Squirrels

The first real opportunity to use the new telephoto lens (leica 100-400mm). Takes some getting used to, such a powerful telephoto but quite pleased with photos of the elusive red squirrel, they always stay far away unlike their much bolder grey cousins. The one in the last shot had been fighting with another pair and has a nasty injury on his nose...must have stuck it where it wasn't wanted!

 

More snow

Lots more snow the last few days and gite guests who didn't heed our advice that snow tyres, socks or chains were essential to get here. In the end we had to collect them and then at the end of their stay find chains for them. Fortunately John had an old pair that I managed to modify to fit their super large wide tyres. Guest seemed more worried that the chains might scratch his alloy wheels, than the safety of his family! 

Today it's sunny and the snow has stopped, though more forecast for next week.

Giant snow bear

A little wren finding some clear grass on a bank to hide in

 

Tuc de la Coume (again)

After yesterday's disaster on Joubac I was keen to get out again on the skis. A quick tour up and down Tuc de la Coume sufficed (2 hours up and down). With stable snow I made a solo trip, meeting 3 local skiers and a boarder on the summit. On the descent I accidentally mounted the camera on my helmet facing the wrong way!! Doh!

More snow

More snow yesterday, enough to tempt me to skin up Joubac and attempt to ski down, but there wasn't quite enough and instead I ended up snarled up in bracken stems just under the snow.

Today the sun has come out, a relief for the sheep and the wildlife. 

 

Tuc de la Coume

After the snow and continuing cold weather a chance to get out in it on skis and snowshoes. As Sheri and Michiel, Becks and Kev, don't have 4x4 we started from Navée above Ercé, rather than driving in from Cominac on the piste which always snowed up. A bit more ascent to make but we donned skis/snowshoes from the car.

Very cold until about midday, when the sun made an appearance and began to warm us. The summit was very chilly with a biting wind so we descended quickly for lunch in the sun a little above the trees.

The first 50m or so of descent wasn't fun to ski as the snow was compacted by the wind and a little crusty but after that is was glorious!

Our lunch spot

 Telephoto of our tracks close to the summit taken from just above Quélébu the following day.

Bouirex on skis

 

Another trip up Bouirex, this time on skis. A couple of laps up to the transmitter and down through the trees before skiing back to the main road (Seix - Col de le Core). Powdery on the first descent getting heavier by the second and very heavy low down. Although there's not so much snow, I only hit a rock under the snow once and that was crossing the piste which heads to the transmitter...a deep gouge in the base now repaired.

 Susie's first ski lesson...me pushing her up and down the deck on skis! Susie was in hysterics.

Stroll up Joubac

A stroll up Joubac this afternoon to see the state of the Snow.

Aleu, Coumarba and Valier

The road to Quélébu

Pic Montaud to Tuc de Berbegué

Pic Caumale and Pic rouge de Bassies

Pic de la Journalade

The loom conversion taking shape

 

It's a white Christmas at Quélébu

 

Col Dret and Tuc de la Coume with Golden Eagle

It was a very long way away and despite several sightings of birds that I thought were juvenile Golden Eagles (all in this area), I think this is my first definite sighting of an Adult.

The sighting was on another snowshoe walk today from the Etang de Lers towards the Tuc de la Coume via the Col Dret. A late start and a leisurely lunch in the glorious sunshine meant we didn't quite make it, stopping at Tuc de Ramonet before heading for home. Sheri and Michiel (recently returned) accompanied us.

Sun cream obligatory

 

Loom conversion counterbalance to countermarch

My loom is a 4 shaft counterbalance loom but in order to weave more complicated patterns and fabrics I've decided to increase the number of shafts to 8. Whilst it's possible to have 8 shafts on a counterbalance loom, there are limitations and so I've decided to convert the loom to a countermarch loom. So I'm currently building (from scraps and an old table) 4 pedals, 8 lower lams, 4 upper lams, 4 shafts and the countermarch assembly with its 16 levers. There's not much information on the web so I'm working from photos of countermarch looms and my own mechanical knowledge.

Cap de Bouirex

Cap de Bouirex Dec 2020 from Danse Ariege on Vimeo.

Goldcrest

Trading in my wide angle lens to get a bit more reach and quality with a second hand telephoto lens...this photo is OK but still a bit blurry and required a heavy crop, so hoping a new lens will help me achieve better results.

All done!