“I envy those who have a singular focus, whose work clearly revolves around one central point. I feel that this is one of my fatal flaws, juggling too many things and not having a laser-sharp focus on one.”
– Jeremy Bassetti
I relate to the above quote. My interests often feel too many and diverse. Almost all of which I am in the process of trying to master or at least trying to get a working grip on, and as such, I easily feel overwhelmed. If I think too much about it, my juggling act freeze up and I drop all the balls. That is why I often prioritize at least one thing every day. That way, it becomes my focus so that at the end of the day I can feel that I have at least achieved something noteworthy.
My morning routines set the rhythm of my day. In winter I often wake up hours before sunrise. As I roll out of bed to make coffee, Midnight is usually eager for a treat or to go out, circling me until I give her either or both. Lily often lies on my lap, once I’ve settled back into bed with my coffee and computer. I try to start my day with some Portuguese learning, in between brushing Lily, as her hair demands a lot of care, which I often neglect, as she needs to be relaxed, and preferably half asleep for me to be able to untangle the tangles that start to multiply this time of the year. I also try to get on top of whatever else I need to do on the computer like going through emails, respond to comments on the blog, read and respond to blogs I follow, read newsletters or articles that interest me, or do a bit of research and writing.
It was lovely to have had a break from work and routines for both Michael and I, and Istanbul turned out to be the perfect city for a winter break, as there were many cats who searched out Michael’s lap for warmth and love. We managed a good balance between sightseeing, walking, eating, shopping, and just relaxing. It has become an expensive city to visit, as its main attractions now charge exorbitant entrance fees, but the people and cats made up for that. Michael bought me two beautiful kilims, and we managed to buy spices, soap, pomegranate and grape molasses, as well as salep from a shop far away from the touristy area that doesn’t even appear on Google maps. The lovely man would punch in his price for the items I pointed to, and then eagerly follow them up with the amount I would pay at the Grand Bazaar.
A place Michael and I avoided like the plague. We had no intention of visiting the Spice (or Egyptian) Bazaar either, but there was a coffee roastery I wanted Michael to get coffee beans from located behind it that we visited. As we were trying to make our escape it felt like we were drowning in people no matter down which alleyway we turned. It felt a bit harrowing to both of us, making us even more grateful for deciding to visit this popular city in the off-season.
Another place where we stocked up on lokum and tea on our last day was chosen because when we walked through the Arista Bazaar that morning, Michael noticed an older gentleman talking to a cat that was clearly happy to see him, as he was unlocking his shop. Needless to say, not only was he lovely, but his merchandise weren’t the exorbitant tourist prices that were charged elsewhere.
The days are starting to get milder, and wildflowers are eager to make their appearance. Everywhere yellow, white, and purple starts to liven up the landscape. This also means that strimming season has officially started to make sure that my immediate surroundings stay neat and tidy, as well as creating footpaths for the cats and I to continue our daily walks. Big sections will be left to grow abundantly, as it will be cut and baled at the beginning of summer.
The birdsong has also brightened, and the calls of a pair of red-legged partridges (both ringed), who loves to forage around the house, never fail to grab both Lily’s and my attention. They are too cute scurrying around the tall camomile, and don’t get fazed when Lily tries her stalking technique out on them, but simply dart off to the other side of the workshop.
There is evidence of wild boar everywhere on the land, so I wasn’t impressed with Lily when she got sidetracked during one of our walks and didn’t come home even after it got dark. I had to venture out with a flashlight in the general direction I last saw her, swearing under my breath, but luckily she did eventually come running towards my voice.
A Special Memory or Moment of Joy:
Midnight regularly catches and devours a mouse on our walks, but Lily doesn’t seem to know what to do with what she catches or sets her aims a bit too high. When her and I were relaxing in the sun last Sunday, she suddenly jumped up and dashed off in stalking mode. When I followed her attention my eyes fell on a deer strolling across the land towards the sharka. She never took her eyes of it until it eventually trotted off into some bushes on the neighbour’s land and disappeared from view.
Notes:
# Lily was keen to help me choose seeds to plant, which would hopefully for the last time be started inside the house, as I plan to start the germination process next year with the help of heated mats in the workshop on a bench in a sunny spot.
Unknown facts or quirks about Portugal:
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics the Portuguese consume 14.9 kg of cheese per capita per year. This love is reflected in a cheese from Portugal winning the best cheese at The World Cheese Awards in November last year. No mean feat if one considers that 4,786 cheeses from 47 countries competed for the spot.
The winning cheese from Queijaria Quinta do Pomar is described as a buttery raw sheep’s milk cheese, made with a vegetarian thistle rennet, and is made not far from us in Soalheira, Fundão.
Written by: Jolandi
That cheese sounds marvelous! I am an unapologetic fan of cheese, and often find that it is my only source of dairy in a given week. I could survive on cheese and bread and greens.
The way you describe combing Lily makes me wonder if the exercise is meditative. Like combing my child’s long long hair when they were young and kept hair long for ballet. It could be annoying if I was in a hurry, but if I embraced the time, it became special for us both. Oh the cats in Turkey!!! I love all the photos of Michael with many different cats. Gosh, they are beautiful. Did they seek him out especially? He must send out cat-loving energy.
Your photos of your beautiful land are always exceptional, Jolandi. I see from the strimmer that you are hard at work for the season already.
If the cheese sounds marvelous to you, I suspect that you will be in cheese heaven when you and Pedro visit Portugal one day, Crystal. Although I do eat cheese, I am of the boring type who prefer mild, cow’s milk cheese.
Luckily Lily loves being brushed, and it provides good bonding moments UNTIL there are tangles. Then it becomes a nerve-wracking experience for both of us. Mostly ending up in me bleeding.
Cats are drawn to Michael. I only included a handful of photos with him and the cats, as there are just too many. The sweetest interaction was with the one who claims Suleyman the Magnificent’s tomb as his territory. When Michael removed it from his lap, it simply climbed back on. It was an especially cold day, but I guess it also just fell in love with Michael’s kind heart. If he could have, I suspect he would have taken it home with him.
Yes, the season of seemingly endless strimming has started, although it looks like for the next week at least winter has returned in full force, which means that because of the rainy days, I will spend most of my time indoors. – Jolandi
Your meal in Istanbul reminded me of a great Turkish restaurant I used to frequent in, of all places, St. Paul, Minnesota. Turkish cuisine is underrated in the States, and oddly we have no Turkish restaurants in my otherwise diverse city in California. I would also go to Istanbul for the cats! A city so friendly to its feline residents is my kind of city. (But I agree, I can’t stand being in places so crowded you can barely walk forward. I would have to visit in the off season as well.)
So interesting about the Turkish restaurants, Hangaku. As a vegetarian, Turkish cuisine offers many wonderful options, and Michael and I visited a couple of really wonderful restaurants that catered well to both our tastes, as he loves meat. The cats is reason enough for a visit to Istanbul. In the small, but ambitious Cat Museum they show a film with stories of cats and people that is really heartwarming, as well as insightful. It is definitely a highlight for me. And of course there was a cat snuggling in Michael’s lap the whole time we sat there watching it. – Jolandi
Your photos of Istanbul compliment your oasis of your Quinta beautifully, Jolandi. It is great to see you able to get fully absorbed in your creation of your land and what you and Michael have built there, and I did laugh a bit with your opening quote and how your lifestyle requires you to focus on so many things. A rich life is one where juggling many aspects of life is a necessity, and you have the ability to every now and then during the day to focus and act on what you love (and needs to be done). The magic of spring has crept into this winter, which is an exciting time ~ wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Thank you, Randall. And yes, I love this transition into Spring. I’ve really had enough of the cold now, which is a tad ironic, as it currently feels like winter has set in with renewed vigor. Fresh snow has fallen on the Serra da Estrela, and grey, rainy weather has been predicted for the rest of the week. I hope your weather is less tempestuous, although I suspect it takes longer for Spring to arrive where you are. Either way, I hope we can both embrace this transitional period by appreciating moments of joy and beauty that is part and parcel of the season. – Jolandi
I know how it feels juggling so many things at once, but it’s not for me. I think it’s more fun than being laser focused on one goal with a 50% chance of success, and even after success, what next? I struggled with that for a few years because my curiosity got the better of me and I wanted to keep learning new things.
The cat photos in Istanbul made me smile. They are such wonderful creatures and a joy to watch.
It’s all coming together at the farm, I am SO happy for you!!
Jolandi, that opening quote really hit me. I have been wondering what if I do something that allows me to really focus on one thing and do my very best for it? This thought was partially inspired by my fascination for Japanese craftsmanship which is often a result of one’s dedication to a specific thing.
I loved the tidbits of your travel in Istanbul, one of my favorite cities! The cats look just as fluffy as how I remember them. Reading about how Lily suddenly disappeared one night, probably distracted by something out of the ordinary, reminds me of my own cats that I had in the past. I read that cats do recognize our voices, and they react to them.
I love all your cat photos at home and in Turkey. Somehow, I have never been to Turkey or eaten Turkish food though Britain has many Turkish restaurants and many Turkish people living here. My brother-in-law and his partner discovered how much they love Turkey some years ago and return there very often. I remember grooming the cats I used to have and it was always as you describe it! I very rarely got the whole cat brushed and I usually ended up being scratched! I also remember the awful anxiety when they didn’t return home when they should.
We have had a very dull and wet winter so this past week of early frost and clear, sunny but chilly days has been marvellous! We have had snowdrops and the primroses are now in flower so it must be spring!
A holiday is always good for the body and soul even though the thought of all the catching-up to do when we get home can be a little depressing.