Thursday, July 26, 2007

As simple as that

They say fish is good for you... Every now and then we go to this seafood restaurant located in a nearby town that offers mouth watering seafood dishes. And for the meat lover, they also have a few choices on their menu. Simplicity is the word for this place that offers a cozy atmosphere, filled with bamboo fences, poles of eucalyptus, lots of plants, a small pond, and trees. More pictures here, on their website.

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Guinea fowls

These noisy birds are in the family of other fowl-like birds, such as turkeys, peawfowls and pheasants. They are kept as a good source of meat and eggs. Also, they have been used as organic pest control to gardeners and small farmers, as they eat most bugs in the garden without touching the foliage and are also known for ridding farms of bugs such as the deer tick, which can carry the Lyme disease. I found out that the female are more talkative, making a two-syllable call that sounds like they're saying "buck-wheat" or in Portuguese "I'm weak" (to fraco).

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

How sweet it is

Visiting family over the weekend, means taking time to enjoy a few flowers that will survive the mild winter. The orchid corner had a little surprise, the chocolate scented orchid above, which I tried not to pick, as the delicate fragance was so sweet.

Other orchids found in the corner. In the wild, they are found with roots attached to the bark of the trees, but in our homes they can grow in pots with loosely packed materials, such as chips of bark or stones. They demand the correct amount of water, light, and fertilizer. With such beautiful plants, my mother-in-law seems to master the art of growing orchids.