A New Year and Four Simple Goals

So, the other day I posted about doing what you love and going after your dreams; a fairly common blog post about resolutions for a new year. But that was about BIG goals and sometimes they can seem a little daunting and overwhelming as the year goes on. So today I want to share a gentler goal list that you can set for yourself. I first came across A Beautiful Mess and their 4 simple Goals challenge last year and while it's meant to help you set some easy goals to get you through the busiest time of the holiday season, I thought I would continue it here as a year long challenge. Maybe you'd like to add your own and share below...

As for myself, I discovered a whole bunch of new music that helps soothe my nerves and inspires me at the same time, am reading 3 books right now, and started wearing jewelry more often. As for fruits and veggies, well, I'm such a carb addict so I struggle with this one and tend to reach for a buttery croissant instead of an apple, pasta instead of a salad…but I did start taking fruit to work with me to snack on, so I'm getting there. Sometimes it's just the little daily changes in life that make everything better.

Casa da Nuvea: part viii the neighborhood

These are some scenes of what will be my neighborhood for the next few weeks. As you can see, Telhados Grandes is a very teeny, tiny village of a couple dozen houses at my last count, conveniently located in the middle of nowhere with absolutely nothing to do. When's the last time a travel destination offered so much freedom from restless and frenzied activity? Highlights or points of interest include a traditional cistern to catch rainfall for the farm animals to drink, as well as an olive oil press. And there is no real street to my little house, just a cow track.

But that's ok with me.















 







 

Progress! New windows & doors, and more...

Ta Da! And we have progress! A beautiful new door and two windows have been replaced (the old ones were just too rotted away) and I think they look very charming. Electricity is being installed and there is running water! A bathroom has been installed, with a stone/tile floor to avoid any further water damage, and a repurposed wood beam created to house the sink, attached to the wall with a large stone from the garden. The shower has been tiled with local stone and other windows have been replaced with salvaged but more intact ones from a nearby restaurant. I can't wait to share the rest of the photos with you, especially those of you who've patiently followed along since the beginning of this painstakingly long process. xo

Stone Walls

In a couple of days I’ll be honing my masonry skills. I’ve been frequently teased about my bizarre (to some) affection for rocks. I like to collect them and place them all over the garden, and extra special ones go on window sills and bookshelves. But when my aunt recently published a book about her childhood and growing up in a tiny village of Portugal, there were many stories of the rocky landscape, and of children playing with rocks in lieu of real dolls or toys; for in those days, Portugal was a very poor country. So, maybe my strange affinity for rocks comes from this slightly barren landscape that my eyes have rested on ever since I can remember, and maybe it’s been passed on down through the generations of my family building their homes by hand, one rock at a time. In any case, it will be good to touch these stone walls and imagine the lives of the men and families that built them. And know that in some small way, I am honoring that tradition.

Casa da Nuvea part: v the barn

Ah, I don't even know where to begin here...

 

It has so much potential...I get so inspired....and then...



I see this. And it just takes all the wind out of my sails...haha! I mean where does one even start?



With the rotted wood doors? The mold on the walls? The goat poop on the floor? The fact that there really isn't even a floor, just dirt.



It's all just a little overwhelming.







But then I see those beautiful stone walls. It could be so...charming.

One day.



And upstairs, another sleeping loft.



Eventually.



Because right now, it's just a dark, scary abyss.