A Creative Spirit
Although we've had some spits and spots of rain this week it was not enough to water the garden which is becoming crisper day-by-day. Our water is metered so it's always a good reminder to be frugal and use sparingly, or at least try and reuse shower and washing-up water. This week we set ourselves... Continue Reading →
My six for this Saturday focuses on unusual garden ideas such as alternative planters, pebble art I discovered in local gardens. I feel inspired to try some of these ideas! 1. Pebble Art Ladybirds 2. Pebble Art Animals 3. Rock Village ** 4. Boots Upcycled to Plant Containers What a great idea! Rummages through cupboards... Continue Reading →
I had planned a different six for this week, but as I wandered around the garden looking for suitable plants to feature I realised my Queen of the Night Orchid Cactus was about to flower. For anyone who is unfamiliar with this plant, they only flower at night and have the most magnificent flowers and... Continue Reading →
YaY! We had some rain this week. Only a couple of heavy showers for about an hour but better than nothing. Here is my Six on Saturday (SoS) for this week. 1. New Hibiscus I ONLY popped into the garden centre to buy some strawberry plants (see post 3 below) but I could not resist... Continue Reading →
Since trying to maintain a gluten AND lactose free diet, plus attempting to lose weight, I've struggled with snack lunch ideas beyond fruit and lactose-free yoghurts. In the past, I've either eaten Ryvita style crispbreads or sandwiches with various fillings, so as you can see my imagination has struggled to find alternatives that do not... Continue Reading →
I wrote this poem when I was in intense pain. In fact, so much pain it took my breath away. For those who have suffered/or who are suffering, I hope you can connect with this poem.
by Carole Hill
Breath frozen
bloated mind
floats
seeking peace.
through icebergs of pain.
your smile numb in response
forced to bridge frozen wastelands
where laughter once played
and humour skied in your eyes
warms their polite concern.
white-hot iron leaves its mark.
Carole Hill paints with words. Her artist’s palette coloured by the simple beauty of nature, environmental challenges and observations of her fellow man. When Carole is not writing, gardening or painting she can be found daydreaming on the beach as her thoughts are lost in the ocean waves, the distant horizon and beyond.
Carole’s poetry has been published in the Algarve’s travel magazine and Passages anthology.
Unlike the UK we've not had any rain other than the odd shower to quench the thirst of the scorched countryside. Unfortunately, this means we are on high alert for fires. Consequently, we try to conserve and reuse every drop of water when feasible. So far my plants in pots are holding up well as... Continue Reading →
Every week Trent encourages us to share a smile via his 'Weekly Smile' meme. In a world where we are surrounded by so much chaos, it's important to press pause for just one moment and focus on the little things in life that make us smile. This week my smile comes courtesy of our local... Continue Reading →
For my six this Saturday, I decided to focus on hibiscus growing in containers. For some reason, they thrive in our humid climate and reward us with beautiful flowers throughout the year. I do prune hard to contain growth and feed regularly which probably helps. Very occasionally (if the plant is distressed) I water with... Continue Reading →
Why oh why are fruit and vegetables sold prepacked in plastic packaging? This is just a small selection of produce on display at a well-known supermarket. While I needed these items I refused to buy on principle. If more consumers boycotted overpackaged produce maybe the message would eventually get through. This week. I asked the... Continue Reading →
My garden is plagued by pests and diseases. The latest victim is my beautiful Agave which is over twelve years old so I am hopping from foot-to-foot wondering what to do. When we are sick we go to the doctor, when animals are sick we take them to the vet... but where to go for... Continue Reading →
After watching several TV and Youtube documentaries on marine plastic pollution and the devastating impact on marine life, I decided to seriously review our plastic usage and recycling efforts, especially single-use plastics. https://www.facebook.com/lessplasticpt/videos/463573210817100/ One of the most alarming facts to emerge from these documentaries is that plastic breaks down into tiny pieces (microplastics) which then... Continue Reading →
There's a lot happening in the garden at the moment so it is demanding a lot of care and attention. This week I did not know where to start for the Six on Saturday garden update, so I decided to show how some areas of the garden are evolving as we head from spring towards... Continue Reading →
We first discovered the terracotta tippy pot display at the Oasis Restaurant near Milfontes in the Alentejo. How unusual, we thought, so I took a photograph. A couple of months later we decided to make our own version. The height of our display was governed by the length of the rebar we already had, a... Continue Reading →
On Sunday we went to our local beach for coffee. As we enjoyed the views across the yet unspoilt beach and rugged coastline of the Parque Natural do Sudoeste Alentejano e Costa Vicentina while chatting to friends, we paused as the sound of haunting music caught our attention. At first, we thought the music was... Continue Reading →
This week I've been planting up pots to bring some much needed vibrant summer colour to the garden. Shrubs, cacti and succulents make a great low-maintenance backdrop, but the displays of annuals really make the garden pop with colour. I usually go to the garden centre and select a range of annuals but this year,... Continue Reading →
It's been a busy week in the garden with everything demanding my attention at once to the point I've been spinning on the spot. We managed to cut the olive hedge which had grown to around 12ft as it was casting a shadow over the pool sitting area as the sun dipped lower after 18.30.... Continue Reading →
I have a few pet peeves regarding tobacco smoke. The first is when smokers, in the company of non-smoking friends 'light up' which means their friends are forced to inhale tobacco smoke. Second-hand smoke is dangerous and there is no safe level of exposure I understand some people can't live without their cancer sticks and... Continue Reading →
Piglet in Portugal 