The other day I heard a tip for making a strong structure. The more triangles you can include in a frame, the stronger it becomes...

I love how Diogo hops after the ball and Frankie just lays there while you step over him. The wall is beautiful, I am always impressed by how well you do all these things. Uncle Nick has taught you well lol !

A quick tip. You're going to need some cross bracing for your solar structure to stop it "racking". If you look at some traditional timber framing buildings you'll see what they've done to stabilise the boxy shapes.

great job on the well wall, the only thing i will say is you should be wetting the wall and the rocks your placing in, the mortar bonds a lot better when everything's wet, the dryness of the rocks acts like a sponge and dries the mortar to quick, its the same when your rendering a wall it needs to be wet otherwise the wall sucks all the moisture out of the mortar and it doesn't adhere properly. keep up the great work

@projectportugal

5 ай бұрын

Granite, doesn't readily absorb moisture, too wet a surface makes them hard to consolidate in the right place

@1dkappe

5 ай бұрын

@@projectportugalits been a while, Uncle Nick, but I recall working with Portland cement a while back, and the chemical bond formed with the granite required a little bit of water, though not a ton. The moisture in the mortar may already be enough and the humidity may also affect things.

@aliceskewthorpe8991

5 ай бұрын

Yes, I've observed that those building walls on an abandoned chateau do it that way... and their walls are made of granite... But the weather is different in Portugal... I guess! Blessings to all ❤

@projectportugal

5 ай бұрын

@@1dkappe exactly

You need to corner brace the solar structure if you want it to last through the first storm. Nice job on the wall and the garden is coming along very nicely, it is good to see some citrus trees being planted.

@petercarbutt3706

5 ай бұрын

very important

Your solar shade structure is looking great. For the uprights, I’d like to suggest putting some corner bracing pieces in at 45° angles. It’ll give it a bit more rigidity during windy days & will keep it solid. Is it possible to add guttering to this to harvest the rainwater too? I’m guessing you can never have enough water in the later spring & summer months. Have a great rest of the week guys

Your choice of music is one of the best ones out there!!! Love all your animals and all that you do to inspire us!

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

So glad you enjoy it, we love finding good music 💛

Albi in the frying pan - soo cute. And I love how tolerant you are with your pets - and Diogo always bouncing like a ball :-) -

@FrankieOffGrid

4 ай бұрын

They’re very funny animals! So much character!

I'd say Spring isn't trying to arrive, it's here! You have blooms I won't see for another two months if we don't have late Spring snows. I didn't know pansies were edible! Good to know! Ingenuity is the mother of invention...not having an unlimited budget is my father's contribution. He jury rigged more items around our house than you can imagine! Somehow, no matter how wonky looking, it worked just fine. I'm half convinced my father had a hand in designing the Leaning Tower of Pisa (in a previous life, of course). How exactly do you "accidentally" buy trees? Is that like me accidentally buying books on Amazon? (which I do a lot btw!) Can a kindle get heavy when you buy too many books? Have a good week! Blessed Be!

Lunch looked delicious. I think you need to put up something between the main leg structure to give your framework more support. Loved seeing your cat curled up in the frying pan. Take care and stay safe. ATB.

The salad was the most gorgeous one I have seen! Nice to be able to walk out in the garden and pick your meals. Love all your fur babies! Your videos make me feel happy and calm, kudos you two 😊

When I was your age I built several walled flower beds to divert water in my yard. We don’t have stones in north Florida so I accumulated chunks of busted up pavement. That took a lot of gathering in my car from construction debris wherever I could find it around town. I got mortar mix and mixed it with a hoe in a wooden trough. That was a rewarding project. I hated to leave it when we moved. At my age now I do good to move a few. pavers stones. Your doing good 👍

Lunch looked delicious and healthy❤ The well wall is looking GREAT!! 👍😊👍🌟

Oh, hello Simao❤ To be able to pick an orange in your own garden is my idea of happiness. As I live in Denmark, it's only a dream for me.

Iwan, the wall is beautiful.👨‍🎨. Your citrus orchard will thrive with your care Carissa. What fun watching Diego.😂

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Thank you!!

Quick tip from experience, when you hang your washing out to dry, hang it inside out, that way the colours don't fade as fast. that's what we do here in South Africa.

How wonderful, Spring arriving is always something so magical. Excellent opportunity to shoot some B-roll. The wall looks great, that is proper labour of love. No minding that the structure is looking a bit wonky as long as it's strong, the solar-panels are not that heavy to begin with. The connecting parts should be solid. Have a good week you guys! Cheers Bert 🙏🏻❤

Wonderful job on the rock wall, Iwan! Carissa, your salads are so lovely!

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Thank you!!

Can't wait until it's spring here in Sweden too, there's a month or so left until then, we still have some snow here. So lovely to be able to put together a salad on your own farm. How lovely you have it. ❤❤

Hello you two. Nice progress as always, and admiration for your repurposing and for your off-grid life! A quick tip. When using "wonky" (bowed) planks to support something (or even if plank is straight), installing the plank on edge (rather than lying flat) will yield greater structural strength. For even greater strength, take two similarly wonky planks and create one straighter and stronger plank out of them -- by first, prepping them on the ground by placing them so they look like a mirror image of each other with their ends touching and middles bowed apart. Then screw them together tight and the screws will pull the planks together, straightening them both, and using the opposite force of their wonkiness to increase the new, thicker plank's strength. Good luck! 👍Lee

Hi, Carissa and Iwan. I love each of your videos. I think that the music and the filming are beautifully synched. See you next week❤❤❤❤

Im mason mate, the same preparation like tiles setting, for a more stronger structure, you should also wet the stone slabs you are setting, if not it will react like a sponge and you'll ended up with a hairline crackd finish. When the weather is hot you must wet either thru tiny sprinkling when the mortar was not yet settled. Pardon my english i cant speak well. Gday.

@martinjames3950

5 ай бұрын

He,a been taught how to do it by uncle nick😊

Lovely quiet relaxing video! No sense of urgency just slowly working through the jobs. Your colourful salad looked beautiful, nearly too pretty to eat! Evan seems to have found his mojo on stonewall building, he seems more relaxed about it now. Nice to see he remembered his face mask, we’re only looking out for your healthy when we all comment on your ppe. Can’t believe just how dry your soil is already this year. Fingers crossed your citrus grove are all happy and grow well. Really loved the calm feel of this video❤

Huzzah, as they say in these parts. A new video! What a beautiful meal you made! It was also lovely to see your flourishing garden. Have fun!

Lovely peaceful video! Carissa your salad was so pretty! Ewan your are getting skilled with the rock wall, well done! Have a lovely week you two! Many blessings!

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Thank you! You too!

Frankie is so cute waiting in the care. All your pets are so darn cute. Beautiful beach les there in Portugal. Such a beautiful peaceful place you have there guys!

I imagine at some point you guys with tackle that other well you have and restore that down the road. I love all the stone walls and rock work you do. Always something to keep you busy and working. You guys are doing a fantastic job there and learning more every day too. Love your channel! So fun watching all your animals they are all so cute.

Love your big old optimism cacti! Now I know you are loving your new washing machine there that will pay for itself for sure! So glad you could get that!!

Nice work. And love all the helpful hints that come your way. So many caring folk invested in your hard work and loving hands.

Gorgeous 😍 That saladdddd! Awesome job on all the projects this week:)

I don't know how you ended up in my KZread feed, but you did. And I'm so glad. 🧡

@FrankieOffGrid

4 ай бұрын

Haha nor are we.. and we are also glad! ☺️

Your videos are poetry for the soul.

Have just started watching! Have been waiting for the video since Saturday😅the very first seconds and oh my how much I envy you!! Trees blossoming!!😍🥺with -15 here in Russia and snow all around😣we’ll have grass and flowers and warmth only in May 😩

You need to put diagonal braces on one long wall, one short wall and the panels should be fixed thoroughly to the roof. This will result in a much more rigid structure no matter what angle your posts are at. I love your furry kids and how they all interact. So envious of your slow lifestyle ❤❤

Love Frankie and Diogo. You've made yourselves a beautiful life in my home country wich I miss terribly.

It is better to plant bare rooted fruit trees; but not all fruit trees come bare rooted obviously. So, non bare root trees come surrounded in 'compost'. I find it better to safely clear as much of the potting soil from the roots as possible with as little damage. Then plant the tree and water it in. Then I measure out about 30cm (1 foot) away from the outside of the planting hole and place compost/ old manure etc in a ring to try to encourage outward growth of roots. I also water deeply and outward for the same reason. To encourage the plant to step out of its comfort zone so to speak. :)

For Foggies you know a lot. I think the sun melted all your fog.😆😁😀😃 But after all, you are doing it all by yourself. Be proud what you are doing is great!

Yeah, my cat 🐈 coils up in a stainless steel vege. strainer. And like your 4 legged friend. He's beginning to outgrow it. Spilling over the edges. Reminiscing those good old days not so long ago.

I love my home but I love the area around it more. I see all the beauty in the minimal landscaping you have done such an amazing area.

You are so patient and precise on that wall.

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Definitely getting the hang of it now!

Loving the stone work❤

Iwan your wall looks beautiful 👏👏NICK is a good teacher ..everything is looking so good👏. Diogo is like a little grasshopper 🤣.. you both are so hardworking ..Frankie adores you both and the rest of the crew is soooo cute playing together and following you everywhere 🤣🤣…can’t wait to see your blood oranges..👏👏💜💜

Iwan - your wall is progressing so well. I think you are now fully in your element! Love when the chickens pass by for inspection. Has Uncle Nick seen the wall lately?😍🇨🇦

It looks like spring comes early where you are. It starts about mid January where I am. Spring is my absolute favorite time of the year. Happy days.

haha JUST as I paused the video to figure out if those noisy birds were here or there... it came across on the screen "SOME NOISY SEREN BIRDS!"

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

😂very noisy this time of year!

Cross bracing will help the wonkiness and reduce the movement in your structures. Would hate to see you lose panels in a storm. ❤love the new citrus grove ❤

The well wall looks so good, the rock placement is very attractive. As usual your video, camera shots and editing are excellent.

어머님이 사시던 시골집 작년에 유실수 몇구루아 알뿌리 심어놨는데 낼은 텃밭나물류와 휴가내서 꽃심으로 가는데 생각만해도 설레내요 한쪽은 텃밭 한쪽은 꽃과 나무 힘든일상을 기운나게 하네요

Please make the wooden structure stronger with 45 degrees corner supports. 😊👍

Wow it’s beautiful !! Thanks Carrisa….wow the beach sounds great

Beautiful video! Loved Albie sleeping in the pan haha. I love the lights around the kitchen as well. It looks so cozy in there ❤

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Thank you! Haha she does choose some strange places to sleep! Hope you guys are well?!

@TheIndigoEscape

5 ай бұрын

@@FrankieOffGrid better now that is sunny!

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Isn’t it?! Almost can’t wait for summer! 😅

I love your channel !! So relaxing to watch ❤

Wonderful as always. I love seeing you eat rom your garden and plant citrus trees! Inspiring.

Such a beautiful looking salad plate. Very inspiring, Clarissa!😍🇨🇦

As always, just beautiful. Loved it. ❤️xx

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Thanks Jimmy!!

Carrisa your dish was beautiful, a piece of art!😘😘😘😘🤗🤗🤗🤗

Great video ❤❤ love the music!!

I am really happy that you understand the concept of 'slow living'. I really appreciate the fact that it's a good thing to do. Thank you and please carry on your excellent KZread videos as I love them......

With the slightly wetter mortar mix you are using (clever) its not really necessary to wet the surface, well thought out Iwan❤

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

😉

great video as always, l kind of prefer a monday video to the saturdays, starts the week off in a lovely calm way ☺ thank you x

Doing a great job on your wall around the well!

Relaxing, inspiring ALWAYS!👍💕

The stone wall is looking really beautiful - and what a lot of work has gone into it!! Loved seeing Albie curled up in the frying pan, basking in the warmth from the fairy lights!! 🥰 I think that if I had that land and wanted to grow fruit trees, I would probably want to plant peaches and Victoria plums!! [I have no idea if they thrive in Portugal or not, I just like the idea of an endless supply of them!!]

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

We have 2 peaches and 1 plum, we’ve had about 4 peaches I think haha

@PandaWD

5 ай бұрын

HAHA!! Oh well, maybe they're not such a good idea then!! I don't like olives myself much, although I don't mind if something has green olives chopped up in it - and I quite like olive bread. One question though - what makes olive oil into "extra virgin oil"? [Apart from being more expensive!!]. 🤔

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

We chatted a bit about that in our olive oil video. It’s the highest quality of oil, because the olives are best quality (no damage) and is an indicator of the acidity of the oil. The lower the acidity the better the taste and health benefits. Our first pick was extra virgin at 0.8% acidity. Our second picking was 1.3% so just virgin because the olives were more damaged (kinda like how apples oxidise and turn brown, that’s what had happened to the olives). Virgin means first press of the olives. They then add heat or chemicals to get more oil out of the olives which is what the cheaper stuff is (can you tell we’ve learnt a lot about it over the last few years haha!) 🫒

@PandaWD

5 ай бұрын

@@FrankieOffGrid - thanks for that, it was really interesting. I did watch a video today, of your second harvest, but if it was on there I must have missed that bit? 🤔

Love watching you 2 working.❤

Hi guys another beautiful video ❤ thank you 🙏

Lovely stuff, total zen viewing. Your videos and the perfect music selection always make me feel so calm and relaxed ❤️

Guys, you can make the Solar structure more rigid and sturdy very easily and cheaply. Fine some used ply, sheet material and cut triangular brackets of sizes to suit and apply them at every corner, in all planes with screws, it will tighten everything up. If you have no sheet material, use onld timber planks and diagonally brace everywhere.

The wall looks great. Great video.

Spring time is so lovely there with all the gorgeous flowers 🥰. May your citrus grove grow strong and mighty!!! A grapefruit tree sounds amazing, and lemon too. I wish I lived in a warmer climate. And I know that would come with it's own issues. It's all a compromise. I'd still choose the warmth over our long, cold winters. Albi finds the very best of spots to have her naps 😄. I do love ginger and white kitties. They have such adorable personalities. Iwan, you're an excellant student of the St Nick Acadamy 😁. Your stone work will just get better and better over time 👍. Have a great week you two. 🥰♥️

It's really impressive with the stone structure you made, but the mortar looks a bit dry. Have a good day!

Your little brown dog looks like an Africanus which is what we call mixed breed dogs in South Africa 🇿🇦 Watching with great interest. Amazing job. Great learning curve. A little bit od heaven. ❤

@FrankieOffGrid

4 ай бұрын

He’s actually a pure breed Podengo Portugues.. bred to hunt rabbits.

Loving your music choice ❤

Amazing how many have viewed this in just an hour. Nice, I hope you make some income to help with expenses. I shared this video on FB to try to direct more views and subscribers your way.

What a wonderful, tranquil way to start my morning! Thank you for you artistry!

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Thank you for watching!!

HAPPY MONDAY, I MISSED YA ALL ON SATURDAY, HAD MY COFFEE ALL READY AND EVERYTHING..LOL. LOOKS LIKE PLENTY OF HOMESTEAD CHORES, AND TREES, SWEET. WE HAVE HIGH STORM WINDS AND RAIN TODAY IN IDAHO AND 37F TEMPS, BRRRRR🌨❄🌨❄🌨🌨☔☔ ENJOY THE EARLY SPRING TEMPS. BE BLESSED🙏🙏👍👍👍

Always a pleasure watching your videos - thanks for the content. Great music choices as always!

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Thanks so much!

It seems your temperatures may be warmer for this time of year our gardening starts in March and our last frost in my area is April 1/ your area is beautiful.

The lunch looked amazing 🤩

I love watching your videos and I love the music in the background.❤

great episode. loved the salad you made. I love those types of tastes together.

Fab video. We find watching them very relaxing in this mad crazy world.

Fantastic progress. 😊

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Thank you! 😊

Beautiful Skies ... same all over the World

Beautiful platter

Haha, for a moment I thought Iwan was talking about buying apples when mentioning the Appleshop. I noticed the containers near the car so it made sense, sort of. Guess I am getting older. Enjoyed the video.

That was a beautiful plate of food you made. Loved the colours and flower foods. Radish leaves are very healing foods. You can include them in your sallads.

I love your place its beautiful

Always plant trees in November so they have the wet winter to get established.

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

We usually have a wet spring so fingers crossed. Citrus trees are a little different because they fruit in winter when most trees are dormant, so early spring is usually better - we generally go off whats abundant in the garden centres and do as the locals do 😅

‘I think todays the day the penny has finally dropt with this wall building thing…’ 😂😂😂😂😂❤️✊

@jimmyconnolly3461

5 ай бұрын

This needs a t-shirt and hoodie 😂😂❤️

Yes yes yes well done Euanne love the dogs love the cats love you both

Lovely beach scenes while I look out into a blizzard!

Aww frankly like hurry up bless The first bit of your video absolutely amazing could watch that all day Loved the synchronised ladder placement The well is looking grand Last part of filming awesome love watching your videos Thank you for sharing 😁

I'm loving the bird song and trying not to be jealous of the season being ahead of SE England

Love your content with the flowers and clouds often. It's so peaceful to come here on your channel. Glad you got to escape off season to the beach. It was so fun to spend 5 days in Baleal. . . . We will be back. Just put offer on some land near Silvares. Hope to meet you both some day...cheers. Heres to an amazing fall...Gina in Upstate NY USA moving to Portugal

love your lifestyle thanks for sharing

💜💜 picking salad leaves and radish from the garden in February. It just beggars belief and reinforces my desire to make changes to my life. Here in Cornwall it has rained almost everyday since October. You have chosen wisely and at a relatively young age. Best.

Super job on that well wall Iwan. It looks so good 👍

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Thank you!

You were brilliant doing that wall you have become very good doing it.And it looks so so good.

@FrankieOffGrid

5 ай бұрын

Thank you so much 😊

Has uncle Nick surveyed your solar structure 😸 well done on the well wall 👍🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼 love from us in the Algarve 🇵🇹🌻

What a beautiful beach ❤