better shape up.

Busy week with a lot of guests have made us neglecting our blog horrendously. We will try to become better and write more frequently but we can´t promise since we´re going into the busy season for us.

We have had, as mentioned, many guests, and they have mainly arrived through airbnb. From the beginning we didn´t have many hopes that we would get many guests through them but they keep coming and we are thankful for that.

Spraying the palm tree to protect it from the red palm weavel

Adilson cutting the insulation for the roof

My job among others

This time of year we have also begun to spray our vines to protect them from mold. We do it once a fortnight and it takes Lars and our helper Adilson a whole day to do it. One is driving the tractor and one is managing the hose and spray.

Today Lars and Adilson are working in the vineyard with straightening the wires, repairing and replacing ols poles.

Lars in action

Adilson is helping us out 1-2 days a week and he is extremely allround. He is an excellent mechanic but is very good at plastering as well. We will probably need his help for a long time since we´re doing all kinds of improvements on the quinta.

Natalia is our cleaning lady and she is here 2 days/week during the season. She cleans our guest accomodations and does some ironing.

When the two of them are here lunch is included so that is one of the things I am doing. I plan, shop and cook. I wash about 20 machines of laundry/week (when we´re fully booked) and I answer mail and requests. I also take care of the dogs and chickens, bake a lot and clean our home once in a while when there is too much sand from the dogs inside. Some gardening, limoncello and jam making are also on my work list.

someone has to take care of Senhor Lars

At this very moment only one of our apartments are occupied and that is probably why I have some time to write today. But on Sunday a friend is arriving with her sister and they are staying a week.

All our fruit trees are coming along nicely. There are baby fruit wherever you look.

plums

quince

pears

olives

apricots

nectarins

figs

The garden is also thriving and we have got roses everywhere.

roses thar smell wonderful

many passion flowers

Now I have to prepare lunch for the workers.

Have a wonderful day because we do.

Ase

Issue to be a farmer..

Hi

Today is it the old one that writing the blog

As you know we  have chickens and a rooster called Sr Lars. He is named after me and I don´t understand why but that´s a different story.

To have chicken has been a dream for us and the chickens are lovely animals.They have become more and more like pets for us but it´s not as simple to have chickens as you might think. After almost a year having chichen there have been a lot of different things happening that you normaly don´t have to handle.

First we bought six chickens, no problem at all we thought. After a couple of weeks we learned that there are two types of chickens, the one that lay eggs and the other one that are bred for eating.

Frango-eating chicken

This two types are completely different and the type for eating can´t have eggs without having problems, they suffer a lot. The first cycle of eggs is fine but eventually when the eggs get bigger one of them gets stuck in their bum and they die a painful death.

Of course we had a couple of chickens that are supposed to be fried chicken. Our friend Peter that normaly helps us said to us that we had to kill two of our chickens because they were going to have problems with the egg production.

Peter wanted to show me to kill the chickens because as a chicken owner and a farmer you need to know these things, But I don´t want to kill my animals!!!. Peter is a good friend and he understood that I didn´t want to kill them so he said to us that he could take care of it and he did. He asked us if we would like to have the chickens to eat or if we would like to have two new ones, We chose to have two new ones, and all of a sudden we had Sr Lars and Snow white, they are both very pretty and have a white feathers.

After a couple of good weeks there was a loose dog in our garden and he bit one of the chickens so we were a little bit worried but we solved the situation and she survived.

Now everything is going smoothly and we asked Peter if we could have three more chickens. He delivered three very pretty chickens after a while but it turned out to be three roosters so we had a big problem because they tried to mate with our hens.

The girls are mine

Sr Lars was not pleased with the situation so Peter came again and took the three small roosters away and gave us two new ones. After a week he gave us the young Sr Lars jr in a bag if you know what I´m talking about and It will be our dinner tonight.

Here he is-Junior

So to summerize this story. It is not so simple to have chickens as you might think

Have a nice evening
The real Sr Lars

A full House and a knife

Busy busy busy
The last couple of weeks have been really hectic but also filled with fun events.
I have kept my promise to go riding at least once a week on Quinta do Pinheiro Manso. Yesterday I even brought one of our guests that´s staying on the farm at the moment. She really enjoyed herself and we rode in the eucalyptus woods around the quinta. We had wonderful weather a nice galops on their beautiful horses.She wanted to come with me next week as well.

Three of our apartments are filled with happy and hopefully content guests which makes life so much easier for us since happy guests give us so much new energy. Even though it has been a lot of work lately and we are a bit tired. When the guests arrive and are in a vacation mood we nourish from them and we are filled with the same holiday spirit.

Last Saturday Lars was going to put up a new radiator in one of our apartments and Lars cut himself a bit. It wasn´t too deep but there was a lot of blood. Of course he didn´t want to go to the ER and put the cut thumb in alcohol. During the night he was awake most of it and decided to go to the hospital in the morning. But there was no infecton or anything he just got a big bandage and was told to be still for a day or two. He is better now but still has to keep the bandage on for a while.

We worked hard to finish the last apartment´s veranda and we are happy with the outcome. We think it looks nice and cozy and we hope our guests will enjoy sitting here and read or drink a glass of wine.

Tomorrow we will go to Óbidos and to their annual chocolate festival. It is the first time for us because we didn´t have time to go last year and we are really looking forward to it. It has been on from Thursday-Sunday the last two weeksand this weekend it is the last one so we better hurry or we will miss it this year as well.Óbidos Chocolate Festival

Tomorrow two guests from Austria and Germany are leaving us. They have been here, together with their dog Joey, on the farm for a month now and it will be empty without them. On Sunday two guests that were here last season as well, are returning which feels good for us. They were so satisfied with their stay here so they wanted to come back.

Well will keep you posted how the Chocolate festival was.

Take care

Worried husband

In the last blog my wife was worried about me because I have become more and more Portuguese in my way of thinking and the way I live. I can´t really agree but there might be some truth in her way of expression it. You have to take into concideration where you live and adapt don´t you think? So I have probably become more Portuguese in my way of living.

It´s now my time to be a little bit worried about my lovely wife and her "new" Portuguese life. As you know we now have three big dogs (they are lovely) and one rooster named after me!!!! (I don´t understand why) and 9 chickens. Ase has a wish that we would have the nicest chicken coop in Portugal and it´s up to me to build it, but it has to be the nicest...... No pressure at all.....

I know Ase would like to have a horse, but I also know that horses are not supposed to be living alone so we probably will end up with at least two horses. Do you think these horses will have the nicest stable in Portugal??? I can feel there is something in the air.

To build a chicken coop is one thing but to build a completely new stable is a totally different thing to do and it will take a lot of work, many hours, so at the moment I rest my case and do nothing. I will keep you updated

Regards 

"the old one"

One hungry and dangerous chicken called Gracie

Sr Lars  and his ladies at the veranda

worried wife

We needed a new batteri for the tractor and we also needed to change oil in the car. Something was broken in the motor, don´t ask me what, and that also needed to be fixed.

Adilson, the man who helps us out with constructions and the wine, twice a week, is a very good mechanic. He was going with Lars to the cheapest places to buy "stuff". So off they went, to a place close to Le Clerc in Caldas da Rainha and to two other places in Rio Maior. They needed a pit where they could change the oil but also to buy parts to our old SAAB. It is hard to find around here since you don´t see many SAABs here.

Lars came back, and this is the thing that worries me, very happy, almost in a wild way. Apparantly they had bought the things in Caldas and found a place to change oil. But he also found a compressor and two elecrical bush cutters in a junk yard. The man who own the junk yard wanted to sell them to Lars and Lars started to haggle. The price was for the compressor 50 Euros but the man would give him the bush cutters too in that price. Lars shook his head and sighed and said it was way too expensive (in Portuguese) They finally agreed on 20 Euros and 50 litres of wine because the man was having a party that very evening.

There were no wheels on the compressor so they took a couple from a kick board that was laying around.

But that is not all. He stole a couple of right threaded screws as well.
What is happening to my husband?

/a worried wife

The most honest dentist in the world....

This is a scary blog. To go to the dentist hurts three times, first you got pain at home, then you go to the dentist and have a treatment, it normally hurts like hell and after this you have to pay a lot of money. It hurts both body and soul, so we always try to avaid to go to the dentist but sometimes you have to go anyway

Ase had a problem with one of her teeth so she went to a dentist last week to see what was wrong. The Portuguese dentists are known to be really good and they use modern equipment. Ase went to a dentist in our home town Caldas da Rainha and after x-ray she got the verdict from the dentist One of the teeth (the one that was hurting) has got a fracture all the way down. You have to take it out and make an implant. There was no doubt that there was nothing else to do because she had a lot of pain.

Before the dentist could start with the surgery the infection had to be treated. Ase got a price to have it done and we went home after visiting the farmacy to get all the medicine for the infection. Later that day Ase talked to a friend who suggested that Ase should have a second opinion from her dentist.
Yesterday Ase went to that dentist and got the same diagnose but the price was 2/3 of the first one. Of course Ase accepted. There was just one thing the new dentist didn´t have an x-ray so we had to go to Alcobaca to a clinic to have it done.

All these dentist we are talking about is private and have their own business models. If you are a dentist the best for your business is to have a lot of regular customers that are coming back year after year. In Sweden the dentists always have some advertisement of different tooth pastes and other products that are reducing the need of a dentist.
This dentist was really modern, effective and honest. When I was a child and went to the dentist I got a bookmark or a new toothbrush after the treatment. You always hoped for the book markThis dentist didn´t try to give away things to prevent bad teeth. They were very honset and gave you candy after the treament. This is a perfect business model and they didn´t hide there goal to earn more money. Of course I will go to the same dentist again when I have problem with my teeth.

After the dentist appointment we had a walk in a new area with the dogs and we alse went to a restaurant after saving a lot of money choosing "the first honest"dentist in the world.

A lot of candy afterwards so you will return

Senhor Lars
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Riding in Portugal

My last year in Sweden I was so lucky to be able to start riding again. I borrowed a horse twice/week. The kind owners let me have Pontus as much as I wanted to but he wasn´t the easiest horse to be around. Well he wasn´t that harder either- He just had a few issues with leaving the paddock.

Pontus in Sweden

I am not coming.

Pontus is a so called "Nordsvensk" a North Swedish, if you were to translate it. A Swedish cold blooded breed used in the woods or on farms in the ol´days. So you can imagine the weight on it. Nowadays there is a lighter type as well used in trotting, a kind of horse racing.

It is normally not the kind of horse you compete in dressage with or jumping but there are exceptions of course. For example Turbo.

But otherwise you mainly enjoy this type of horse on trail riding. And that is what I did. To ride Pontus was a bit like going on a tractor, steady and not very quick but you got there, safely.

Last week I had the oppurtunity to go with a friend to Quinta do Pinheiro Manso where she keeps her horse. I didn´t expect to ride even though I hoped and longed for it but to my surprise they asked if I wanted to ride as well. Of course I did until I heard that I was going to ride a lusiarab stallion. Ok he was 19 years old but he was a former now retired bull fighting horse. It sounded very dangerous and kind of wild to my hears. But he was so kind and sweet. The thing was it was such a difference riding Pontus in Sweden. Almost like driving a Volvo 740 to a Mustang.

hard work to drive

a bit lighter more nervous

It went ok even though I had to rethink everything I once knew. My experience in the past with horses are from riding schools or Pontus. This horse was so light and my hands were too tough and hard for him. You could only use light light squeezes almost as light as feathers. But it was so much fun. Next week I am going again.

I on Nijinsky

Ase

Saturday at last

After a really busy week Saturday finally came and a little bit of rest for us. Our first guests arrived this week and there are more guests next week so we had to check all equipment in the apartments. I and Adilson did a lot of plastering yesterday and now my whole body aches.

To have a good start to this wonderful day I prepared breakfast, eggs from our chickens, orange juice from our trees, straberries and yoghurt. And of course a some flowers on the table. Otherwise we normally have oatmeal or toast but in the weekends it is nice to have something extra.

The sun was shining and the temperature was around 18 degrees nine o clock in the morning. From now on we will have our breakfast outside I think.

Nice breakfast

After breakfast we had a long walk with our dogs in the beautiful surroundings of our farm.

Our neighbour Elder and his father-in-law working the fields. They sell their veggies on the market in Caldas da Rainha

Happy

cherries in bloom

view towards the village of Barrantes

Wild cherry tree

So neatly done

The farmers are not working 9-5

Ase and I have had a tough week so we really needed to have a lazy day all by ourselves to do just nothing, and tonight we are going to a dinner to a friend of ours, This lazy afternoon will probably include some gardening, planting and maybe reading in the shade. No musts at all. Isn´t that sweet?

It´s important that we take some days off, like this one.

Have a good Easter to all of you/Lars

Season of 2015 has started

Our first guests have arrived so the season have officially started. These guests are from Germany and Austria and they are also bringing a dog. Yes dogs are welcome on the farm in two of our Casas. We had our first guests, surfers, in January, but the summer season hadn´t started then of course.

We tried to make both humans and the dog feel welcome.

some wine, home made marmelad and treats for the dog

fresh organic oranges from our trees

part of garden

some treats for everybody

Lennon is helping out cleaning the pool

It is always nice when our guests arrive because they bring a lot of positive energy which gives us more energy as well. Nornally we get a lot of positive feed back as well and that is also something that gives us more strenght to make the quinta better and prettier. Everybody love they view over the rolling hills and the valley. They love our vineyard, fruit trees, all flowers and the tranquility.

rose in the garden

grape friuts

more roses

we live up there

Last summer was our first on the farm and we arrived April 13th and had our first guests April 19, which was crazy, looking back. But those guests became good friends so maybe it wasn´t so crazy after all. But it was crazy in a way because we weren´t ready to welcome guests. But we had just arrived at that point and could hardly find our way to the supermarket. We managed and little by little we are making progress. The thing is we don´t see it but friends and returning guests say they can clearly see a difference.

Now we are so looking forward to the summer season because we know more now and have done more on he farm so it look so much better both inside and outside, This will be a good summer.

Ase

Time flies when you´re having fun

We had a soft and relaxed day today and we started off just having one must on the agenda, going to Santana market to pick up our new sign which will be on the wall outside Casa Limon. If it would be ok we would also order for the other three Casas as well.

This will look nice on the wall outside Casa Limon. We now Limon isn´t Portuguese but we wanted that name anyway

That was the only thing we were going to buy at the market but Lars suddenly remebered that he needed new slippers so we got a new pair for him as well. Then I wanted to go and have a look at new riding boots. I went horse back riding last Thursday and I am probably going to continue. I found a pair I really liked and at  a good price so we bought them too.

These boots are not make for walking

What if we were to buy a new lemon tree to put outside Casa Lemon now when we have the new sign and evertything. The one we planted two months ago looks a bit ill. Well we bought one of course.

New tree 7 euros

So now when Casa Lemon have its new sign and its lemon tre shouldn´t the other Casa also get something. They are named after grapes growing in our vineyard. Well wouldn+t it be nice to put a grape vine outside each so our guests can pick grapes on their patios. It will also give a nice shade. We discussed back and forth. We got them of course.

new vines

Then we were happy and done at the market and went home. Now we had some chores to do when we got home. We would plant our new vines and the lemon tree.
We came to think of our guests arriving on Wednesday. They are staying for a month. It is going to be quite warm next week so we better clean the pool and get everything ready.

pool boy Lars

Maybe it is best to take a look in Casa Periquita to see if it is something missing or that is broken. So we went there and started to count forks and spoons, checking pots and pans. We decided to put up some new pictures on the walls.

We had a sandwich and a small rest. I did some laundry and answered some mails.

After we took the dogs for a walk. When we came out one angry man waited for us. He didn´t enjoy daylight saving time because it meant he and the rest would be out later in the evening and supper would be late.

Are you coming soon. We are getting really hungry

Suit yourselves if we´re eating all your chives

Baby figs found when walking dogs

Back in the house we took the chickens in, lit a fire and bottled some limoncello that we will sell.

Limoncello, made from our own organic lemons, for sale 10 euros

We are so happy we had a day off :)

Ase

Thanks to all of you who have contacted us, sent hugs and wishes for his well being, according our old dog Herman. He seems to fine now.