“Solitude in the city is about the lack of other people or rather their distance beyond a door or wall, but in remote places it isn’t an absence but the presence of something else, a kind of humming silence in which solitude seems as natural to your species as to any other, words strange rocks you may or may not turn over.”
– Rebecca Solnit
The longer I live on my own, the more I enjoy solitude. So, not being used to having people in my personal space was quite an adjustment during the three weeks Michael and his parents spent on the quinta. Life always speeds up when Michael comes for a visit, as there is never enough time for the projects or tasks we want to get done, and this time was no exception. We did decide beforehand to limit the number of projects we wanted to engage in, and although we didn’t quite take it as slow as we would have wanted to, we did prioritize social interactions, and even had various friends we have in the area over for meals.
The tasks that took priority were finishing off the steps at the retaining wall, filling in the back of it after pipes for irrigation were laid, building a space to contain all the irrigation valves, installing new irrigation that is now bringing water all the way from the well instead of using borehole water to irrigate the vegetable garden, avocado trees, a fruit hedge, vines and passion fruit. Another big task was to change the frayed rope holding up the pump in the well for a chain. Michael’s parents, although in their 80s, were keen to help, which made a big difference.
Once I had the quinta to myself again, I had to do my best to catch up with all the chores that were neglected, like strimming, strimming, strimming! In certain areas the grass reached between my waist and shoulders, and although Tim cut huge swathes of grass with his chain mower, there are areas that can only be cut with a strimmer. And ironically, all the areas he cut, need another cut now a mere month later.
The usefulness and benefits of a ride on mower are creeping more and more into the conversations between Michael and I, as many of the areas I now cut with a strimmer and lawnmower can be cut with a ride on mower and would not only save me a lot of time, but also a lot of life force that could be spent on other tasks. Although we definitely don’t want to plough our land for various reasons, we are also starting to understand a certain wisdom embedded in the Portuguese and their affinity for the plough – you only do it once a year.
Currently it seems that the more items I tick off my to-do list, the more seem to jostle their way onto it, so instead of growing shorter it is actually growing longer, so I suspect June will be an extremely busy month. And so, with the cheerful songs of nightingales and the whiney hum of the strimmer, instead of human voices once again punctuating my days, I will have to find a new rhythm to suit the increasing daylight and heat.
Part of the work that was done when Tim was here, was to flatten the ground behind the newly built wall, and move three old stones to create an arrangement that will eventually become a water feature.
On My Plate & In the Garden
The last frost date for our region is roughly the 20th April, so although my seedlings were ready to be transplanted just before Michael and his parents arrived at the end of April, I held off and only transplanted them on the 8th of May. What I didn’t contend with was that winter would turn to summer as if a switch was flicked. Instead of worrying about frost, the sun’s strength turned out to be a problem and for a moment there I thought that all my work up to that point would be wiped out. In the end I only had to replant three tomatoes, which I had extra seedling of. The temperatures dipped slightly a couple of days later, and they pulled through. So now I have tomatoes, peppers de Padron, chilies, zucchinis, eggplants, artichokes, watermelon and melon seedlings that will all hopefully provide an abundance of food during the summer months.
We ate the last of the lettuce before they bolted, and the abundant chive flowers made a regular appearance on our plates, adding both colour and flavour.
In the orchard the trees, which looked more like broom sticks in winter are now all looking like trees and doing well. Only one fig tree looked like it was dead, but new leaves have sprouted at its base, so from the look of it, all the trees we planted are doing well, and will hopefully in a couple of years provide a bounty of delicious fruit.
Comfrey is said to be the best companion plant there is for an orchard, as it helps to suppress weeds, bring nutrients to the surface, can be made into a liquid fertilizer, kick starts your compost pile, and attract pollinators.
We bought some comfrey (the Russian variety, which is sterile and does not spread by seed, but only root cuttings) in late February. At the time, I planted a couple of roots with some of the fruit trees, while the rest were thrown into some pots. As they grow into huge plants, they need to ideally be planted halfway between two trees, and for that, they would need to be irrigated through the harsh summer months. That means that I will have to lay driplines along the four rows of trees, apart from planting the comfrey. As always, on paper or in conversation it sounds like a small task, until one starts to engage physically in it. At least step one, strimming the area between said trees where they are to be planted, was done yesterday.
Weathering the Weather
For someone living in a city the weather is most probably only noticed when deciding on what to wear, but when one lives on a farm, it not only dictates what chores need to get done, but also the rhythms of a day. In the heat of the summer, there really only is a couple of hours in the early morning in which to get any outside work done comfortably. With the mood swings of spring, I fluctuate between working only for two or three hours in the morning, or having whole days of trying to catch up or get ahead with the chores clamouring for my attention.
Officialdom
During Michael’s recent visit we had a meeting with the architect, and when we expressed our bafflement with so many of the laws that just don’t make any sense, he said, “Yes, but the government doesn’t want people to live on the land. They want people to live close together, so that they can provide services to them easily.” No wonder the laws and rules get stricter as time passes. Currently, apart from various specific rules, one cannot build on land that is less than a hectare in size, but in one municipality nearby, he told us, they are already changing it to 3 hectares. When we told a friend this, she said that she heard the same thing from a Portuguese friend a couple of years back, but brushed it off as something that cannot be true. Seems it can.
Ironically, the influx of foreigners and even Portuguese into Central Portugal is based on their desire to live on the land, mostly to live closer to the land, caring for it and receiving nourishment from it in the form of food. Estate agents not only sell land from that angle, but some municipalities actively encourage people to rebuild ruins within certain guidelines that can differ from one municipality to the next. Easy it seems, until people try to get a final habitation license. Some people don’t bother, and I cannot blame them, as we know from experience that it is both difficult and expensive, and it appears that municipalities in general in most cases simply turn a blind eye.
Another irony piled on top of all the others is that the influx of people who want to live an alternative life is hugely beneficial for the local economy, while land that is often neglected is suddenly being taken care of. Like so many things here in Portugal it appears to be a multi-faceted issue with so many conflicting layers that trying to understand it is an exercise in futility. For us, we have no choice but to forge forward with our plans, but I would certainly caution anyone who is thinking of investing all their life savings in buying a piece of land without an existing habitation license to educate themselves thoroughly before signing any papers. Buying a house in a village would be a far safer option. The Portuguese traditionally and mostly live in small villages and not on the land that they own. There are of course exceptions, like our lovely ex-neighbour The Shepherd and his Wife.
When we bought our land four and a half years ago, we were the only foreigners on our piece of dirt road. Now we have a British couple living a kilometre to one side, and a Dutch/British couple a kilometre away to the other side, while The Shepherd is renting his quinta out to a Norwegian/German couple.
It appears that Portugal is the only country in the EU that hasn’t issued new residence cards containing biometric information to its British residents, who still have to enter Europe with a piece of paper with a QR code. Michael recently read that France is now refusing to accept this and is simply stamping the passports, which means that residents are entering the EU as tourists, with all the relevant complications, as there are limits to how long they can stay on EU soil. When we recently mentioned this in a conversation with European friends, and said that we found that interesting because we thought that France’s bureaucracy is worse than Portugal’s, they responded with, “Yes, but they are efficient.”
And so, our entanglements with officialdom continue to be confusing and frustrating, which makes us feel right at home, as South Africa is really not much different. And when all is said and done, I would rather face them here, than in South Africa.
With only two months left of my Portuguese course, things are getting really difficult, but I am enjoying the whole process. Our teacher is encouraging and kind, which really has everything to do with how much I am enjoying those long sessions, which can be rather exhausting when one’s head is struggling to keep up with all the grammatical intricacies and exceptions.
When someone from the electricity company recently called, asking to speak to Michael, I could at least explain that he is my husband and not currently here, but when the conversation got a tad too complicated, and I asked if he perhaps spoke English, his reply was that my Portuguese is better than his English. We both ended up laughing, feeling good instead of frustrated by the interaction, and he said he would get someone else to call me. I doubt that it was important or that someone would, as I’ve received call centre calls before, and it was explained to me that when companies are trying to sell you a different package or make any amendments to a contract, they are not allowed to explain the terms and conditions in English. It has to be done in Portuguese. Needless to say, I suspect that these calls would always be a waste of time, as I don’t even understand contract English and never change anything over the phone anyway.
Midnight & Lily
Midnight and Lily love the change in weather too, as they are now allowed to roam freely outside at night. I miss having Lily sleeping on Michael’s pillow, but I suspect she sleeps most of the night in her favourite spot on a chair on the porch. Midnight often curls up in her bed in the house by the time I go to sleep, and has taken it upon herself to be my alarm clock in the morning, head butting me to wake me up for a treat. When she doesn’t quite get the reaction she wants, she simply curls up next to me, patiently waiting for me to open my eyes. I often sense her curling up next to me at night, which I love.
As always, they continue to follow me around on the quinta when I don’t engage in noisy work, proving to be good companions, while keeping a close eye on the work being done.
Portuguese Words
solidão – solitude
silêncio – silence
canto dos pássaros – birdsong
trabalho – work
primavera – Spring
pomar – orchard
horta – vegetable garden
Visitors
Michael and I spotted two weasels in a stone wall close to the house, but with the cats around I suspect they have wisely moved on. I once saw Midnight pounce on one, killing it instantly. We’ve heard the owl a couple of times at night, but far away, and once again talked about installing owl boxes on the property. The vultures have also been seen circling around, and one morning when I opened the curtains two grouse made a hasty retreat.
Our strangest visitor was a little terrapin, making its way towards us where we were sitting on the porch one afternoon. About a kilometre from us as the crow flies there is a permanent dam where one can almost always see a group of terrapins basking in the sun on a rock, but apart from that we have no idea where else they live and how this one ended up where it did. A friend suggested that it parachuted in, which I guess could have happened via the claws of a bird of prey. Anyway, Michael released it in our sharka, but I’m not sure it survived, and with the water now almost gone, I will keep an eye out for it, but I’m not holding my breath.
To Read & Listen To
# Listen to the songs of nightingales
To Visit
After dropping Michael and his parents off at the airport for their evening flight, I made my way to Montijo, on the other side of the Tagus River, where I spent the night in a gorgeous apartment, Fisherman’s Inn Loft. I spent my evening indulging in a scrumptious meal at A Taska, a quaint restaurant serving small plates called petiscos in Portugal, which is much better shared than dining alone.
The next day I woke up early and took a leisurely drive back home, stopping off in Montemor-o-Novo and Estremoz for a stroll.
# Some day I hope to write more extensive posts with photographs on the gorgeous towns of Portugal, but for now my time and energy is taken up by the demands of the quinta.
Written by: Jolandi
Ah Montemor-o-Novo, the place where Vasco de Gama’s journey was approved, the heart of the Carnation revolution and now home of Ai Wei Wei.. https://www.visitevora.net/en/montemor-portugal/
Small towns can be very interesting and in a country with so many layers of history they never disappoint. – Jolandi
Now it kind of makes sense why the Portuguese government seem to make it so overly complicated for you to get your habitation license. However, I think they shouldn’t only see it from ‘how the government are going to provide services’ perspective. They should also rather factor in the benefits that will come to a locality when people actually want to own a land and make use of it. I believe in one way or another, these people will be self-sufficient in some aspects — food sustainability, for instance — while the government can provide incentives to push for bigger self-sufficiency (I’m thinking of some scheme to get people to install solar panels, among other things).
On a lighter note, when you mentioned about Midnight’s habit in the morning, that made me miss the cat I had many years ago when I was in university years. I could imagine him doing exactly the same thing Midnight loves to do to you.
My days are definitely much richer sharing them with Midnight and Lily, Bama. They add so much joy to my life. 🥰 Have you ever had a cat again after your university years?
Food sustainability should definitely be high on every government’s agenda these days. Most of the people who move to this area have a desire to live completely off-grid, and I guess alternative lifestyles don’t always sit well with people in power. We are so flawed as a human race, often placing more importance on the things that don’t benefit the majority of people or the planet, and it always seem to me that the people in power who actually make the most important decisions are the most flawed of us all. – Jolandi
Unfortunately I haven’t. I’ve been thinking of having a cat again after I moved to the apartment I currently live in. But with my work schedule, travels, etc I’m worried I can’t give my cat the care and attention it deserves. Right now I should be content with seeing my mother’s cute and snuggly cat every time I go back to my hometown to see her.
Oh I couldn’t agree more with you, Jolandi. Those in power — who are responsible for making important decisions — are often the most corrupt of us all.
I’m glad to hear that you have access to cat snuggles. You are right, having a pet is a huge responsibility.
Bama, you make a good point. The people who want to live on and work the land will likely be a group of people that need less services.
When politicians are involved ones should read between the lines, and I doubt the reason that is given has anything to do with services.
Although I grew up in suburbia, it was a little house perched in the corner of a big block and we had no lawn mower. Sometimes people would ask us to graze their horses, and at one stage we had two sheep – although I don’t know where they came from. Maybe an arrangement with your shepherd neighbour would assist your never-ending strimming?
Your quote from Rebecca Solnit caught my eye. Just last week I watched an interview streaming from the Sydney Writers Festival and she was talking about her book, Orwell’s Roses. I’ve read a lot of George Orwell over the years, so it really caught my attention – and then here you are – quoting Solnit!
I love Rebecca Solnit’s writing, and this quote comes from her book “A Field Guide to Getting Lost”. I always underline passages in the books I read that resonates with me, which comes in handy when I’m looking for suitable quotes when I write. I really am a sucker for a good quote. I haven’t read Orwell’s Roses, though, but I’d say it is a good sign for you to read it.
It is also interesting in return that you are mentioning sheep, Gwen as it is something Michael and I have often discussed. I refuse to have any livestock on the land when he is not living here permanently, though. We loved it when our Shephard neighbour used to graze his sheep on our land, but he has retired, and the other guy who grazes his sheep sometimes on my neighbour’s land has a very big flock. With my limited Portuguese, no fencing, and with very specific ideas on farming that is not at all the Portuguese way that option is not really viable. Last time I saw him he told me that he found a big piece of land elsewhere that is more suitable for his flock than the small parcels where we live. At least that was my understanding.
Believe it or not, I actually enjoy strimming. That said, there is definitely a place for various tools and certain areas need to be dealt with differently at some point in time. – Jolandi
It is so wonderful to see how your settling in progresses. Trust me, one day we will come to visit all that you have done.
Thank you, Peggy. That would be so lovely. We have come a very long way since we first set foot on the land, and I would say that all our hard work is definitely paying off. Plus, I do love the physicality of the chores – well, most of them anyway. – Jolandi
Jolandi,
I was so excited to see the new blog post in my inbox. Have thought of you often and wondering how life on the quinta is treating you. So nice to catch up with what is going on. Glad all is well.
Take care, and don’t work to hard.
Terri
So lovely to hear from you, Terri. I love the outdoor chores (they keep me fit), and have learned to pace myself and not to get too overwhelmed with how many tasks are still waiting. Good life lessons and general to learn!
I hope you are well, and that spring is beautiful in your part of the world. – Jolandi
I am always pleased to have visitors to my home but after a day or two, no matter how much I love my friends/family, I am also missing the peace and quiet and having a little time to myself. I get exhausted rushing round trying to keep the house clean and tidy as unobtrusively as possible! Your little house must have seemed very full with four of you there for three weeks!
It is such a shame that life is made so much more difficult for people who wish to live on their land instead of commuting there from a home in the nearest town or village! Britain has become increasingly urban and successive governments are making it more and more difficult for village dwellers like me to live a normal life. There is no public transport (I don’t consider two buses on a Wednesday as adequate), phone reception is poor, there are frequent power-cuts, etc. Legislation for everything is geared towards people who live in towns and cities. People who wish to be self-sufficient or don’t want to live cheek by jowl to lots of other people are considered awkward or even strange. I hope you eventually get all that dreadful paperwork done.
Congratulations on getting more of your building projects done and for becoming so proficient in Portuguese! <3
Oh Clare, I’m so sorry to hear about your own frustrations wanting to live a quiet life away from people. It confirms for me that it is an attitude that has to do with human nature and is not culturally specific. It is another irony to me that there is an increasing number of people all around the world who wants to live alternative lives, away from urban centres, yet, society and governments view them with suspicion.
I trust that the day will come when all our paperwork is done and in order. Not sure how many years it will take though. 😂
I’ve always dreamed of having seperate guest accommodation so that there can be a bit of privacy every day for both parties. I definitely need a breather every day, and with our little house that is simply not possible.
I hope you are having a lovely spring on your piece of paradise. – Jolandi
Love these updates. Thanks for including us in your lives! I can’t believe how quickly it seems foreigners have become your neighbors. I thought for sure, they would stay in the cities. It must be truly appealing to live in Portugal.
Hope you have a productive and fruitful June! xo
I am so glad to have you in our life, Lani. It will sadden me if you one day decide to leave it. These interactions in the blogosphere really feels like a heartfelt and true community to me. I love how it allows us to connect, even if we live worlds apart.
I also marvel at the diversity of all the foreigners who choose to come and live here, and not just in the area in towns, but specifically on the land. From retired people who had very well paid and ‘fancy’ jobs all the way through to what I would term barefoot hippies. They also come from an array of countries, and more and more from the US too, although mostly from within the EU, as I guess that is just less complicated than for the rest of us.
May you also have a happy June. I hope things have calmed down at work and aren’t so stressful anymore. – Jolandi
This one is packed with information as so many of your posts are. I love hearing about the latest for you. When I lived in the state of Vermont in the US, I came to understand the changing seasons like a light switch, as you describe. It truly is a wonder to live where that happens.
The question of a riding mower is a good one and I’m glad you’re taking time with it. Remember to consider the needed maintenance, which you can manage yourself, but it’s just an extra task. I am in love with my mower, which is like a little tractor for me, as I bought it specially to handle tight turns around trees, a strong motor to go up and down hills, and big tires to dig and pull me through slippery ground. I use it for towing as well as mowing, most often to bring cut wood from other parts of the property to the woodshed. But then, I must use the trimmer even more than the mower, because I can’t get the mower to the edges of things. May and June are often stressful months for me because that’s when so much outdoor work must be done in addition to all the other usual indoor work. This spring has been hard, as the rain almost never stops and the tall, tall grass can’t be cut in the rain or it gums up my machines.
Thanks for the comfrey tip, and I have already purchased seeds for my orchard, as I would love for mine to spread across that area of the property!
I am so pleased to hear the story of you having a conversation in Portuguese over the phone. That is brilliant! It makes me so happy for you and envious of your language immersion, which must be helpful. The images of Montijo are simply beautiful. What excellent doors you have captured. Ahh, it’s been a lovely visit with you this morning. Thank you Jolandi. <3
Hi Crystal. Thank you for your lovely chatty response. I so love these conversations, and need to find time to catch up what is happening in your life too. At the moment I am not only reluctant to open my computer or visit social media, because it can steal a lot of time I prefer to spend differently at the moment.
A caution about planting comfrey from seed – it will self-seed, and it may spread further than you would like or want. You need to make a hundred percent sure you really want it on your land, as I have read in various articles and books that you will NEVER get rid of it again. That is why we planted the variety that doesn’t make seeds, as although we won’t either be able to get rid of it again, we should be able to contain it to a specific piece of land.
I love to hear how much you enjoy and use your mower. One definitely not only needs the right tools for the job, but also tools that one can use comfortably. And like you say, everything has some sort of maintenance or requires some sort of extra work. But I think you would agree that even though spring brings a lot of extra outdoor chores, the rewards make it worth it. Good luck with mowing and strimming with so much rain. – Jolandi
Good tip on the comfrey. I planted the entire packet I received and not a single one sprouted in my indoor greenhouse. That is frustrating. I’m not sure what I did wrong. But perhaps the Universe was helping me choose a better type, which I will try next. 😉
That could well be, Crystal. 😆🥰
I love the photos you take when you’re able to visit the rural towns around your area and beyond. I take it there are no more Covid restrictions in Portugal now? I want to travel again, but here in California infection rates are returning to late-2021 levels, with the San Francisco area being the hardest hit. Medical researchers say we gave up masks too quickly and allowed public and private indoor spaces to open up too soon, though many of us are now double boostered and still wear masks when we have to go shopping and other places. A friend who went to the Azores earlier in the spring said that Portugal seemed relatively open compared to the US; she kept a mask with her while traveling, but only had to put it on when she was on the plane.
I envy your cats freely rambling around your farm but do not envy the amount of grass you have to cut! I think a riding mower is a great idea!
Midnight & Lily adore quinta life, Hangaku. Like me, they definitely prefer it to city life.
To be honest, I’m not actually sure what the numbers look like here in Portugal, as I’m not paying much attention to any news. What I can say is that mask wearing is not required any longer, but I, and a whole lot of other people still use them sometimes. When there are hardly anyone around and I am outside in a town or city, I don’t wear mine, but when I pop into a grocery store, I do. Granted, I spend most of my time far away from others, so am a bit oblivious as to what ‘normal life’ out there really look like at the moment. – Jolandi
It’s a good thing you don’t seem to be the type to get discouraged too easily! From big, indefinable things (like senseless bureaucracy), to intellectual trials (language learning), to never-ending physical demands, your days seem to require much more effort in every way than mine. Of course, I am living right where the government wants me, on a teeny piece of property right next to millions of others who mostly speak my language! And yet … I would happily trade a good bit of what I have for a little peace and quiet and good hard labor (most days). I always love seeing the progress on the quinta and hearing about your oh-so-different life – thanks for this nice, juicy post!
You know, Lexie, even with all the hard work and frustrations, if you would offer me a chance to move back to Abu Dhabi right now, I would decline. Life here on the quinta is what I want, and I do realize that there is no such thing as paradise, even though I think we get glimpses of it and yearn for it. Life is textured and layered with joys and challenges, and I guess it all comes down to perspective and personal values to bring a sense of peace and contentment. At least, this is what I remind myself of regularly in order not to get discouraged. And luckily on most days I succeed. 😇 – Jolandi
Such a beautiful post, Jolandi ~ and photos to match both the mood of solitude, and the beautiful effort you put into creating this incredible life/adventure you and Michael are undertaking. In addition to the wonders putting sweat and tears into creating this home, the beauty of this is also immersing yourself into a new culture, and putting yourself into the position of having to converse in the local language is another reward. There is a quote a picked up from another blogger about the value of life: learn, earn, and yearn. This post of yours reminds me of finding such value in life. Wishing you a brilliant summer ahead ~ and a sit down mower too 🙂
Thank you for these beautiful words, Randall. I like the value of “learn, earn, and yearn” – it does seem to capture the underlying values of this adventure we’ve embarked on. I hope you will too enjoy a wonderful summer, rich in the experiences your adopted landscape offers you. – Jolandi
Hello my friend,
I can’t believe we are nearing the end of June, but what a month May must have been for you!
I am glad you were able to spend precious time with Michael and his family, but can also relate how it may have been “jarring” to have so much activity after time spent in relative solitude. I admire his parents – how they are so healthy and active into their 80’s – and how they helped out with your piece of heaven.
Again, while not nearly a fraction of what you must deal with on a daily basis, even “basic housekeeping” can take up so much time. I just finished weeding and pruning around our home and (small) backyard, yet it’s less than a week, and new weeds have sprung up in their place. Still, it’s definitely worth it and my husband and I realize how blessed we are to have a home in an area we both love.
We continue to keep fingers crossed that the paperwork and “officialdom” will work out in due time, and of course keep both of you in our thoughts. Your photos are always so lovely, and Midnight and Lily seem right at home 🙂
All my best,
Takami
How time flies, Takami. I’ve been meaning to reply to your comment for a couple of days now, but despite good intentions . . . Well, like you know, so often the outside chores are never once-off jobs. One often just let more time slip in between or ignore them for some respite. I’m glad you have a bit of space, though, and live in an area you love. It makes such a difference to one’s peace of mind and emotional well-being. Hope it will be a lovely summer for you and your husband. – Jolandi
It is exactly as you say – We are already 10 days into the July!
Please never feel any “rush” or obligation to reply. I completely understand how chores are never-ending. You always have our warm wishes and support from this side of the world 🙂