The English Paysanne

OK I got it wrong, today I mixed  cement for the little ramp to go inside the hanger for the cows to come in and out. Just like a cake mix with sandy gravel, cement and water all in kind of specific quantities (if you remember to count the number of shovels you put in), personally I think I know may prefer the ready made type to make your own.  Thankfully there was not loads and load to wheelbarrows full to mix, enough for me to make a perfect first mix a couple of dodgy wetter ones and a few too dry ones or so the boss said. Still that bits done, just need to fill all the dips and holes on the drive which has washed away due to the wet weather, a job for tomorrow apparently.

Yesterday Tempete used the new cat crate I had brought (in the hope that it wouldn't get used) to visit the vets.He had a problem with his front paw in that he was lifting it up and hobbling around, thinking there was a thorn or something stuck in his pad, which was a bit puffy off we went to see if the vet could see anything. Turns out it wasn't a thorn as on closer inspection he has a problem with his back paw as well, looking the same, bit reddish and puffy. Cat and dog medical books were brought out in, photos of his paws were sent to a dermatologist as the vet thought it was pododermatite plasmocytaire féline (French) or feline plasma cell pododermatis (English ) or in easy words common name spongy paws. you can read about it  here if you wish. His on a 10 day course of steroids which hopefully will start to sort him out, then back in ten days for paw check. Why we can't have cats that have normal problems I don't know, still it has been good for the vet...

A moment from the week at La Singlarie We have had a bit of a mixed weather week, The colours of Autumn are lovely when the sun shines but a bit depressing when it is foggy and damp.

 So as not to have a repeat of last years flooded hanger it was decided a bit of cement was needed to stop the water and hopefully make it a bit easier in the winter mud for the cattle to come into the hanger. Farmer J had been fiddling around with mud and levels for quiet a while but today saw the delivery of READY MADE CEMENT, this meant no wheel barrows, gravel , cement bags, spades water or cement mixers and in theory me to mix it. I was however collard in to moving a rake around, think I was needed for my cake icing skills as mixing cement is just like making as big cake i think, although not as tasty it is all in the gravel/ cement/water ratio. So it was with great pleasure to watch ready mixed cement come out of a shoot, the pump was needed as the lorry couldn't get near enough. The pump lorry did manage to get stuck in the mud when reversing to leave due to its drivers lack of driving skills so an hour after he should of left he was towed out b...

A moment from the week at La Singlarie With Farmer J away we, Freya and I have been left in charge of the cows - and pigs, chickens, ducks, sheep, donkeys, cats and Sorrel. And we managed! (with lots of chocolate - for us not the animals)

Mr Trump and Tempete All ready Waiting My only  firework shot, I know rubbish! Burn Trumpy burn Action shot Never to old for a sparkler Another La Singlarie bonfire night was spent eating, drinking, watching fireworks, lighting sparklers (you are never too old) and seeing Mr Trump go up in flames, he had a bit of a problem with his hair having a flap at the back then sliding off his face, maybe he has a wig in real life? He went up in flames pretty quickly. Thank you Freya for making his papier mache head. A meal of French onion soup, cassoulet and sausages with treacle sponge pudding and creme Anglaise for dessert warmed us up in the gite ready to stand in the damp (or that could of been the mulled wine before hand), thankfully the rain stopped just before. Now for the washing up and tidying away.

At the moment we have two young heifer cows in with a three year old steer in the hanger. One of the girls had a bit of an accident today, she lost the outside of her horn, which I am presuming came away after getting it stuck in the metal bars while one of the others pushed into her, it has happened before, cows loosing their horns and the outside layer of the horn was in the hay trough. They do grow back all eventually but think it must hurt a bit. Yes there was a bit of blood, it took a while to stop but being a brave cow she is carrying on as normal - easting hay. We had to separate them from the herd as the steer will soon be going off but he just will not eat his cereal. He wouldn't eat it last year either I think he may prefer coco pops. As there is not a lot of goodness in the grass that's left in the fields and a bit of a scrum at the hay feeders his had to come in to make sure his eating enough hay. He will be here for a fortnight before he leaves, the girls...