canadianboystravel10 Comments on Hanging Around Home

Hanging Around Home

We woke up to a cloudy sky and evidence of overnight rain, neither were we expecting.  The plan was to enjoy an early morning walk, a loop that we did a few weeks ago, but from the opposite direction.   For us, that meant primarily uphill!!!  Donning rain jackets, just in case, off we headed.   Although challenging, it was wonderful and as luck would have it, no rain, some clouds disappeared and we saw a bunch of things from an entirely different perspective.

Lovely hand painted till inset in a fence near a beautiful house tucked away in an almond grove. Aptly named.
All of these old laneways, or most likely farmers roads, beckon me to head down and explore. Certainly no shortage of possibilities in the mountains around us.
We usually carry a bamboo stick just in the event we run into any angry dogs. So far, so good!
Many of the older olive trees high in the mountain are still covered in olives. These were quite large, as big as grapes.
Just look at that marvelous view off in the distance. We never tire of it. The sound of birds, the smell of the earth and the occasional sweetness of a nearby bush or tree.
Always ruins along the route. I’d love to know the histories.
Our rain coats became an unnecessary burden. They don’t breath all that well and with this being mostly uphill, let’s just say we both got a little “humid”!
Most of the carob has been harvested but we came upon a couple of trees today that seem to have been overlooked.
These are just opening and are quite tiny, each cluster about the size of a fingernail.
A huge rose bush, brilliant red against the whitewash. We noted many of the rosebushes are bursting with buds and will probably open in the next few days.

I’ve mentioned that we always keep our eyes out for stray dogs, although mostly they run away from us whenever we clap our hands or tap out bamboo stick on the ground.  I’m not sure the same can be said for “guard turkeys”!!!!

These two were free-range, wandering up and down the driveway and across the property.  They were quite perturbed by our presence.  I’m not certain you can tell from the photos but they were enormous!!!!  Hmmmm……maybe I should head back this route around December 23rd and see if I can get one to chase me!!

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A large patch of gourds of some sort.  I think they were squash but not entirely sure.

I always wonder what these places must have been like in their heyday. The vibrancy of this colour must have been spectacular as it still is and it’s basically faded.
In a few days this will be spectacular as the tall rose bush is covered in buds. They are a deep deep black/red and against that pink, it will be quite a site.

Al in all, about two hours of wandering slowly up the mountain road then down the other side.   Helped to burn off breakfast and build up an appetite for lunch……wonderful homemade leftover vegetable soup.  This afternoon I have a little ironing to do and I’m at a great point in my book………………I see a lazy afternoon in my future.   Marc is working on something in his atelier…………..no shortage of projects in our world.

10 thoughts on “Hanging Around Home”

  1. Céline December 13, 2019 — 2:01 pm

    love the walking trails. If only in my dreams 🙂

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    1. (Post author)
      canadianboystravel December 13, 2019 — 3:08 pm

      If only you were here to enjoy them with me!!! Of course Abby would probably chase the turkeys!!!

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  2. Beverly December 13, 2019 — 3:14 pm

    Nice hike. I could see myself meandering along that old road. We have the same rose bushes in our yard. They are so hardy.
    I had the same thought you did Randy about the turkeys… Christmas dinner lol lol
    Rainy day here again today too.
    Tomorrow we are at Arlington Cemetary as we volunteered to help lay the 200,000 wreaths on the graves.

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    1. Beverly December 13, 2019 — 3:14 pm

      I wrote hike NOT home

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    2. (Post author)
      canadianboystravel December 13, 2019 — 4:50 pm

      You are with me on most of these hikes as I know how much you would enjoy them. We love the new routes we have discovered this year and it’s amazing how doing them in the opposite direction allows you to feel as if you are doing them for the first time. Just back from the butcher shop where I bought an enormous turkey leg……just getting it ready for the oven. LOL

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  3. Muse & Views Bookclub December 13, 2019 — 3:29 pm

    Imagine all you could harvest! Olives, carob beans, squash! Wonderful views!

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    1. (Post author)
      canadianboystravel December 13, 2019 — 4:52 pm

      You left out ‘turkey”!!! But you are so right then add to that all the lemons, oranges, fresh rosemary, sage, and thyme that grows in abundance everywhere here. No excuse to not cook and have fabulous flavours.

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  4. Bonnie St Julien December 13, 2019 — 6:48 pm

    It looks like you had another lovely day in the Algarve!
    Hugs for you both.

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    1. (Post author)
      canadianboystravel December 13, 2019 — 6:57 pm

      We did have another lovely day and to top it off, I roasted a huge turkey leg for dinner and it was sublime!!! Motivated during our walk today!!! LOL

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      1. Bonnie St Julien December 13, 2019 — 8:25 pm

        Oh no…There’s a one legged turkey running around somewhere in the hills of Portugal! Haha

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