Raindrops Keep Falling.......

February is here and seems to be almost gone before we can even take a breath somehow. Time to get the land sorted and de-weeded and prepare for the mega activity of spring planting. We realise that in England and other northern parts the snow has been a huge feature but weather is strange here too since we have had very little frost so far (enough to kill off a few plants though) but continuing with shedloads of rain, which just saturates the land. We've just had the most tremendous hail storms and high winds just a few days after the disaster in Madeira so maybe it was the tail end of the system. Scary to watch the pine trees around us bend so dramatically towards the house in the gales. We are also discovering leaks and leaky guttering that will need fixing this year. Ho Hum

The dogs have the right idea and when not rushing round beating each other up they enjoy collapsing as only they can.The water diversion done in November have helped somewhat but we still have so much water in the soil it has been hard to work. Friend Mark has rotivated my vegetable terrace...thank you Mark, and also created two other beds in the field next to the pond for the squashes, pumpkins and sweet corn that I hope to grow this year. Problem is the dogs think it is a great area to excavate so we have had to fence it off. Fraser worked hard to put up field fencing at least, although they can still get access from the terrace above but at least it is not available from the field side when they are out playing.
Bugsy has dug over most of the terrace banks creating holes everywhere so we will have to buy a load of cheap hardy plants and fill up the holes I guess to keep the terraces intact. He is a little bugger with digging and is a chewer!! He has made short work of two seat belts and part of the roof lining of the car. But our fault for leaving the dogs in there too long. We live and learn.

The olives have been trimmed down again and another two dead pine trees removed and processed thanks to the tree team, Steve, João Pedro and Vanessa.
We have started to plant more trees on the terraces and around the pond, Beech, Maples, Liquid Ambers and hope to plant more.

The lake is low since they have kept the dam open to help ease the torrents flowing in the Mondago. There have been plenty of wonderful misty mornings though and a pair of cormorants have taken to fishing regularly there. It's a grand site to see them albeit briefly.

The spiders are out doing their stuff and the Mimosa has started to bloom.
Fraser has broken through a rather blocked spell and is painting abstracts after much worry and thumbnail chewing. It is great to see him working so enthusiastically. Hopefully there will be some ready for the exhibition in 3 weeks time. We are very excited about that and hope there will be some interest in his work. My final news is that I have become a Great-Great-Aunty. My Great Nephew Bradley and his wife Nina have produced William Jack weighing in at just over 10 pounds!!! Congratulations to both and welcome to William Jack.