A wonderful specimen Eucalyptus

For the first time we have had a go at growing maize to feed to our hens and geese and also the goats, it's not going to be a big crop, but we think the animals will enjoy it.

There is always so many vegetables at this time of year, we have peppers and cherry tomatoes, plus a huge number of cucumbers, the land being so fertile requires very little manure, and most things grow well.

We had a problem in June with Colorado beetle on our potatoes and I spent many hours destroying the little blighters, we will have to find an easier way next year.

Galicia has many very old trees and with age comes character,there are many large sweet chestnut trees and ancient oaks as well as some specimen eucalyptus, we still think that it is Spain's best kept secret.

The new well fitting windows

This is a typical style of the old windows

I think these two had done their bit

Although August is the month of Fiestas, work on the house is progressing well, thanks to our two super helpers Carl and Lauren, and the window firm from Lugo. We had been promised our new windows the third week in August, and surprise, they arrived on time, so this winter will be more comfortable than last year, with eight inches of roof insulation and the well fitting windows.

The older Galicians are a very hardy lot, they all seem to have just the kitchen with old ranges as their main living area, and windows that do nothing to keep out the elements, but they all seem to live to ripe old ages.

Carl has finished tiling our new kitchen /dining room floor, and is doing a super job on laying our old roofing slates as a patio area at the front of the house, and Lauren has done a brilliant job weeding the vegetable garden, Simon is trying to finish the new guttering, but despite all the work going on, we still manage to get to see some of the Fiestas, and to take our helpers out sightseeing.