Donna:

“Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” Luke 10:2

   September is the time of the grape harvest. We had an abundant harvest this year, Praise the Lord!  Due to the extreme heat during September (we often woke up in the morning to 12 ° C  and it reached 40°C by 4 pm) many of the grapes dried on the vines, resulting in sun-dried raisins. We picked and dried the others on racks, ate the table grapes, drank grape juice and made grape desserts. There are still more on the vines that we have yet to enjoy and share with others. 

   The annual event in Alpedrinha, “Chocalhos- Festival dos Caminhos da Transumância,” was held this month. This festival celebrates the ancestral tradition of transhumance (seasonal livestock migration between the Serra da Estrela and Idanha-a-Nova. The “chocalheiros” were men adorned with large cowbells on leather sashes who accompanied and led flocks along the ancient droveways. The art of making chocalhos (the large cowbells they wear) dates back to the Roman period and combines the crafts of the coppersmith (sheet metal), the blacksmith (metal alloy) and the musician (tuning). The bells are inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List. This year’s activities included a pedestrian journey with flocks and shepherds from Fundão to Alpedrinha, accompanied by Chocalheiros. We forfeited the walk but had a great time strolling through the village’s cobblestone streets, accompanied by traditional folk music, zabumbas (large drums) local gastronomy and a display of local artisanal wool products. It was a lovely celebration and we learned something along the way!

   The original wood floor in the cabin was affected by the heavy rainfall last winter. We rolled up our sleeves and although it was a tedious task, we redid the flooring with tiles and we are sure it will withstand this year’s rainy season. 

From Philip and Julie, we received the nice photo below.

    This month’s birthday celebrants were Nuno and Selen!  They both welcomed their new year of life with great joy and loved ones by their side! What a wonderful life! Let us be truly thankful for every day we have to celebrate with loved ones by our side.

You are always in our prayers.

Images:

Donna:

Psalm 74:17: “Thou hast set all the borders of the earth: thou hast made summer and winter.“

   The summer at the farm  is taking its course with its cool mornings, delightful sunny days, and fresh breezy evenings. The veggies in the soil are growing, each at its own leisurely pace waiting anxiously for their evening watering. The pear and honey fig trees are producing abundantly and the olives are plumping, getting ready for the harvest. We haven’t done much around the farm except protect the existing young trees from the hot sun and water periodically. The rest is in God’s hands. 🙂

  Jorge and I took a weekend trip to Penacova to ensure all was well in that part of the realm. The campground’s main entrance is still closed awaiting repairs after the winter landslides. This resulted in fewer campers and a quiet, peaceful atmosphere. The beach area has been restored after last year’s flooding destruction, and the beautiful Mondego River was flowing naturally to enrich all the surrounding areas. We then parted ways to enjoy different areas of the country for one week. Jorge travelled Wesr with the caravan to various places around the Aveiro region. The weather was very fresh and distinctively cold in the mornings due to the humidity and fog in that coastal region. During his stay he enjoyed discovering new campgrounds, beaches and  nature scenes to film for wordproaction ministry. Donna travelled down south to enjoy the beaches of the Algarve with Cristy, Nuno, and Afonso. We enjoyed the warm sunny climate and warmer waters further south. Little Afonso is an avid swimmer and loved his time in the sand and the water! It was a lovely relaxing time for all! 

Gabriel and Selen enjoyed a trip to Yunnan in southwest China. From the pics it looked like a scenic adventure, although it was a bit rainy at times. Julie, Zach and Riley took a trip to the Hawaiian Islands and were blessed with good weather, sea and surf! Beautiful pics from them as well!

   The birthday celebrations in August began with Joana on the 2nd, Isabel on the 3rd, and Jason turning 23 on the 23rd. Interesting numerology indeed! We wish them all a very blessed and  productive year ahead! Jorge’s birthday wason the 31st. (four in one month) 

   After tidying up the farm, we found ourselves off to visit Czechia and Poland! This was a trip that I was long wanting to make and by the grace of God and the generosity of our children it is currently happening ! We left from Lisbon via TAP on a 3.5 hour flight to Prague. 

It was nightime and raining when we arrived in Prague. We travelled to our cosy apartment by bus and ” slept the sleep of the righteous” We were so happy to wake up the next morning and see the sun shining brightly over Praha! We began our walkabout early and were amazed at the stunning beauty of the city! We travelled via tram, bus or metro for free since we are ” Seniors” . 🙂 This made it so easy to get around everywhere!  We did the suggested tourist route of the main square with the Astronomical clock, Charles Bridge and up towards the Castle. All very beautiful and historical. During the trip we were intent on understanding why Czechia is one of the most non-religious countries in the world. This led us to investigate the life of Jan Huss, the spiritual spearhead of the the Hussite movement which then led to the 30 Years War. We have shared links to this history if anyone is interested in learning more. Hence we visited the St. Nicholas Church Hussite service on Sunday morning. Later we found the Bethlehem Chapel the place where Jan Huss preached and lived until he left Praha and was martyred for his faith. This helped us to understand the protestand/ nationalist struggle against the empire, nobility and the Catholic church. 

We also enjoyed some memorable cultural events in Prague: a classical music concert in St. Francis of Assisi Church near the entrance to the Charles Bridge, a boat ride on the Vitava River and meals of goulash, dumplings and black beer!  Many footsteps were spent in the side streets of the city exploring the paths less taken but nevertheless just as interesting.

   One evening we visited the Sokol club down the street from our apartment. The Sokol all-age gymnastics movement was founded in 1862 to promote physical fitness, moral training, and Czech national consciousness under the principle of “a sound mind in a sound body.”  Today it continues to maintain a large membership  with participation in different sports modalities in all parts of Czechia and beyond national borders. 

After three full days in Prague, we boarded the train for Olomouc. It is a beautiful city, a small scale Praha.  It is a university town full of young people and few tourists. it was nice to see the local population and culture existing side by side the monuments and churches. Beautiful parks adorn the city center as well. 

After 80-90% of the city being destroyed in WW 2, Warsaw was reconstructed brick by brick and it took 20 years to finish. Today the Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a city built from it’s own ruins. At the same time, the rest of the city is a modern capital full of businesses, skyscrapers, and  wide avenues with a good transportation system. There are green parks, busy streets, and a lively riverbank where people relax in summer. The city is divided by the Vistula River, half of the city is the urban center, the other half a protected nature reserve with an urban beach. 

Today, although 90% of the people are Catholic they say church attendance has been slowly dropping, especially among younger people. Still, you’ll see crosses in schools, churches on every corner, and religious holidays are national celebrations.

One of the most famous Polish sayings is actually the city’s official motto: “Contemnit procellas”, which translates to “It defies the storms” . It perfectly captures Warsaw’s spirit of rising above its turbulent history. There is so much to see and we were very blessed to see all that we did during our 2 day stay.

  We thank all of you for making this trip a reality and we hope you can visit these lovely places and experience the Slavic culture for yourselves! 

Love and prayers to all.

Images:

Donna:

“Behold, how good, and how pleasant it is for the brethren to dwell together , in unity.” Psalms 133:1

The Lord blessed us with great weather this month considering July can easily bring intense temperatures to our part of the country. During the first two weeks of Emanuel and the girls‘ visit, we stayed in Lisbon, where among other events, they visited the Museum of Illusions, the local Equestrian Academy and the oldest operating  bookstore in the world, Livraria Bertrand. We had a great time with Cristy, Nuno and Gloria as they hosted us in their homes for delicious meals and sleepovers. We then traveled by bus to Fundão, where we met Grandpa at the farm. The mornings were very pleasant and most of our activities took place outdoors. One of the first tasks was for Isabel and Aurora to help grandpa to build a tree house. A strong olive tree was chosen and they set to the task. It is a simple structure with room for improvements planned for next year. Of course there was the watering of the young trees and vines, meal preparation, and daily tidying up. Emanuel cut up the fallen pine trees and assembled some benches. In all scenarios, teamwork made the dream work! Isabel learned to drive the tractor to bring water to the vines near the entrance! 

  Late afternoons were spent at the nearby Castelo Novo river beach. Besides a dip in the refreshing river waters there was soccer, racquetball, and badminton. Emanuel was the master of ceremonies and kept us all running in some way or another 🙂

It was great to receive Cristy, Afonso, Gloria and Jason for a weekend. and the joy multiplied! We spent the evenings under the stars just hanging out, chatting, laughing, or playing games. Gloria and Jason enjoyed a night sleeping under the stars!

One highlight was our trip to Spain to watch the World Cup final. It was very exciting to join together with the Spanish people in Alcantara, the nearest Spanish town, to celebrate their victory!  It was a night we shall all remember!  All in all, it was great family time together! We thank God for all of you who made this holiday so memorable!

We are looking forward for next year already!!!

Love and prayers.

dad and mom

Images – these will tell more details of the story:

“Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good , and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. “ Acts 14:16,17

     The life-sustaining blessings that God gives to us, e.g., rain from heaven, fruitful seasons, and the provision of food and joy are direct testimonies of His existence and His goodness and care. We are overwhelmed with the amount of fruit that our trees are producing this year. The very rainy winter also helped the rooting season. We have collected tens of kgs of apricots and figs. As of today, the plum tree is exploding with plums that should be ripe in a day or two. Mom has been drying the apricots, making jam, compote, smoothies and sherbet. The first round of figs has arrived and there are so many that we cannot process them all. There are smaller amounts of pears and apples, along with an ever-growing number of grapes on the vines. Praise the Lord!

    Gabriel spent 3 weeks with us while dedicating time to clean up his/their property nearby. Himself and Dad gave a lot in fighting briars and brambles, pruning the old growth to make room for new growth. They had great teamwork going. Most of the work had to be done early in the morning or late in the afternoon, as it was quite hot most days. They made significant progress, especially in clearing the well and the surrounding area.  There is still much to do, but that will have to wait till next year.

    Another project Gabe took on was building a raised garden bed. It took planning and purchasing and sawing and fastening but once again the boys got it done. The bed has a bottom layer of ground soil, next a layer of logs, then smaller twigs, branches, and leaves topped with a layer of fertilized soil. Tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, cucumbers, and aubergines are planted in the bed.  The idea is that even if we cannot water the plants for a week or so, the structure of the eco system in the bed will keep the soil moist. We will try it out soon as we travel to Lisbon in a few days! 

     Not least, Gloria is our June birthday celebrant! She celebrated in Lisbon with family and friends. We wish her a very “fruitful” year ahead with the all the blessings of the Lord to accompany her on the journey! There are far better things ahead than any that we leave behind!

Love and prayers.

M+D

And from the other side of the Atlantic with receive this sweet image/clip:

Afonso learning to swim:

More images from the farm:

Donna

The  month of May began with the end of the bathroom project. The finishing touches were put on: the last tiles were laid, and the shower curtain was hung. Now we enjoy the new bathroom!:)  We then had a few more days at the farm to invest in the trees and garden! All is flourishing and we are expecting a mighty harvest this year! Next, we celebrated Afonso’s birthday with family in Lisbon. It was a grand affair with lots of food, music, chatting, and singing. Little Afonso is a very social young lad and everyone enjoys his company. He was definitely a knight in shining armour as he galloped around with his little horse and “espada”!  

From the peace and quiet of the farm we then flew off to Istanbul, a vibrant metropolis of over 15 million people! Upon arrival, we boarded a bus to the Anatolian side of the country, to a district called Kadikoy. It is a cultural and commercial center of the region. This side of town offers a more authentic, less touristy experience than the European side which we visited on our last trip. It is full of all the commercial shops you find in any cosmopolitan city, trendy little coffee shops, authentic Turkish restaurants, the cutest Turkish tea shops, mosques and churches, etc. You see females in Muslim garb alongside friends in western clothes. Everyone fits in here! Coincidentally, Selma and Vehbi live close by, so we could easily visit them during the first few days. Selen and her family’s  precious hospitality and eternal patience made all the difference in how we experienced Turkey.  Together we ate, laughed, explored and learned. They served us the most delicious cuisine and made us feel right at home! 

   One highlight was our boat trip down the Bosphorus, the strait whose banks form the European and Asian continents. The water was an amazing turquoise color due to marine life in late spring and summer! Also, the conflicting water currents—the heavier water from the Sea of Marmara is running north under the lighter, southbound water coming from the Black Sea, which keeps the water amazingly clean for such a busy thoroughfare. Absolutely beautiful! We thank Vehbi for his amazing tour guide skills and info on Turkish history! 

  On Sunday we headed south towards Izmir, previously known  as Smyrna. We continued further south to Bergama ( Pergamum). Here were the ruins of the theatre built into the hillside, the acropolis, the second largest library in Asia, the Sacred Way and the Temple of Hadrian. Some say Pergamum is an overlooked treasure, as many pass by it on the way to Ephesus. If you are ever in the area, it is definitely worth a visit.  Next stop: Ephesus, or Selcuk, or Efes in Turkish. On Ayusoluk Hill, the same one where we stayed, and right beneath the fortress, you find St. John’s Basilica, originally a massive structure built by Emperor Justinian over what was believed to be St. John’s burial site.  It is believed that John wrote his gospel and three letters to the churches in the area as well. Nearby is the ruin of the Temple of Artemis and a short drive away, the House of the Virgin Mary, believed to be the place where Mary spent her last days. A short drive away the ruins of the city of Ephesus were significant.  If you really want to get the feel of what life was like 2000 years ago in the glorious days of Greece and Rome, this is the place. Actually, I think it is bigger than any of the ruins you would find in Rome. Even though they have been excavating for about 160 years they say they have only uncovered 15-20% of the city’s ruins. You have the Library of  Celsus and the Great Theatre seating 25,000, and temples to the various gods of one’s choice. You walk the Arcadian Way, the Curetes Way and the Marble Way. 

     There is an area where beautiful villas belonging to the rich citizens are being restored. Interestingly enough, there were many stones with crosses around these restorations and stoas. It is said that most of the wealthiest citizens were Christians. The Apostle Paul spent approximately 3 years in Ephesus, converting many to the Christian faith and starting local churches. However, because of the cult of Artemis, many Ephesians practiced magic.  Many books were  published about the symbols and incantations used in temple ceremonies. This practice greatly influenced the superstitious worshipers in the temple. Acts 19:19 states: “Many of them also which used curious arts (magic) brought their books together, and burned them before all men: and they counted the price of them, and found it fifty pieces of silver. 20.So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed. “The story of the Apostle Paul preaching against the cult of Artemis (Diana) was shown in the interactive video production. The silversmiths were rioting against Paul’s claims that there are no gods that are made with hands which hampered their idol-making industry. He then left the city.  It is history. This story is told in Acts 19:23-28. I felt it was amazing to be in such a historical place and somehow felt connected to the Christian community that made up the early church and their struggles amidst the pagan worship of the day. 

  On our last day of exploring we visited the lovely town of Sirince, a picturesque village near Ephesus. At the top of the villageThe Church of Saint John the Baptist is located. Many pilgrims come here to pray. The Church of Saint Domitian  is nearby. A quite neglected site, nicely adorned with Christian paintings on the upper walls and ceiling.As you stroll Sirince’s narrow stone streets adorned with Ottoman style houses, shops with local textiles and culinary delights, coffee and tea everywhere—not to mention the ubiquitous wine tasting stalls (they produce wine from all sorts of fruits)—you feel the beautiful Turkish culture, history and hospitality! A lovely end to an amazing journey! 

Love and Prayers

Images of the month:

Thank you all.

Love andd prayers

By Donna

“For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth,  and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” Isaiah  55:10,11.

     “April showers bring May flowers,” so the saying goes. Our weather pattern this month can be described as topsy-turvy, meaning we experienced rapid shifts between warm ,sunny conditions and dark, rainy, and windy periods.  Some days the conditions would change within hours. During dry, sunny days we fertilized the trees and treated pests infesting some of the fruit trees. A lot of weeding and grass cutting was done as well. The rain would come to nourish the land and we were very happy about that. Everything is growing due to optimal weather: grapes, figs, apricots, a few cherries, and we are already eating salad, kale, and beets from the garden!

     The project of the month is the indoor bathroom renovation. We decided to tackle replacing the wood inside with tiles, which required a messy heavy-duty cement job. After all the measurements  and calculations were made and supplies procured the work began. For non professionals, the work is slow-paced, requiring careful attention to ensure everything is level and aligned, that the cement is mixed to the proper consistency, and that the tiles are cut to exact dimensions.  Jason visited over the long weekend and helped us put up the last remaining tiles. This was a blessing as two are often better than one. We are currently replacing the pipes, the shower walls and the wood in the other half of the bathroom. The project continues… It’s not over till it’s over!

      We took a trip up to Serra da Estrela where we encountered very cold winds, light rain, and snow. It was about 2 to 3 degrees C and it was beautiful! The landscape was full of beautiful wildflowers, various shaded rocks, grass, snow patches, and lakes. Jason hiked, Dad filmed, and Mom struggled to stay warm!  A great outing indeed!

     This month dear Aurora celebrated 8 years of life! What a time to be alive! She looks full of life, growing taller by leaps and bounds and ready to excitedly begin a new year!  Ben was also a birthday celebrant this month and he blessed us with the recording of his new song “Our Love”. Ben has so many great songs yet to be recorded and we wish him godspeed in achieving all his goals in the recording realm.

On the other extreme of the Earth, Philip and Julie took a trip with Zach and Riley to the wonderful land of Florida and enjoy the fun there. They took a break from their normal routine and had a great time.

Also, Joana took a trip to Turkey for work purposes and in her free time there, she took a short flight to explore Cappadocia. She recounts the beauty of the topography, the warmth of the people and the great local cuisine. The highlight for her was riding the amazing Arabian horses, a real treat for someone who enjoys riding!

We pray that the good Lord will bless all of you and keep you make his face shine upon you, be gracious unto you, lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace!

Images this month:

Love to and prayers for all

D

By Donna:
As I am writing this, here in the campground of Penacova, it is the height of the Easter season and more specifically Good Friday. We came here for Easter celebrations and visit some relatives. As everyone is getting old, wear and tear is setting in and we never know when it is the last time we are able to see some old friends and the few relatives we have here. Meanwhile, we stopped at a popular coffee shop/bakery to purchase a “folar”, a traditional Easter bread.  To my dismay, the festive packaging features large rabbit with the heading ” Happy Easter, May the rabbit bring a lot of happiness, peace and love to you and your family” Well, I do declare that a rabbit is not the source of happiness peace and love. The cultural icon of fertility and spring is not able to bring the spiritual gifts that a crucified and risen Saviour, Jesus Christ can. Our living hope is in a resurrected Jesus Christ!
I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?  John 11:25

And now, the farm report:

Since February was the month for pruning , and prune we did, March was the month of cleaning. After so many cut branches, grown grass, terrain tilled for planting, etc. there was lots to get rid of.  We were able to separate a good amount of wood for future burning and plans are made for a small shelter to house it, all in due time. The remaining branches were collected and the fires began. During Gloria ‘s weekend visit the fire was blazing and with her help and the wind an enormous mound of branches was turned into ashes in an hour or so!  A few days later we were able to get through all the materials from Gabe’s place as well. It is dry weather now, but not so dry that the authorities forbid burning, so burn we must. We have a bit more to do, maybe next week.

  We set up another greenhouse structure. Right now it serves as a garage for the tractor and other tools. Comes in handy indeed! The tractor helps us to cut the grass, till the land and carry all heavy loads etc. It is a beast of burden we cannot do without! 

Manwhile, we both came down with  colds followed by persistent coughs. After a few weeks of working through this, we decided to go down to Lisbon where we could  visit the nearby beaches and inhale some good sea air. It worked, and after an unusually warm and sunny week we were much better! Thank God for a change of air and healing in His Wings!  We also filmed some great footage for the video verse project!

Perhaps more important, while in Lisbon, we had some sweet time with Jason at the apartment as we encourage him to keep pressing in to finish his course this year.

  For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; SOS 2:11-12

On the other side of the ocean, dear Julie held her birthday celebration this month!  She is strong and fit and younger than ever! With the new puppy to take care of she is busier and happier than ever!  They had a late snowfall and the whole family frolicked together in the snow in their backyard!

We hear all is well in Macau and our family there is busy and prospering. Cristy’s family is well and thriving in their new location. We are praying for all. I am sure we shall see many pictures of them in our next reports.

Love and prayers.

m&d

Here are the images of this month:

by Donna:

” Sow your seed in the morning, and in the evening let your hands not be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well. ” Ecclesiastes 11:6

The intense cold and consistent  rain of January has passed and we have been enjoying lovely days of sun and clouds and intermittent rain. Although not official, Winter is ending and Spring is just around the corner! Yeah!! The trees think it is Spring already and are blooming, the birds chitter and chatter all day and the ground is now covered with a lovely blanket of daisies! Since the ground is soft and pliable we have been planting. We are having a go with companion planting. The idea is that you plant different plants together, plants which either protect or shade or deter insects from each other. We planted letteuce , cabbage , kale, broccoli, Chinese cabbage interspersed with onions, coriander, and some marigold flowers. We shall see what the results will be!! We also planted potatoes in a separate bed and we will add a few more elements nearby in the coming days. We also added more flowers to a new area.  Making use of the cold weather and the while the land is still soft from the rains, we landscaped the surrounding area. Now, at the side of the cabin there will be a useful area for bbq’s or times when it is more convenient to do everything on that side. Gonna be fun!

A lot of our time went to pruning this month. It is crucial to prune the trees and vines during their dormant season. This can be done in late November or December or late winter to early spring before buds begin to swell. About 90% of the previous year’s growth is removed for a healthy productive grape harvest. Likewise, the olive trees were pruned, some more, some less and we are looking forward to a hearty olive crop this year! 

Meanwhile, we chopped down the fallen pine tree at Emanuel’s place. It was necessary to remove it from the pathway which gave access to the support building. Unfortunately, quite a few pine trees fell nearby. 

During the Chinese New Year holiday, Emanuel, Mandy, Gabriel, Selen, Isabel and Aurora headed off to Lamma Island and enjoyed a nice trek and campout in nature. They met up with friends which made it all the more enjoyable! (See pics below).

As it has been our tradition for many years, we watched the Chinese New Year Gala on CCTV and were impressed with the robots as well as the humans! Everyone keeps pushing the boundaries! What does the future hold for us? Big conversation!

Grandma spent time with Cristy in Lisbon as she was very busy moving houses. All went well as they had little Afonso to help with the packing! 

We also received news of the new dog at Philip and Julie’s home. He seems to be the new darling of the home and makes the kids rejoyce all day. (see pictures below)

Well, here we are back to the basics, trusting God that he will provide, protect, strengthen and prepare us for all that lies ahead. He goes before us and has promised us that He has overcome the world. Lord, help us abide in Jesus, the true vine, and bear fruit  until He returns or He calls us home. 

Enjoy the photos:

Blessings to all.

D.

Donna:

“For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” Isaiah 25:4

   This month literally passed like a whirlwind!  We had four storms pass through the country in a matter of weeks. First to come along was depression Ingrid. She left a wave of persistent wind and rain and at higher altitudes a cold front which blanketed  various mountain ranges including the nearby Gardunha Mountain Range with a beautiful cover of fresh snow!  It was beautiful to step outside and see the mountain range with snow! The Serra de Estrella had up to 2 meters of snow, however many days the access to the roads up to the Tower were blocked. The next to come along was storm ‘Joseph’ bringing more wind and thunder storms to the country. Two days later, Storm ‘Kristin’, one of the most destructive Atlantic storms in recent years, arrived. The central areas of the country  such as Leiria and Coimbra and Figueira da Foz suffered the most damage with power outages due to over 700 kms of downed high- voltage power lines, affecting over 1 million people at one point, (thousands  of which continue until today), with homes damaged, landslides, flooding, and the tragic loss of huge numbers of broken and uprooted trees, devastating agriculture losses, etc.

Presently, we are under a severe weather alert with a storm bringing strong winds and widespread flooding predicted for the next few days. We thank God that up till now we have suffered little to no damage. We had some flooding and had to dig out our water channel so the water could drain off the property. Sadly, two  pine trees went down on Emanuel’s land which will need to be taken care of.  We are blessed to have systems of solar panels to supply electricity and water to get us through any emergency. Ultimately, we pray for all those who have to rebuild their lives and businesses after such devastating destruction. 

Philip and Julie inspired and enabled us to make our kitchen space easier and more modern and efficient. We ordered materials, and upon reception of the goods, we went to work! We have a past history of kitchen make-overs and we have some expertise to put things right! Gratefully, we also have the tools necessary to get the job done.   The work is intense: electric circuits, plumbing, assembly, etc. We are happy with the results and can’t wait to serve some wonderful meals to all you beautiful people! 

  As for life celebrations, we started off with Cristiana on the 15th, followed by the Emanuel on the 16th! They both celebrated with  nearby family and are looking forward to a new year with energy and health and renewed joy! Philip followed on the 21st and is feeling as young and strong as ever! We thank God for each one of their lives and the gift of Birthday celebrations to send our love and appreciation to every single one of you! (family birthday videos link here: Cristiana, Emanuel, Philip)

And that is all for now.

Love and Prayers.

Mom and dad (Donnna and Jorge)

Donna:

 “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.     Luke 2:10,11

  The first birthday celebration in December began with Riley’s Birthday, the first day of the month!   We were blessed to have time together with her in Portugal and get to know her better.  She is a brave as well as kind little soldier and we pray for her protection and good health in the coming year! 

  Initially, we had a lot of preparations yet to make for the arrival of Phil, Julie, Zac and Riley. Finishing touches to the cabin and surroundings were accomplished. We planted  a clementine and an orange tree, replaced an olive tree as well as various flowering bushes that should endure the cold winter to come. Thankfully, lots of rain this month has enabled these new trees to continue flourishing. 

  Gabriel also had his birthday on the 23rd! Both he and Emanuel enjoyed another great camping trip in Hong Kong. They are refining their tactics and have found amazing ways to tackle the outdoors and enjoy it’s beauty!  We see that he was playing tennis and enjoying quality time with family! Selma, Selen’s mom, was in Macau for her birthday as well! The three of them took a trip to visit the rice fields in northern Thailand which they enjoyed very much! Prayers for a good year for Gabriel and Selma! 

   Next came the birthday celebration of the month! Christmas! Whether we get the exact date correct, the significance of Christmas is what we celebrate. ‘”Emanuel, God with us!” God entering into humanity! Philip and Julie traveled from afar to add joy and love to our family gatherings! We were able to visit our extended family together,:one opportunity was with Uncle Fernando and Aunt Adozinda at their farm and another with Uncle Antonio and Aunt Olinda at their home! Lots of conversations and catching up to do, as some have not been together for over 12 years now.  We also joined with Nuno’s family to share the warmth of family at Christmas! These were lovely occasions, full of joy and good will! Peace on earth, good will to men!

 As following blessed traditions, Cristy and Nuno opened their home to us on Christmas Eve and hosted a lovely meal, a “Consoada”, the traditional Christmas Eve Dinner. We also had a wonderful time singing carols and eating delicious deserts along with some of Nunu’s family. On Christmas Day we were at home with Gloria, Jason and Phil, Julie, Zach and Riley to enjoy a nice lamb roast and exchange gifts.  We read the Gospel of Luke 2, and thanked the Lord for the gift of His son Jesus! All beautiful memories to be cherished for years to come. We also received pics, and chatted with our family in Macau and that was heartwarming as well! Thanks a lot!

  At the farm, although it was quite cold and rainy most of the time, we did have some outside activities. Julie started a big fire to burn all the branches left after the harvests and we all joined in to feed it.  We planted a young cedar tree together, the first of many. The men were able to visit some castles in Belmonte and see the street Nativity Scene in Sabugal. Later, down in Lisbon, we all visited the Palmela castle braving wind and freezing cold!  

  Now, the New Year has arrived which we look forward to in faith and believing in his grace for every day and every situation. We are honored to read everyone’s prayer requests and thank you for sharing your thoughts and new year resolutions.  We continued to pray for you all! 

 “The Lord bless thee and keep thee: The LORD make HIs face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.”  Numbers 6:24-26.

Love and prayers.

Images of the month:

MORE FAMILY PICTURES FOR 2025 HERE

 By Donna:

“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” Genesis 8:2 

    November was the month of the olive harvest! We are beginners and learn so much every year. The first thing we learned is that the year after the olive trees are pruned they give little or no fruit. By the second year the trees  will be producing a small quantity of olives and by the third year there is an abundant harvest. If a homestead has many olive trees the pruning is done on a rotation basis so that every year there will be some trees producing olives.  In our case, we pruned half of our trees last year, henceforth half of our trees gave no fruit. Another thing we learned is that often trees produce in cycles. For example, one year a great harvest, next year a rest cycle, following year a return to a good harvest, etc.  In our case, it seems like the trees were in a rest cycle this year as the production of fruit was greatly reduced as compared to last year. This seems to have been a general phenomenon in our area.  In summary,  we are thankful for the olives that the trees gave us this year and the oil they produced. We were blessed to have Jason come over with all his youth and energy. He harvested the olives from Gabriel and Selen’s trees, producing their first batch of high quality extra virgin olive oil! Emanuel and Mandy’s trees also provided the olives for their first batch of high quality extra virgin olive oil! Praise God!

One important detail was that we found a new lagar. It has just opened, the facilities and is well organized. The visit is made by appointment and therefore the waiting time was reasonable. We were very pleased with their service. The lagar is a crucial factor in the production process and we are thankful for this new contact.

   The work on the cabin has progressed steadily and is almost ready for habitation. There is electricity, heating, lights and soon there will be beds, a desk etc. It has been a project and we thank God that we had the strength and tenacity to get it done, rain or shine!  We welcome anyone to come and visit and spend a few nights: winter, spring, summer or fall! All you gotta do is call! 

   Down in Lisbon, Cristy and Nuno  and Grandma prepared a lovely Thanksgiving Day dinner for family and friends. It was a labor of love, Cristiana as the main chef  and coordinator. All were blessed by the  delicious meal, and hearts were thankful for the abundant blessings that the Lord bestows upon us because of His grace! 

From another latitude, we heard Gabriel, Selen, Emanuel and Mandy had an exciting hike in (Sai Kung) It was a long trek, and they were surprised by the number of fellow hikers they met along the route:) The pics are amazing! It is great to have such a scenic hiking trail relatively close to home and strong legs to walk for so many hours. Kudos to you all!

Enjoy this month’s assorted photos! 

Donna:

“This is the Day which the LORD has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it! ” Psalm 118;24

An idea born that he could not shake, the vision  of a wood cabin existing in a certain location!  Now, that cabin  is becoming a reality!  To begin, we had purchased a stack of palettes earlier in the year which functioned  as a tower stairway to  install and later clean the solar panels. Those same palettes now constitute the walls of the “Cabin”! It took a lot of calculations and preparations to get them there, and they are steady and strong! Next step was to install insulation and a corrugated roof. That was an important step,  as the forecast was  for  rain.  After the roofing, outside insulation of the walls was done.  The rain started to pour.  See pics below.! We were able to borrow a cement mixer from our neighbors which made mixing  cement much easier. Cement was poured and now there is a good solid floor and front step.  We can now move inside and install the electric connections. The lights are now on and so work can be done inside while the storm brews outside. The forecast for rain continues and so the project will continue as opportunity permits. 🙂 Stay tuned. for further developments…\

It was great having Cristiana and Afonso over while the weather was pleasant! One thing we discovered is that Afonso likes to walk. Once he is out, he likes to walk and walk and walk 🙂 That boy walked down the long entrance driveway, down the road, turned around and walked up the neighbors road and around the back of the farm back home! Incredible for a boy of 16 months! 

Young Zach is now 10 years old! Congratulations Zach! One thing we do know is that he is a crack at football, we have seen videos of him scoring a large number of points for his team! We also know that he is a very good student and we are looking forward to having some very interesting conversations with him in the future! 

As the saying goes, “Do not complain about growing old. It is a privilege denied to many.”- Mark Twain. Every birthday is a privilege and Grandma enjoyed a lovely birthday weekend with family. She enjoyed time together with family and loved ones and calls from the family abroad!  To watch and understand family as they grow and step into their life calling is a blessing! To slow down and appreciate every moment with intention and gratitude!  To sing and to dance! For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations” Psalm 100:5  I thank God for the gift of All of YOU and how you made  it a very special day indeed!

On the topic of singing,  Joana was invited to Beijing to participate in the festivities for the 17th Cultural Week of China and Portuguese-Speaking Countries celebrations. Joana  and Giulio  sang a song called “Fire”  written by Giulio. The song was a combination of English, Portuguese and Chinese, a tribute to Macau’s rich cultural heritage.  Ben performed for a crowd of thousands in China, a repertoire of his original compositions along with other popular songs. Both shows were streamed on Chinese tv channels. Ben also performed at the Lusofonia Festival in Macau, the annual event of cultural exchange between China and Portuguese speaking countries. The miracle of music!

The slant of the earth or whatever allows all the colors to penetrate the skies and it is amazing! I don’t know the science of it, we just enjoy it. We beheld many beautiful sunrises and sunsets in October!

A special prayer request for my sister’s son David who is suffering serious consequences from Lyme disease. He is in God’s hands, and receiving treatment, and  according to Scripture, ‘the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much‘. Thank you. Btw, if anyone has any prayer requests please feel free to share them as prayer is a lifeline, and we can all connect to that lifeline. 

Love and Prayers

Images of the month:

Donna:

” Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself , except it abide in the vine; no more can ye except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” John 15:4,5

   It is a pleasure to walk through the vineyards at our place and see them abounding with so many colours and varieties of grapes!  We remember Jesus’ words regarding the allegory of He being the vine and we being the branches.This directs us towards the importance of remaining connected to Christ, the TRUE VINE for maintaining a fruitful spiritual life. We must meditate on His word. An important point to remember is that once the branch is separated from the vine it no longer bears fruit and is ready to be cast into the fire and be burned.  We perform this exercise each spring as we prune the old branches and burn them in the fire. It is an annual cycle to help the vines bring forth more fruit. Lord help us not to be like these old ,dead branches… Spiritual truths revealed in nature!

Thank the Lord we have had an abundant harvest of grapes this year and besides eating them we have been sharing them with friends and neighbors. We also had an abundant fig harvest,  and together with the grapes we are in the process of drying them in the sun. It is a learning process, getting better all the time. We set up a new greenhouse cover as the old one was thrashed after 2 years of harsh weather conditions,  and it houses our dried fruits as well as future planting projects.

It was another warm dry month and we invested a lot of time setting up the irrigation systems. We pumped up the water from the ponds as the water level in the well is getting very low.  We finally had one day of rain, however not enough to keep the baby trees alive!   We still have to irrigate almost daily and we thank God for the water that we do have!

   Joana came from Macau to work with the Macau Roadshow in Lisbon. The center of the event was in the iconic Praça de Comércio, which held live shows and cultural performances. They also had nightly drone shows and an opening fireworks display. Jason also was onboard, talking with people about Macau as was Joana, offering free gifts to participants!  It was great to have family time with Joana again in Lisbon! 

   The birthday congratulations go to Nuno and Selen this month! We are happy to find them both in good health and spirits, challenged in their work situations and life goals. We pray they have a blessed year ahead and the gift of wisdom to handle all of the challenges that life will present to them this year! 

   Jorge and I attended the wedding of Uncle Fernando’s son, João, and his lovely wife Patricia. It was a grand affair and we were able to catch up with other family members during the celebration. What a lovely moment to see two people promise to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do us part.  We pray for God’s blessing upon their union. 

   One of our favorite things about September is that the morning sunrise and evening sunsets are spectacular!   I can’t explain why scientifically, but for some reason around 7am and 7 pm,  the display begins and we are blessed with gorgeous skies! The rays of the sun and the reflection on the clouds produces a  divine colorful display and we have the privilege of front row seats! “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth his handiwork”! 

Love

Images of the month:

Farm scenes:

Joana’s visit:

Hope to see you picture here next month.

Love

J & D

By Donna:

Isaiah 43:2. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. 

  The month of August was a balancing act of water and fire. After leaving the family in Cascais we travelled to the coast to avoid the 40 plus temperatures inland. We came upon a very nice campground which was refreshing and relaxing. Temperatures there were 10 degrees lower than at home! There was sand and sea and lots of water! Upon return to the farm, Jason came to visit us and it was very nice to have him here again. Jorge and Jason worked together to place the newly acquired water storage containers in their proper locations. These 1,000 cubic liters containers hold the water supply for the irrigation systems that we set up to daily irrigatethe young trees and plants. We have been taking this water from the pond as it is evaporating anyway from the hot summer sun.  Then it was off to the coast again! We thank God for the freshness of the coastal areas and the sea waves and the swimming opportunities that bring joy during the heat waves. Mom spent time in the south with Cristiana and Nuno and Afonso and Dad had time in Penacova with friends and family members. All the while, the fires were raging. The skies over the farm were smoking from the 18th to the 27th. Unprecedented wildfires  concentrated in forested areas mainly in northern and central Portugal, fueled by strong winds and extreme temperatures, have devastated an area of over 2,610 square kilometers, almost double last year’s count. The fires closest to us were in Guarda, Serra da Estrela and Castelo Novo. It was very sad to return to our local river beach and see so much of the terrain torched. The firefighters fought hard and were brave and thankfully not too many human casualties occurred. We do not stop praying as at this present moment there are still fires raging. 

  On another note, we  have been blessed with an abundance of fruit this year! A harvest of grapes and figs is on the menu! We are eating, sharing and drying the fruits. Our neighbors share with us their melons, pears, passion fruits etc.  We  thank God everyday for the gifts he so abundantly gives! 

  On the 23rd of August, Jason celebrated his 22nd birthday! We are sure that he had a fine time with friends and we wish him a blessed and fruitful year ahead! Jorge celebrated on the last, but not least, day of the month. We took a trip up north to visit with friends and enjoy the beauty of the areas near Porto and the historical Tras-os-Montes region. It was beautiful weather, we camped at some lovely sites near the Tua River and filmed some amazing footage to share with the world! What could be better than entering into your 75th year of life in full health, enjoying nature and receiving calls and messages from your beloved children. It must be said, Jorge is truly blessed!

Images of the month:

More images of the month:

Hopefully your picture will be here next month!

Love and prayers

Donna:

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! Psalms 133:1

July was Summer Fest in full force! We had Emanuel and the girls arrive punctually on the 6th.  They stayed with us  in Lisbon for the first few days as dad had work to do in his Lisbon office. On Wednesday, Isabel and Aurora left with Grandpa and Grandma for the farm. The weather was pleasantly warm and we enjoyed time planting a few trees, watering the existing young trees and flowers and enjoying the wild outdoors. It was a very happy time, and the girls, especially creative as they are,  helped us to see again all of God’s amazing creations in a special light, that of a child’s! A few weeks later, Mandy joined us at the farm and life grew more exciting. Auntie Gloria also arrived to the great excitement of all, especially her nieces Isabel and Aurora! We enjoyed swimming, some played tennis, together we cooked, ate and laughed! Mandy prepared delicious dumplings to which we all led a helping hand in wrapping and eating them! The days passed quickly and the heat wave arrived. Afternoons in the water at the river beach solved the problem. Late dinners and stargazing were amazing, complete with brainstorming questions and laughs!

On August 3^rd, we celebrated Isabel’s birthday with a lovely pizza party and she officially entered the double digit, preteen age bracket! Cristiana and Nuno and baby Afonso (essaying his first steps) also were present as well as Jason and Gloria. It was a beautiful and touching family and generational reunion. A very special event we hope and pray to be able to repeat with the presence of other members of our family in years to come – by God’s grace.

Not least:

  Our dearest Joana celebrated her birthday on the 2nd of August and she is looking as good as ever! God bless you Joana ? We miss you here! 

Images: (those not present, hope to see your pictures next month)

By Donna:

The scripture Psalm 84 says, “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk uprightly.” This imagery used to describe God as a sun, a source of warmth and light and life, is powerful as God illuminates the path of believers and dispels darkness through His loving words and Holy Spirit. We now have the blessing of harnessing the energy of the sun to make our life more comfortable and productive. Since the summer is here we have an abundance of sunlight, from 6 am to 9:30 pm! With our new setup we are able to use fans, electric cooking plates, water pumps,  electric tools, lights , a washing machine and even an air conditioning unit for the cabin! Progress has arrived! 🙂

   Since conserving water is always an issue during the heat of the  summer months, We have been on a quest for a way to use the water in the pond for our plants and trees irrigation.  The solution presented itself as a pump submersed in the water which could pump out water through connected pipes.  The initial step was to build a support system to access the pump. As Jorge was driving the tractor down to level out the area he accidentally got a little to close to the edge where the ground was very soft and muddy. Instead of risking a potential tumbling into the pond, our dear friend Mr. Joaquim came with his trusty tractor and pulled Jorge out of danger. A friend in need is a friend indeed! After the pump was installed, he set up the smaller irrigation tubes and nozzles which can be turned on and off with a timing device even when we are not at the farm! Modern tech, we thank the Lord for it and the water most of all!!!

   Donna spent  some great times with Cristy and Afonso this month. Afonso is growing by leaps and bounds and is a very cheerful and active little boy! He loves climbing, swimming, crawling and is learning to walk.  Hanging out with him reminds me what a joy it is to be alive!!

At another latitude, sweet Riley has graduated from kindergarten and is enjoying summer holidays after her year of studies. She received a reward for working hard every day in all subject areas over and over and over!  Good job Riley!  All the other students in the fam have also finished the year and are happily enjoying summertime!!!

   This month Gloria celebrated another year of life! She is thrilled to be alive, working hard in the hospital and enjoying vacations every once in awhile!  Congratulations Gloria, may you enjoy a very blessed year ahead!  

   Benjamim keeps singing, composing and recording!  Recently he was interviewed on TDM in Macau for his participation in the upcoming song competition. Everyone can vote for him, just ask him for the link and you are in!!

Gabriel and Selen enjoyed a short trip to Jeju. They enjoyed good weather, an amazing hike and some nice RnR! Included below are some snapshots from the journey!

Love and prayers for all

Images:

Gabriel and Selen:

Assorted images from farm:

Washing Clothes:

Donna:

Continuing the car-port saga, actually, it has been completed! We had a local team of craftsmen construct  and place the metal frame and roof. This was a big help, as they had the tools and expertise to do the job.  After the frame was set up our work began. Our existing  solar  panel set up is showing signs of stress so we have invested in a more powerful  system. We ordered everything online, it came from nearby, all made in China. However, the large trucks could not maneuver  into our driveway, so it was a big job just getting them from the entrance near the road into the area near the carport!:) One of the boxes contained a very heavy lithium battery. Using various tools such as a tractor  and some ropes, pulleys, levers and sheer physical strength we were able to push, shove and drag the crate.  Together, we managed to get it in step by step!  Next, the conundrum of getting them up! Jorge built a stairway up with the pallets we had and it worked out perfectly for the task. With a combination of lift and push the  solar panels were up in a matter of hours! Then we had the set up of the control board and battery and connect everything together. It has been a one-month project.  Now we have much more electricity stored in a bigger battery, which is great as we won’t need the generator at night. We thank the Lord for His wisdom and protection all throughout this journey! 

    We also worked on redoing some of the land surfacing. We redid the stone pathway to the bedroom and the circular sand area around the oak tree. We learned that if you do not put a special plastic underneath, the weeks grow right through your materials and mess up the whole aesthetic.  Always learning! 

    Our good friend, Mr. Joaqim helped us to dig up the land and taught us how to properly plant baby tomato plants. They are growing well with the intense sun which bathes them every day and a good watering here and there, mostly in the evenings. We are thrilled that our baby trees and vines are growing so well, and the vines are producing a plethora of leaves and some baby grapes are starting to form. Hoping for a grape harvest this year!

    For Afonso’s first birthday a great celebration was held for family and friends in the clubhouse near Cristy and Nunu’s home. I don’t know if Afonso understood what the big ado was about, but he sure was happy all afternoon! Afonso is a very social child and truly enjoys the company of others. The rest of us had a grand old time and we were happy to celebrate and appreciate his first year of life ! Babies sure are a blessing to all!

    This month we also got to celebrate Jason’s Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Sciences graduation ceremony!  The ceremony is called  “Benção dos Finalistas”, “The blessing of the Finalists”. It was a lovely affair, with singing and dancing and  speeches,and we especially appreciated the Christian blessing for all the young graduates. The sermon focused on the story  from Mathew 25:14-30, referring  to the talents distributed by the departing master to his servants as God given “talents” or personal abilities to invest in the kingdom of God, as well as personal wealth. The positive rewards for the first two servants are based on their faithfulness to wisely use what Christ entrusted them, whereas  the third servant saw his Lord as harsh and demanding, thus, being afraid,he failed to use his gifts wisely. He also  encouraged the young graduates to be original (not to copy others) with their particular gifts in the area of their chosen studies as they can definitely be a blessing to many.  Congrats to Jason and all the graduates from the Faculdade de Motricidade Humana! 

The images:

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Thank you all for your prayersfor us. We love you and we pray for you.

Donna:

Psalms 104:24 – O LORD, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.

It has been a lovely spring dance between showers and sunshine, orchestrated by the Creator of all things,  and it is working together for good on behalf of the people, the land and the produce of this area! At the end of March the trees were beginning to blossom and now by the end of April they are bursting with leaves, branches and promising firstfruits!! It has been good for us as we haven’t had to do any watering and we continue to replenish our water  supply in the well and in the pond.

   Since we are planning a covered area for the caravan, we worked onn the concrete footings which will hold up the support posts. The complete structure should be put in place next month. In order to protect our greenhouse from flying away due to the severe wind storms we have experienced the past few months, wooden boards were made into a frame for three sides of the greenhouse. It has been beneficial as we can tie wire over the top and secure them to the wooden beams. We also made a small fence at the end of the grass area. A sand and brick pathway was added to the  left side of the house for easy navigation. 

Inside our cabin a beautiful change took place . We built a custom made under sink cupboard. It is made of beautiful wood and adds a gorgeous touch to the kitchen area. Mama is one happy mama and chef :)!

  Easter was a blessed day as Easter always is! We worshipped and sang along with the local community in the church in Fundão. In the afternoon we shared an Eastern Orthodox tradition with a neighbor from Belarus. Red Easter eggs are a significant symbol representing the blood of Christ and the resurrection.Traditionally, the eggs are dyed red on  Holy Thursday to signify the redeeming blood of Christ that was shed on the cross. The white egg, before being dyed, represents the white tomb where Christ’s body was laid after he was taken down from the cross, and the hard outer shell represents the sealed tomb of Christ. On Easter Sunday, there is a ritual of “cracking the eggs” , symbolizing the breaking of the tomb and the bonds of death, following Christ’s resurrection. Believers challenge one another by holding their egg firmly and cracking them against each other person’s egg until there is one winning egg which didn’t crack. The holder of that egg is deemed to have a wonderful year ahead of them! This custom is a means of greeting and presentation for Christian believers, foretelling the eternal life experience that awaits true believers after death. Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!!!

   April 9th was the day to celebrate sweet Aurora’s beginning of a new year of life!  She is growing ever so tall, ever so clever,  ever so loving!  Looking forward to seeing her again, hopefully this summer! Our dear Benjamin celebrated his birthday on April 25th! If you haven’t heard his new recording of “Flower of the Field” make sure you listen to it, out now on social media! It is an oldie goldie full of new nuances and great music! Congrats Ben!! We love listening to your songs over here on the other side of the planet!:)

   We had a visit to the farm from Cristy, Nuno and Afonso over the weekend. Great weather was the key as little Afonso loved crawling around everywhere, engrossed in play with stones, sticks, leaves, sand and water. His is always bursting with energy to discover new things and enjoy the simplicity of nature. We do believe Cristy and Nuno had a fun and relaxing weekend as well;) On the third day of their visit there was a total power blackout in Portugal  and Spain which lasted for about 12 hours. We were fine as we have solar power to run the water and lights, a generator for dark days or extra power and gas for cooking. We only felt the crunch when our phone and internet connections failed at around 4 pm. It is interesting how much a part of our psyche is geared to being able to connect to anyone at any time and how  estranged we felt,  anxious to have it returned to service. Lord help us!  We continue to keep our off grid infrastructures working and hopefully improve them. The EU is warning us we have to be ready for emergencies. Don’t we all…

Praying for you all. Keep alert for the signs that tell us to be prepared forr ventual sudden changes. Mark 13:35-37

Love

Here are the images of the month:

Donna:

For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land; Songs of Solomon 2:11-12

Spring is here! After 15 days of rain and wind storms, everything is blossoming! The sun is back and nature is singing its joyful song of life! It is interesting to live in a rural area for over one year and watch the seasons change and the trees go through their annual life cycle. In autumn, as the days get shorter, growth slows down and late autumn establishes dormancy in buds.  As colder temperatures arrive in winter, trees lose their foliage and the buds stay asleep. In the warm temperatures of spring, the buds burst as they are released from their dormancy. It is so lovely to see the flowers and baby fruits arriving! To be fair, we have had a beautiful month with chances to film and photograph and stop and appreciate all that is happening in this world which is all around us and which yet can feel so foreign and antagonistic at times.  I feel our human connection with nature is very complex, but once we connect ,we feel an instinct to take care of it and become co-workers with the creator in its preservation. A big task, indeed. 

   We continue on our quest of zoning and improving our lot.  We spent time planting new greenery, mostly lavender and wild bushes as they can resist the heat during the dry season. We covered the underground waste tanks with stones and adjacently a parking lane  for the van. We are now setting the footage for a carport. He also set up a small metal storage facility for tools etc. behind the cabin.  We continue reorganizing and organizing. Rain or shine, things keep shaking and changing!

   We also made a trip to Lisbon to catch up with Jason and Gloria. It was Father’s Day in Portugal so we had a lovely dinner together. 

   Happy Birthday to Julie, our March superstar! It was nice to connect again and see her radiating smile as she and the family are also very thankful for the longer days and heat that springtime is bringing to their home! Wishing her a very happy and fruitful year ahead!

Photos:

We would love to have those pictures you probably keep for instagram and facebook. Cmon share with us.

Love and prayers.

Donna:

…a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; Ecc 3:1,2.

It is still winter here, but at the same time, it is time to plant. Because it is raining regularly, it is now the time to dig up the soil, pluck out that which is old and plant that which will grow. . This month we began by pruning the grape vines. Our friend Sr. Joachim came around to teach us to do the job properly and we are very thankful for that. Noticing that some of the vines were dead we used our new tractor power to remove them by the roots. This is not as easy as it sounds, as the roots are deeply embedded under the earth, but after multiple attempts we could remove a good portion of  the vine. After that, we decided to replace 32 vines and plant 3 extra ones near the house. These new baby vines are fragile and will require watering during the first year, so that will be our first conundrum to solve, but we shall work on that later.

  Our next campaign was the zoning project. In order to use the space we have we divided the areas into walking space with rounded pebbles, open  space with artificial grass,and  areas with gravel for roads and car parks.  We broadened the entrance area and reinforced it after a  delivery truck got stuck in the mud as he was bringing some sand to our place. This job is not finished, and we hope to conclude it in March.

  Next we decided to beautify the front area with more color!  We planted lavender and  rosemary which are sturdy in cold and heat and a few smaller yellow and orange flowers. We started growing small lettuce plants and will keep them in the greenhouse until there is no more frost at night. We added some white stones as we moved into our landscaping vibe, yet to be continued…:)

  We did take a trip to Lisbon to catch up with the folks there.  We were with Cristy and saw baby Afonso as he began to crawl. So cute! Gloria is very busy working in the hospital with a very irregular schedule and night shifts. Life of an intern. Jason is also busy every day between school and training sessions and we hope to catch up with him some time soon.

   We visited Uncle Fernando and Aunt Adozinda and family at their new farm. They have a lovely piece of land and have been working hard to make it an amazing place to live.

All in all, winter is coming to an end and there are signs of spring popping up here and there.

Praying for you every day. Stay safe and, especially, stay sound, in mind and spirit, in this world that seems to be going bananas.

Love and prayers.

here are the pictures:

Above: Before and after

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