Helen and Peter in Portugal

We are learning that when you grow your own veg you need to plan carefully. If you don't plan, then you end up with a glut of the same veg all coming along at the same time. Take the simple courgette for example, everyone grows them so you cannot give them away (but we took some of our friends Jackie and Richards courgettes, so maybe that is not strictly true that you cannot give them away). The courgette needs to be eaten, it won't keep too long and we are starting to get monster ones! Our neighbour made a suggestion the other day, which was that at the start of the year we all get together and decide who is going to grow what veggies, then we share them out throughout the year. That way we have a 12 month growing cycle, never too much of one thing and everyone gets to have a bit of everything. Now, it is a good idea...I see the logic, in fact I applaud it. But isn't this how communism started...? These are some of the veggies grown by our fair hands (well Peter...

A bit more weedy than rosy, but lush and green none the less. Peter has been busy with t he veg patch, mostly filling up mole holes when we water. The moles are a problem, our lawn is full of mole hills at the moment, I've tried sticks in the holes, filling the hole with water, putting lemon down the hole (local old wives remedy) but still they pop up. We need a killer cat! The local cove cabbage grows in every garden, Jersey folk will call it a Long Jack. It's used in soups throughout the Winter and just keeps growing. All his hard work is paying off as we've had courgettes-a-plenty, lots of radish, lettuce and spinach. The tomatoes are on there way, along with the corn, beans, onions, beetroot and peppers. We've still got lots to do, the lower garden is a haven for weeds (some may call it a wild garden). We've cleared some space, but the weeds just keep on coming. So, today Peter has been out there strimming the weeds away with our neighbours strimmer. We'l...

The Festa is a big thing in Portugal, every village has their own Festa, some lasting a week but most take place over the weekend. The whole village or valley come together to walk the streets, watch the entertainment and drink! Now, I'm no expert (I have been to two so far), but I can see a theme. 1. Parade your religious/loc al hero icon 2. Hang around a bit 3. Listen to some wonderful local music 4. Wait for the entertainment to arrive, which is usually a singing group with very scantly clad women dancers! For example: Meet Nuno and the Nunetts, who performed at the Figueiró dos Vinhos Festa in June. Or the girls who performed at the local Castanheira de Pera Festa. The dances seem to be the same. Wave hands in the air (like you just don't care), wiggle at little, flick hair, repeat until fade! These events are fantastic, local community getting together. It is something that is lacking in England I think, or at least something I didn't experience in London (...