Five Feet, Nine Inches Above Ground

Friday March 18 and Saturday March 19 were days spent in anticipation of what the murky weather warnings for Sunday would bring. Friday afternoon, Randy invited me on a spontaneous walk through an urban park near Olhão. There were birds everywhere including hoopoes that were very shy so don’t appear in any photos. There was…

On Wednesday March 16, the weather was cloudy and overcast. There was rain in the early morning and when I ventured out on a walk around the village outskirts in the afternoon, there was a strange, brownish gloom in the air. The air is heavy with the scent of orange blossoms. I wish it were…

Thursday March 17 was our day for a hike in the Barranco do Velho situated north of Estoi. It’s an area known for lavender, in particular, green lavender. Coincidentally, it’s St. Patrick’s Day, so appropriate in that regard. So, Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone! This was a repeat hike for all of us, Randy, Patricia,…

Sunday evening and Monday morning were somewhat wet and cloudy. The weather cleared off enough that Randy, Laurie and myself headed off to the boardwalk behind Faro airport that leads to the beach. There have been sections added to the board walk since my last foray into this area and it makes the hike/walk a…

The days are speeding by and suddenly the month of March is nearly half gone! The weather has been a mix of sun, rain and wind and the overall effect is a wonderful lushness as plants and flowers burst forth. There seems to be an abundance the Naked Man and other orchids, this year. I…

The Rocha da Pena is located about 45 minutes by car north and west of Estoi. Our hiking adventure required some advance planning as we decided to take our own individual picnic lunches with us. Thursday was a perfect day for our party of six: Randy, Patricia, Laurie, Gary, Morgaine and myself. Marc elected to…

Three days have literally melted away in a blur of rain, sunshine and a bit of a breeze scented with orange blossoms. Absolutely nothing to complain about! First off, if you haven’t noticed, my blog has a new logo, thanks to my talented friend and graphic artist, Mahmood Reza Jafari. He lives in Tehran and…

The weather was fantastic for our hike on Friday morning that began on a trail about 30 minutes by car north and west from Estoi. Fonte Benémola. The objective of the hike was find orchids – the earth in this area is particularly conducive to their growth. The hiking sleuths were Randy, Louise and myself.…

Exchanging Canadian cold and snow for Portuguese warmth and sunshine. Monday February 28, 2022: An evening flight from Montreal to Lisbon was the beginning of this new adventure. Landing in Lisbon on Tuesday morning provided a welcome sight of sunshine, palm trees and green grass. A train journey of several hours planted my feet firmly…