Good Fences

In Portugal once again.... where we holidayed a couple years ago.

This is the Quinta do Seixo...  in the Douro region of Portugal.  A very modern visitor centre for Sandeman port.  Even though it was not open for the season, there was staff there, and, they did open just for us..... we had our tour and then we tasted some port.  Several varieties of port....  and, of course, we bought a few bottles to take home.

This is their trademark motif...

I love this photo because it looks like two people dressed like the "Don" as they call him... they look like they are whispering to each other...

It is so weird how this photo turned out... it is actually the door handle (inside and out) on a clear glass door leading out onto the front area of the visitor centre...

... and, even though I stray a bit...there is a fence in the background...

Here is the story of "The Don" ..   taken from the Sandeman site.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In 1928 George Massiot Brown was an artist working for the Lochend Printing company, who approached Sandeman for business.  Sandeman requested some designs for posters, and the remarkable silhouette of the Don was born.

Dressed like the Spanish caballeros de Jerez in a Portuguese student's cape and wide brimmed hat, the Don cuts a dark, dramatic figure within glass of ruby coloured Porto.

George Massiot Brown was well aware that French poster artists were very much in vogue, so signed his artwork as G. Massiot to hide his Scottish origins.

Little did he know that The Don would be the very first iconic logo for a wine.  Recognized throughout the world, The Don represents the mystery and sensuality that communicates the Sandeman brand.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

............ and, here are a few more fences ..although the fences were barely there.. some fine wire and posts ...

A short wall that surrounds the visitor centre... just below steps from which you look down upon the river Douro and terraced hillsides of grapes..

View from the other side of the centre..

... another cement wall...

and, a stop on the way out to get a better shot of the entrance to the centre...stone and cement ...

If you want to check out some other great fences, click on the button below and it will take you to Tex's site... the Run-a-Round Ranch

Good Fences

Totally missed Wild Bird Wednesday.... and, Thursday's Good Fences has disappeared too.... hmmmm....it's Friday already!!

My excuse is the same...   there is just too much going on...most of it not all that much fun.

But, I want to put in my two cents worth of fencing ... cuz I do love me a good fence, or "stuff" going on around one!

I'm taking you on holiday with me this time.  C'mon....

To Portugal.  This is a desert type flower that we saw growing in sand at the tops of cliffs near the ocean in various areas we visited.  It had bright yellows and lovely pinks for flowers.
This is a little beach town close to Nazare...oh, I hope Maria shows up to remind me of the name of the town...

UPDATE:: okay...got it!  Maria wrote to say ....it is  'Vale das Paredes'.  It is between Nazaré and S. Pedro de Moel.

Thanks Maria...

... and, when you get to the bottom of all those steps... this is where you are...

What area we waiting for??  Let's all go !!! .....

I'm linking up to Run-a-round Ranch for Good Fences... check 'em out sometime!~  lots of great fences and traveling and fun stuff.
Just click on this and go directly there......

Good Fences

Actually, I'm not sure how "good" the fences on this property are.  Or, maybe it was a careless somebody who forgot to tighten down the gates... or maybe these guys are houdini horses...don't know for sure...but these two got out of jail the day before.  They took off up the road in search of greener pastures... as if... and, it became a pretty big deal as trucks barrel down the road at high speed.  Telephone calls from neighbours and friends of animals ....    all before 6:00 am.... yawn....nnnnn...... but, they are back in jail now thanks to some skillful herding by several folks.
   

Two lovely miniature horses.  I tossed a handful of wound up grass to the smaller of the two when he came to check me out.  He carefully unwound it and nibbled at it daintily.

                                                                         











But, then...over came greedy guts.. with the much bigger belly, and pushed the other guy out of the way ... so he could eat the grass.  Hmmm...

I guess there is a reason he has a big gut.

Although ..... he is a sort of rakishly handsome fella don'tcha think?  But, he does need a good comb and brush...look at all the bits and stuff in his mane...

This is, of course, more about what is behind the fence than the actual fence.  That's me.  I do love what is behind, or in front of, or entwined about, any fences....

Go have a look at some other fences and the stories and things surrounding them at the Run-a-Round Ranch.

Good Fences

As usual, I'm shocked that it is already another Thursday.  This merry-go-round keeps spinning at dizzying speed!  Time for more Good Fences.


Mickey...

Oh, brother...there she is again with the confounded camera!  Yeh.. must be Thursday and, she's looking for blog fodder.  Why me?

Can't a guy just get a bite to eat in peace?

Maybe if she can't get anything except broadside, she'll give up.

That's the answer!  ...     I won't look at her.  She'll find it pretty dull business and get lost.

What the...??....  Why are you still here woman?!

Oh, alright.... snap away if you must .....   I'm busy......

...  and, now...I'm gone!!!  Outta here cuz somebody left the gate open...hahahhahahahha...........

Good Fences

It's Thursday ....again!  How the weeks fly by!

Thanks for the good wishes for my sister... it's going to be a long haul, but she is able to move around a bit now and hopefully will remember not to even try to lift anything heavier than a pound of butter ...or her tiniest cat.  It's so difficult for her to NOT do anything... I know it is.  She is so used to doing everything around her acreage.... and, I'm afraid as her older sibling...I did do quite a bit of scolding and nagging while there ....... sigh..... sorry Vik.....please be careful...

There were so many great fences around her area....and, I got a few...but, in the last few days it was unbearably hot and I didn't do a daytime walk...and, it seemed there was quite a bit happening in the evenings or earlier mornings..so....didn't manage to get some that I had seen in my walks and not carrying a camera.  Darn it.

However, I do have a few that are worth seeing..
like this bit of weed that entwined a portion of her post and rail fence down below the house...
Don't forget to click on the pics to "biggify" them and get a better look.

... And, if you've ever wondered about the age old question of why the chicken crossed the road?  Well, here's the answer.

It followed this handsome dude..... all of them taking their lives in their hands... er...feet....as lots of the cars whizz past at breakneck speed some days... I can't believe they made it every single day I was there......silly things!

Mickey is having to share his paddock with 5 foolish hens and this cock-of-the-walk..... although, I have to say...he doesn't seem to mind at all.....

If you'd like to see other fences and see other stories .... check out Good Fences here..

It's still Thursday...

... and, so.....I give you Good Fences.  And, good boy Mickey!  I love to see things behind and in front of fences to make them more interesting.

Your nose is almost the size of Africa... I only say that because of the map on the end of it... looks like Africa...

Awwwww .... he wanted to have a reeeeellly close look at the lens...

And, look...   he is a normal horse.  Beautiful really.  And, a nice rail fence behind this time...

I was visiting my sister on her little farm.... and she moved the big guy around to mow the grass here and there over the week... but, he is pretty good at mowing and had to be moved back before too long or he got too much of the "good stuff"....

He's like a very big vacuum cleaner.

Why not have a look at the Good Fences on the Run *A* Round Ranch blog... how 'bout adding one of your own sometime? ..

Look at this....

I haven't posted since last Thursday's Fence day!  hahha.... well, at least "Good Fences" gives me a reason to remember what day it is.  That, and the fact that it is also garbage day today, so I did have to remember to wheel the bins out.

This may be a bit of a cheat...but, I'm going to show you some shots of fences I took while on holiday in Portugal.  This day we were in a town called Constancia .. very pretty.  We did a lot of walking up and down hills.... some of it pretty steep.   Loved the doors, windows and fences .. took lots of pics of them .. and haven't really had anybody to share them with until now.

Now, I have all of you.... and I'm thrilled to show other fence enthusiasts what I love to shoot while on holiday.

The look of them.  The view through them.  Even what is behind them.

Everybody seemed to have dogs.  And, not many were friendly.  They barked loudly and ran straight at the fences.  I was glad the fences were high and strong...

I remember this guy was more curious than mean...but, still...he did bark if we got too close... and I wasn't about to put my hand through there to pet him... darn it... cuz that fluffy head just begs for petting doesn't it?

Kind of reminds me of some of my bears.... with that cute big shnozz...


Check out all sorts of interesting fences here and hey!  why not add one of your own?

I'm participating...

...in the Good Fences fun at The Run*A*Round Ranch.  Check it out.

Every Thursday people link up and post fences and gates.  There are some beauts.  After I link up, I'm off to check out fences....

Debbie forced my hand.  I mentioned that it's raining cats and dogs here and a paltry +6C with a gusting wind at about 30 kph...well, I didn't tell her about the wind actually ... and, she said...."get out there, girl" ...  Hhmpff   ...  obviously, she knew me.  I'm not sure if it's a challenge when folks do that to me ..or if I feel 'guilted' into it, or what.. ...either way, I just had to do it, didn't I?

Here's the little story.

We have had an unfenced yard for over 20 years... it's a bit like living in a fishbowl really.  Whenever I was out there mowing or weeding or just wandering around, neighbours would be driving or walking past and my arm got tired waving and I wasted a ton of time talking to them if they stopped.(some of them can talk forreevver).   It took a whole lot more time than it should have to tidy this yard.  Finally a year and a half ago we finished up renos on the house; did the outside and the yard, and then, decided on fencing it.  What fun!  Now we have our own little park area... and on the plus side, we don't have to see all the neighbour's "stuff"... and the falling down fences on the opposite side of the alleyway, and, the garbage on garbage day, and the myriad of sheds in the other neighbour's yard, etc..  It's beautiful...and, even in todays rainy gloom, it looks so pretty and green and clean.... and, my new crab-apple just happens to be in full bloom!

They probably don't exactly call this one a "Good neighbour" fence....but, it makes my neighbours look pretty good to me!  And, one guy across the alleyway tore his old thing down the following month and has since put up a lovely one much like this... c'mon, the rest of you neighbours, take note!