Cabane d'Eychelle from Col de la core, Ruby and lambs

Ruby has arrived for long stay and we've been treating her to the joys of rural life. Plenty of cuddles with out three little lambs!

Iggy, Nattie and Pachuli

On walks we've heard but not seen the Golden Oriole and a medium spotted woodpecker has it's nest with young near the Pla d'Artigue.

On Saturday we ventured into the mountains on a short walk from the Col de la Core to the Cabane d'Eychelle. There's still a fair bit of snow and after the cabane snowshoes or crampons would be advisable

Etang d'Eychelle in the background

The Etang d'Eychelle is still partially frozen but it was alive with mating frogs.

When we got home in the early afternoon it was clear that Barley was getting ready for labour. We moved the sheep to the shelter field. Barley separated herself from the flock but allowed a visit from Louise (who is now blind and very old). We realised that Louise is Barley's mother. At about 8.45 she gave birth to a little male lamb, who we called Louis. We got mother and baby safely in the barn just before dark...fortunately as ruby saw the fox shortly afterwards, obviously attracted by the baby lambs first cries.

 

Goodbye Misty 2019-2026

Our oldest hen "misty" has been ill for the last four days. Like a lot of old hens she developed water belly. Proud to the end, she let us put her in the porch in a box with straw, but refused food and water (except for the occasional sip) and met her end with dignity. 

lots of tawny mining bees around the bugle, this female is much larger and brighter than the male

A red squirrel hanging upside down to reach the blossom

 

Trials and tribulations of lambing

Lambing season is upon us and first up was Sasha who managed a straightforward birth of her male lamb Iggy without any intervention on Tuesday. A couple of days later Truffle had another boy overnight who we named Bonbon. But the following morning he'd vanished. We searched everywhere but probably a fox had jumped the electric fence and taken him...heartbreaking.

Yesterday Inkling had her first baby, another boy whowe named Nattie. This time we locked mother and baby in the bergerie overnight and will do the same again tonight. 

Today at about 12.30 Trudy's waters broke, but two hours later she still couldn't push the baby out. We called the vet but they had no one available to help. The lamb was normally presented (nose and front feet first) but Trudy was too small - this is her first baby. I called my friend Paul in the Mendips who also has sheep and he suggested sticking a couple up fingers up her bum, feeling for the back of the head and exerting a little downward pressure to pop the lambs head out. It worked a treat and once the head was out in a few minutes she managed to give birth to a little ewe. Mother and baby are safely in the barn.

Sasha and Iggy

Poor Truffle and her baby that was taken

Trudy and Pätchuli

Inkling and Nattie

Couple of captures from the camera trap

Red deer

Badgers

 

First lamb of the spring

 

Scorchio!

Beautiful weather this week, vegetable garden preparation underway

 

Weaving courses starting in May

 

Latest weave

A networked twill I designed in silk and merino

 

Update

The big poplar tree is now logged and stacked, a good part of winter's firewood in a single tree!

The short and difficult to find morel muchroom season is upon us and a couple of successful trips so far.

Ten years ago a huge project put the electrical cables between Biech and the Col de Boulogne underground because of the high number of power outages that were caused by trees falling on the line.  This required the creation of 2km of steep track through the woods carved out of the hillside.  To cross the river Enedis created a steel footbridge with the cables crossing beneath it - evidently the trees have had the last laugh.

 

Birthday Snowshoe and bear tracks

Outstanding weather for my birthday So susie and I put on our snowhoes and headed up Cap de Bouirex for lunch. Crazy hot and only a couple of skiers and a runner seen all day.

On the way down we crossed some fresh bear tracks in the snow, probably made earlier that morning!

 

Weaving barn building works complete

Back room for fleece processing and wool storage

Middle room for dyeing and small batch processing

Main teaching space awaiting the looms

 

Susie's 60th

Downstairs in the weaving barn was finished just intime for Susie's birthday. Family and friends came from far and wide for the party - about 50 in total!

 

Storm clear up

After over a week of storms and torrential rain the clear up begins. Two trees each about 30m down in separate fields....this one is a poplar which fell on the bailer, the other (less accessible) is an ash. There have been many landslides including one which has cut us off from saint girons which we narrowly missed being in! They have been working to clear it for three days...hopefully tomorrow the road will open.

In the mountains the snow is over 3m deep....the best for at least 5 years.

weaving barn progress

The end is in sight! One more day of chaux chanvre to go, then the second fix joinery (skirting boards and architraves) and final connections of plumbing can be done. 

There's still the floor to be tiled in the back room and some decorating to today but all should be ready for Susie's birthday party.