Every year, as the nights darken and the air cools in Tavira, a special event during the Festa dos anos de Álvaro de Campos brings the community together for the Open Mic Night, dedicated to celebrating poetry, music, and storytelling. It’s an evening where voices are heard in both Portuguese and English, and where neighbours touch shoulders amid shared words, poetry and song.

Portuguese Somersault, published in 1934, is a travel story in the vagabond style by two eccentric Brits, Jan and Cora Gordon. I have been thinking about the September workshop and the stories we write, and this book came to mind. The book sits in the Portugal section of a bookshelf in my home. It is old with a fading red cover and bound.

Coming soon on Kindle Blue Eyes and the Secret. A novella – Venture into the heart of the Algarve with Blue Eyes, a Balinese-spirited feral cat, as she uncovers ancient secrets and fights to protect her home on Monte Agudo. In a land where olive groves meet modern orange farms and water is scarce, Blue Eyes speaks with plant devas and heeds the whispers of the earth.

Over the last 12 weeks, I have enjoyed hosting six writing workshops at my home in Santo Estêvão, near Tavira. The sessions attracted writers from across the Eastern Algarve. Some of us will be away f...

Earth Day.org, the global organiser of Earth Day, observed annually on 22 April, has set the theme for 2025 as - Our Power, Our Planet™. 2025 marks the 55th anniversary of EARTH DAY. To honour this...

My spinach beds and what to do with abundance

YouTube video by Playing For Change

From comic classics by Wodehouse to contemporary literary fiction favourites like The Bee Sting and Demon Copperhead, this selection is an ideal starting point for putting together your summer reading...

Increasing tree cover in urban areas could reduce heat-related deaths – but a fight has ensued between corporate interests and residents, says journalist Felicity Hughes

Whisky Galore Fundraiser: Help Tavira artists to perform in Glasgow! Tavira's poets now have the opportunity to perform in Glasgow but require funding