Water management
This is summer. With an acceptable sea climate. About 23 degrees Celsius, a little wind, perfect and comfortable. Not as hot as in the Algarve region, or in the more eastern continental areas. Our mountain, the Serra de Montejunto, keeps the fresh sea winds and the rains on this green side. The eastern side of the Serra (and for instance in the city of Santarém, on the banks of the river Tejo) can become very hot in the summertime. At the same time it often occurs that the sea fogs creeps in and your summer holiday is covered in a chilly mist. Which feels like an average November day. And you are shivering on the beach.
Deluge
The last winter came with a lot of unexpected rainfall. At this moment the soil is bone dry. The mud pool that we called Lake Valverde a few months ago, has changed into a thick layer of dust. With the impenetrable clay beneath. In this dry circumstances we decide to take an advance on future deluges. We want most of the water to flow into a drainage system. Along our Jurassic Wall another trench is dug out. In it, a layer of very fine gravel. Next a drainage tube and then covered with more gravel. These tubes are also laid around the buildings. And in the end the levelling of the terrain will direct water to flow to the sides, to the wall and on the other side down the slope.
A smaller excavator is set to work on the narrow trench:
Puzzled
In the meantime Senhor Gabriel is puzzling along with small stones. He fills up the cracks between the immense stones in our Jurassic Wall, to keep water and earth from seeping through. A craft he learned from his father. A craft that needs a keen eye, and a lot of time and patience. He is proud of his craftsmanship, and we are proud of the results of all his (and his fellows!) efforts.
Too bad
Next the famous well. Which is not going to be effectuated. We had them dig out a few meters, but unfortunately water did not appear. To continue the excavation deeper would be a pricey quest. For this amount we can open up the normal tap for a very very long time. And so every decision is in fact another choice between emotion and rationale…