Hidden in the mountains of Serra Do Açor

I absolutely love this weather... The garden gets a good soaking, naturally, one less job from my husband and i. There is no wind to speak of, just thick heavy falling rain.. The sky is rumbling for miles, the odd streak of lightning across the sky and my neighbour insists that my husband helps him to chop some of his wood for the small sum of ten euro's. Which my husband would do so for free, to help the old guy out, but not to be rude, he accepted the offer. In the rain, lightning and thunder, with the usual watchers holding umbrellas. Meanwhile the neighbour is building a miniature sized castle to shelter from the hot sun. No chance of that sun appearing today. It was my daughters birthday the other day and we took the opportunity to take some flower girl photos. A Sunday of movies and painting and finishing off my portrait of Florence, from Florence and the machine. Good day to one and all.....

It has been a busy few days here on the farm. I have been in the garden, planting out the beans, the tall ones and the bush beans. I have been up to the woodland area today to collect ferns of those that i use as mulch and carefully detach each leaf cluster and place it at the base of each plant. Which, as you can guess took some time.   I have been planting out more tomatoes. When some of them that were small were put in too early, those ones have withered in the heat of the day and i have replanted out bigger and more stronger ones. Today my daughter and i cleared the woods and took some of the small sproutlings that died in the fire back 2 years ago, that hadn't been cleared. So i took it upon myself to do that today.   Using the thin but tall tree sprouts as bean poles i tried to hold up the tomatoes once they are fully grown. The year i have to patches, each will have a different design to hold the plant from snapping from too much weight from the fruit. One patch is in

As work is few and far between, and my pizza job doesn't start up again until July, funds are nearing an all time low.  My husband has managed to grab a few jobs here and there, but some things just need paying for. I have spent many days fixing and darning socks from the boys, and made quite a lovely job, also, using wool it had made the sock stronger and last longer.  I also tried my hand at making girls panties and soon will use old clothes to make undies for me. I also have made socks from old jumpers and they turned out looking like pixie shoes, much to my younger daughters delight. So today, I'm going to delve into the world of soap making again. i have been collecting hard wood ash, non resinous, ash, and today will be leaching the ash in rain water, to yield a softer soap. Once the ash and water has mixed for 24 hours and has settled in a non-aluminium pot, bucket, the water is separated using an old T-shirt. Now its time to cook the water and be

If you put your mind, body and soul into something, you can create anything. Im a firm believer of that mantra. I have been one of those souls whom hasn't always had the best turn out in life, but i feel i made my way by truly believing in myself.  Yes there are times of dread, when you think its all a waste of time.  Sadness approaches and even despair slips in, but at the end of the day, things find their way into the right place.  The days of dread pile upon each other, and the earth just seems to swallow you up, and before you know it, there is no hope and you just want to give up. There is a glint of hope though, and you know it, and that knowing is what pushes back the dirt and the sky becomes that little bit brighter, and then you push on..  and before you know it... your on top of your goals and ready to fight another day. It could be something to do with the skies, the stars, fate, destiny, or sometimes even the weather. Your attitude to a situatio

Here are a few things i have in my stash of things i made, they are for sale, if anyone is interested let me know and i can send you prices. Any purchases would be of great help to me right now. An additional cost of 2 euro for post and packaging... The first item... Size 10 pink/purple skirt with frills and leaves. Recycled from an old pair of trousers. Small brown corduroy bag lined with button. Small purple wool stripy lined bag with zip Cloth waller with button Inside the cloth wallet Brown hand gloves

I know its a little too late to wish you all a wonderful Beltaine. But, i thought, it's better late than never i always say. Beltaine is a Gaelic festival that has been celebrated for hundreds of years. On May day, usually the first of May, people gather to welcome in the gods and goddesses of summer. Even though old,  it still has a firm hold on some people in this modern world and how it is celebrated. Beltaine is the celebration of fertility, and joy.  Some celebrate this day as the fire and solar festival to the "god of fire", or the "bright one".  Others believe it is a festival of lovers, which is why it has been so well known as the fertility festival. It is said to unite and represent the Goddess May Queen, and the God that is the green man, bringing the balance of male and female together in the dance life.   I spent part of this magickal day sitting in the sun and shadows of the hawthorn tree, one of my most favoure