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Sunday 31 July 2011

Kuba's Bluetooth Connection

A Beautiful Night Flowering Datura

Sunday July 31st., 2011

A nice quiet Sunday. A few visits, as always, Raf,  Jose and John from Sorbas and a few "drop ins" from Sunseed. Some of "the team" are near Lubrin having a party at Paul's house, a farewell fiesta for some Sunseeders. Here very "chilled". Watched a movie called "Holy Water" - good one - nice and easy - watering and dog feeding done.......

Saturday 30 July 2011

Looking Up the River

Looking Across the Valley

Kind of "Military" Digging

Saturday July 30th., 2011

Another good day in "the valley". I have been relatively busy, first of all opening the irrigation line for the Apricot Tree, coffee with Tim's guests, then  a visit from Alain who is largely responsible for the mapping of the huge cave system here. 1,200 openings in 12 hectares of land. !Then to Sorbas on the peddle bike for the shopping. Fish day on Saturday, so I bought 2 Melva. Back here, lunch, rewired the sound system so that I can run the house music from my computer in the main room as well as from the little part of the house. Some reading and sharing some ideas about Obama on my other blog www.david-daviddenespickofthenews.blogspot.com  
Then Dave and Alie arrived followed by two more visitors, friends of Dave and Alie, I have just been down and done some "military style" digging to enhance irrigation as as a start towards cultivation of the land...............we keep busy!!

Friday 29 July 2011

The View from My Window.

The Cake

Newly Painted Library

Friday July 29th., 2011

Ivi has done great baking - see CAKE photo ! Ivi, Filipe and Kuba have finished the library - it looks great. Peter has spent another day in the Filabres and is just about to replace a polythene pipe in The Pita Escuela. The polythene had crystallized where it was open to the light. I have pruned the Apricot tree, cutting off the dead branches, been shopping to Sorbas, posted a couple of links to www.david-daviddenespick of the news.blogspot.com relating to Solar Storms and Earthquake reports, and have finished reading a large book. !

The weather continues pretty warm but not overpoweringly hot - low to mid 30's. It is one of the coolest Summers of the last 20 years. Oscar came over for dinner last night and he has kept records for the last 15 years. 

He is doing well "healtwise" having been for 3 weeks in Intensive Care earlier in the year. The Doctors still do not know what went wrong, in the event, they had to drain fluids from all around his internal organs owing to an infection caused by......that's the question.

Thursday 28 July 2011

The Library

My Finger. After 18 days healing ,and 3 stiches removed.

Thursday July 28th., 2011

I have decided to start a new Blogspot. This one, www.david-daviddenespickofthenews.blogspot.com is obviously my pick of the news, and comes from worldwide sources filtered from Common Dreams and Open Europe, New Internationalist, and Resurgence. 
There is a lot of "weird" stuff going on "out there", and there is also a lot of "good stuff". 
Here, in The Casa De Realidad, all is going well. Painting is coming along coupled with some carpentary.
I have put a picture of my finger on the blog. It is well healed, just a little spot left which was not stitched. 
Hasta MaƱana. David.

Wednesday 27 July 2011

"Henry" in the library

The Greenpeace " Diggers"

Wednesday July 27th., 2011

Well, it's Wednesday again. ! We have had 60 volunteers from Greenpeace plus 30 Volunteers from Sunseed working in the village today. Tim took a group and I got a group who dug over the land covering the roots of The Apricot Tree. I do like that tree. ! Kuba has started painting the library, Mihai has been preparing earth for planting beside the house, Andreea has been picture painting, Peter working in the Filabres, Ivi cooking and cleaning and Filipe taking a day off after a small bout of "flu". The weather is good and the wind haa swung around to the North again bringing lower temperatures - low 30's.

Monday 25 July 2011

The new White Tank and maybe some puppies in a month or 3.

Filipe on the ceremony site.

Monday July 25th., 2011

We have had a busy weekend. Mira arrived on Friday evening from Scotland via Malaga, stayed over Friday night and Saturday night, and then off to Cz yesterday.
We had a brilliant ceremony on Saturday with the theme being unification of the family. The "medicine" was very good and it was a beautiful event.
Yesterday, Sunday was a  quiet day, and today back in action clearing brambles from terraces, doing some pipe cleaning and Kuba has cleared the library prior to painting - so we go on. !
 

Friday 22 July 2011

"Morris Minor", at Claudias Cortijo

A "Crack In The Wall". The ruin above Isabella's

Fruday July 22nd., 2011

Hello, today I am in the Bar Caymar on a wi fi fast line - what a treat! Mihai is downloading some software so that we can Wi Fi the house - only the slow line, however, in the future we will get a fast line. 
We have not installed the White Tank today, maƱana syndrome - actually we all got into a house cleaning and garden cleaning and computer fixing "mode".
Later we will go down to Almeria to pick up Mira from the bus station for another healing ceremony tomorrow night. Muy Bien. !

The Site for the White Tank

Irrigation Line Source

Thursday 21 July 2011

Thursday July 21st. ,2011

I did some sums today - dangerous and a bit scary sometimes, however, that's how it goes. We have 100 Euros to feed 7 of us for 10 days, so, that's a budget of Euros 1.43 per person per day. I also received my copy of The New Internationalist entitled "Life Beyond Growth". !
On the first subject of a very small budget for food, basically, I think we need about 2.50 Euros to 3 Euros a day to eat reasonably well, which is actually pretty good.
For sure we will be fine, I am totally confident. This is the way it is, and we DO eat well. We always receive what we need, which leads me to my second comment, "Life Beyond Growth", which is where we are.
I am learning to live simply, and, with a degree of "life quality", which I consider unusually high. I remember that in my late 20's I was bringing in about 23,000 pounds a year, now, aged 63, I am bringing in about 6,000 Euros a year and, I am having an extraordinarily high quality of life, surrounded by beautiful nature, and beautiful people.
My experience of "the crisis" here in Spain is that we are beginning to realize that money and material possessions were not, and are not, the panacea of life, or, to put it another way, do not lead to happiness. "Caring And Sharing" is a much better game to play. !!
As usual a few pics - getting closer to installing the new "waste water" system. Kuba and Filipe have extended the concrete base. I think tomorrow we can install the new system - we shall see. !!

Wednesday 20 July 2011

Karate and Food



Wednesday July 20th., 2011

We have removed The Green Submarine. Kuba jack hammered it in half, see picture, and Filipe axed it into small pieces and transported it to the rubbish bin. !!
Mihai has cut up the olive tree which was killed by the sewage effluent - so - good progress. ! 
For Kuba and I, a trip to Turre to see the Dentist then to the second hand shop for books, videos and a "mouse" all for 5 Euros. 
The "crisis" is getting more severe. I saw a food collection barrel, asking for tins and dried food for the poor of Turre. 
Yes, things are a long way from "normal" in the so called "real world", and there is no improvement in sight, in fact, it looks as though we are still "going down". !

Tuesday 19 July 2011

Festival Links

I came across a number of Festival Links in this month's Resurgence Magazine.
I think they are worth sharing, so :-
Sunrise Celebration - A festival of Organic Arts and Culture  and a commitment to following an ethical and environmental path. www.sunrisecelebration.com
Larmer Tree Festival. A small festival of "like minded" people held in the Larmer Tree Gardens near Salisbury. www.larmertreefestival.co.uk
Green Man Festival held in the Brecon Beacons, Wales. www.greenman.net
Womad. A celebration of World Music, Arts and Dance. This year featuring the second Roots Architecture event , facilitated by, amongst others, Architects Sans Frontiers   www.womad.org
Other festivals include , Waveform, the only sustainable dance music festival in the UK with a full day dedicated to environmental and humanitarian causes www.waveformfestival.com and 2000 Trees supporting local communities and new music. This festival was winner of the Grass Roots Festival Award in 2010. www.twothousandtreesfestival.co.uk.
Croissant Neuf Summer Party, champions the idea of low impact living with maximum fun. www.partyneuf.co.uk
The Big Tent is Scotland's Environmental Festival dedicated to promoting ecological long term thinking. www.bigtentfestival.co.uk
Port Eliot Festival now embraces many facets of cultural diversity. www.porteliotfestival.com
Tribe Of Doris is a festival which is designed to unite cultures through music and dance and participation. www.tribeofdoris.co.uk

Summer is moving pretty fast and some of these festivals have "been and gone", however, maybe worth joining E mail lists, 'cos looks like there is a lot of fun to be had in those fessies. !! I have just checked through the web sites. !





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Feedback is always welcome. !! 

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Monday 18 July 2011

Cleaning gravel and reviewing outlet from "beds"


Kuba and Ivi - Another chair cover.

Andreea and Misha

Mihai Watering. Note clean area. !!

Monday July 18th., 2011.

We have done some great renovation work on the waste water system. Filipe has dug out two of the gravel beds and Kuba has done some pipe unblocking and plumbing. 
We now have the waste water running through the gravel beds and out to an olive tree on the lower terrac.
This was one of those "maƱana jobs" that got put low on the priority list for about 5 years. I will put a photo up tomorrow of an amazing root which had grown in the pipework. ! 
Misha arrived from Prague yesterday and she will be staying a week or so.
Andreea has been painting, Ivi, cleaning, cooking and other chair cover for the terrace. 
You know, the list of "things done" is non-stop.....toilet dismounted and cleaned and replaced, new light on the terrace......and I really do not want to get boring.... suffice it to say that everyone is "pulling their weight" and that the feeling in the house is good.

Sunday 17 July 2011

New Shade Cover on Terrace

Finger Wound Healing Update Picture

Newly "Mortereod" front of house - Flowers next.

Sunday July 17th., 2011

Here we are, Sunday again. ! Ivi and Kuba seem to have been being particularly busy - Ivi, sweeping, cleaning, cooking, mopping, and putting a new shade cover on the beams over the terrace. Kuba has been "beading" and has sorted out the second smaller almacen creating space very succesfully. No matter how much space there is, it always gets filled. !! Andreea has also been cooking, seeing if she can swing us to vegeterianism.

It has been a good day for chockolate and vanilla Ice Cream with coconut yoghurt.

As for me, pretty chilled, finished reading an Ian M Banks Sci Fi novel called "Matter", another good read. ! Watched a couple of parts from the series  "Malcolm". Nice simple humor.

I think I will get a bit more busy tomorrow - also we are due for some cool weather, down to 29, feels like about 36, or so, today. It would be great to get some rain. The land is getting very dry. I saw that it is only 13 degrees in Galway - almost unimaginable. !

Hasta MaƱana.

Thursday 14 July 2011

Bicycle, and Pizza Oven.

Almacen Clean out . !! Pity about my finger !!

Terrace above Palm Tree Terrace

Thurday July 14th., 2011

We are mosying along. Nothing really mind blowing happening - Dentist visit and tooth rebuild with titanium posts, all for 100 Euros seemed pretty good. Kuba also did well and did not have to have a root canal thus saving 120 Euros. !! Peter and Kuba have fixed a radio for the "Kubamobile".

Strimming and bramble clearing, Kuba and Felipe, respectively, also, cleaning and sorting the Almacen.

Computer fixing, Mihai, along with garden maintenance whilst I am incapacitated.

Ivi and Adreea, cleaning, cooking and painting - Peter working in the Filabres - so - normal sort of day........great lunch though, beef steak and boiled potatoes and salad. Spuds from the huerta. Bit of ice cream and Red Dwarf afterwards. !


This is definately "the good life".

Tuesday 12 July 2011

The Pita Escuela.

July 12th, Tuesday, 2011

Not too much to report today. Julio has gone back to the Sorbas Rambla - nice to see him. Mihai is struggling a bit with new version of Ubuntu for Netbooks called Easy Peasy - not exactly so - not really a surprise. !!

Tim's house seems full of people so I did not get much of a chance to talk - anyhow - the Greenpeace workshop went well. I will put a link on tomorrow, also the wedding decoration work was a success. I will see if I can dig up a picture or two. !!

So, Hasta maƱana.

Monday 11 July 2011

Apricot Tree Watering System

Monday July 11th., 2011

Another active day. 

Kuba has been strimming another terrace, Filipe, raking up brambles and Mihai creating a fence around Andreas Requena's patch.

Andreas is now 70 and comes into El Rio on his "quad", from Sorbas. My dogs have been into his peppers, so we are making his patch "dog proof".

Julio has come to stay for a few days, nice to see him again. 

Ivi has been cooking and cleaning. Andreea has not been feeling good so has had a quiet day. 

So, there we are, another day in the life of El Rio.


I will check on Tim tomorrow since I am sure that he has been pretty busy - a bit of "roving reporting" is in order. !


As for me, a little incapacitated with my finger bandaged, however, I have made a start on the "flower bed" concept in the huerta. Poco a poco. !


I have also been keeping up to date on what looks as though may turn into quite a massive financial crisis both in America and Europe.


Interesting times. !


Hasta MaƱana.

.

Sunday 10 July 2011

Sitting by Swimming Pool with White Finger

Needles...........Aaaaaaaaagh...........!!!!!!!

The CaƱa Forest

Wow - Whady'a think of this?

Sunday July 10th., 2011

After writing yeterday's blog we just seemed to keep "busying" on and were then visited by Falkirk and two friends. We had supper together and they stayed the night to join today's excursion. !

We had "a spot of bother", on the expedition. Very early on I made a big mistake and got impatient with a caƱa - see photo. !!

Peter and Kuba drove me to the Sorbas medical centre where I received 3 little anaesthetics and 3 little stiches.!  I was well looked after. The nurse's daughter had been to the house and had made a really nice 2 page article with pictures, about the house and the village in the "Voz De Almeria" newspaper. We were being written up as the only Eco Village in the province of Almeria. !

This afternoon we have watched some  more Red Dwarf and Ivi and Peter have been cleaning the area around our newly Whitened wall. The wall is so white that it seems like a good idea to "whitewash" the rest of the "Casa". !!

So, I shall have to keep a bit quieter for the next few days. I want to use part of the time to design a flower garden where we have the "Mandala" garden. That will make a fabulous view from the house. !

The Apricot Tree got a good watering. ! I think she will "come good".

Hasta maƱana.

Saturday 9 July 2011

Rump Steak Time

Filipe's Foot Surgeon. !

Happy Henry 'bin 'doin some fly sucking!

New "Ball Cocks" Installed

Peter Working With the Mortero

Saturday July 9th., 2011

A beautiful day. We all made an early start, around 7.00 am. 

For myself, I opened the water tanks - one was flooded and one was minus about 4 tons of water - I started up the petrol pump and pumped 4 tons then watered the garden. Next job, I opened the irrigation line for the Apricot Tree and dug some more channels for watering over the roots - went to Sorbas - shopping - 2 new ball cocks for the 2 depositos - Kuba fitted them between mixing Mortero for the old part of the house. I found our old electric pump and pumped out the flooded tank space, pumping the water to the old Carob Tree near the Almacen (Store House).


Mihai has been looking into setting up a Wi Fi system for the house and is at present fixing up an old Omnibook Lap Top to make into a server unit. 


Filipe, Ivi, and Andreea have harvested the potatoes, Andreea is making a Rumanian bean special with Mihai (who is the boss cook), and all is going well. Ivi is also "on the case" with the cooking. 

Tourists have been having fun watching Filipe gardening, especially as he is without clothes.

We have had visits from Paco of the Sorbas Rambla. We gave him coffee at at 7.30am. Later Vojta, from CZ., who is staying with Sunseed, came up and took a coffee with us and helped Kuba on the ball cock fixing.


The Irrigation Line is flowing really well and the Ramp Pump is producing about 8 litres a minute, the last max, about 5 years ago, was around 5 litres. Agua Fuerte seems to have done the trick on the Ram Pump,(dilute Hydrochloric acid). Jabba, from Hungary, working for Sunseed, is doing really well with our water systems.


Now 3.45 and definately time for lunch...............Planning for this evening - some Red Dwarf and Tarrentino's, From Dusk Till Dawn. ! Rump Steak and plenty of ice cream also available. !

Friday 8 July 2011

Interesting Situation in America.

An interesting situation is brewing in America. They have 4 weeks to come to an agreement on increasing their loan requirements, or, they will default on their debt. First time in history. !!

"Republicans have been negotiating in bad faith, unwilling to compromise even an inch on their extremist and absolutist positions. Some are no longer willing to come to the table at all."

President Obama may find that there is only one course left to avoid a global economic calamity: Invoke Section 4 of the 14th Amendment. This enables the President to raise the "debt ceiling".

Interesting!!. On a broad "take", we are seeing our Internationally agreed system of economics taking such a "bashing", that I think, "come what may", it will have to change. 


I think that a massive wealth re-distribution is needed. The corporations and the mega rich may well need to be hauled to a metaphorical guillotine for some "blood letting". 

Actually redistribution of trillions of dollars will be the "order of the day". Those trillions which DO EXIST, could be spent on massive schemes to re-empower, and to benefit the lives of "the people".


The big question is, for how long, and to what depths, are the poor going to allow themselves to be victims of the predations and greed of the corporations and the mega rich ?.


Clearly better to act now rather than wait for an inevitable, eventual, monetary systems collapse. 


Do you think our Euro Leaders are any better than the USA Leaders ?. 


Personally, I think not - they seem unable to lead, to inspire, to inovate, or even to recognize that we are globally in a situation that could rank with the intensity of the 2cnd World War.


That does seem a bit "heavy", but really, looking at The World as a "whole", things are not going well. :- like :-


A truly Massive famine building in Africa.

Western World releasing stored oil reserves to meet energy supply needs. (Peak Oil ?.)

Climate Change creating a detrimental impact of world wide food supplies, and prices of basic staples continuing to rise.


Global Financial uncertainty.


Clearly it is time to concentrate on a bright new world where we all make a difference and learn to concentrate on a vision and work for a future which we want.