I am still relatively new to the sport so have much to learn with watering being the biggest challenge, until now! Imagine my despair when I discovered my prize Crested Eve's Needle (Austrocylindropuntia subulata f. cristata) was covered in a scaly... Continue Reading →
The Rota Petisco (Tapas/snack route) starts on the 4th October through to the 4th of November. There are 277 participating establishments along the Algarve. So wherever you are located (from Odeceixe in the west to Odeleite in the east) you have no excuse not to participate. Each establishment will have a set snack + drink... Continue Reading →
On one of our many visits to see our French grandchildren we went to the picturesque town of Annecy in the Rhone-Alpes region of southeast France. If you've never been, I can thoroughly recommend it. The scenery is stunning and the historic old town reminds me of Venice. Anyway, I digress. My pet peeve, on... Continue Reading →
Cumin-spiced carrot and butternut squash soup 
