Bom Dia!

Monday around noon, the visitors arrived, cleaner Svetlana and Ben the garden and maintenance guy. I borrowed his strimmer for half an hour, after a quick talk over developments. I strimmed the right hand sector to the back of the pool and on your right as you walk down the main pathway. It was a step back in time for me, when I used to manage the 12 acres of land and garden centre grounds. It’s funny how you just don’t forget things, even the sway and to-and-fro motion aiming downwards to get the best most efficient strim.

taking advantage also of his very long metal pole which fastens to it’s end an incredibly sharp curved blade, I headed for the front side area which has grass and a more then generous amount of moss for a carpet. Three trees here, including a massive pine, two of which needed a good clean up, so up the ladder and hacking away I went.

More wood for the fire, and a much lighter area was left. Dragging this all to the camp area left me shattered so I invited Ben for a break over PG tips and a couple of packs of biscuits. Was good to chill and be sociable for ten minutes and find out about each other, rather than just the job at hand in the garden.

After he left and I couldn’t face more branches, so I reached for the machete and scythe, and continued to work down into the second part of the garden, venting my wrath against the tall unsightly dead fennel clump and spiky gorse type bushes littered all over. Keeping the fire going obviously at the same time. Can’t forget the fire!

Later, the resident robin popped across and perched enquiringly on the garden fork, scanning the patch of earth I am slowly digging over, looking I’m sure for some grubs or other to munch on, as I rested by the fire and watched the sun sink on another busy and beautiful day.

Things were slowly starting to take shape in my mind about how to lay out the area of the camp. I envisage a flat area with two sets of tiers above and below. with area to sit in this open area surrounded by the trees and plants in newly created beds. A bird table and bath, to invite the wildlife to also benefit. Sitting by the fire until dusk my mind raced with possibilities and plans.

Tuesday I was keen to build upon my plans of the day before, and built a low wall from the start of the path over to the corner of the pool wall. This created a tier with which to fill in and level off the area above, a path of gravel below in time. I messed about with the stones for ages, finding the right ones for the right place, dry stone walls not my forte and eventually satisfied with it sturdiness and poise, I left it be.

Before:

After:

On with my other objective for the day. The olive tree growing between the back of the BBQ shelter and the pool side wall I thought a perfect support for a log stack. I sorted through the masses of logs I had cut up previously, looking for the straighter and more stackable ones and began to build. Starting one at the wall and one at the base of the olive tree I created a wall of logs spanning between the trunk and up the whitewashed wall. Topped off with some icing in the form of a few lost tiles that were needing a use.

Weird Wednesday I woke to find frost on my car roof. I Didn’t sleep well and remember having a dream I’d had before. 350Z gold, front end into wall or hedge, party, trying to get home with bike lots to carry too much and can’t. Tiny bits of pipes as stabalisers? Figure that one out.

It was still early and just before 9am as I sat working on my computer, when I heard a chirping, swiveled round to watch as a bird flew straight into the lounge and no sooner, fly straight back out again. Erm, O.K. then. (?)

Back to the Mall I went to try and sort the dongle out to a higher tariff. The same guy helped me out, but this time I asked him to call the helpline and he then handed it over. Slightly flustered I grabbed the phone and muttered to the operator if she spoke English, but the line got cut off. Sheepishly I went up to the guy again and this time, instead of handing it back, he punched in the number of the dongle, and numerous others after some very pregnant pauses and after what seemed an eternity, put the phone on the counter and started to type an essay out onto his monitor, and finally told me he’d done the upgrade. Well why the, didn’t he do that for me in the first place. All the same, I was well chuffed to have sorted it out and to also have wi-fi set up now at the villa. Bonus.

The Mall is multi-leveled but with stairs just down one side, a Continente on the bottom level and various clothes outlets and mobile phone shops on the others. Pretty standard Mall I guess. It was odd after much isolation to be surrounded with all the noise and more to the point people. It was interesting seeing the different faces and features, looks and clothes on everyone. A good place to people watch. I didn’t hang about though, I’ve got lots to do. Off back to the villa!

I was inspired, partly by watching a program of hedge building in Gloucestershire or somewhere, using staggered upright stakes and then branches woven or resting between them, to create a purpose compost area. The villa owner had mentioned his frustration at not having one and I too wanted to coalesce the two large compost piles so went about my attempt. Using some old poles and lengths of timber from the garage I hammered them into some tough stony soil and formed a back wall.

Very satisfied with the start of it, and pleased it wasn’t a plastic cone or anything else unsightly and not in keeping with the surroundings, I made a start with turning and sorting through the pile of old leafs, branches and lawn trimmings. It didn’t last too long, plagued by flies and mozzie paranoia kicking in I fled to the safety of the fire.

I thought the leaves, even though still green, felt dry enough to burn, so threw a bundle on to test. Up in a loud fizz and crackle then went. Great, more got chucked on instantly. Wow, this stuff really does ignite.

Thursday midday start and I went about with carrying on a little garage clearance, bagging up things that could be and making a pile of things that couldn’t, tables t the side and hey presto, a usable area. Looking out while I worked I pictured a small stone high dividing line stretching from the end of the BBQ corner wall out to the low wall I had previously built. Spontaneity got the better of me, I dropped the garage like a brick and headed for the rake and spade to mark out my line!

Friday I worked on FREELOW in the morning until 11.30am. then went off to Pedro’s cafe with a bucket of paint.. soon there were three of us and a ‘supervisor’ busy slopping paint everywhere.. mostly the walls. Mid afternoon we all stopped for one of Manuel’s treats. A communal lunch of a massive bowl of stew, with beans, pork, chorizo, rice, piri-piri spice and bay leaves.. mm hearty filling food. :) Back to villa, and climbing trees behind the swimming pool deadwooding. Very tall and using all my strength to clamber up and down and at one point dropped the machete, thud.. just missed the pool heater. phew!

Evening came and I wallowed in the bath and lounged about until 9pm and headed out.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=te800CeEjBM&feature=related

This was playing very loud as I headed back to Lagos. Bar was pretty full, painter help was there with friends and kids running about. Pool played and drink drunk. Joined in the pool shared music and lost.!

Saturday was a pretty slow start to the morning, but once I did actually get going, sorted a few more rocks from the half way wall, scorching day, very very still no leaves swaying. Went off to the supermarket, lost wallet was next to car apparently as some guy handed it to me – OMG! my heart was racing. Thank goodness for very very lovely Portuguese people!

Pate and Pao de Algarve, dug over new tier area, dug out base of cut down bush, shifted left to burn leaves and chopped into leaves, small branches and finally large ones to dry and burn of the oliander Ben cut down. The only thing left!! I do keep finding the odd fallen / cut dried out branches around though.

printed google plan –  designing a tier and flat recreational area in the tree spiney.

pretty old photo!

Sunday was an early trip to the airport to pick the returning Kelly. It didn’t take long for her to get settled in again, as the camp fire flickered into action again and we continued in joint action to forage for more wood, particularly from the ‘wild side’ as in all honesty we’re running out of options in the main plot now. Which although doesn’t help the fire, feels good to have a clean and tidy plot now, with NO (or at least very very little) deadwood in it.

Monday I spent the morning on the computer until the cleaner and Ben came, which was my cue to get Ben’s advice on things and have a general catch up on progress. He spent a while strimming the top left section down to the flat mud, which really gives me a sense of the space. Sketched out the design.

More trees, that are threatening or hanging on, just came down so the cycle continues with machete and de-leaving. Being very conscientous of keeping anything over 4 foot and straight for the compost heap, which is looking very pukka!

Mid afternoon I again, took the leap of faith into the tree behind the pool, to remove two branches. I must admit they were not dead in any way and not in threat of falling off or over, but from a totally aesthetic viewpoint, marred what has become a much improved vista into the hills and lights of Portimao in the far distance as you sit and ponder from the veranda.

Tuesday I finally decided to get the chainsaw out again, and completely clean it as it had developed a squeak. Prising all the saw dust from nook and cranny, I then spent ages trying to get the side panel back in place, only to realise that I’d put the ‘brake’ on before I took it off. The metal strap which stops the main spindle from going round was smaller than the spindle, don’t you just love it when it’s something plainly obvious holding you up! In the afternoon after tidying up the mess we both were making, Kelly working her way down the side garden wall, taking out thorny bushes and weeds. We headed into Portimao on a mission for a straw hat (not for me!) some herbal t-bags and to exchange some pounds.

Wednesday evening after dropping Kelly off at the retreat, listening to the bird song, I sit in quiet contemplation, scanning again the developments of my landscaping ideas. Fire dying down and the night creeping in. The blackbird, chirping with a slight flap of its wings and a movement of the head. Small wrens in number clicking almost like a very rapid clash of two marbles, their communication reverberating around the area. The robin, and his usual investigation of where I’ve just tidied.

Thanks for reading and apologies for some bulletpointed sentences. I’m trying to catch up with things and will (maybe) expand later, but I’m sure you get the idea!

Hope the year is going well for you all so far x

It’s been a couple of weeks since my last update, Kelly flew back to the UK last Friday, and apart from the face to face interaction with Ben the weekly visitor and maintenance guy, it’s been a time of solitude. I have to admit I’m finding it quite hard. Trips to the supermarket mean I can mingle with other human beings, limitedly, but no conversation drives me to skype often and credit those who are available to answer.

Each morning I wake around 8am, and often get woken during the night with dogs barking, guarding the various properties nestled atop Monte Judeu. You would have thought from the amount of them there is trouble with burglars and break-ins. The mornings for the past 10 days at least have been glorious, sun rising over the trees to the left as I stand on the rear veranda, wispy streaks of clouds giving the horizon a feint hue of orange as it rises majestically upwards to warm my face.

The birdsong is truly varied, with blackbirds, robins, sparrows and many other birds I have yet to discover what they are. There’s a blue-ish bird with a long tail and a black cap, hooting in a high pitched way, gradually darting off downhill during the morning. They float down the gradient almost effortlessly, but when forced to fly they look cumbersome, appearing to struggle with their long tail which drags behind them.

The amount of dew each morning has been lessening with each passing dry day. I’ve even had to water some of the plants, particularly the one in the raised bed on the veranda, full of succulents, which although loving dry conditions, look a bit parched. It’s easy to see why water becomes a very precious commodity in the strong heat of summer. I’m keen eventually to build a water store to help with irrigation too, but all in good time.

Working on my FREEFLOW projects in the mornings, keeps me pretty busy until around noon. Fresh orange juice and the occasional smoothie, croissants, and a cereal I am loving with apple and cinnamon, puffed rice and a mixture of wheat flakes builds me up to get out in the sunshine in the afternoon.

It’s great to be working on the garden, and I have found myself pottering around starting this and that, but in a sense, building overall towards turning the villa into a much loved haven. The mass of overgrown weeds and vines on the left front side of the plot has taken me pretty much all week on and off to clear. Underneath all the tendrils of up to an inch thick rope-like vine is a beautiful rich orange coloured dry stone wall,  how old, I can only guess.

I’ve been working with a long sleeved top, hat and gloves and sometimes a jumper on, not because it’s cold, but to protect myself from the mass of mosquitoes that hum about at all hours. swatting at them when spied out of the corner of my eye and seem to be getting the better of them after a few bites early on. Despite that, it’s easy to get overheated and I do stop for regular breaks and flee to the safety of the veranda, ripping off my tops, panting for a glass of water.

Fallen trees, dried in the heat, lay here and there on the grounds. Gradually, I’m putting together a couple of big fires to light at some point. I really need a chain saw though to sort out the main trunks, as my bare hands just won’t do it! – Making do for now by sorting all other branches with a flex of muscles. These and the enormous pile of undergrowth I’ve ripped up, should be one hell of a blaze!!

I’m very fond of plants, care for them tenderly and have had amazing displays of all sorts of succulents in my old flat back in Norwich, but I have found myself not caring for vines ripping them out almost with disdain. Today I trimmed a few straggly bits off the carob tree outside of the kitchen window which were bugging me as I washed up. Constantly during the process I felt an empathy for the huge aged tree, apologising for taking my secateurs to it. Justifying my actions in believing it would allow it to put more worthy energy into it’s great, spreading  limbs above.

Trying to get better CHI into the property, I’ve scrubbed the white walls which bend inwards to hold the main gate. Ridding it of patches of green slime, and trimming the hedge away from the lights on top of the pillars either side. To me, it’s important to invite good energy into a property, not just for those living there but for those to find it too. In the back of my head, I am constantly using my Feng Shui knowledge and intuition to benefit the villa.

The gravel drive comes in and then sweeps down past the left side of the villa and to the back ending to a raised parking area in front on the garage. The problem is, most of it doubles up as a river bed, when storms hit and rain forces its way through the white grit along forged ruts downhill. This is going to constantly happen and regardless of filling the ruts, (which I am gradually doing) it’s going to happen again.

There’s a pretty large pile of surplus grit right at the bottom end of the grounds, past the tennis court and into the virgin scrub of the next plot. It took me over an hour the other day to make a path suitable to wheel the barrow along and able to fill it with grit. Fighting my way through the tall, now dead old wood of a type of fennel… ..Well it smells like fennel. Anyway, finally getting the wheelbarrow to the mound of gravel I filled it up – FULL, navigated my way back, around orange trees, over the tall clover-like carpet, up the hill along the straight path to the area in front of the garage – I almost collapsed! Jeeeez, I dashed inside and grabbed a banana, my legs were shaking, light headed with exhaustion! LOL – It’s easy to get carried away, well I do get stuck into things.

It’s the immediate results of gardening/landscaping which is so satisfying. My other work, although gratifying, doesn’t give the same – look what I did and it’s there right in front of you – you can touch it and feel it – sense it and if you cared to, taste it!

It’s late, I’m tired and I will type more soon.

Love and Light :)