Snow!

Ruby was here for a week, relaxing and regaining her energy after a short spell in hospital whilst her epilepsy drugs were changed. Lots of sun and a few strolls in the forest was just what the doctor ordered!

The day after she left the snow arrived. Fortunately just a few inches, but the cold weather has damaged the kiwis and killed many of out tender seedlings which had just been planted outside.

After the snow

Temperatures have now returned to normal and we've been busy replacing and adding to out plants.

Shellie and the chicks were let out of their special rearing coop (which I hastily built the day before the eggs hatched) for a stroll around the main chicken run (the other chickens and the rooster we're locked out). A dust bath for Shellie and taste of grass for the chicks!

The weather here has been exceptional for the past fortnight - mid twenties every day...but snow is forecast for Wednesday night/Thursday morning at Quélébu. The trees are now in leaf so lets hope it's not as catastrophic as the May snow of 2010.

Chicks are hatching!!

Four chicks for our hen Shellie, who has been sitting for the past 3 weeks. She had a dozen or so eggs under her but we only expected 5-6 chicks as these the others she's manage to collect from the other hens over the 3 weeks. In the end, once she had 4 chicks she quickly abandoned the other eggs.

Cap de Bouirex

A long overdue stroll into the mountains with John, Sophie and Pierre. Cap de Bouirex gave us a snow free walk and an excellent view of the amount of snow still in the mountains. A lot of red kites wheeling over the summit. 

Back at Quélebu log splitting and field fencing continues.

We're fully booked for the 3 weeks of Easter, so other than change-overs we've been able to spend our time doing something other than building the gite. I had to launch straight into some Architecture commissions which were overdue, then tidy up some fallen trees before the annual job of repair, replace and re-fix the fencing to the fields - almost complete. We may have sheep soon!

Susie started giving contemporary dance classes in Saint Girons. Just a couple of people at her first class, but hopefully she'll double that today.

All done!!

Well almost! There's always a few small things to finish aren't there, but we have 2 bookings already through air b'n'b. Next week we'll build our own website and get some more listings.