The English Paysanne

It is heating up here in the south west of France, this week a heat wave is on the forecast with temperatures predicted of 35 degrees on Wednesday, which probably means  little higher in the sun - ouch far to hot to be outside. With hardly any rain predicted on the long range forecast farmer J is getting a tad worried that the grass will dry out, which it is already starting to do and the cows will be eating hay a while before winter. Worrying we will not have enough hay to last through to next year as although it has been a OK year it has not been as good as last year he has looked to cut and make a bit more.  A hay field at La contie owned by a horse breeder (hay not good enough for the horses) has been cut turned and tonight baled as well as couple of fields en route, owned by a lovely old French couple who took Milo and Franklin in many years ago when they were out on a "run". They were so nice Milo wasn't fussed about leaving and I'm sure he would of q

A moment from the week at La Singlarie It's a hard life being a pet pig.

Our hay is nearly finished, two more fields are lined up and ready to be baled and the field where the donkeys have been has been cut, turned and lined ready to be bailed tomorrow for pig bedding as this field has a few too many docks and nettles that the cows will not eat. Farmer J has worked his socks off over at La Contie and cutting our fields this year. Many farmers cut on Thursday, including farmer J. Friday it rained - a lot. But as it had only been cut the hay will be OK. Once turned to dry it then goes pants up if rained on, but no more rain is for casted, its been pretty hot so on with baling. After dog walking this evening I came back to see not only farmer J with the new round baler in the field but also our friend down the road, Alex with his old square baler making a line of square bales.  The sight brought a bit of a sweat over me, those memories of hot hard work but I thought I better go and help ( it was only one and a half  lines of little squares)

A moment from the week at La Singlarie Not a chance of anything growing around here, bad enough with the wildlife now Fizz is out to get the herbs (with Franklin eating the well rotted cow poo that I planted them with).

A moment from the week at La Singlarie Another year older, not so sure I'm any wiser.

Another lucky four of our herd left La Singlarie for the 7 km drive to our rented land at La Contie for a summer break of  eating grass and relaxing listening to the birds and wildlife, for that's all you can really hear in this peaceful part of the Aveyron, there is an occasional car or tractor that passes by but not a lot else. Unlike the first four that left these four, 2 cows and 2 young steers took no time at all getting into the trailer where they walked calmly in to eat the hay we had put down.Once shut in they were off on their travels.Once at the end they were happy to leave walking down the ramp into the field to meet Mona our eldest and chief cow with 3 steers. Mona gave a bit of chasing around gaining her authority over the newbies but after a few minutes all calmed down and got down to being a small herd and munching the grass left over from being cut for hay before all are moved in a couple of days to a new field, just have to put up more elect

A moment from the week at La Singlarie Sorrel found Gorgons pig bucket and Fizz's food bowl both on the window ledge .

Yesterday, here in France was Mothers Day. I was spoilt with both Miss F and Master C coming back home with presents and a meal cooked by them in the evening. Smellies from Lush, an essential oil diffuser and from the dogs chocolate and heavy legs roll on relief. Heavy legs is a  condition probably only suffered by the french where your legs feel heavy. There are lotions and potions especially for them at the chemist. I picked up a leaflet once, it seems that life is the cause of them. Shopping, walking, standing still, sitting for too long all could contribute. So the dogs brought me a cure just in case those dog walks get too much. As Master C was working at l'air du temp restaurant in Najac for the lunch serving and farmer J was cutting hay Miss F and Me plus the dogs met him over at Le Contie, our rented land for a impromptu picnic. It is so peaceful there. A lovely meal of trio of cold soups followed by duck and chocolate fondant with homemade mint ice cream we