Wow, We’re Really Doing This!
The Awakened Life Project has been in the making for a long time. I’m not sure exactly how long but it started to come into our consciousness about 2 years ago. 8 months ago we found the land; 4 months ago we bought a big chunk of it, we started our blog and many friends have visited and supported what we are doing over time. So in practical terms the project has been well underway for quite a while! I think that’s why it was so surprising to me that it wasn’t until a 12 ton bulldozer showed up to put in a track & a couple of local friends came to help us burn the branches from the fire that I thought to myself, ‘Wow, we’re really doing this!”
It was a Monday at 8:30 am we met Joao and Elsa (one of the owners we bought the land from) at the quinta. They got there early and had already begun working. It was pouring down rain but they had still managed to get a fire started to burn the brush we needed to clear. We were happy to get the last remnants of the fire cleaned up and to prepare the hillside for planting new trees.
About 9am we heard a rumbling from down the valley and sure enough Joao (yet another Joao) and Pedro and a really big bulldozer showed up as scheduled. We had a lot of things we needed the bulldozer to do and we were a bit nervous on the effect it would have on the look and feel of the quinta
First we needed to put a track down to the first house we are renovating and it wasn’t clear if it would be possible. We didn’t have a lot of width and the incline was quite steep so it was bit dodgy from the beginning. Not only were we putting in a track but also we needed to dig out a space for the 10,000 liter water tank that will gravity feed all the buildings, as well as needing to dig out another space for a car turn-around, and yet another space for our bathroom and kitchen!! An idea that came at the last moment was to put in a terrace to the side of the house for a patio, greenhouse and a good sunny spot (in Zone 1) for some orange and lemon trees so we needed this done too!
Joao was recommended to us as the best digger in the area. Once he got there I could see that he was fearless and operated the bulldozer with precision and determination. Pedro hadn’t worked in the mountains as much and was less of a daredevil and sometimes looked at Joao as if he was a bit crazy. I have to admit that if I hadn’t been so completely confident in Joao’s expertise I would have thought he was a bit crazy too! We needed every bit of his nerve to accomplish what we needed to have done.
So as Joao and Pedro worked below the rest of us were working above the houses clearing and burning brush on the mountainside.
Every time we’ve had Portuguese people help us on the land I’ve been amazed at how happy they are while they are doing really hard work. Working with Joao and Elsa was like this. There was so much joy coming from them as they worked and such a sense of family and communion as we worked together. Even in the pouring rain on a steep slope they didn’t hold back and I found myself inspired to keep up with them – well maybe not keep up with them but at least not look like some city slicker that didn’t have a clue about what she was doing! In fact I do have to admit this was my first conscious fire/burning experience. And another confession before I go on is that after the fire we had I was very nervous about purposefully starting another one, so when I woke up and it was raining I was a bit relieved. In the end I didn’t need to worry as Elsa and Joao knew what they were doing and were very conscious of safety.
After about 4 hours of slip sliding around and numerous attempts at trying to light another fire we surrendered that we needed to stop and try again on a dryer day. Even though we were wet and cold our spirits weren’t dampened and we ended up finishing clearing the hillside about a week later, which is great.
Meanwhile Pedro and Joao were moving A LOT of dirt.
It was quite something to see the land transform. As I mentioned Pete and I were both a bit nervous about how these changes that we needed were going to affect the quinta so over the next 4 days we spent a lot of time watching what was being done.
Parking space & turnaround
After the first day I started to relax as the track didn’t leave the horrible scar I was expecting.
In fact something surprising emerged. Because we didn’t have to destroy any existing slate terrace walls or any other existing structures it became clear that we were actually ‘extending’ the quinta, something new was being created without disturbing anything old. It turned out to be the perfect blend of old and new coming together to create something different that fully embraced both. I think this is the first time that I felt that we are not only reviving the old but we are bringing something new to this amazing place. I’ve always felt the presence of all those who have contributed to creating this extraordinary place but somehow I hadn’t seen myself as one of them! Now I see that we are not only caretakers of the old but are the conscious creators of what is to come.
By the end of the week everyone had gone and Pete and I stood looking at all that had been done. It’s hard to express but there was something very moving about having so many people on the project at one time working to help make it a reality. We’ve had friends come and help in the past but somehow this was different. I don’t know if it was because the Portuguese were there or because so many major structural things were put into motion, all I know is that ‘Wow this is really happening!’
From LA to a farm in Portugal…Diggin’ a carrot patch!
Stay tuned for updates as the water tank is built, the house renovation starts, we figure out our solar and water system. If you have any suggestions on any of these they are greatly appreciated!
Cheers,
Cynthia
1 commentReflections on the Green Gathering/Encontro Verde
A BIG THANK YOU to Karyn, Steve, Becca and all the other good folks who contributed to making the wonderful Green Gathering happen! I don’t know quite what I expected but these four days over Easter were deeply inspiring and heartwarming beyond my expectations.
While there were creative workshops and presentations of all kinds from soap making, chi gung to permaculture to planetary healing, for me it was primarily the intent and openness of all the people present that made it such a positive event.
A mixture of about 200 Portuguese and resident foreigners of all ages gathering together in a palpable spirit of love and passion for change.
While Cynthia was giving Reintegration massage to some fortunate folks, my time was spent mostly hanging out talking with people, helping out in the café and, on Good Friday morning, giving my ‘workshop’ on the Evolution of Consciousness. Only 3 people turned up initially, but then after I began a guided meditation, one by one people were tiptoeing into the dome and sitting down. Soon we were all in a deep meditation together and when I opened my eyes I was surprised and happy to find that we were about 20 people in the circle. It was clear to us all, as the unifying pulse of meditation filled the dome, that what we were was something far greater than our individual minds and personalities. I said we didn’t have to name it but let’s call it Consciousness…
The meditation had lasted for 45mins (much longer than my planned 20 minutes!) and I was running out of time. So next I launched into a presentation on the evolution of the manifest dimension of this mysterious no-thing called Consciousness…that so far ends up being us!! I held up a drawing I had made that illustrated the leaps from No-thing to the Big Bang to Light & Energy to Matter to Life to Mind to Ego to Spirit. The Ego represented our experience of individuality and separation; our current evolutionary threshold. The realization of Spirit pointed to an awakened individuality in conscious connection with the entire creative process of cosmic evolution. Shedding our identification with our ego-sense in a fundamental way is like cracking a cosmic egg! Our ego doesn’t disappear but the floodgates of our heart open to embrace Life as an interconnected whole…
I shared my own experience of how living in conscious awareness of such a vast context meant ‘my’ life is brimming with tremendous wonder and purpose. And, in that, the experience is one of being infused and propelled forward by Life itself.
As I spoke about this many people, especially the young Portuguese, lit up with an unmistakable spark of recognition. I was very struck to see that this perspective framed the crisis that humanity faces in a way that was new and compelling to them. When I said that the deeper systemic change that was now needed had to come from a within, and that adopting alternative, sustainable lifestyles, while important, was not enough, everybody was right there agreeing that this was the most important thing.
It felt like we were all just getting started and beginning to lift off together but then I had to end as our foray into timelessness had meant that I had gone way over time! I said I was inspired to continue the exploration with a regular group or to keep in touch by email. While some people scribbled down their contact info a young girl from Lisbon came up to me with pure passion blazing from her being and said; “There will be a much bigger bang when we go beyond the ego together.” Now that was amazing!
It was a pleasure spending time with the young Portuguese people over these few days. There is an openness and innocence about them that is refreshing. Definitely different from the generally more cynical and jaded self-consciously ‘cool’ youth of Northern Europe and America. Maybe it is because the consumer culture of materialism and narcissism is less entrenched here, and there is still an awareness of connection with the earth and community, I don’t know. Still it gave me hope that Portugal won’t have to dive as deep into the same fragmented madness as we have. The young folks from ECO-GAIA and InfoNature were a great bunch of activists to be around!
One of the most interesting things that happened was a spontaneous gathering in the dining tent on the subject of community. As there were a number of people either already beginning communal projects of some kind or planning them, one such group called Terramoja who are planning a community based on Permaculture principles. initiated the meeting. Kudos to Emma, Chris & Yass for making it happen! With rapid-fire translations between Portuguese and English, much passion and experience was shared regarding both the practical and interpersonal challenges of embarking on the journey of community. It was moving to feel so many people feeling the longing to come together to forge a new future. And it was disarming also to hear a number of people be so transparent about the challenges they faced both individually and collectively. I shared my experience of beginning the Awakened Life Project and our emerging vision. I also shared some of my experience of the inspiring potentials and potential pitfalls of communal life. Having been a member of a very focused community for 14 years I realized I had plenty of experience to share!
I didn’t actually get to as many of the workshops as planned, as I was busy connecting with so many new friends from both the local area and further away. There was no speaker system announcing the events so we would lose track of time in meandering and passionate conversation. However I did make it to workshops on solar and hydro energy (thanks Robert Kuchta), Tibetan Singing Bowls (Amazing! Thanks Toivo) and Family Constellations (thanks Angelika), which proved to be a profound and deeply moving voyage of communion and healing.
It was fantastic to meet so many great people and in the process I felt that our Project began to have more context and meaning. Many expressed interest in what we are doing and I felt the sense of us being part of a wider movement here in Central Portugal moving in the direction of greater consciousness, creativity and sustainability. So to Jutta & Carlos, Isabel, Cibele, Rui, Nuno & Helen, Emma & River, Emma & Yass, Chris, Joanna, Paula, Michael, Jacquie, Viren, Lourdes, Dominique, Elisabet and others, thanks to you all and I look forward to being in touch and seeing you again sometime.
Love Pete
PS Here are some more photos…
Yoga on the grass
Feltmaking
Origami workshop, I think!
Shop in a dome…
Shower block
Roundhouse back view
Roundhouse inside
Solar cooker
Low impact bathroom facilities
Building a wiki
Camping amongst the trees
Making mud bricks
Steve coolly masterminding the event from behind shades with the delightful Angelika
UM GRANDE OBRIGADO A Karin, Steve, Becca e a todos que contribuíram para a realização do maravilhoso Encontro Verde! Não sei bem o que esperava, mas estes dias de Páscoa foram profundamente inspiradores. Aqueceram-me o coração, para além de qualquer expectativa.
Mais do que os criativos workshops e apresentações sobre temas tão diversos como confecção de sabão natural, permacultura ou cura do planeta, foi, acima de tudo, a abertura de todos os presentes que tornou o evento tão positivo. Uma mescla de portugueses e estrangeiros residentes em Portugal, num total de cerca de 200 pessoas de todas as idades, reuniram-se num espírito palpável de amor e paixão pela mudança.
Despendi a maior parte do tempo a conversar, a ajudar no café e, na boa manhã de sexta-feira, a dar o meu workshop sobre Evolução da Consciência.
Inicialmente, apenas três pessoas apareceram. Porém, uma vez iniciada a meditação guiada, as pessoas começaram a entrar no dome em bicos de pé, sentando-se, uma a uma. Mergulhámos rapidamente numa meditação conjunta profunda e, quando abri os olhos, fiquei surpreendido e feliz por perceber que éramos cerca de 20 no círculo. Todos percebemos, de forma clara, que o dome fora preenchido pelo pulso unificador da meditação percepcionámos algo muito superior às nossas mentes individuais e personalidades. Expliquei que não havia necessidade de atribuir um nome… Chamar-lhe-íamos apenas Consciência…
A meditação durou 45 minutos – muito mais do que os 20 minutos planeados! – e o tempo fugia. Iniciei, então, a apresentação da evolução da dimensão desta misteriosa «Não-Coisa» chamada meditação… até agora, acabamos por ser nós!!
Este meu desenho ilustra os saltos da «Não Coisa» para o Big Bang, para a Luz & Energia, para Matéria, para a Vida, para a Mente, para o Ego, para o Espírito. O Ego representaria a nossa experiência da individualidade e separação; A realização do Espírito apontava para uma individualidade desperta em conexão consciente com todo o processo criativo da evolução cósmica.
Shedding our identification with our ego-sense in a fundamental way is like cracking a cosmic egg!
Projectar a nossa identificação com o nosso ego é, fundamentalmente, como estalar um ovo cósmico.
O nosso ego não desaparece, mas os portões do nosso coração abrem-se para abraçar a Vida como um todo interligado…
Partilhei a experiência de que viver consciente de um contexto tão vasto como a «minha» vida enche-se de uma admiração e propósitos tremendos. É a própria vida que me impele e inspira a seguir em frente.
Falei sobre este assunto com muitas pessoas, especialmente jovens portugueses, e senti imediatamente uma faísca inconfundível.
Quando referi que a mudança sistémica profunda necessária teria de chegar do interior, pois adoptar estilos de vida sustentáveis, apesar de importante, não é suficiente, todos concordaram. Senti que estávamos apenas a começar uma descolagem conjunta… Depois percebi que já ultrapassáramos o tempo disponível para o nosso workshop!
Expliquei como me sentia inspirado a continuar esta descoberta com um grupo regular ou através de email. Enquanto algumas pessoas escreviam os seus contactos, uma jovem de Lisboa dirigiu-se a mim e com pura paixão a irradiar do seu ser, disse: “Haverá um bang ainda maior quando formos capazes de ir todos juntos para além do ego”. Foi incrível!
The Evolution of Consciousness, Reintegration Massage & The Green Gathering
Our good friends Steve & Karyn are hosting an event at their quinta over Easter called the Green Gathering. With demonstrations and presentations on themes such as solar power, chi gung, permaculture, herbal healing, manifesting abundance, and meditation, along with music and delicious vegetarian food, it promises to be a very positive and eclectic happening.
Besides helping out in the cafe and keeping the music flowing in the evening jamming session in the roundhouse above (me that is!) Cynthia will be offering Reintegration massage and I will be doing a presentation on “The Evolution of Consciousness” on Good Friday at 11am in a dome somewhere.
I will be delving into what it means to awaken to our own lives as being part and parcel of a vast cosmic evolutionary unfolding. Embracing a context that fully embraces the tipping point times in which we are living, we can discover a purpose and release a passion for Life that can have a profound transformative impact on ourselves and our relationships with others, and of course our beloved Mother Earth.
Maybe see you there…
Pete
No commentsSpring has Sprung!
YEEEEAAA!!! Spring has sprung here in Central Portugal. Bright ringing lucid blue skies. Yellow mimosa blossoms bobbing on the breeze. Purple mato gracing the hillsides. Pine trees sprouting reaching for the sky. Green shoots declaring the jubilant arrival of new life on the quinta. The procreant urge of the earth trilling with sap, sensation and promise meeting the sun as it scales the sky…
Hmmm man to I love spring! The sap of ever new Life writ Large is humming in my veins. Visions, inspiration and ahh the sheer love and joy of being on this wonderful fecund land. I still can’t quite believe it is ours to nurture and tend, it really is a dream coming true and there is so so much to do!!
We are sowing seeds and planting subtropical trees that will need some protection in winter; avocado, cherimoya and even a mango! Continuing to clear the remaining brush and brambles, the quinta is gradually revealing more of its secrets. The burned pines have been cleared up above and that land will be planted with chestnut, oak and other native deciduous trees come autumn.
And on top of all this we are getting our house renovated starting soon. There is the water system using a miraculous non-power consuming ram pump to figure out including a cistern to gravity feed all the buildings. Then there is a compost toilet to build and a pond for the greywater to dig and…ok it’s one step at a time, it’s going to be a busy Spring!! Any one what to come and give us a hand??? 
Love Pete
No comments“FASTEN YOUR SEAT BELTS, FOLKS”…A VISIT TO THE QUINTA!
Once a hamlet, the Quinta (farm) ‘Mizarela’ blends easily into the valley landscape. The Schist houses, which take their name from the local brown and grey slate, appear to be carved from the hillside. Now abandoned, they wait, patient and awake, for their new caretakers to take residence.
The intricate walls, terraces and myriad styles, shapes and sizes of their steps, stairs, bridges, pathways and waterways speak of a subtle intelligence which calls to us, and of a mystery at which we can only wonder. On the day that we needed water to plant trees, the dry stream started to flow. On the day that all our efforts to get water to flow into the irrigation channel failed, the pipes ‘accidentally’ fell into the perfect position for the water to flow easily through them.
We found an ancient and substantial stairway while clearing a huge thicket of brambles, its purpose and destination are still unknown. On the several days that we had no idea what to do or where, when or how to do it, the land appeared to have its own agenda; gently and tangibly coaxing us and teaching us to leave our limiting will power behind, and to release the full potential of our imagination; to plant trees, clear stairways, create new paths, prepare terraces for planting and use the traditional and specialised tools which are sold in the local markets.
The land guided us, energised us, and the cool, clear water urged us forward to open up the irrigation channel to the fertile terraces which, once again, will provide abundance. In the evening of a good days work we had more energy than when we began. After planting trees, opening water channels that have not flowed for 50 years or simply taking in the breathtaking presence and vibrant tranquillity, it was often difficult to leave the harmony of the soft evening light, the silvery green of the olives against the vivid greens of the vegetation and the deep blue of the sky; and in between the striking tones of orange, brown, purple and black; the light playing in the scintillating energy that is the quinta.
Our days have the loose structure that eating, sleeping, cleaning, keeping warm, chopping wood and carrying water (literally), provides for those who live off the land. We generally live without the luxuries of power and light, as they must have lived in the quintas for decades, if not hundreds of years, which provides its own challenge, satisfaction and fulfilment. It provides the basis for a life that is full, unpredictable, fiercely creative and participatory. These are the elements that we need to work on the land, and to reclaim it, while discerning, with eyes, hands and heart, its own natural flow.
The villagers of Benfeita and Pardieiros have accepted Pete and Cynthia as their own, and in some cases as the next best thing to family. As friends of theirs, Ian and I were greeted with a warmth and welcome that is rare. After only a few days in Benfeita I was greeted by name and was able to return the greeting. They have a delightful innocence and enjoyment of life, of giving and including, and very quickly I felt completely relaxed and ‘at home’ in this small village, in this remote region of Portugal.
The one immovable feast of the week is market day. We all put on our best togs for going to town, which is a useful euphemism for looking like we have just left the farm; and head out to Arganil, a town about 45 minutes drive away. Many of the people at the market know Pete and Cynthia, which is a smart thing to do if you are a market person in a small town in Portugal, but again there is genuine warmth and good humour and laughter, and I love going to the market. My ‘cinquenta palabras’ (fifty words) of Spanish went a long way, and along with my Greek phrasebook of hand and eyebrow gestures, and the several words of Portuguese that Pete and Cynthia taught us, I felt that I could communicate with confidence.
My favourite tent in the market is the hardware stall. There are many tools that we do not recognise, and many more which, in most other European countries, would be in a museum of Anthropology/Ethnology. They all have specific uses and are technologically advanced in their efficient design; they are a thrilling discovery in circumstances in which a modern tool would simply not be useful. There are many things in the market which were available in my youth, just a few years ago, but have since disappeared from high street stores, and only reappear in up-market car boot sales and the collectors’ pages of Ebay. My next purchase will be a set of eight goat bells from egg cup size for the kids, to tea cup size for billies and nannies, all hand crafted and ringing true.
After the market, and a few mundane tasks like keeping Pete out of jail; we have a relaxed lunch at the preferred snack bar – O Telheiro, often meeting new people and discussing the day’s events; the ‘ementa do dia’ costs the princely sum of 6 euros for a three course lunch with vegetarian options, wine, bottled water and coffee. Elsewhere three teas, one coffee and a delicious piece of home made cake, big enough for four, costs 2.60 euros. The last task of the day is to pick up and drop off the laundry, which is a little confusing; sometimes we drop it off and don’t pick it up and sometimes vice versa. Like Tom (James Fleet) in ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’ I was never quite in and never quite out of the picture. I’m also not sure if there is a word in Portuguese for ‘dry’, or at least one that can be used in the same sentence as laundry. In English we actually include ‘dry’ in the word laundry, so that one really does get the picture. Fortunately we have all visited India.
There is a richness and charm in Arganil and throughout the day we speak to 25 or 30 people. Although it takes more time, it is more connected than the supermarket or banking online; we are an essential part of the market pageant, and happy to give and take in this natural and healthy exchange. We are, in many ways, renewed by the experience.
The loose structure of our days and the vagaries of the weather also allow time for sightseeing. The land adjoining the quinta has one of the top ten areas of natural beauty in Portugal, the Fraga de Pena; a spectacular series of cascading water falls. Needless to say we were a little hesitant when diverting its source, and thankful that mother nature herself channelled our enthusiasm.
The village of Piodao, a World Heritage site, is a complete schist village, carefully restored, but blessedly unaware of mass tourism at this time of the year.
We could handle and examine all the exhibits in the museum; and the proprietor of the local unbranded, peach brandy tasting stall, would have happily entertained us all afternoon, which we couldn’t necessarily handle; we did, however, buy hand knitted woollen sweaters from his very kind and helpful wife, who was very adept at handling visitors, and who spoke perfect English after establishing our intent.
Her father, irresistibly solicitous, and in a strong show of family solidarity, owned the shop down the street, which sold honey, bee pollen, a particularly invigorating and anonymous Aquadiente, and a colourful variety of unusual rural items such as head rings, used by the upstanding and righteous, who presumably didn’t drink the Aquadiente, to balance and carry large heavy items, possibly Aquadiente, for long distances on the top of their heads. And if these seem like long sentences, then you get the idea of how life was in an authentic schist village in the mountains, and some of its more vital ingredients.
It’s a wonderful life at the quinta and there is so much more that I could write about; the vitality of the raw organic vegan diet, the joy of our intimate times together, our discussions around a wood burning stove in the candlelight, listening to Peter Ragnar CDs, the songs and guitar playing of Pete and Ian, and the ‘saudade’ of the Portuguese Fado music; of our discoveries and of every large and small triumph on the land, and the vastness of the stars above the Serra da Estrela (Mountains of the Stars). You step out of time and into the timeless, into an unbroken symphony which gives voice and action to the pure energy of the Quinta Mizarela, and this particularly pristine region of Portugal.
I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to visit this place, and at this time, in these circumstances; in many ways it has changed my life.
Rich Scanlon
2 commentsNEW YEAR AT THE QUINTA
After a few days of silence and deep meditation over the winter solstice and Christmas period we emerged into the quickening stream of the coming new year for the arrival of two spiritual brothers, Ian and Rich. It was great to welcome them here into our life and share our creativity, vision and passion for the Awakened Living Project with them. Although adapting to our rather tough off-grid living situation was a challenge especially in the cold and rainy weather, their pioneering spirit always shone through. After a day or two it was hard to imagine that they hadn’t always been here as they were soon enjoying the nightly wood burner lighting ritual, carrying spring water up the slope, and making (and eating) salad by candlelight!
The same self-organizing flow unfurled when we went to the Quinta to work. Boy was I glad to have Rich and Ian’s help to get the 25 fruit trees I had bought planted. However, on the first day the tank of water that the local mayor had assured me would arrive to help us plant never showed up. Not being able to plant without ample water and without any fixed plan of action for the day, it was quite beautiful what occurred. After digging a few holes ready for the trees when water did turn up, we found ourselves following our own bubbling inspiration in different directions as the awakening Quinta’s whispered wishes seeped into our consciousness.
Ian cleared the stone steps going down the terraces…
Rich cleared a pathway into the Quinta for easier access…
Cynthia strimmed through a forest of brambles liberating two walnut trees in the process and I began preparing veggie beds with cardboard mulch.
By lunchtime the landscape had already changed significantly and we all simmered with wild exuberance as we wolfed down gobs of sunflower seed pate on carrot sticks and crackers.
Next day after a heavy rainfall on arrival at the Quinta we were greeted by the sound of water rushing through the stream below. It had been dry since July and now here it was casting its dancing music up the valley. Now we had all the water we needed nearby and so we grabbed buckets and began a day of joyous tree planting!
Enthusiastically wielding shovels, hoes and full buckets of water we soon had two terraces graced with slender young almond, fig, plum, apple, pear, persimmon, peach, pomegranate, nectarine, walnut, hazelnut and apricot trees. It’s hard to convey the satisfaction of planting a tree. As I lovingly tamped down the earth around the trees with my boot I felt the beginnings of a long and deliciously ‘fruitful’ relationship with each, as I imagined harvesting their god given sun soaked abundance under leafy branches.
Once the trees were in we turned our energy to the awe-inspiring task of clearing the ‘levada’ or irrigation channel. It must be over half a kilometer long from where it meets the cascading stream higher up the valley to its destination on the Quinta. Another miracle of Portuguese engineering along with the slate walls and steps, the levada served to bring water to the Quinta for irrigation and domestic purposes. I don’t know how long it was since water had flowed along it but boy when Rich, Ian and I arrived it was clearly crying out for release. After two days we had cleared the channel almost all the way to the Quinta and got the water flowing to boot! Seeing that pure life giving mountain water cascading along that channel seeking out the Quinta was pure magic.
It was a delight to feel all of us loving and giving to the rebirth of the Quinta. I felt the earth and trees rejoicing at the presence of our voices now of a different tongue. I felt, as I always do, humbled by the immense care and sheer hard labour that generations of Portuguese poured into this place. I felt the echo of the past and the call of the future ringing in the vast eternity of Now. I felt the quiet ecstasy of homecoming and the thrill of creation coursing through my veins. What will 2008 bring I wondered as I gazed out over the valley??
A field of limitless possibilities stretches ahead…May all you come here drink deeply from the wellhead of pure incandescent Life lived in all its brimming vitality and fullness. So be it!
Pete
No comments
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Coimbra…
A few days ago Pete and I needed to go to Coimbra but first we were going to stop in Benfeita at the house that our friend Nancy is in the process of buying.
First thing you need to know is that even though Nancy hasn’t bought the house yet and won’t for another couple of months Alice (the owner of the house) has already turned over the keys to us. Nancy (and Alice) has given us free use of the house so when our generator decided to stop working which means our washing machine has no power then we decided to go and check out Nancy’s washing machine. What could be better, drop in a load on our way to Coimbra and pick it up on the way back? How organized is that?
So we drive to Nancy’s house. As we arrived (we hadn’t been there but once or twice before) people start came out of nowhere. All of a sudden the lady down the street (Alda) was there, then the next door neighbor, and then others we didn’t even know were there, lots of activity for a Saturday morning! We went inside to figure out how to use the washer, when I say ‘we’ I mean all of us went inside!
First the cord from the washer doesn’t reach the electrical socket and we don’t have an extension cord so one man says we can borrow his and off he goes to get it.
He returns and we plug in. Using the ‘group mind’ available to us we figured out all the buttons and the machine starts chugging away, the crowd dispersed at our success. Pete and I both look at each other and exclaim, “Esta Bem!’ (That’s good!) and at that very moment the electricity goes out. After several attempts with the circuit breaker Alda reappears and asks what the problem is. She figures it out and says that Alice probably has the power turned on the lowest setting to save electricity and we wouldn’t be able to change it until the next week when the EP office is open.
So one minute we are in ‘esta bem’ land and the next we have wet soggy clothes and no where to wash them. AHHH but wait – Alda is right there with a solution, she says bring our clothes to her house and she will wash them for us! We actually couldn’t believe it, not wanting to take advantage of her we picked out the clothes we needed washed the most and would leave the rest for later.
We took these to Alda and she said to get the rest of the clothes and take them to Alice’s house for her to wash them! I have to say I hesitated to show up unannounced at the woman’s house who Nancy is buying her house from with my dirty clothes and asked her to do my laundry! Alda says ‘nao problema’ and takes us to Alice’s house. She explains the situation and Alice says sure bring the clothes down. Talk about Portuguese hospitality!
But wait, there’s more!
We arrive back in Benfeita after our trip to Coimbra a bit late, around 6:30 pm. We first go to Alice’s house. Not only did she do one load of our laundry but she did two! We talked a bit around her woodstove and then headed to Alda’s. Alda wasn’t there, we checked in her garage but didn’t see our clothes so we set it up with Alice to come back the next morning around 11 to pick them up.
Once we got home I hung everything up. We have limited line space and no sun so getting laundry to dry is a marathon adventure.
The next morning I drive back to Benfeita. It’s a beautiful, bright sunny morning. I pull up in front of Alda’s house and I hear Alice calling me, she’s hanging out her window telling me to come down.
When I got to Alice’s house she took me inside. She had a beautiful sheepskin coat that was given to her and was too small. It was brand new and she wanted to give it to me. I loved it and was happy that it fit perfectly. I’m not sure if she thinks I’m not such a snappy dresser but she also said she has a lot of family and they have a lot more clothes that would fit me – at least that’s what I think she said, since my Portuguese is pretty basic, I figure I’ll just wait and see what happens!
So off I go to Alda’s house in my new coat to pick up my wet laundry, wondering where am I going to hang it all up! When I came to Benfeita the day before I hadn’t planned on doing all the laundry in one go, I had the ‘phased approach’ planned so this was going to take some creativity.
Alda meets me with a big smile and takes me to the back of her house where the last bit of my laundry is happily hanging on her line in the sun and the rest is neatly folded on the table! In one way I wasn’t surprised and at the same time there was something so sweet about all that was happening I just had to smile.
You have to understand women have very defined rolls here and laundry definitely falls under the woman’s role. They take great pride in laundry, cooking and cleaning so I wasn’t surprised when Alda went on and on that she hung the clothes up so they wouldn’t wrinkle and which ones were a little wet still and how I should separate those from the dry ones. One shirt of Pete’s she wanted to make sure I ironed it correctly; I didn’t have the heart (or the Portuguese ability) to tell her I didn’t have an iron. If I did I’m sure someone would give me one on my next trip.
Anyway as I drove away from Benfeita I was warmed by the hospitality and realness of the people here. One day I have a bunch of dirty laundry and a washing machine with no power, the next day I have a bunch of clean clothes, a new coat, a smile on my face and happiness in my heart. Everyday I learn more and more from the people here about how important it is slow down and be kind to each other. In contrast I feel my own speediness and am thrilled to have such beautiful people to learn from.
So a funny thing happened on the way to Coimbra…
Cheers!
Cynthia
No commentsJohn the Woodburner Man
A while back we were looking for a woodburning stove. We didn’t want the generic ones we saw in the stores, we wanted something more unique. So as it happens here in Portugal we put the word out to a few people and low and behold our friend Dick knew someone who knew someone who sold stoves!
This is how we found John. What a character and great guy. He’s American and lived in Denmark for 20 years. 2 years ago he moved to Portugal and brought with him a truck full of German, Dutch, Swedish stoves, most are antiques.
He is passionate about stoves and going into his house is like a stove museum! He also is passionate about motorcycles so mixed in with the stoves is a Harley and BMW. If one goes there you will also meet Jessica the blind English Bulldog.
Prices range from 300 euros to 850 euros. Please give John a call 239 971 039 if you are interested in seeing any of his stoves. Heres’ a few photos! Cheers, Cynthia
Custodians of a Piece of Paradise in Portugal!
The deal is done, the sale is complete! On December 3rd we became the official custodians of Quinta da Mizarela. It’s been a beautiful process getting to know the owners and the people of the surrounding villages. The final process proved to be just as beautiful.
We met everyone at 2:30 on a Monday at the Notary Office in Arganil. When I say everyone I mean everyone! Because we were actually buying from two sets of owners everyone who was involved with the ownership had to sign the official papers.
So we had Antonio (the spoonmaker), Antonio’s mother Celeste, and Antonio’s wife (Fernanda) there.
Then there was Elsa’s bit of the property. So Elsa was there, Elsa’s grandmother and Elsa’s husband.
As we waited in the office it was very sweet. The men were at the counter and all of the women sat in a row in chairs. Fernanda was crying as it hit her that they were actually selling the property and I knelt in front of her to tell her how happy and grateful I was to be buying the quinta. I’m not sure she really knew what to do with me as we had never met before but I didn’t care, I just wanted her to know that I loved the land as she did.
Elsa’s grandmother and Celeste spoke of their love for the land (and of course how great the water is and how big the potatoes will grow!). Elsa said she had a dream that her grandfather was angry with her for selling the land. She told her grandmother and her grandmother told her she was crazy!
With my limited Portuguese and Elsa’s limited English we were able to communicate; although most of the communication was through the heart. They were so beautiful and I could feel their happiness, sadness, joy and trust. I told them I would take very good care of the land and they didn’t need to worry.
When we handed the check to Antonio he also was in tears. He’s such a sweet man and it means a lot to him to not only sell the land but also to have the land revived. The tears were quickly followed up with helpful suggestions on how to prune the olive trees.
I felt very honored to be trusted by this group of people as they entrusted us with the land they all loved so much.
It was finally time to go into inner office. It was all very formal and official as we sat around a huge table. The notary sat at another table in front of us and read all the papers in Portuguese and then in English. It was quite a ceremony and it continued to hit me the responsibility that Pete and I were taking on. We were not just signing papers and paying money, it was much bigger than that. The weight and joy of the responsibility came over me.
Celeste was first to sign and we found out that she couldn’t sign her name so she used her fingerprint. After that one at a time we all signed the papers.
In a way it was very simple and non-dramatic and at the same time something very beautiful occurred. Pete and I both feel the obligation that we have to create this project not only for the people in the room that day but to the higher power that has guided us here.
For me it is quite something to have the sale completed. I woke up the next morning and felt deeply happy. The first chapter is now complete and we are on to chapter two. Doors continue to open for us; I can’t believe how full our days are. So much to do, sometimes completely overwhelming but I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else, doing anything else!
Thank you to everyone who has supported us through this process! Stay tuned…
Cynthia
No commentsOff Grid Property for Sale in Central Portugal Mountains. 75,000 Euros
We are currently house sitting this property for our friends Glyn and Tinke while they have it up for sale. It’s a beautiful place and we wanted to put it on our blog in case there is someone out there who may be interested in moving here. So take a look, have a read and if you are inspired by what you see feel free to contact us for more information.
The location is on a north-facing mountainside in the Serra d’Acor with breathtaking panoramic views. The nearest village is Mont Frio about 4km away, and the nearest town, Coja, about 7km down the mountain.
The property is wonderfully secluded and surrounded by eucalyptus plantations. There are three beautifully renovated schist buildings: an upper building (bedroom) with basement, middle building (kitchen) with basement, and a large lower building with bathroom, living room/bedroom and renovated basement (also suitable as a bedroom).
inside and wooden beams, some from the original house. There is also a neighboring ruin that could be renovated. Half a hectare of surrounding land that has been cleaned. There are pine, chestnut and a few olives trees and several terraces that could be cultivated. An old water mine that tunnels into the mountainside is a fascinating curiosity.
There are two natural springs on the land that provide ample water even during drought. One spring has been sealed for drinking water and the other open spring provides water for the house, which is pumped up to a tank in the basement of the top building. An almost-new Kubota water pump is included in the sale.
The existing solar panels and inverter are included in the sale as is a generator for back up power.
The upper building, which we are using as a bedroom, includes a huge wood burning stove that is also included in the sale. This warms up the room very quickly even in winter. The kitchen, in the next building down, includes a gas cooker in the sale. Outside the kitchen is a large patio area for beautiful views and sunshine (except in Nov/Dec).
We are enjoying living here with the views, the sunshine, the stars and the silence. We are here is show you around if you would like to view.
If you would like more information please contact:
pete@portugalproject.com
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