Taking care of our home in Flores, Azores, Portugal

Infos

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  Description

  Hi there, we’re Jennifer and George, and we live in an off-grid old mill house on the island of Flores. Our stone house is completely surrounded by Nature. The river flows alongside our home with views of the ocean and forest from the back.
  
  Since moving here six years ago, we’ve been busy planting and taking care of the gardens, building and creating more outdoor spaces, and just doing the general tasks that come with off-grid living. This was a new style of life for us, so we’ve learned a lot and are continuing to grow and develop these skills every day.
  
  We’re currently looking for someone (or a couple) to take care of our home, the garden, and our two cats while we’re away from mid-October to mid-March.

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  Types d'aide et opportunités d'apprendre

  Jardinage d'entretien

  Garde de maison et d'animaux
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  Echange culturel et opportunités d'apprendre

  I hope that this experience will be a deep immersion into Nature, and an opportunity to experience a different way of living. Such a long stay is also a nice opportunity to get to know the community and participate in some of the gatherings.

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  Aide

  We're looking for someone who is ideally already comfortable with living the semi off-grid lifestyle that our home offers. Hot water for baths is made by creating a fire at the bottom of the water tank (or the river outside has some really nice pools for a more refreshing bath). The house is warmed through a fireplace, but can still be quite humid. Electricity can be more limited in the winter months, so being conscious of light usage and the charging of phones and laptops. There is high-speed Wi-Fi at the house from a rechargeable modem, but this isn’t the place for someone who works remotely full-time because of the limited electricity. The kitchen of the main house has a gas stove, but we don’t have refrigeration.
  
  On the flip side of these “challenges” is the natural beauty that comes with living in such a unique place. The winter sun rises directly over the ocean into the living room windows, northerly winds bring a sky clear of endless stars, and the river’s constant flow and bird song are the only noises around. We have an extensive bookshelf that can keep anyone entertained for many winters, and the solitude of the home can be a great environment for anyone working on their next creative project or in need of a proper retreat.
  
  Our two cats, Dorothy and Clementine, are very sweet and just require a bit of love, food, and water. They’re semi-wild, so can spend some days outside going about their lives, but also love to come into the home for some good rest and cuddles.
  
  As for the land, I would like to keep the annual garden going over the winter with kales, salads, favas, potatoes, and anything else that you’d like to add. During this time, we also have lots of chuchu, yacon, and bananas that you’ll be able to eat, as well as whatever else we can keep going in the garden.
  
  We don’t expect a specific number of hours per day. Just some continuous maintenance to help keep the garden going over the winter.
  
  Most importantly, we’re looking for someone who is very responsible and whom we can trust to leave our home with. Keeping the house tidy and clean is a must. We have our personal belongings here, and we want to make sure that the place is well-treated.
  
  Jennifer will be here in the middle of October with you for a week to help you get to know the place and acquaint you with the island. She may also pop back for a week sometime over the winter to do some management in the agroforest, but other than that, you will be here by yourself.
  
  If this sounds like an inviting way to spend your winter, then please send us a message telling us about yourself, experience with living in a more basic set-up, garden work, comfortability with tools, etc. If we think it’s a good fit, then we’ll get back to you so that we can schedule a video call and get to know each other better.

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  Langues parlées

  Anglais: Courant
  Portugais: Intermédiaire

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  Hébergement

  The house is two stories, with the bottom having the kitchen, eating space, and reading nook with a fireplace. The upstairs has another lounge with large bookshelves and windows facing east; the bathroom (normal toilet), with bath and wood-fired water heater; and the bedroom.

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  Autres infos...

  From the house, there’s a 15 - 20 minute hike down to the ocean, with epic spearfishing and snorkeling conditions (bring your own gear) for people who are comfortable and confident in the ocean. There’s also a beautiful hike into another forested valley that takes you to another river with a small waterfall, with the starting point about 15 minutes walk from the house. And, of course, there’s the valley and river that’s just outside our doorstep.

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  Informations complémentaires

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    Accès Internet

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    Accès Internet limité

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    Nous avons des animaux

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    Nous sommes fumeurs

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    Familles bienvenues

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  Combien de volontaires pouvez-vous accueillir ?

  Deux

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  Mes animaux

  

  Clementine (4 ans)

  The lazy, yet endearing, brother of Dorothy. Likes to be cuddled and held on your shoulder and rocked like a baby. Also enjoys giving you kisses by rubbing his cheek on yours. Bit of a strange guy, but we love him.

  

  Dorothoy (4 ans)

  Queen of the house and top mouse catcher. Also somehow always has the most gorgeous smell. You'll understand once you meet her.

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