When the wind blew

Last night and today has been a little windy in these parts. The apple tree I purchased at the supermarket five years ago trunk sadly took a battering and broke last night, it hadn't grown any apples this year, maybe it knew it's time was up.

The veggie patch still needs major work, I need a big chunk of time to completely weed, manure and cover over with black plastic for the winter. Although I must find a spot for garlic and broad beans which needed to be planted soon (after I have brought said cloves and seeds).

The few kale plants that survived are now looking quiet healthy, pumpkins will be in short supply after planting courgettes instead, even they were eaten by the pigs and plants trampled by the sheep after a break through the gate.

Parsnips are going to be a winter staple I feel along with Jerusalem artichokes which are growing everywhere on the farm. This could be down to Gorgons love of them (which I planted) and the odd stray tuber being thrown to pigs but now being found. The up side is they have lovely flowers, the down is they are very hard to get rid of ( I always manage to leave a bit of a tuber in the ground and as they are so easy to grow that's what they do each year). Of course the other down side is they make you very windy, best to eat without company.

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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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