The 2022 Wildfires: Evacuating our Tribe
Ever since we got to Portugal, and before we even bought our farm, we have been worried about wildfires. It was never a question of IF but WHEN we were faced with such a crisis, and after five years on our property, it happened. Well, I say that, but - spoiler alert - we got lucky and Casa Beatrix was spared. Still, I am sharing the below as part of the chronicles of our life in Portugal and what goes on behind the scenes. It's a bit of
A Memorable “Goat-Bye”
One of my favourite things about living on a farm is that you’re never bored, and life becomes full of unexpected – and often wonderful – surprises. This past Saturday took that to a whole new level as a dream of mine came true in the most effortless, spontaneous, beautiful way. An afternoon hike in the best of company After our last birthday lunch for F’s 39th (this year we did mini celebrations over a 10-day period, which I suspect marks the beginning of a new tradition), two friends joined
The Bubble Experience
A few nights ago, we slept in a literal bubble. I've been curious about what that would be like since I first saw a bubble hotel featured on Instagram. But, beyond just wanting to go through what seemed like a cool experience, part of my curiosity was for the practical, logistical side of things. (Yes - I'm that person who'll watch an adventure movie of a couple hiking through incredible landscapes, and wonder what they're eating, where they're going to the bathroom, and how the woman would manage if
How it all started
Recently, I came across the #homesteadfavorites February photo challenge on Instagram, with a prompt for each day of the month. One was “How it all started”, and I realized that was a story worth sharing beyond a mere Instagram caption – especially because in the case of our journey culminating in the Casa Beatrix Farmstay, there are five such “beginnings”… A Childhood Dream My first recollection of a childhood dream was the desire to become a vet, but not only. I wanted to live on a farm, a big house
A New Year Update
As I sit on my Pilates ball and look at my big belly, or look at the calendar where January 31st is circled as my “due date” (quotation marks are because – as anyone who has been pregnant will know – this date is a ballpark, and the baby can come two weeks sooner or later while still having matured to his or her full term), I thought now might be a good time to share some reflections about 2020 and projections for 2021. Lessons & updates from the
Learning how to dance in the rain
I used to hate the rain. Now, I don’t just put up with it – I appreciate it. For years, I associated rain with cold, grey, depressing, endless days. That’s probably because when I lived in Switzerland, from September through to April it was dark when I made my way to work around 8am, and it was dark again before I even left work, typically as of 4.30-5pm. In-between wasn’t sunshine and rainbows, but gloomy weather more often than not. Then, when I lived in New York City, rain made
Donkey Care Interview with Michelle Aguilera – Stone House Mini Donkeys
Last week, I spoke to Michelle Aguilera who is behind the “Stone House Mini Donkeys” Instagram account. The interview focused on how she became a donkey owner, and insights around donkey care. The backstory A few years ago, Michelle and her husband of 24 years decided to move from Charleston to Oregon with their three kids. The reason behind the move was a desire to spend more time outside. They had family there, and were looking forward to living in a climate they considered more appealing (the “less bugs” thing
Lessons from Year II of our Vegetable Garden
It’s April 2020, and this blog is about what we learned in the growing season 2019 – so yes, I should have done this recap earlier. Better late than never? Our first year was incredible, fun, and a massive learning curve. Last year, we made a few changes up-front: We expanded the size of the garden and the number of beds Three of the beds were turned into raised beds by lining them with old ceramic roof tiles What used to be the tomato bed got converted into an asparagus
Interview on Farmstead Talk
Earlier this week, I had a wonderful talk with Gloria from Farmstead Talk. We "met" on Instagram, and chatted via Zoom. Ah, the beauty of social media and technology. Gloria is a retired nurse (back at work to provide additional Covid19 support to her community) who lives on a farm in the mountains and embarked on a project to interview one homestead for each of the 50 states in the US. Then she decided to expand her interviews to international projects, which is where we raised our hand, almost
The Farmstay Sustainability Manifesto
Earlier this fall, I finally met Antonella Notari – the cofounder of an agriturismo in Italy, Podere Trafonti – in person. A mutual friend connected us, and was spot on when she said we had a lot in common. Regardless of the age difference between us, with years of “corporate life” behind us, we have both opted to shift to a simpler life. A life closer to nature, on a farm, and hosting guests. In our first conversation, over coffee and a hot chocolate (piled with whipped cream, my