Voyage

Well, it is that time of year.  A time when everyone thinks of family and friends and settles in for 2 months of eating and drinking.

So, I am off to Australia for nearly 2 months of family, friends, eating and drinking.

I may update the blog while I am gone, but cannot guarantee taking time out from all the visiting and adventures in order to do so.  As this is a personal blog.... there will be no guest bloggers/ holiday competitions/trite electronic postcards etc... sorry if that disappoints

What I will promise is lots of photos on my return and time to once again blog every week.

Today I sent in my dissertation for the course I have been doing.  A huge relief and a huge burden from my shoulders.  It is not due till mid december, but I have worked extremely hard to finish it before my trip.  I thought that the last thing I would want to do is hide away in a room and write and study, not when there is the beach and people I love to spend time with.

On the home front, the garden has been put to bed for winter.  All tender plants are under a covering and the trees have been pruned to keep them snug till spring.  We have had so much sunshine and blue sky that it hasn't felt like winter yet.... although the temperature has been low and no matter how inviting the sunshine looks - it is NOT warm.

I have a successful hedgehog shelter.  Already 3 hedgies are in there all curled up and cute.  Due to the warmth they come out for food each night still.  So I have been feeding them up so they are nice and fat to hibernate while I am away.  Very pleased with that project.  The pic above is my new hedgie.  No name yet.  He had just tipped the dish of cat croquettes upside down on to his head and I found him underneath grunting and muttering away as he scoffed them down.  Not quite used to pats yet, but have explained that if he doesn't let me pat him then he can't live here.... he remained unimpressed.

One visitor which we have seen evidence of - although not the actual animal - is a badger.  He has helped himself to hedgehog food a few times, and left a little "present" by way of thanks.  In fact it was his little calling cards which enabled me to identify which animal was visiting.  (Wayne was laughing that I borrowed a book on animal faeces from the library.  My response was that if there was a book available to borrow, it was not a strange thing to do.)  I spent quite a few days examining evidence and comparing to pictures and descriptions in the book before deciding that it might have been a member of the weasel family (the books said probably a marten) and most probably a badger.

Also on loan from the library was a book on the native plants of the region.  Fascinating stuff.  I have all the good plants in my wild meadow patch.  I was thrilled!  So have followed instructions for best propagation and self seeding and left it to wait out winter.  Hopefully next year I will have an even better wild meadow area.

The owner of our house called by a few days ago.  It was nice to meet him and put a face to the name on our lease.  He was a charming man and made a point of asking if we would stay for a long time please.  I laughed and said that we were happy in his house and so had no plans to move soon. (Besides that - after all the struggle to get everything here from Paris and Australia, I don't think I could face another move for a few years yet!)  One thing we he said was that he was extremely happy with the garden and house under my care.  He said it had never looked so good before.  A nice compliment. 

The boys are loving the house, and really loving the fireplace.  Guy has claimed a spot on a cushion in front and he sits there in anticipation each day until I finally light the fire.  Eric doesn't care.  He waits till I sit in the recliner to have a half hour break in the afternoon, and then claims my lap. Starting to be a snuggle puss now.  Salameche is growing day by day.  Still thinks he lives with us and tries to spend the night more often than not.  In the morning our bedroom is flooded with sunlight.  Of course all the cats are to be found sprawled across our bed basking and snoozing in the light and warmth.  This pic is of the paws of Salameche.  If the size of his feet are any indication, he is going to be a good sized cat when fully grown.

Since the summer we have really settled in here.  Friends have been made that we will treasure for a lifetime.  My days are full and we are living in a beautiful area that always offers something new to experience.  Sunday afternoon was lovely and sunny, so we went with neighbours to an area about 20minutes away and walked along the river.  A gorgeous spot and I was annoyed that I left my camera at home.  We have promised that we will go back again with them as it was so beautiful and a lovely thing to do on a sunday afternoon.

Building works beside the farm (about 100metres from our house) has thrown up a layer of undisturbed geology which has provided hours of enjoyment for a few others and myself.  Last saturday we were finding pieces of ammonoids - some very large ones too!  It is not surprising as every time I disturb the soil in the garden I find fossils.  I put them aside and examine them afterwards, then pass most of them to a child in the lane who is really interested in fossils and rocks.

Well, time to finish this long update.  We have an apero with the neighbours tonight.  A bon voyage drinks party that promises to be a lot of fun.

For those that celebrate, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.  For everyone else, see you after the holidays.

This is one of my photographs which I have made part of my panel for my photography course.  A pastel pink rose from my garden, edited into monochrome. No other editing needed.  It was the most perfect rose at the perfect stage of opening.

Raining and pouring

Wish I was snoring....

It is perfect stay in bed weather.  Autumn seems to have given way to winter a tad early.  We have had hard frosts already and everything has gone into hibernation - animals and plants. This week has seen heavy rain, and more heavy rain.

The fire has been lit from lunchtime every day.  The cats are most appreciative of this.  It does make the house lovely and cosy, and I like the look and feel of a fire as opposed to electric or gas heating.

No real news.  I am still working away at my photography course as well as my other projects.  Wayne is still working hard and travelling from time to time.

Looking forward to our Christmas in Australia.  Eight years is far too long.  Also to see all the family - including all new children in the family - and to catch up with old friends.  We have less than three weeks together in Australia, but cannot complain.  It will just be good to be there.

Saffron season

It has been a busy few weeks.  Working away from home, catching up with friends, studying and - of course - watching the rugby.

With the change of season I am embarking on new adventures in the garden.  Our first autumn and our first time clearing the leaves and cutting back trees and shrubs ready for winter.

One exciting thing is that my saffron crocii have bloomed!  I planted them a few months ago and carefully mulched the spot so I would be able to remember that I had planted there.  Whilst I was away the bulbs sprang forth and bloomed. 

It is painstaking work, but I think the end result is worth it.  The hardest part is getting up really early to pick the threads before the sun hits them.....supposedly the best flavour and colour that way.  Each red thread must be hand picked from the flower, which contains three threads in total.  A few petals and stamen did fall victim to my picking, but were easy enough to discard later.  To process the threads I placed them for a few minutes on paper towel to absorb any early morning dew, then into a jar and semi covered to dry for a few weeks.

I have a few ounces of saffron threads drying slowly, and am hoping that I will have more flowers in next few days.  There are a few gaps in the spot where I planted, so hopefully they are just late bloomers - not dead bulbs.

How perfect that the saffron is harvested at this time of year when warming casseroles, rissottos and other hearty meals are craved.  I am looking forward to using it to add colour and depth of flavour to my autumn dishes.

Autumn

Well, autumn has arrived and with it the crisp cool days and grey weather.

We lit our first fire in the fireplace yesterday.  Took a bit to get it going.  These european woods are not like the Aussie ones.... a different tactic is needed.

This is my effort of today.  Not perfect, but it has been burning all afternoon and the lounge and dining (as well as our bedroom upstairs) are toasty and oh so comfortable.

The boys are discovering the delights of a wood fire too.  Eric has not left his post on the armchair beside the fire since he realised how warm it was.  Guy keeps enticing me back in to the lounge so he can toast in front of the fire.... but being my shadow, he has to leave it each time I do.

Off for work for the next week, then back home and time to get on with the autumn chores in the garden.  The apples are ripe and I have already had a bucketful from the wild tree in the wood. Delicious, crunchy and tart.  Makes fabulous compote too!

How many pieces can a crystal jug break into?

The answer is lots..... and lots.... and lots......

In this image you can not see the hundreds of miniscule fragments which had worked their way through the entire carton and embedded themselves into my arms and hands whilst unwrapping all of the other objects in there.  Aaaargh! 

So far only four items broken out of the hundred or so boxes I have unpacked.  A good result, even if two of those four items happen to be very special pieces and irreplaceable.

Yes, I have spent many hours on the internet trying to find a replacement for this jug for insurance purposes.  It literally is irreplaceable.  The modern version is ugly and does not resemble the original in any way shape or form.

Oh well, c'est la vie as they say.  One of the pitfalls of shipping stuff halfway around the world.

Let's hope the bar-be-que made it through ok.  Now that really would be a catastrophe!!

Monkey business

What an exciting week!

Thanks to the generosity of my brother and sister in law, I had the company of our nieces for a week... and what a fun week we had.

Lots of swimming, eating fresh juicy stone fruits, feeding chooks and collecting eggs, cuddling cats, picking fruit and veg from the garden, and learning new french phrases and behaviours.

They did really well in learning french and picking up the etiquette of the area.... and Tati Deb being who she is, they learnt a LOT of history and culture as well.  Poor things...lol  They thought it was school holidays, and wound up in holiday school.

One of the days we went to the Vallee des Singes.  A monkey zoo outside of Poitiers.  It was fabulous.  I highly recommend it.  The larger primates are kept in moated enclosures, but the smaller ones are all around you.  I love lemurs and was thrilled that one of them used my foot as a resting spot on his way to the feeding area.  The tiny monkeys were so cute and full of character as well.  The little one above was determined to see what was behind the camera and I had a hard job keeping him in the lens!

Our belongings did not arrive last week...... cancelled by the company as their driver was injured and could not drive (what international company only has one driver on call???).  Getting a bit fed up with them and will be writing to the removalists board when this is all over.  Hopefully they will be delivering tomorrow.  No time given, just between 8am and 6pm.  Please all think of us and think of the delivery going ahead. 

I will be learning to stack firewood next week.  Our winter stocks have been ordered and are due on wednesday afternoon.  There is a method to stacking the wood, which I will be learning and having to accomplish in order to get it all ready for winter.  Ten steres due, which is a lot of wood!  Think it may take me a while.  Watch this space.....

Anyway, could go on for weeks about the fun week with the kidlets, but know they will be chatting to, emailing and postcarding everyone, so will not spoil their news.

No other news from me.  Will update in next week after firewood delivery.  Must remember to tell you about the peach bbq sauce that I made.  Absolutely delicious!!

Not quite fluffy dice.....

But you can find fluffy cat bottoms in there. 

Yes, he is inside my car.  The penalty for leaving the hatch open while unloading things.

Now of course it is a fun game to have one in and one out and to attack each other through the windscreen.

.....and yes, they do walk all over the car at will....grrrr.   My cute little red car is always covered in grubby cat paw prints.  Even though it is parked in the garage and is washed and kept in good condition - I always have their sweaty little fat feet leaving calling cards across the bonnet, windows and roof.  Nothing deters Guy, and of course what Guy does, Eric copies.