I knit. I knit less these days, but when I do it is gloriously satisfying. I learned as a child the intricacies of plain, purl and pass the slip stitch over. My stash of wool is more than I could ever knit up. It is a kind of unformulated security blanket that sits in a…
Above the Post Office in Estoril is the Museum of Exiles (Museu Dos Exilios). The modernist building, built in 1942 is the design of the architect Adelino Nunes. The museum was opened in 1999. We visited the museum in early April 2016. Walking up a grand staricase, the visitor reaches a circular landing which is…
“Igreja” in Portuguese means “church” and today the A-Z writing challenge is I, so I am drafting a post about a couple of the churches in Tavira. Not all churches in Tavira are used for religious practice. Some have metamorphosed into museums and from that has developed an initiative called “Music in the churches.” These…
The Hay Festival programme is out. Details arrived by email on Saturday, which is fortunate as the next letter of the A-Z writing challenge is H. The Hay Literature Festival is more than a book event. It is two weeks of stimulation and reflective entertainment. This year the dates are 26 May to 5 June We…
“There comes a day towards the end of March when there is little wind….. The sun has gained much power so that it is pleasant to sit out in the garden or better still in some sunny nook…….” Gertrude Jekyll Gertrude Jekyll’s appreciation of colour within her flowering schemes is renowned. She knew what to…
It is the time of year when the wildflowers overtake the hill. Yellows, purples and green intermingle with red and orange. I have just been sitting among the flowers, thinking about this post. The theme is supposed to be fracking. It’s an unpleasant word with destructive consequences. I do not want to write about it,…
Dr. Campbell Price, the Curator of Egypt and the Sudan at The Manchester Museum is in the Algarve this week, hosted by the AAA, the Archaeological Association. He spoke to an intrigued audience, highlighting how science is revealing what is under the wraps of mummies without having to unwind the ancient linen bandages. The Manchester…
“Kim Philby, Britain’s most notorious cold war traitor, told an audience of East German spies after his defection, that he was able to avoid being rumbled for so long because he had been “born into the British governing class.” So says the Guardian – His exploits, along with those of Burgess, Blunt, and Maclean make…
As it is day three of A-Z of Blogging, I want a word beginning with C, so Corvina is a possibility. We cooked Corvina for dinner last night. It is a chunky white fish and cost about 12 Euros for just over half a kilo. Eating fresh fish is part of the pleasure of living…
Most mornings I lie in bed thinking I should be writing. I feel guilty. This morning after making a fruity breakfast, I checked Facebook, and email, read the favoured online papers and avoided editing a story. I discovered another editing avoidance opportunity when I read about Blogging from A to Z. During April, participants write…