Today it is raining, first time in over a month. You could feel it tempting its way here. The Plantas love it and it is a wonderful thing to see them transform and in some cases into life from a very dormant state.
The Water is good as I planted two Walnut trees on Thursday. The first sapling trees I have planted at Ceratonia. Feels great! Walnut is the medicine for Change and there is much change at Ceratonia! The Centre being built, the gardens transforming, shaping, waiting. We are soon to be living there along with our dear bush cat Cato.
In the last couple of months building work has started on the Centre. Twists and turns and a very low budget, we are on our way! Oh la la! Amethyst and Rose quartz have been placed in the foundations of the building, to enhance balance and the flow of Love. Tons of stone work, metal work and soon Wood work will commence and create this centre that will give us a home and give shelter to those that come to learn, to teach, to heal , rest and be inspired.
Only problem with the rain, is work tends to slow to a stop. OH! The Earth at Ceratonia is red and heavy with clay. It turns into an amazing soft engulfing material… Big machines sink into the ground. The soles of your shoes quickly form inches of thick sticky clay. Not the easiest to work in. One of our aims is to nourish and improve the soil, adding sands, composts, manure and planting plenty of greens! It is a big plot and we are starting with one small bite at a time. It is Fun, an education, gives comfort and joy.
Muito respect to the amazing world of Plantas.
Earlier I wrote of the Carob tree but some how my musings got lost.. The Latin for carob is Ceratonia. In Portuguese it is Alfarrobeira (throughout this blog I will write the Portuguese in bold). As I said it nourishes the earth and nourishes us. The high mineral content with especially high levels of magnesium make this herb a great tonic. Spending time with the Carob trees, which there are numerous in the gardens at Ceratonia. Creates a calm, a strength and a sense of Peace which has been of great benefit at this time of huge transition for us. The essence of the flower helps one to break the ties and heal our ancestral repeated patterns.
Here in the Algarve, the Carob is highly esteemed and in Septemebr\October at the time of harvesting you see heaped baskets of the plump bean pods everywhere. Here they make a flour with the carob and create the most delicious almond and carob cake. Along with many other confectionaries!
The rains and winds have an impact on internet signal, so as I try to continue with this blog, the Elements are stopping me!