Photos by Josh

I thought you might like to see some of the genius that is the photography of my son Joshua, aka Falcon Bear. At 12 years of age he exhibits such a confidence in his style and especially his ability to capture a moment or the detail which us mere mortals might pass by. The eye of a child. Enjoy looking through his.

There's more to come

Hey Peeps

Another few videos and pictures to show you all below. We've been rattling along nicely here with the renovations still loving it. Tops. And to add to the joy of our summer Vonnie's aunt Avril, mummy Arlene and baby sister Antoinette came to stay.

I'll let the kids and Vonnie tell you all about it except to say we had a most lovely and energising time. Arlene looking after us all,

picking fresh veggies and herbs everyday and cooking up a storm. Avril got stuck in with helping build the house and fell in love with our clay and Antoinette bought about a Facebook revolution for the kids and enjoyed her time playing self build pioneer with fashion to boot.

Through it all, the title of this blog. We are so utterly thankful for everyday here, it's sometimes hard to contain it. But when we stop, reflect on what we're doing, what we've done in the day, what we've managed to achieve since we arrived in Portugal, it's simply so inspiring. And yet there's something else. Always playing in the background is the drum beats, the music of what's to come.

Now is good. Very good. But the best bit is we know that it's only going to get better. There's more of what we're already been enjoying to come. More opportunities to create, to sculpt, to manifest. More ideas. More building. More planting. More fruit. More flowers. More shade. More parties. More friends. More understanding. More revleations. More of each other. More and more and more. There's more to come. Believe.

Another machine arrives. The first for the house. It's big...

Giant Xisto stone lintels arrive. Oh my days, heavy?...

First stone hoisted into position...

Stone henge style rolling stones...

Timber!!!...

Wind in our Sails, by Memphis and River

I am feeling so full to bits, I could burst. We've started buiding our house. It's been a long long road to get here, but we got there, Thanks Be, and we've set sail. 4 weeks ago in fact. The wind is well and truly behind us and filling our sails, stretched as it were, to their limit for the purpose for which they were made. The ship we're on has set sail from the harbour and is already on the open waves. At a good few knots I'd say from the breeze in our faces. Yet funnily enough, we don't really know where we going. We just know its not the time to do anything else, to take any other diversion along the way. Just let the wind propel us forward for as long as it chooses to blow.

So much so in fact I haven't even had the time to post the blog that would have said I am now a fisherman. Proof. That's a carp I caught with Josh one night and ate for our tea.

I can't properly describe this feeling at the moment, so this blog entry is simply a video one, where you can all see and hear for yourselves what it is like for us here.

The clips below are just snapshots into minutes of our thoroughly enjoyable days. I hope you'll get the picture. But before you do, River is over my shoulder wanting to say a few words. Here you go babe...

Hello there.

We've had such an amazing time these last four weeks. Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude is the wind blowing for me right now, here are a few of my high and low winds...

High winds... The crew that I am working with and all they mean to me. Memphis, my beloved in every way. Joshie, my strong young prince working so hard and being indispensible to Joao and Filipe on the only day we couldn't work with them. Ellie, reminding us that we are loved by baking a cake for us everyday. Joao, Filipe and Eugenia our neighbours, friends and teachers yet again. And the infamous Moses taking a nap in the clay mix bath at any opportunity!

Low winds... about the crew, absolutely none. But I do miss Slinky sometimes.

High Winds...I acutally, with my own two hands, built a substantial proportion of those walls!!!!!

Low winds...anytime I wasn't working on the house, it is an obsession. Am lovin it.

High Winds...Walking around the land with my wheelbarrow and crowbar climbing slopes and kicking down my favourte stones, or digging them out of the ground or even hacking a few out of the hillside. Then pushing said wheelbarrow uphill full of treasure. Yes me hearties, good stuff. Then seing Joao expertly put those stones in the wall, amazing.

Low winds...Bringing back said stones one day, and falling through the floor. Not as bad as it sounds, had already offloaded stones and only my right leg went through the floor. They say your life flashes before you but not with me. Too slow. One minute I was up, next down on my ass looking confused. What happened? Well funny.

High Wind...Michelley bringing us thousands of tiles. Great birthday present. Thanks hon.

Low wind... knowing I'm going to have to take all dem tiles down a steep rocky slope in a wheelbarrow!

High wind...buns of steel.

Low wind...the thighs are growing. Memphis says that's apprently a high wind!

High wind...Waking up one sunny but still cool morning climbing out of "the hole", as our neghbours fondly call our present little hideaway and putting on the corner stones with my Memphis, just me and he.

Low winds...None whatsoever. Joao said it was "tudo bem". All well.

4 weeks ago there were no walls there. Today they are up. Amazing. Awesome. Well happy.

Paz e amor

River

The Oscar for best supporting wall goes to...

Michelle's Terracotta Army...

Bouncey bouncey at the Oleiros Feira do Pinhal...

The walls are up. Praise be...

That's all folks!