That time of year again

June, it's a busy time of year with lots of different things needing attention on the farm. The gites are occupied so deep cleaning has been needed with the gardens also needing attention, grass is growing at an incredible rate, good for the pigs as they eat the clippings not good for me as I end up hot, sweaty and with green feet due to getting too hot and having to wear the faithful summer Birkenstock's I love so well.

The hay is ready to be cut, farmer J has to grease up the machines while keeping an eye on the weather forecast for five days of unbroken sun/ dry weather in order to cut, turn, return, line up and bail.

Also ready to cut are the sheep's fleeces, when we had a small herd a sheerer done the job for 2 Euros a piece, a bargain for the amount of time and back ache farmer J suffered from but now with only two old girls, one who's fleece probably counts as half a fleece now as bits are falling off her as I write we would be hard pushed for a shearer to come out just for ten minutes work using electric shears not like the hand shears farmer J uses (which takes a bit longer). So this evening after feeding time Miss fatty had her locks cut, living up to her name she is a big girl, with a few rolls of fat (like us all) so weighs quiet a weight, which as she relaxes turns into a dead weight leaning on farmer J as he shears. She will be a lot happier come tomorrow when it is suppose to be hot and continuing for the week. Robs ewe will be trimmed tomorrow morning after feeding time and before breakfast for us apparently.

I haven't seen the veggie garden this week so will be needing to do a complete weed over, hoping those pesky rabbits have kept away or failing that eaten the weeds and not the tender veg I am trying to grow.

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Demounting a hanger

Farmer J has brought a second hand hanger. It's an extension to be added on to the farms hanger which up to last year housed the cows in 2/3rds and hay in the other 1/3. As we now have more cattle and calves the hay space is being converted to house the cattle giving them full access to it. Only thing is the extension has to be dismantled (and erected when planning permission is granted). He managed to take down the road crash barriers on the side of it but need my gophering skills today to start taking off the roof. Cold, foggy and damp it was a bit chilly standing around however we did have a visitor, a old lady hunt dog. Once fed and watered (doesn't everyone carry dog food in their car or is it just me?) she found a draught free spot between the hay bales to have a sleep before being called back to her hunter once hunting had finished. So a 1/3 of the roof is down with the rest to be completed on Monday ready for the metal structure to follow.

Parisot lake

As it is a holiday today here in France (Bastille Day) we took the afternoon off an popped over to Parisot lake for a walk with Sorrel. It has all changed, since the lake was emptied and cleaned up this year you can now swim in it, as well as inflatable toys to play on, a life guard, bikes to hire, a new fenced in play area for small people and a total spruce up. But there is a price we were charged! 3 euros an adult, which I guess is OK if you are using the facilities but Sorrel didn't fancy a dip. The cafe is still open but that would of been too much for Sorrel to cope with being so close to people and music so we opted for a bench to sit on in the shade before walking around the lake. Sorrel opted for being Billy no mates and laying by herself, if be it for a short period of time before bikes and people went by. We are now waiting for the free firework celebrations over the chateau tonight - if we can stay up that late.😃

2ENJ093 - FRANKLIN

Eight years ago today Franklin came into our family, a rescue dog from the SPA in Rodez we drove to see if they had a dog to re home. He had been there a month after being left tied to a bin in the town centre, chosen because he didn't bark, he came to us to say hello and was completely different from the dog we had lost days before Christmas. 120 Euros he cost, a young boy still a pup, very thin but with a look of take me home please. A collar put round his neck, forms completed, cheque handed over and a kiss from the manager and he was ours. Five minutes down the road in the car he threw up. Five minutes in the house and he had weed up the settee and collected an assortment of treasures including socks, toilet roll inner tubes, tissues and soft toys all placed in a pile under the table and garded. He ate at an amazing speed, fearing he would loose it to our other dogs. Then he started to bark, he has a fine bark on him. He barks for his tea, when a visitor arrives, the ...

The English Paysanne

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