Spies, spies and more minced pies

Permaculture rules!!

These are taken from second year plants that have survived the hot summer, repeated cabbage moth caterpillar attacks, rampant dogs, bad parking and the odd woofer... I have self seeding lettuce, wild broad beans, wild beautiful girlfriend, so me of this stuff is actually starting to work.

Picked today, eaten today. Food miles 2.8 (went to the pub and back to celebrate)

I am using "Turex", an organic spray to keep the munching bugs way - any better ideas anyone?

Veg, home grown, Macht Nicked Frie sign in the background - - priceless..

"My son is a spy, but if I told you that,I'd have to kill you". He must be a crap spy if his mum knows what he does, ,or a double agent brilliant spy pretending to be a crap spy. Johnny bloody English not.
Wonderful, what a start to the festive season, a santa fatwa hanging like mistletoe over my head.. and after my last blog, someone has left the tap on - over 55mm of rain in the last 24 hours.


Katy Price was a popular choice for the pass the parcel prize

It stayed dry on saturday for the non spies Christmas party, and with a higher than average booze to food to people ratio, twas chrimbo jolly great, thanks to all who came.


Ex spy, Chinese Billy


Ex spy, Mafia Jimbo


Ex secret spies compare their persil whiteness..

We are off on the 7th Jan to Goa until mid February... communication by e mail, I will switch my phone on every two days for any texts and try and keep my blog going in between Kingfishers, Bullets and Thalis!!
Have a great Christmas and see you all in the New Year,
Stu, Owl, Holly and Becky xx

PS No spies were hurt in the making of this party, sorry Katie, we thought your clothes were part of the Christmas wrapping, you can bid for them on e bay if you want them back..

Under a hot tin roof

Rain rain went to Spain

Still a dry house here in the Algarve. Clouds came and went, temperatures dropped and it was into the first week of December that we lit our first fire.
Having offloaded my fourth lorry load of rough walling rock of the week, I had to water the garden.... gerrnash!!! Having installed a second tank to catch the (non) rain off the workshop roof, I am facing ordering more lorry loads of water. Down in the Sierras of Grazalema (Hi Clive!), they are approaching their yearly average already... 2000mms of the stuff.

My weather guru, Borde d'agua 2009 has been spot on, snow up North, humidity down South. On the next full moon, our only blue moon of the year (second full moon in the same calendar month) predicts not humidity, or chuva BUT - - Chuva abundantement, hopefully the full monty Spanish weather machine aka the ex love of my life Kate Bush in that classic video with Donald sutherland.
I bought the Borde d'agua 2010 last week, but will await until our return from Goa to read it.

Work continues to be hectic - we will be working through Christmas on some great eco landscapes - removing palm weevil destroyed palms, restoring a neglected orchard, recycling a garden full of rocks. Every day is so different, but I wish I could get a few days back at the farm.
Thanks to AR and her recommendation of Mercearia Bio (www.merceariabio.pt), who deliver the most beautiful baskets of mixed organic vegetables anywhere in the Algarve.

Mre later and pics... goto make my daughters dinner!!