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Let the Renovations Begin!

I’ve just signed the promessory contract for my new little quinta. It’s been a long time coming this satisfaction of my longing to settle and (literally) put permanent roots down – I’ve moved, and made gardens (an irresistable urge I have whenever I find myself in a new place), four times in the last 18 months.

Once all the paperwork is finally sorted out – the property was divided into two halves when inherited by two daughters. When I say two halves of a house I mean exactly that. The rooms have been divided by nailing planks along the middle line. One of the first jobs we tackled (after clearing the rooms of all the furniture, fixtures and fittings – think Marie Celeste – was to start removing the dividing walls to see the space I actually have.  I’m hoping I might then have a better idea of what to make of each room. This house is huge, rambles over many levels, and remains stubbornly silent on what it wants to become.

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Before work started
The other half of the room is revealed
The other half of the room is revealed

The house is set in 1.5 hectares of land, hugged by ancient chestnut forest and with incredible vistas from its 850m altitude viewpoint. There are chestnut trees, fruit trees, terraces, an olive grove, and a stream.  I’ve made some raised beds already and today I’m going to plant the trees that were gifted to me yesterday: two “Dióspiro a Roer” (a hard, non-astringent persimmon, with the texture of an apple and the most delicate and delicious flavour – my latest surprising discovery), a soft diospiro (the astringent type that puckers your mouth if you try to eat one before it’s fully ripe), a black cherry, and a pear.

A little bit of inspiration on the best band saws: https://contractorculture.com/best-band-saws-reviewed/

 

4 thoughts on “Let the Renovations Begin!

  1. Hey Sophie.

    Sounds beautiful..in which Regions do you have that chestnut forests? Or was it just luck that you found one where the owner once planted some? I couldn’t find some big chestnuts yet. I would love to find a land like this.

    Lovely Greetings

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