Walking the Essex way

So Christmas is rapidly approaching, where has the year gone? As am getting older the years are speeding by, it feels like only yesterday my girls were little and now when I look at them they have all of a sudden grown up! when did that happen?
My little darling to is growing too fast, she will soon be 5 years old am I the only one that feels like this? I suppose not!

This year we will be spending Christmas in the old homeland, not my idea I must say! It took me a while to decide, so Hubby convinced me in the end.  Jennifer liked the Idea though, to spend Christmas and the new year in Madeira, glad to say that son-in-law liked the idea too!

 I feel saddened that Miacarla won't be joining us, Christmas won't be the same without her.

Walking the Icelandic way

My daughter and I just got back from an amazing visit to Iceland. For a small Island< Iceland is really quite big! With its precipitous fjords, impassable mountain passes,tracks along the edge of rocky cliffs far-flung fishing villages, barren beaches with gritty black sand it reminded me so much of my Island also Volcanic, minus the snow and the bitter cold and bearing in mind that my Island has not had a live Volcano for many centuries.

Iceland just like my Madeira looks like a lonely little Island in the middle of the north Atlantic Ocean.... This great Island is graced with the most diverse landscape of mighty waterfalls,majestic glaciers, mountains fertile valleys, lets not forget active volcanoes, in fact the only thing small is its population consists of a mere 330.000

Its a country of extremes our tour guide was very good and with a very good sense of humor, with his stories of the volcano Hekla,  Which was once thought to be the entrance to hell. Other volcanoes like  Katia situated on Myrdalsjokull, and Eyjafjallajokull the great disrupter  of air traffic... Very hard names to pronounce I had to look it up myself! No wonder when the news broke out about the air pollution that stopped the air traffic the news readers across the world could not pronounce it. Even now the Icelanders talk about it with great merriment.

Aurora

Aurora-Northern lights

Walking the Purbecks way

Got back from visiting Sis and her family in Poole Dorset! Of course I had to drive, so glad that Sis Elsa came with me, don't think I would've driven all that way on my own.

The drive was pleasant enough on the M25 the traffic was a little slow at times but in all it was quite good. Arrived at Sis Connie's,and as usual its quite emotional a lot of hugging and laughing we feel so happy for this get together, we don't see much of each other since we both live on opposites sides of the country of course we keep in touch by phone or the internet, (((bless the internet))) 

Very lucky with the weather too! we were able to get about without getting wet or being blown about.I love Dorset with its hills and the walks by the sea wall...On Friday  my Sisters  and brother-in-law Nicholas go for a meander to Poole quay,lovely day! Love it there with all the moored boats a very busy place, then home  for more chat and a few more laughs.

On Saturday another outing this time to Sandbanks for a walk on the promenade once again beautiful day quite warm too! So we decide to have lunch there seating outside just taking it easy and enjoying the scenery, Sis Elsa has problems with her back but she did very well she walked quite a distance and thank goodness we did not have to carry her..

On Sunday we go for a trek on the Purbecks. This time Sis Elsa had to be left behind it would've been too much for her, such a shame she used to love  the walks. So we arrive at Lolworth and it starts raining so Sis Connie starts moaning that if it rains she wont be going on the walk....Mark Connie's son, was feeling a little cold but he was holding his council bless him of course Nicholas and I are more than willing to carry on, so we wait for a bit and the rain stops...I get my wish! So  we set off across the pebble beach and up some steps, then across the footpath to the Jurassic Coast so magical, I loved every step of the way least to say we had sun for the best part of the day.

Walking the Essex way

Feeling sad! Received news that brother in law has passed away, a sad end to a sad life....He was married to my beautiful sister, she too has passed away sometime ago! But I still feel her loss like it was yesterday....Their marriage was a turbulent one he was a very jealous man so that did not make a good partnership. But I must say when my lovely sister was struck with a terrible illness he did look after her, so for that I thank him.
He was left on his own although he had a daughter and grandchildren but again they did not know how to communicate so he was left to his own devices, drinking far too much, living at the old Homestead where  he carried on living, He must've had a stroke, my brother found him he had been on the kitchen floor for nearly two days, he was still breathing but he did not make it. Am hopping that he and his daughter had made peace.
My daughters were really upset when I told them that uncle Alberto had died he was very good with children and they remember him with great fondness....So sad to think that he was on his own when it all happened, but at least he was able to make peace with his family....

Walking the Essex way.....

Been back from Portugal for a little while now...My lovely brother was so welcoming and I loved being there, but home is where the heart is, I just love my home and the Village is tucked away from all the terrible things that is happening out there, or so it seems!
We have the most amazing countryside specially now that Autumn is upon us.

My friend Paula and I have discovered a new footpath, its always exciting to take a new route sometimes we are very naughty and have to cut across the field because we took a wrong turning, if only the farmer could see us running to get to the other side laughing!!! I am always scared that we are going to get caught and told off.... hahah my friend is always telling me don't worry when I tell her, perhaps we shouldn't go that way we might get told off...And she say's just look on it as an adventure and so that's what it feels like when we go on our walks, just as well we have sturdy walking boots because we walk through nettles, brambles of course with my intrepid friend leading the way.

There was this  time when we ventured into the woods to explore, don't think anyone had been through them for quite some time it was thick with brambles fallen trees by the side of the lake, it looked almost Jurassic, forgotten....Its quite funny now when I think about it, Paula in front with a tree branch beating a way through the brambles, and at times we had to crawl under a tree to get through. And hours later we arrive home disheveled but feeling quite happy that we had another memorable walk and an adventure....Now looking forward to the next walk and hopefully another path to be discovered.....

  

Portugal in Ericeira

I mentioned before that I had spent a couple of weeks visiting my big brother in Portugal, it had been at least 35 years since I had last visited....My lovely brother and his wife gave us a view of the country, places that I had not visited before!!!! Like Mafra, Ericeira and Sintra all very old and full of history... I have been reading about this quaint town of Ericeira....
Ericeira is so called due to the fact that there is lots of sea-urchins locally... Very ancient and although its origin is not really known it is thought to been visited by the Phoenicians and the said people could be their decedents....  The entire region was conquered after Lisbon was taken from the Moors.
In 1229 Dom Peres Fernao Rodrigues Monteiro master of the order of Avis granted Ericeira its first charter... Then king Dom Manuel I, gave the town to his son Dom Luis, who later bequeathed it to his son Dom Antonio do Crato...
So much history here in this small town! It was from here that the then Royal family embarked on their way to exile 5th of Oct in 1910

Walking the Essex way

So after a couple of weeks in Portugal for a little get together with the family, I find myself back to the old routine! Although I don't see my little darling as often now that she's at school,  and am glad to say she's loving it.
As I said Hubby and I had a few day's in the old country we stayed at my big brothers house such a warm welcome I feel sorry that we left so long to visit! We were taken about to some lovely places and his family so lovely they took us to their hearts, love them to pieces....

Now I find myself once again walking the Essex way I must say the scenery is quite different but very pleasing to the eye, at least its a little cooler, am really looking forward to the changes!!! I just love Autumn...

Marina in Cascais

The family in Mafra

Mafra old Palace 

Walking the Essex way

The countryside is looking amazing, there is a feel that Autumn is on the way, the fungi is sprouting everywhere.... My friend and I have been walking the footpaths around our village for 20 years and it still holds the magic, the woods and the man made lakes full of wild life, amazing what one can see just by being out there in this amazing countryside.
The other day we got so excited when we spot three roe deer's in a middle of a field, and the time when we spotted a fox my first! I was surprised when I managed to take a photo, Oh! and the hare so close to us. I feel so lucky to see gods creation up close