There is a consistent theme around Cabril these days: Estamos sujos. We are dirty.
Restoring and building means that we remove really old dirt. We move that dirt, then move it again so we can make way for new dirt. And sometimes we play with all kinds of dirt to make a palette of dirty, old colours to [...]
The only topic in Cabril these days is the unbearable heat and even though we try to keep complaints to a minimum, it’s bloody hot. We do our best to stay cool but yesterday things got a little scary. As anyone living in a forest knows, prolonged periods of heat + no rain + wind [...]
People need socks.
The ancient Greeks wore socks from matted animal hair while the Romans wrapped their feet with leather. By the 5th century AD socks were worn by holy people to express purity and by 1000 AD socks became a symbol of wealth.
Whether pure or rich, people need their feet to stay warm and dry. [...]
When we first moved to Cabril I had grand visions of gardening. We would have an endless supply of fresh, organic vegetables and the courtyard would be brimming with all sorts of luscious plant life. And I, of course, would be wearing the perfect gardening outfit for tending these bursting blooms and well-groomed beds of [...]
One of the best things about living on a quinta is that we’re surrounded by green. Nothing but nature to the east, west, north and south.
Right below our courtyard is a tree farm belonging to one of the local nurseries. During the warmer months the field is always filled with rows of trees sprinkled with [...]
We all have quirky things that irritate us and my favourite client in Vancouver is no exception. It happened whenever he completed an electronic form. Rather than scrolling down a long list of 195 countries in a drop-down list, he would press “C” for CANADA. His pet peeve was that, nine times out of ten, [...]
Looking at this week’s chick<8000clicks>chick you’d think djbeat and I had swapped places.
I’m whispering sweet nothings into plastic ears on the left while djbeat is cooing in hushed pink tones on the right.
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PS: Muito obrigada to daisyfae, DaddyP, emma, Shannon, Alice, KPX, penfold, Esta(!), Sue, and stinkypaw for their kind comments on Wind at my Back.
It’s been five years since my radical change in perspective. Every now and then I catch myself slipping back into old habits but I try very hard to appreciate every single day. This morning’s gentle breeze reminded me why.
My older sister stayed in ICU (intensive care unit) for more than twelve weeks after the liver [...]
Cabril sits nestled in a tiny valley with both houses overlooking the tree farm below. This week rows and rows of orange trees appeared below us as os trabalhadors revealed a neatly striped landscape. The only signs of modern civilization are the telephone poles that hang dangerously low across the field. We are free and [...]
We took a short break but I’m so happy that chick<8000clicks>chick is back. A city chick and a country chick, together in spirit but separated by more than 8000 km.
This week’s theme was “glow” and I love the way Cabril’s country glimmer contrasts with Vancouver’s urban neon. I’m glowing with the season’s first roses on the left [...]
