These Balmy Days

Is love a consolation at the end of life, or a discipline practiced against its fading?

Angelo, an aging American expat, has retreated to a sunlit town on Portugal’s southern coast, hoping to shed the weight of ambition, regret and loss. When his young granddaughter, Tenina, comes to stay for the summer, she offers an alternative way of being: playful, unguarded and rooted in the present.

The two explore seaside villages, befriend eccentric locals, write poetry and marvel at migratory birds preparing for a perilous crossing. Markets, ferries, cafes, and ancient ruins become the stage for a shared understanding.

But as Angelo confronts the decline of his body and mind, he spies a mysterious presence shadowing their steps, threatening to destroy the precious communion.

Told in lyrical, episodic reflections, These Balmy Days is a luminous exploration of joy in the face of impermanence and loss. Blending travelogue, reflection and poignant intimacy, Shapero offers a stirring meditation on life at the threshold between holding on and letting go.