So now that we have settled in, I’m using that term very loosely, our attention has turned to the outside area. We have land front and back of the house which still looks exceedingly scruffy, there’s still some builders’ stuff lying around and mounds of gravel. So perhaps, when we look up in our guide book to identify the plants coming through, we should not be surprised by the phrase occurs especially on wasteland.

We also have a lower field. One of the reasons for moving was to have less land. This area, a quarter of an acre, is more than we need so we’re looking at ways of making it fuss free to maintain. The trees we planted seem to be doing fine but to limit the amount of strimming to be done, and keep it as natural as possible, Richard is now only making paths through the tall grass and flowers. Having had a go at rewilding, we do realise that just letting things go results in a wonderful display of flowers the first year and then a horrible mess the second. It still needs to be cut back to work. So the plan is to keep on top of the paths on a regular basis and then cut the whole field at the end of the summer. Well, that’s plan A. It was lovely to find a honeysuckle lurking at the back once some the vines and brambles had been cut back.

It’s in this area we’ll grow some vegetables but on a much smaller scale than before. We mentioned in a previous post that an asparagus bed had been made. I ordered them online from Spain. I got nine crowns, one of which was dead. Four of them have worked, that is they have sent up some rather thin shoots. Perhaps the others will later but even if we do have so few it will certainly be enough for the two of us.

The comfrey on the other hand has been a roaring success. In fewer than three months all the plants have grown amazingly. Again these were ordered online, from a friend in central Portugal. I think I’ll be able to cut some of this soon and make some comfrey feed, which is the best fertilizer you can give tomatoes.

Talking of tomatoes: Richard made, using the old beams from the house when it was demolished, three semi-raised beds for a veg patch. I wasn’t going to do anything with them this year but when we left the rented house the lady there gave me a whole bag of tomato plants and so I put in 18 of them. They are also doing tremendously. Many of them have flowers, but I have no idea what type they are!

Meanwhile we have got to know most of our neighbours. Anyone who has lived in rural Portugal will tell you how generous the country folk are. The lady from the rented house was always knocking on the door and handing over huge bags of lettuce, tomatoes, beans, eggs… and here we have already been given bags of potatoes and onions (to thank us for the corrugated sheets we let them have) plus an offer to help ourselves to the red plums (which we took up immediately and jars of red plum jam are in the pantry already) and passion fruit.

Living in the country also means of course that come seven o’clock when we sit down to eat and enjoy the bucolic view the tractors get going. The meadows are being cut now and turned into hay bales. We may hear the sound of strimmers or chainsaws, or the noisy spray thingy that covers the vines with copper sulphate. Or perhaps it’s the drummers and accordion players during one of the summer festas. Not to mention the fireworks. It’s certainly not peaceful and quiet!

All the things we have been getting up to in the upper area and around the house will have to wait for another post. Betty is sort of enjoying the country walks, she particularly likes these flat paths along the rivers. Not sure she notices the wild flowers.