The Little Dudes exhibition and auction happened this last weekend in Berlin and it was a huge success. Thanks to the dedication and hard work of the organizers many little dudes have now found new homes and at the same time helped those most in need by donating the funds of their sales to charities. I am happy to know that Weavie has found herself a new home. She was very happy here in Meimão as you can see. She loved climbing trees. But I am sure she is probably very happy for the change of scenery. If you want to help you can still adopt a little dude and help save the world at the same time. On the Little Dudes page you can see all the little dudes that are still looking for a new home. Help support this great cause.
Meanwhile, there are four, yes FOUR, new, NEW, scarves for sale online at the EsquiloHandmade shop. Go and have a look and see if there is anything that you like. You can also custom order, just get in touch with me and we can have a chat about it. These scarves are 60 euros each and they are on average 30cm wide by 2 metres long, all handwoven on a rigid heddle loom using 100% Portuguese pure new wool. Remember everything in this world is negotiable. Make me an offer I can´t refuse ;-).
This weekend it is tradition to eat chestnuts and drink Jeropiga, a drink made essentially from grape must to which is added aguardente (firewater) to stop the fermentation. Magusto, as this celebration is called, honors the coming of Autumn and the day of São Martinho. According to legend São Martinho was a Roman soldier returning home on horseback in the middle of a storm. He came across a beggar who was cold and half naked and he took off his cloak, cut it in half with his spade and offered it to him. Later along his long journey he came across another man that was asking for his help and again he gave, this time, the remaining half of his cape, continuing on his travels at the mercy of the weather. Suddenly the storm stopped and the skies cleared, the sun came out as if by miracle. This good weather lasted for at least three days. I suppose it was enough time for him to get home. Every year, around this time, there are a few days of unusually good weather, what we call the São Martinho Summer. The weather prevision for this weekend of the 9th of November is clear, sunny and an average of 14 degrees celcius. Not bad.
If you are near Guarda and want to celebrate the Magusto with us you can visit the lovely town of Vila Soeiro on sunday the 10th for a seed meet and swap and some Jeropiga and chestnuts.
I leave you with some delicacies. Three jars of Quince, lactarius deliciosus mushroom and cardamon pod jam. I kind of went a little nuts because we have so many mushrooms at the moment and I wanted to see how they worked in a jam. It is delicious. Equally as delicious are the berries of the strawberry tree, which I guess I´ll turn into some jam as well. If I had enough of these berries and some time to spare I could ferment and distill them to make the smoothest, tastiest firewater. Maybe next year.
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