Quatro Ribeiras had its annual festival at the beginning of August. The church yard and imperio (above) were decorated beautifully with flowers and streamers. The highlight of the week was the bull-running – bringing a number of food trucks, tascas, and a barrage of fireworks over our house (the cats were not happy…). We opted not to watch the bull-running itself as it tends to run late and we go to bed early due to our work schedules.
Terrace Garden Update
After a rest period covered in clover and weeds, the terrace garden beds are getting some much-needed attention. Every week on my day off I’ve been clearing them about 4 ft at a time and piling the weeds on the following section to smother the groundcover – a compost-in-place. As I shift the pile over and place it atop the next patch, what remains is a collection of fine mulch and compost that gets pitchforked into the soil (additionally with some peat moss garden soil we bought).
The result has been thriving new beets and ‘volunteer’ collards (right) as well as a newly planted patch of carrots and bush beans at the end. On the middle terrace (left), I continued this process and recently planted sweet potato slips, with the intention of continuing with them along that level as the compost-in-place process does its work.
Solar Eclipse
Screenshot
Raymond and I were lucky enough to be in the path of the solar eclipse! From around 6-7 pm in the evening the light around the yard took on an eerie glow. Using a pin-hole and finding the right focal distance, we were able to watch as the moon crossed the sun.
Feliz Aniversário, Gatinhos!
This month was the shared birthday of our lovely cats, Nicodemus and Archimedes. We celebrated the anniversary with a treat of boiled chicken breast, which they devoured with gusto. Nicky and Archie have brought such joy and whimsy to our lives and yard – I am thankful for them every day.
L: Nicky at the front door learning ‘Stay…’
Middle: Archie lounging in the doorway to the mill room / cat cave
Raymond and I work nearly identical schedules, except our days off are staggered – we each have a day to ourselves and share the “middle” day. This means that we try to make the most of our free day together, be it visiting the finance office in Praia da Vitória to file our taxes (done!) or having a lunch out and strolling along the lava coast of Biscoitos (above, looking towards Quatro Ribeiras).
This particular day the tide was low and it was fun seeing the life in the tidal pools. The clouds pouring over the mountains in the middle of the island were rather dramatic as well.
Bananas
We have two bunches of bananas maturing right now. A colleague from work gave us some advice to cut the flowering end (middle photo) after about three weeks to help them mature better. So I cut it as well as the end on the newer bunch (right photo). We are excited as these are some of the most beautiful, bug-free, mouse-bite-free bananas we’ve ever had – a testament to having cats roaming the orchard!
Gardening Updates
The pineapple tops from the variety that grows on São Miguel island are thriving after surviving a rough winter. Same for the fern that suffered from an ant infestation (and too much sun) along the rock wall at the front of the house. It is getting its second wind on the lower patio where it receives roof runoff. Same for the bonsai rosemary – flowering and happy! The araçal tree (with wind chimes) is full of unripe fruit and we have added lemon thyme to the herb garden below it. Lastly, we have two ‘volunteer’ chestnut trees in the orchard that we are now caring for.
Stream Project
For fun I cleared a path through the wild ginger and reed grass to have an easier access to the stream. And, since it was already framed by some large boulders there, I created a little dam. We now have a little pond (perhaps three feet deep at most) and it’s relaxing to sit on the boulder and listen to the gurgling water. Still no fish yet, but I am hopeful it will attract a European eel which I have seen in the stream before.
Friendly Felines
Nicodemus and Archimedes are doing well. Getting into lots of adventures and hunting lots of lizards. Both are still as friendly as ever and can’t wait to visit with us when we get home from work. And again, I am so grateful for rodent-free environment they have created for the yard and garden.
The beginning of summer has been a welcome change here on Terceira. Like clockwork, the windy, grey days have given way to sunny, dry days and blissfully low-humidity nights. And the extra hours of daylight mean that our commutes to work are considerably brighter (above: sunrise over Angra from our parked car).
Island of Festivals
Terceira is widely known as the island of festivals and for good reason. The above celebration outside a neighborhood Holy Spirit shrine was a pleasant surprise one day after work On the narrow cobblestone street a barrier was created using the bull crates for a small scale bull-running. And I mean small – it was a few calves and teenage boys. It had not occurred to us that a community as small as this would have its own tourada à corda.
Also this month was the annual 10-day-long Sanjoaninas festival. The city was busy and it was fun to visit the food stands for a quick bite after work, but it was nice to avoid the all-night street parties (unlike last year when I would get out of work at 11:30 pm and have to wade through the sea of revelers and marching bands). Below L to R: this year’s poster, the poster from 2017 with a great portrayal of the city from the marina, and the poster from the week I was born.
Scenic Commutes
Yard Updates
I finally got around to cultivating the overgrown terrace and replanted beets (and some lettuce) in the lower terrace and bush beans in the upper. The middle terrace still has potatoes and we sampled a few this week. Delicious!
The orchid that I planted on the rocks along the north side of our house has rebounded from the harsh winter. The area has developed into a cute little garden with the addition of ferns, taro, jade, and air plants.
The dill is doing very well. I have been making some fermented vegetable pickles with it and am so grateful to have fresh dill flowers!
Raymond and I were fortunate last month to travel to the continent for a week-long vacation. The impetus was the 20th class reunion of my grad school program at the University of Freiburg in Germany. As we missed the reunion 10 years ago, I vowed that we would attend this one. So we flew to Lisbon and onward to Zürich before catching a late train to the border town of Rheinfelden, Switzerland. The above photo is from our first morning as we awoke to the Rhine river flowing below our window and Germany on the other side!
Above L to R: a view of our hotel from the border bridge in Rheinfelden; posing on the bridge with Germany over Raymond’s shoulder and Switzerland over Lukus’ shoulder; scenes from the old town (tower, fountain, and architecture).
Schwarzwald
After an amazing day traveling from Rheinfelden, Germany through the Black Forest (via bus, tram, bus, and bus) we arrived at the charming village of Wieden (above). Impressively, every connection on our journey was on time! Here are some of the sights we saw on the way:
Klassentreffen
The class reunion was a blast! It was so fun to see old classmates after so many years. And the whole experience was so well-orchestrated – from which bedrooms were assigned to whom in the huge rental house, to meal planning for 20 adults and 11 children, to arranging for daily morning bread delivery, to planning our hiking excursions.
The first day Raymond and I hiked from the rental (elevation 3,000 ft) up to a mountain pass inn for a schnapps (alas, they were not open and it was sooo cold and windy!). From there we continued hiking to a hight of 3,600 ft where we could see snow-capped mountains in the distance before looping back down to the house. The second day the whole group hiked to a local fluorite mine and we had a lovely tour inside. It was also a sunnier day not as cold. Sadly, all things must end and we all parted ways on Sunday – with a promise to not wait another 20 years to see each other again next time.
Spring on Terceira
The strangest thing about traveling to Europe was seeing Spring grandeur in its fullest. Though much further north than Terceira, there were fields lush with wildflowers, roses and rhododendrons blooming around farmsteads, spring leaves bursting from beech and birch trees, flowering apple and cherry groves…I didn’t realize how much I missed these things.
It has been a slow Spring on the island – between overcast skies, DAYS of dense fog, and the lingering cold/wind damage from winter storms, the landscape (though green) doesn’t have that fresh newness that Germany had.
Above, L to R: a sunny day driving home through the middle of the island; the stream side plants freshly cleaned of vines and weeds (dracaena, Japanese cedar, and tree fern); the newly trimmed pathway through what has become a meadow in our back yard (with Nicodemus); the black fig and the pear tree
After all the disruption of clearing the land of the invasive ginger and vines we have decided to let yard become a meadow. Starting from whatever grasses and weeds blew in, I have simply helped nature along – pulling weeds I don’t want and spreading seeds of things I do want (like clover). The diversity is amazing – we counted 6 varieties of grasses one day during our walk with the cats. The plant growth helps keep soil erosion at bay and works like a sponge to keep the soil moist. It also provides instant mulch for the fruit trees when we trim it.
A windy day with the waves blowing away from the coast for once.
Today is the first of May, celebrated in Portugal as a national holiday. While it was unfortunate that Raymond and I had to work on this day honoring the workers of the world, it was nice that we were paid double-time. Today is also the anniversary of my starting to work on the island one year ago. What a different place we’re both in now!
Around the yard
L to R: I started fixing up the middle terrace, replacing the vertical terra cotta tiles with branches. One particular borrage plant in that terrace is huge! The dish of blossoms is just one day’s worth, less a branch I saved for the bumblebees that absolutely love them. The tea from the flowers is quite tasty and a little sweet. The baby pineapple tops are still alive in their makeshift ziplock bag ‘greenhouse’ and seem to be responding to the warmer weather. Lastly the succulent garden is really starting to fill out.
L to R: a new banana flower; the first tree fern we planted along the wall doing nicely; (looking the other direction) the small cryptomeria and a giant wild calla lily; I cleared a lot of vines, wild ginger, and rubble to better expose the two palm trees planted last year. The idea is to extend the retaining wall another 6-8 feet.
Nicky and Archie
The kitties are huge and loving life. They have their routines, and we, ours. My favorite, of course, is the cuddly time we have with Nicky and Archie when we get home from work. I have been surprised that at only nine months they are starting to be content to just watch us doing projects without the need to investigate and get into mischief.
Out and About
L to R: view of Monte Brasil in the distance from the Coffee Cabana banana plantation; traditional thatched-roof building and green-roofed barn at the Quinta Martelo; odd line of fog and clouds near the middle of the island on our drive home one day; looking 1000 feet down at the clouds and see from the western side of the Terceira.
The calendar claims it’s Spring, but we have had some unseasonably cold weather the past month. For about a week, we had brisk north winds and temperatures down to about 43 degrees – factor in wind speeds of 50 mph and the windchill was below freezing! The above photo is from the port in Biscoitos on our drive home one particularly windy, wavy day. The fury of the sea really is a sight to behold…
Kitty News
Nicodemus and Archimedes are doing well and as sweet as ever! Archie likes to greet Raymond and I at the door when we arrive home, running up from the lower patio while Nicky joins a few moments later with a stretch and a yawn. Our routine is to then have some cuddle time in the basement ‘cat lounge’ – Archie on Raymond’s lap, hugging his neck and Nicky on my lap, nuzzling into my elbow. Afterward, they love our daily walks through the back yard, chasing each other up trees or wrestling in the grass.
Yard Updates
Top row: the evening ‘golden hour’ on the trees above the stream
Middle row: the black fig leafing out and the smaller annona newly trimmed
Bottom row: the dill garden and a massive calla lily along the edge of our yard
On my most recent day off I felt motivated to clean up some more of the stream-facing side of our patio wall. It provided another great place to plant something, this time a transplanted African Boxwood that had blown over in the back yard. A waxy-leafed evergreen, Myrsine africana is native to southern and eastern Africa as well as the Azores. It fits right in between the Japanese Cedar (foreground) and the dracaena (background).
The thunderous waves breaking on the lava, 800 feet from our house.
Greetings from (sometimes) sunny Ilha Terceira! The above photo captures the wonderful convergence of the rare sunny day AND our day off. On our way home from errands in Praia da Vitória, Raymond and I decided to stop by the UNESCO world geopark site called Fajã da Alagoa to watch the waves crash upon the cliffs made of tall stacks of hexagonal basalt. We had not visited in a while and it was nice to appreciate the simple beauty – just off the beaten path less than two miles from our house.
Kitty News
Nicky and Archie are doing well. Now six months old, they reached the age in which it is widely accepted to neuter. So we scheduled an appointment for early February. It went smoothly for the boys and they are as loving and sweet as ever!
Yard Updates
Between the rounds of wind and rain, we were able to do some yard cleanup – trimming the dead and frayed banana leaves, shaping the annona tree near the house, and moving the woodpile from the mill room to outside. We also planted some lettuce, dill, sorrel, and chamomile along with some sweet potato slips in the terrace garden (under plastic panels to keep the soil warmer).
Above: the neighbor’s lovely wall and our driveway; the stream with newly planted Japanese cedar growing near the calla lily at lower right; the newly stacked woodpile next to the grill
House Plans
Raymond and I have met with the builder again, with an architect this time, regarding the roof project. We are now looking to remove the oven and bathroom as well. The plan is to expand the kitchen into the former oven space and to extend the bathroom along the entire side of the house. Additionally, we really like the idea of a passage and retaining wall along the side of the house that would connect the driveway to the backyard.
Below: current bathroom with oven behind it and proposed passage
Above: view from the driveway of the neighbor’s massive wall and proposed passage
We are now waiting for the house surveyor to take measurements so the architect can draw up the plans. The idea is for the project to begin in September since it takes 6 months for the Japanese cedar lumber to be harvested, cut, and cured before it is ready for building our new roof.
Happy New Year! January was notable as the first time Raymond and I were able to take vacation time since we started working. In Portugal, after six months at a new job one qualifies for two days of vacation for each month worked. Since this is the low season at the hotel, most of our colleagues took time off in December and January. I had a stay-cation for a week at the beginning of the month to stay home, hang out with the kitties and work in the yard – it was bliss… After a week back at work, Raymond and I had a week of vacation together and traveled to Lisbon for a week (more on this below). We ended the month with me back to work and Raymond taking his second week of vacation at home (and some well-deserved rest).
Indoor-Outdoor Cats
Raymond and I decided near the beginning of January that we and the now-grown kitties would all be happier if they had their own living space. So, during my stay-cation, we moved them to the mill room / basement where they can come and go as they please as indoor-outdoor cats. I enjoyed taking them for walks in the yard and showing them the trees for the first time (which they love to climb!). They also love nibbling on the lush grass, sunning themselves in the driveway, and racing each other at every opportunity.
This move has changed the dynamic of our household a lot – Raymond and I have a cleaner, calmer house and the cats have fresh air, space, and adventure. Not only this, but they are SOOOO affectionate and cuddly when we get home; as though they needed space away from us to really appreciate us.
A Lost Calf
One particular morning as I was outside with the cats I heard mooing sounds. While not uncommon, it seemed louder and more persistent than usual. I then saw a calf that had fallen down from the pasture above the other side of the stream. After a brief attempt to approach and redirect her upstream, I sought the assistance of our neighbor who said he would tell the owner. A few minutes later, two men arrived in the yard and proceeded to persuade the calf to cross the stream and march across our patio and concrete stairs. They thanked me and departed up the driveway towards the road.
While on the other side of the stream during the encounter, I discovered an absolutely enormous boulder. A little trimming of the invasive ginger revealed a majestic landscaping showpiece that had been there, obscured, the whole time. Working with what was already there, for instance the spindly araçal trees on either end of it and the towering Australian Blackwood tree behind it, I made a little growing box out of two stumps at the front and planted a Japanese cedar in it. Additionally, as the top of the boulder has a depression filled with rich leaf mulch detritus, I planted a small clone of our tree fern. It is now a stunning sight from the house and yard, and just think, it was always there…
Lisboa!
After passing through Lisbon many, many times to get somewhere else, we finally devoted six nights to this wonderful European capital city. We met up with Raymond’s mother at the airport and took the subway to a two bed / two bath apartment we had booked. Located in the neighborhood of Baixa, which was rebuilt in a grande, gridline fashion after the earthquake/fire of 1755, the apartment was spacious and comfortable for our needs. It rained a lot the first two days but we were still able to explore the sights and do some shopping.
We also visited the layered ruins of a Phoenician settlement, Roman fish sauce factory, Moorish pottery kiln, and 18th century foundations in the basement of a bank. Very cool. Later that day we passed the cathedral of Lisbon en route to the Castelo de São Jorge atop a hill above the city. Built by the Moors around 1100 it was later conquered by the first king of Portugal.
A highlight of the trip was a visit to the nearby city of Sintra. We took a 40-minute train ride and then walked to the Quinta da Regaleira, of the “Initiation Well” fame (as seen on Oak Island). The entire grounds, though, were gorgeous – filled with gardens, stone towers, fountains, coves, grottos, banquet patios, a chapel, and a small palace. It was easy to become enchanted with the naturalized landscapes of and dream about emulating some of it at home.
Merry Christmas from (sometimes) sunny Terceira! The above photo captures the capital city and marina on a particularly sunny afternoon after Raymond and I finished work.
Though we do not have a Christmas tree, it’s nice to see them around (above, at the local bakery and restaurant). We did, however, put up our stockings at home! The neon lights celebrating Happy Holidays were another festive reminder of the season, even if the sun and sea did not convey Christmas.
Wind Storm
The island had a horrible wind storm in December with gusts of 65 mph. It made for some very dramatic waves at the port in neighboring Biscoitos. Unfortunately, it knocked over two big banana trees in our orchard, destroying their bunches of unripe bananas. Between the wind and rain, there was also some serious erosion on the other side of the stream.
Stream Side Planting
After many months of enjoying various potted plants that were found on or near our property, I finally started finding places to plant them. The tree fern, Japanese cedar, and dracaena all found homes along our patio wall. Aside from looking beautiful, they should help secure the stream side from future floods (we have plans for additional Japanese cedars to be planted as well).
Raymond and I are celebrating our third Thanksgiving here on “Third Island” and for the first time attending an American-style get-together. We are excited to celebrate the feast with some new friends we made in the last year. We are immensely thankful for all that has come our way in the past year: hosting Raymond’s mother and the ensuing trip to Rome; meeting and befriending our doppelgängers from Michigan who live three villages over; finding local jobs and earning income; visiting and touring about the island with Lukus’ aunt and uncle; finding new (better) employment at Terceira’s first 5* hotel; working together and sharing the same schedule; being able to donate our millstones to the new working windmill in our friends’ village; and, most recently, successfully renewing our residency permits! We are now legally allowed to remain here for an additional three years. <sigh of relief>
Autumn Waves
The winter winds from the north have returned, creating some dramatic scenery. The above photos were along the coast of Biscoitos looking towards Quatro Ribeiras. Needless to say, our glasses became quite salty watching such thunderous waves. A few times during the month we could hear them at night crashing into the cliffs near our house.
Rainbows
The rainy/misty weather of late Fall brings its share of rainbows. The top three photos are from our commute home just above the capital city of Angra. The bottom two photos are from the parking lot in Angra where we park the car during the work day (taken just before my appointment with immigration for the residency renewal – it seemed like a good omen!).
Kitties Update
Archimedes and Nicodemus are doing very well and are good boys most of the time. They have grown a lot in the two months since we adopted them and their personalities are definitely taking shape. Archie is cautious, cuddly, and obedient – Nicky is very curious, caring, and sensitive. They both love to play with toys, wrestle with each other, and have quiet lap time with Raymond and I.
Nature’s Bounty
We have been harvesting some beautiful purple-skinned, white-fleshed sweet potatoes from our garden and cooking them in soups as well as a Thanksgiving pie. The anonna fruits seem to be a bit delayed this year, but we have already eaten four that we ripened in the basement and they were delicious as always. Lastly, a big bunch of bananas reached maturity and were similarly ripened in the basement – something like 20 lbs of bananas… We gave some away to colleagues at work, some to our neighbor, and made a total of three batches of banana bread. Even after that, there are still about two pounds hanging up downstairs.
Serra Santa Bárbara
This is a view from Angra of the Santa Bárbara mountain/volcano, the high point of Terceira at 3,300 feet above sea level. The youngest of the volcanoes that formed the island, it is also the one from which nearly all seismic activity originates. After a lull during the summer, the number of earthquakes has increased dramatically in the past month.
This map shows the location and severity of earthquakes for the past 30 days. While most have been in the 2.0 – 2.9 range (barely perceptible in my experience) there were two (3.4 and 3.5) that many people felt. It made for interesting conversation at the hotel breakfast buffet – who felt it and who did not. Raymond and I were sleeping at the time and did not feel it.
Above: the island of São Jorge in the distance with Mount Pico towering behind it
Azores RLLZ 