Making Rhubarb Wine
In our garden we have a lot of rhubarbs, one thing you can make out of them is a rhubarb cake, but turns out there is at least one more thing you can do with rhubarbs - you can try to make a wine. In today's Do It yourself series - my (our )attempt of making a rhubarb wine - I'm calling this an attempt - because we actually didn't make any wine this year. But if you are looking for a receipt on how to make a rhubarb wine, here is one: How to Make Rhubarb Wine at HomeRhubarbsAbove is our rhubarb harvest from our garden. First thing you will want to do - to remove leaves.Cleared rhubarbsA Swiss army knife is a great tool to help you to clear rhubarbs.Rhubarbs in the basketNext thing…
Gravel for road surface and rock garden
The other day I first met with one of our closet neighbors, he approached me and told me, that in couple of days he will cover road (we are sharing together) with a gravel. I already mentioned it in my previous post about pond works. I asked what kind of gravel does he is using for road surface, and decided it would be a good idea to have a little bit gravel for upcoming home foundation works (concreting). We agreed that he will give me a little bit gravel (I asked for about 1m3, but got some 3m3).Pile of gravelJust later I learnt, this gravel won't be suitable for concreting as it contains particles of clay.So we decided to use it later in shaping our upcoming rock garden.Piles of…
Building a Rock Garden
Today we made a rock garden from scratch, well almost. The thing is - idea to have a rock garden have always been in our minds, but we hadn't yet figured out how to solve the biggest question - rocks.We had already idea of place were rock garden will be situated (in front of house, were use to had been a dump - see: The Big Spring Territory Cleanup )Luckily after pond works were done, pond guy told he could help us with his New Holland excavator to do something else, and we agreed to take down that collapsed cowshed in front of house, it turned out there are huge rocks laid for the foundation. It was time to shape our rock garden using those huge rocks.Excavator taking down collapsed…
Building a foundation for a garden oven - Part 1
Idea to have a nice garden pizza oven were sit first already last year, together with the works we started shaping a form of our rural house, we recently inherited. Thus we had to wait for more than a year, before actually proceeding. The other day, while the pond guys were finishing digging pond, I dug some soil, to lay in the foundation for garden brick.Laying foundation for garden ovenWith the help of a shovel, I will dug off the ground surfaceShaping the form of foundationWe will go for a L for garden oven, attached with a sink and water (nice outdoor kitchen)Laying in bricksI'm using old clay bricks from the chimney we took down some time ago.Base foundation formed using old…
Pond Digging - Part 3 - The Result
This morning started with a surprise, I was still sleeping, when my partner awakened me and told - pond guys are digging. I was surprised, because I didn't heard a sound. Maybe I was too tired from yesterday's pond draining or as it turned latter - the modern excavators are quiet. Anyway, I was not surprised at all - because when pond guys started, they didn't even informed me, see how it started in part 1.I made (more correct, my partner did it) my morning coffee and took my camera to document the progress.Excavator digging pond from the road sideI was a bit worried about the road, because we are sharing it with one another neighbor, and few days ago he informed us, that today he…
How to drain a pond with a pump and hose - Digging Pond - Part 2
Today I had a chance to excel in pond works - I was left with no choice but to drain the pond. Luckily the pond guys brought an electric pump to make my life much easier. If you are new to home remodeling series, make sure you check out an article on how it all started about a year ago. And of course check out first part on pond digging, when we discovered that pond have been dug without our presence. Surprise pond digging in the middle of Summer.Now, pond guy phoned me and told me that it would be great that we should drain the pond, he will bring a pump and all I have to do - just to watch for the water level going down and turn of the pump once the works are done. In fact it turned…
Chasing Sunset Photography with a Strong Foreground (Pāvilosta / Jūrkalne)
Chasing sunset photography with a strong foreground is a brief story, which happened on the next day after Summer Solstice. We took our moms and a little doggie and decided to visit coastal Latvian beaches. At start we headed to Pāvilosta piers, I left girls wandering around while installed a tripod and thought I will make a few HDR's here. I have been into HDR photography since the day 1 I discovered this lovely technique back in Tbilisi. The rule of thumb for a great HDR is so called Golden hour - 30 minutes before sunrise/sunset to get interesting colors.Pāvilosta piersI have felt in love with the city of Pāvilosta since the day one I first visited it. Read my review of Pāvilosta…
Jurkalne Seashore Bluffs
The Jurkalne Seashore bluffs (Jūrkalnes stāvkrasti) are one of the most picturesque parts of Latvia's Western part seashore, located some 20 km from Pāvilosta.Jūrkanle bluffs are great for photography or quiet walk near the beach. The bluffs in Jurkalne belong to the landslide-landfall type. The largest amount of erosion can be observed in Jurkalne.Seashore near JūrkalneA quiet beach untouched by civilization and bluffs of up to 20 metres high. The stairs that lead from the top of the bluffs to the beach have been replaced many times, due to the shore receding after powerful storms. It has been noticed that the shore can recede as fast as a few metres a year.Sunset near…
Postcards from Pāvilosta
In today's Piece of Life photo series - Postcards from Pāvilosta. I made an article about Pāvilosta and Pāvilosta's lighthouse a while ago. This time we headed to Pāvilosta in company of five after we celebrated Summer Solstice. I was equipped with a tripod and I already knew - I will catch a sunset todayPāvilosta piersMuch of the Pāvilosta history and foundation is related to harbor here - Information(link is external) about the history of Pavilosta dates back to the period of Duke Jekabs (1642-1682) when ships could enter the Saka River and Pavilosta served as Aizputes harbor. This harbor was used to export wood, grain and other products to various other…
Rude Manor
Rude manor (Rudes muiža) is located in Laidi parish, Kuldīga district Latvia. According to Kuldīga tourism information center it's one of the best preserved Empire style manors in Kurzeme.Rude manor complex with a simple, but elegant Empire stylemaster’s house, a stable, a few barns and servants’ houses is located on the picturesque Rude hill.Rude manorIn 1819 the estate became Firck family’s property. In 1882 Rude changed its owners again, and was bought by baron Paul von Manteuffel, who was its owner until the manor was expropriated in 1921. However, the Fircks family gave the most significant input creating the basis of the…
Pond Digging - Part 1
Today come with a huge surprise, we were not on site, when a pond digger called and informed - we are heading toward your house to clean (dig) your pond.The thing is, we negotiated with pond guys such tasks a few week ago, but didn't agree on terms. Huge was our surprise when arrived on site we saw following:Freshly dug pondWell, not completely, pond guys called me and informed me, tey couldn't finish works today as they need to pump of the water from pond.Blue skies and a... mudNew Holland excavator The works will be completed in a few days, before that I (and not the pond guys will pump of all water from pond)
Peony Nursery „Ziedoņi”
Peony nursery Ziedoņi is located in the Western Latvia, district of Kuldīga in Pelči village. I had a chance to visit this garden mid June 2016, at time when flowers did bloom.I wouldn't call this a little Latvian Keukenhof, but some great impressions some could get here. In fact more than flowers I actually enjoyed a short conversation with husband of the garden owner and we were talking about grass mowing.Peony display gardenIn June this nursery welcomes visitors to their display garden where visitors can witness amazing variety of peony flowers. Peony flowerNursery grow peonies for almost ten years and have gathered collection with over 200 varieties – tree…
Meson del Asador Restaurant review in Jerez de la Frontera
I now have a new personal favorite restaurant (with the other one been located in Izmir, Turkey - I will cover it in future, when will plan a trip to Turkey) - Meson del Asador in Jerez de la Frontera in Spain. We went here just shorty after checked in Hotel Exe Guadalete, located few blocks from this restaurant. At start it looked just like just another restaurant, let's say nothing special. We were brought our menus, we started to look through, nothing interesting popped out. So randomly on good luck we opted for Iberian steak mix. As well we had red that Jerez is a famous of it's sherry making traditions, and Jerez de la Frontera might be actually even the birthplace…
Hotel Exe Guadalete in Jerez de la Frontera Review
We booked hotel Exe Guadalete in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain for one night at the start of June, 2016. It's a nice, decent hotel with free parking and cozy bed. Right in the heart of Jerez... Is it a hotel with a convention centre or a convention centre with a hotel.Hotel Exe Guadalete in JerezSet in gardens, Exe Guadalete is located in Jerez de la Frontera, 15 minutes’ drive from the Costa de la Luz. It features an outdoor swimming pool with chill-out area and free Wi-Fi.BedroomThe Exe Guadalete offers simple, attractive décor with wooden flooring. Each air-conditioned room has satellite TV and a minibar. The hotel‘s café-bar serves a range of light meals and snacks. Guests…
Venta El Loro
Venta El Loro is a small tavern located next to the Barbate - Vejer highway, we got here randomly, just passing by. Turned out to be a nice, little tavern, where with the help of sign language (No English here), we managed to order some really delicious Iberian ham and cheese sandwiches. Located in the Natural Park of La Brena and marshes of Barbate, just 3.5 km from the beaches of Barbate and 5 minutes from Zahara de los Atunes.Venta El LoroFrom this beautiful place some can see the marshes of Barbate on one side and by others pinanes of La Brena. Rio Barbate establishes a system of marshes at the mouth of the utmost importance as rest areaand numerous…
Ebb in Spain
For the first time in my lifetime I has to chance to see an ebb, or more precisely - the result of an ebb - an empty space in te place where a sea should be. That happened at the start of June, somewhere around Barbate, region of Spain.The result of an ebbLonely boats after an ebbEbb in Spain
Zahara de los Atunes beach, Spain
This year our trip in Spain took us to many beaches, and so in today's article, meet another excellent beach - Zahara de los Atunes beach near Barbate. Our today's root started at La Codorniz hotel near Tarifa, followed by visiting Bolonia beach and Duna de Bolonia and most probably will end somewhere in the city of Jerez (thus, we didn't know that yet)Zahara de los Atunes is a village on the Costa de la Luz of Spain in the province of Cádiz and the autonomous region of Andalusia. It is noted for its excellent beaches, an outdoor cinema, and la Iglesia Del Carmen church where, curiously, tuna (caught in Almadraba…
Sunflower fields in Andalusia, Spain
In today's Piece of Liefe series - Sunflower fields in Spain. We continued our route toward Jerez de la Frontera, when suddenly sunflower fields popped out - we had no choice left, if was time to make some panoramic from here.See what we got.Sunflower fields in SpainThis makes a nice addition to my landscape photography collection, see Vineyards in Tuscany, for exampleSunflower fields and Wind generators
Republic Square in Yerevan
Republic Square in Yerevan definitely is the city's one of main landmarks and popular tourist spots. I first discovered it back at the start of January 2014, and have returned to Yerevan city since then a couple of more times. My latest visit here was in mid-March 2016. On my 29th birthday (back in 2014) had a chance to spend a lovely evening near Dancing Fountains, see: Celebrating Birthday in Yerevan, ArmeniaThe Republic Square is the large central town square in Yerevan, Armenia. It is intersected by the streets of Abovyan, Nalbandyan, Tigran Mets Avenue, Vazgen Sargsyan, and Amiryan.The Republic SquareThe square was designed by architect Alexander…
Duna de Bolonia
Duna de Bolonia is located in the Bolonia beach, some 20km west of Tarifa.This dune is over 30 metres high and 200 metres wide, and stands out within the huge system of dunes to which it belongs. Located in the Bolonia Inlet, within the Estrecho Nature Park, this is one of the most unspoilt areas of the Cádiz coast, a vital natural habitat with stunning scenery.Duna de BoloniaThe area is called "barjanal" on account of its half-moon-shaped dunes set perpendicular to the wind, with uneven slopes. It is one of the few transgressive systems in Andalusia, i.e., which are still advancing inland. Under the force of the easterly wind, it moves towards the ecologically…