Random from Stuttgart

This time of the year, one year ago in Stuttgart. Winter wonderland at its best!

Xmas Club & outros amores

The Summer I didn't have

These beautiful photos were taken this past Summer and I can recall they were not posted back then (although they totally deserve to be shared) as they crossed my life in this period.

I like them very much for several reasons and they are also the rare memories I have from the Summer 2015, for the simple reason I cannot say I 'had' a Summer in 2015. It's a pretty bad sign of life if you're not able to enjoy it because of your job, even more stupid if it's not because you're overloaded on work but because some people just don't care about their lives (should you not care either please!) (or simply your rights) and the living part of life, worst if one of those people is your boss. Suddenly - and because I'm surrounded by people who lie constantly and who are also on a constant conflict and tease with everyone (for what, really? in this tiny world and small amount of time... making me realize most people just have it all wrong when it comes to the meaning of that great thing called life...), trying to control, possess and immerse on unnecessary work - I found ridiculous any signs of the glorification of 'busy', competitiveness and all the triumphs of a money maker and/or sedentary 9-5 job. I went through a personal break down because of it (I even dare to write about it here), feeling like trapped in a web where I don't belong and unable to move out. Still am.

Reason why I hope in a year or so I'll be brave enough to refuse the only perk of this job and move on with my life. Hoping, of course, it won't be too late and that these 2 years will have their lesson learned. Because honestly, if I'd die today or tomorrow, would I be happy with the life I'm living? Hum. No. And as dramatic/impulsive/naive this answer might be, it, for iself, should be reason enough for me/anyone to edit my/your life.

And just for the record, the other day I heard one of the best lessons I've learned in these past months very well sum up and that goes roughly like this: "I'm tired of all these stress and greed everyone seems to applaud and that starts at school with the kids. You know, for me, if you're happy taking care of a tree, during the whole life, then that's what you should do. Who can tell otherwise? Who are other men/or we to judge minor or higher arts?"

A pretty sick text along with these soft and beautiful photos by my talented friend in this place I'm always coming back. The latest didn't deserve the first, but that's what feels right right now, and also because that's a bit of the story behind them.

This place is everything

Just a regular, inexplicably beautiful, fresh, bright, all-things-good afternoon stroll...  

 

It's not that a girl can dream...

...it's that a girl SHOULD dream! And about that, my friends, I tell you, for the good and for the bad, I am an expert.

I've shared Christmas spirit a few times throughout this blog and I've been lucky enough to live some beautiful experiences myself, like the most beautiful Winter ever (in the snowy Milano) and a kind of Christmas dream when in Wien at the Christmas Market (here) drinking mulled wine et al, as well as last year's travel to Germany for more Winter Wonderland beauty (here & here).

So, now, this post, in nothing but a kind of an (massive) ode to my favorite time of the year we're slowly again entering to (photo credits unknown, unfortunately).

"Dashing through the snow..."

Aveiro em dia de S. Martinho

Gosto muito de Aveiro, desta cidade onde 'nasci', e não raras vezes vou até lá só para passear nas ruas. Há um qualquer conforto em sair à rua e ainda assim sentirmo-nos em casa, a nostalgia de acompanhar as mudanças e saber o que me espera nas diferentes direcções, o que, naturalmente, não acontece com qualquer sítio. A mim, pelo menos. Na última vez havia o objectivo específico de caminhar até encontrar este fumo...

 

My own little paradise

My kind of peace.

Farmer's life

I wanted to write about this place for ages now! It's the house/farm of my seamstress and also long time family friend. For whatever reason we go there, we always end up in the backyard and I make sure to treat  myself with seasonal nature's goodies (strawberries, peaches, tomatoes, raspberries, 'aracá', you name it!). I like it very much as it reminds me the roots I came from: my green, my village, my sky, my people somehow.

It's a place I want to photograph every single time I go there but never remember in advance, meaning, I always managed to forgot camera at home. This past saturday though, thanks to my new toy, it was possible, oh the perks of having a smartphone with a reasonable camera... (Nothing compared, of course, with the perks of having a farmer's life quite like this!)
Enjoy.