Painted Ceiling of the Swan Hall, Royal Palace, Sintra
Several weeks away from Autumn Cottage Diarist pages - during which I have waited for Springtime to properly arrive in the garden (it's been a long, long time a-coming!). I have filled the creative well by travelling to Portugal for a week, and have spent the gaps in between by listening to silence and discovering what it held for me.
Now here I am again, refreshed and renewed, to share some of these events and activities with you. A few weeks before I went away, my old camera 'gave up the ghost' - which was alarming in one way ('oh, no - I'm going on holiday in four weeks time!!) - but an opportunity if viewed from another perspective ('Oh, no - I'm going on holiday in four weeks time!! - perhaps it's time for a new camera??').
The old one was seven years old - ancient and hobbling in digital camera terms, so I awarded myself a new one - a Fuji Finepix S4500 - which has since been set on 'Auto' while I have got used to it, and with which I am - up to now - totally delighted. Don't be surprised if you see more pictures than words here for a while!
Here is a taster of what has been happening for me - in and out of Autumn Cottage - for the last couple of months…
A pheasant thought he was a blue-tit at our bird table
Pip decided that springtime HAD arrived !
I gritted my teeth to climb on a plane…landing in Lisbon
…all worth it, to enjoy café life and watch the world go by
I was able to immerse myself in colour
and music
May Day celebrations in Rossio
Enjoy wonderful food and wine in tiny, local, backstreet restaurants
Walk in beautiful gardens
University Botanical Gardens, Lisbon
Gaze upon spectacular scenery
The Castelo dos Mouros, above Sintra
Tiptoe through a City of the Dead
...and sit in some rather nice places to do a bit of living...
The Church of Sao Vincente da Fora, from the Porta da Sol
Latin American music at the Porta da Sol
But after all my adventures, I've now returned to Autumn cottage and the springtime garden - which is where you'll find me for the foreseeable future!
Oh, so glad to see a new post! Love the pheasant at the bird feeder. And beautiful Pip. :)
Posted by: Jamie | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 02:38
Welcome back! That's a wonderful photo of the pheasant at the bird feeder. So cheeky!
Portugal looks like a beautiful place to visit. So much color, and warmth.
Posted by: Lorrie | Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 04:46
Glad to know your absence was for something good!
Posted by: Gracie | Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 12:45
Good to have you back. And I'm glad someone else (apart from me) likes listening to silence.
Posted by: Mad Englishwoman and Dog | Wednesday, May 22, 2013 at 18:35