Cow Rescue

On Christmas day we arrived at Susie's sisters house in Herefordshire where the temperatures have barely risen above -5 for the past week and the snow is still thick on the ground. Within a few moments of arriving there was a phone call from a distressed neighbour who had discovered that two of the cows in the nearby field had fallen through the ice on a small lake and were stuck fast in the freezing water to their necks and unable to get out!

A rescue was quickly organised. With ropes, slings and harnesses, the farmer eventually getting in the water upto his waist, and plenty of strong hands we managed to pull the cows to safety.

Le 25 decembre nous sommes arrivé à la maison de la soeur de Susie en Herefordshire. La la temperature etait moins cinq ou moins pendant une semaine et il y a encore beaucoup de la neige. Quelques minutes aprés nous avons entré un voisin a nous appellé parce que deux vaches ont tombé dans un lac gélé. Elles ont totalement collé avec seulement leurs tetes au dessus la glace.

Nous nous sommes mobilisé vitement et venu au secours d'elles. Avec un chord, les sangles et de la force nous avons reussi.

Sledging

Plenty of snow here in Devon, probably more than at Quélébu right now! A good days sledging and snowball fighting on Dartmoor with Susie, Jasper and Ruby.

Beaucoup de la neige ici en Angleterre, peut-être plus que à Quélébu! Une belle journée avec le tobbogan et les boules de neige sur Dartmoor avec Susie, Jasper et Ruby.

Brrrr!

No Pointing

A day off from pointing today. After shopping for yet another oil pump drive wheel for the chainsaw (the second in two years), I cleared a dozen big pines that had fallen across a friends track in the snow last May blocking access to his spring. They were mostly hung up or suspended high above the ground so much care was required.

Then back home again to take down some of the fences dividing up the fields so I now have fewer but larger fields. It means the sheep need moving less often.

Après avoir commandé une autre pompe d'huile pour ma tronconeuse (la deuxieme en deux ans), J'ai dégagé une dizaine sapins qui ont tombé en traverse d'un chemin d'un copin. Ils etaient suspendre donc il faut de la prudence.

&Agrve; chez moi j'ai demonté les clotures qui partagent les prés, donc maintenant il y a moins prés, mais plus grands. Comme ça mes brebis pouvent rester plus long dans chaque pré.

Paradise

It's mid-December, there's hardly a cloud in the sky. The sun is shining, there's not a breathe of wind, the light is fantastic, the temperature has been in the mid twenties for most of the day and there's snow on the mountains. The only sounds are the sheep's bells and the distant baying of the hunter's dogs.

It's hard to imagine wanting to be anywhere else...but a new adventure is afoot. Even 6 months ago I could never have imagined it...but Love is a wonderful thing and it will never be anything but the first consideration in my life. For a period of a few years I may be dividing my time between Quelebu and another location...fingers crossed...exciting times!

C'est mi-decembre, il n'y a pas une nuage au ciel. Le soliel brille, le vent ne souffle pas, la lumiere est fantastique, le temps reste a peu pres vingt dégrées et il y a de la neige aux montagnes. Les seuls bruits sont les cloches de la brebis et les chiens du chasse.

Il est difficile d'imagine que je voudrais envie d'être ailleurs...mais une nouvelle aventure est proche. Il y a six mois je n'ai jamais pu l'imagine...mais l'amour est quelque chose merveilleux et toujours le plus important dans ma vie. Pendant quelques années je vais partager ma vie entre Quelebu et un autre pays...les temps passionnant.

Pointing

Beyond the 2 posts will be two bedrooms, with a third this side of the them.

Spent most of this week working at Pont de la Taule. The attic conversion into three bedrooms is the last major job. Work has started with the mountain of pointing required to the stone walls. I've realised that originally the ridge of the roof ran at 90 degrees to its current orientation. Low in the current gable wall is the old wall plate and the in the wall either side of the chimney the old gable end can still be seen in the stonework.

J'ai pris presque toute la journée à Pont de la Taule. La rénovation du grenier de faire 3 chambres est les derniers travaux. J'ai commencer avec la montagne de joints de boucher. Aussi j'ai aperçu que la fêtière en epoque etais dans l'autre sens de aujourd'hui. On peut voir la vieux sablière dans le pignon, et la pente du ancien toit à côté du cheminée.

Goldfinches in the garden

All change

I may have been skiing on Saturday but today the sun came out and temperatures have soared. The snow is melting fast. Today at Quelebu in the sun, the temperature peaked at 33 degrees. Looks like the same weather for the rest of the week.

C'est vrai que j'ai fait du ski le samedi dernier, mais aujourd'hui le soliel brille et la température montée. La neige fonds et à Quelebu il etais 33 dégrées.

Tuc de la Coume (ski)

A beautiful bright sunny day and with my man flu almost gone I couldn't resist a first outing on the skis. Tuc de la Coume is nearby and with the snow down to 300m it was sure to be in condition. In fact there was 15-30cm of lovely cold powder on top of the old snow and it was a glorious ski.

Unfortunately I picked up the wrong rechargeable batteries for the ski-cam (the uncharged ones) so every time I tried to film the batteries cut-out...doh!

Why does you-tube mess up all the careful synchronisation of music and video images?

Snow

Been snowing all day - maybe 4" here by mid afternoon. Tomorrow looking good for a ski-tour!

Lost

More snow overnight. Had an idea to make a short ski tour late this morning but the weather quickly closed in. Saturday looks like being crisp and clear.

Three lost goats have appeared at Quelebu...phoned around but can't seem to find out who they belong to. The black and white billy has a red colour and bell and an ear tag no. 5007