It has been a bit of a crazy month with absolutely loads going on and we have been busy most weekends as well as catching up on our jobs list. The weather had started to improve so we were able to get out and about to get stuck in to various gardening and maintenance chores which otherwise eluded us. 
Fraser has had to build more secure gates and higher fences to keep the ever escaping Bugsy interned and we have now closed off the patio area so that we can hopefully leave the dogs securely if we have to be out for the day.
The look on Bugsy's face says it all really."Bugger! Another new bloody fence and gate!"
Fraser's exhibition opening was a lovely occasion with lots of friends coming to wish him luck. 
He has sold two small paintings so that is better than none, and lots of very positive comments in the exhibition comments book. Here are some of the images. It is a really nice space.
We had a surprise serenade from a local young philharmonic group who had come to the centre to rehearse so they came and played for the opening. A lovely touch.
We helped friends Josh and Veronika to erect a yurt at their current house with a group of other friends. 
It was great fun, a great learning experience and the whole team managed to put it together before lunchtime! Now I want one!!!!!Spring is bursting and the river is high.
The toads are mating in their hundreds at the water's edge and the dogs don't quite know what to make of them.
Meanwhile the processionary caterpillars which have highly toxic hairs which they shed if approached are due to leave their nests in the pine trees and start making their conga-lines across the forest floor. 
You can see one here in the centre of the photo leaving the nest. Sadly they are spreading apace and doing a lot of damage to the pine trees because the forest around us is poorly managed, overcrowded with young wild pine saplings and a ripe breeding ground for the caterpillars to spread. We have to keep the dogs away from them because the hairs can cause swelling in the respiratory system and anaphylactic shock in both humans and dogs too.I have been planting out new spring stock and more vegetables and despite the rain returning this week, the seedlings are starting to appear as the weather has warmed up.
Friend Mark has adopted an Estrella Puppy, who is only a few months old and a real character. She loves playing with Bugsy and Scraps and is very bold.
She comes to play as often as she can but unfortunately gets very car sick at the moment!On 20th March there was a campaign in Portugal to clean up the country and collect garbage dumped in forests and verges. We participated with neighbour Elaine and cleaned up our lakeside and the fringe of forest bordering it. Collected 10 huge sacs of rubbish after 3 1/2 hours in the pouring rain.
100,000 people in Portugal participated and its hoped that this will be the start of a huge clean up programme on a regular basis. Portugal is rife with garbage.So to cheer us up and with Easter coming we are having a party on Easter Sunday to celebrate....well... having a party! Fraser's sister Jan and her partner John bought us a pukkah dart board so we are going to have a pub style darts and boules party on Sunday with sarnies, beer wine and easter eggs too.
Fraser is organising hanging the darts boards (we also have a cheap and cheerful one from the local Chinese emporium) as I write. Hopefully the weather will hold for the day.
Hope you all have a great Easter wherever you are and that the sun is so hot that it melts your chocolate!!!!!!
