Hay making

Before

After

Time to make hay. Hard work early this morning cutting the grass and flowers in field 2, but now it's down tossing it about is easy. It was hot today, but this evening Meteo France revised their forecast and now it looks like rain for Thursday. I'll probably throw it up into a haycock Wednesday night then take it down and let it dry a little more when the rain has passed. That's the beauty of a haycock - if I had to bale it, it would either be wet or ruined by being out too long.

Angleterre

I have just returned from a 5 day trip to the UK. Managed to decorate the flat from top to bottom, fit new tiled splashbacks in the kitchen, fix the bathroom light, varnish the floors, replace the copings on the shed, regrout the shower, clean, sell/swap and deliver the remaining contents (mostly furniture), catch up with family and friends and meet a potential thatcher to discuss details....needless to say I'm knackered!

The 22 hour non-stop drive back has just about wiped me out. It would have been quicker, but I was daydreaming and missed the Orleans turn off, ending up in Blois. I cut across country to pick up the autoroute again at Chatereaux, but nearly ran out of petrol in the middle of nowhere. As always happens when I have an open top trailer of stuff on tow, it rained heavily; from Limoges onwards. It was a spectacular electrical storm, but made for difficult driving.

The pigs are bigger, as are the vegetables and ferns (though I've cut the latter down already). Fortunately, the last week has been warm and mostly dry, so the mud has gone.

...and I have my planning approvals - in writing - yippee!

Mud, mud, glorious mud.

After the hottest, dryest April on record we must have had the wettest May. Lots of mud, especially with the pigs churning it up. The soil here is the stickiest of clays and clings to my boots (tools, gloves, clothes, etc.) in great dustbin lids of heavy gluup! Recommenced some of the barn rebuilding. Levelled the floor which is clay. Its like quicksand - you stick in it then it sucks you under. The wall rebuilding is benefitting however, as I'm only using stones and mud and though it's really sticky it much easier to squish between the stones when it's like 'plasticene'. It sets like concrete.

French Bureaucracy Update

The planner at the DDE refuses to write a letter, moreover she won't even give me a photocopy of the application marked 'sans opposition' depite me explaining my predicament - so the mayor won't write a letter. The notaire will just have to take my word for it or speak to the DDE himself. No wonder nothing ever gets done here. I blame Napoleon!

Bracken eradication

My latest thoughts on 'organic' fern eradication:

At the moment I'm scything every few days - this seems to be resulting in more and more shoots (presumably the fern rhyzomes are desparately trying to put up some ferns). In early June (when I'm in England) no scything will happen and presumably there'll be a multitude of young ferns when I get back. I hope there are so many that the sugar stores in the rhyzomes will be exhausted by the volume of new growth. Mid-June I'll cut everything back to the ground. No doubt there be some regrowth so I'll follow the same procedure, generally cutting when the ferns are as high as possible but not yet in leaf. Perhaps early July and the end of July. I'll continue to use garlic which I suspect works a bit like a mild form of 'roundup' - the garlic juice descending via the cut stem and reacting with the rhyzome. If there are no leaves to replenish the sugar supplies in the rhyzomes and no ferns are allowed to reach maturity and spread spores, I reckon they have to die out...eventually.

French bureaucracy

A frustrating day! I went to the DDE to enquire about my declaration de travaux for the barn (planning permission). A note on the door explained that the office had moved to a secret location in St G. After half an hour of searching I found the undercover portacabin hidden behind the Chambre de Agriculture. The female planning officer was very helpful and fetched my dossier.

"Yes, there has been no objections in the two month period following your submission", she announced.
"So it is approved?", I asked.
"The DDE don't approve declaration de travaux", she explained, "but there had been no objections".
"So 'in effect' I have permission?"
"Yes".

I phoned the notaire to give him the good news that the sale could go ahead.

"Good, but I need a written confirmation of the approval from the Mairie before we can proceed", he replied.

I went to the Mairie and explained to the secretary that I had been to the DDE and there were no objections. She knew, she phoned them this morning. I explained that the notaire needed a letter - could she write me one? I saw a look of fear on her face. I rephrased the question.

"Could the Mayor write me a letter?"

The look didn't go away. The Mayor wasn't there and to answer the question she would have needed to have made a decision. In France there are only 4 groups of people who can make decisions.

"Is it important?" she asked (she knew it was). "I can only write you a letter if the DDE return your dossier to me stamped 'sans objection', which they've not done. Normally they do".
"Perhaps they've forgotten" I suggested, "Couldn't you telephone them now and remind them to send it to you?"

The look of fear was still there. In France only someone who is clearly your superior can ask you to do something (and of course their superior would have to have asked them and so on and so on) - I guessed she was out-ranked by the planner.

"Maybe" she proposed, "you should go to the DDE office in person and ask them to send it to me, it'll be quicker".

Unfortunately the DDE isn't open on Monday (it's the fourth bank holiday this month) so now it'll have to wait until Tuesday.

Who are the four groups of people able to make decisions in France?

1. Monsieur Le President.
2. Farmers - they answer to no-one, apparently a 2 year City and Guilds in Agriculture puts you above the law (I'm thinking of enrolling).
3. Lorry drivers - like farmers they answer to no-one.
4. Notaires - they seem to be able to grant you anything with a stroke of their pen.

Pigs

As the pigs get bigger they're getting more adept at destroying the pasture. So it's time to rest the new field and get them in fields 1 (now fenced) and 2 permanently. Unfortunately their ark is in the new field and I can't move it until the trees are sawn up (probably 1-2 months time if I opt for a local guy with a mobile sawmill - easier than using an Alaskan mill but I'll wait to see his price!).

A complex array of electric fences is the solution. Meantime the new pasture is already 18" high and needs to be cut. If we get enough dry weather I'll scythe it for hay. Long term I need some grazers - probably a few sheep. The pigs don't eat enough grass to keep it under control. Fields 2, 3 and 4 are slowly turning to grass - 3 and 4 need raking to expose the soil to the grass seeds which are now beginning to blow around. This technique seems to be working in field 2. It's all 'intelligent' guess work really.

The ferns continue to infest everything and I keep cutting them down (with a bit of garlic wiped on the scythe blade which I'm assured helps eradicate them). With a forth coming 10 day trip to the UK, at the current rates of growth, I'll return to a forest!

Nightingale

So far so good for the blue tits.

Also found a Nightingales' nest in the bank between fields 2 and 3 with three small chicks in it. I see the Nightingale dart out everytime I pass so thought there must be a nest there somewhere. Amazingly it's just 18 inches off the ground built on some tree roots

Port de Materat

Yesterday a walk with Sandrine my neighbour. We had loosely planned Pic de Seron but Sandrine brought their young border Collie and there's a section of via ferrata (not suitable for dogs) so we changed to the Port de Materat (2217m on the spanish border). The path climbs through a succession of hanging valleys with tremendous high waterfalls and deep ravines everywhere you look. The waterfall at the head of the Valley Ossese (see 04 Feb 2007 blog post) is only the start. After 3-4 hours we reached the col and gazed into Spain as the storm clouds began arrive.

On the descent we decided to take a different path via the Cabane de Crusous and the Cabane de l'Arrech - clearly marked on the map but alas not on the ground after the Cabane de Crusous. By the time we reached the Cabane de l'Arrech it had completely disappeared and we tried to follow the map for the steep descent. At first we traversed too far north and were marooned on a high steep face. Re-tracing our steps we finally found the correct descent to the river. Here there was no way across. Perhaps at the end of the summer the river is low enough to boulder hop across or maybe there was once a bridge. Imagine the rapids in the film "River Wild" or "Deliverance" only a little smaller. After some initial abortive attempts to find a place to cross we decided there was only two ways out: either retrace our steps to beyond the Cabane Crusous and then follow our route of ascent back to the car (600m of pathless ascent and a long way), or try to find a way up the Ravine to a higher bridge. We plumped for the later but after maybe an hour of successively more difficult and precarious traverses high above the torrent below it was clear we were getting nowhere. In fact we risked ending up getting trapped on some crumbling ledge unable to reverse our ascent! Cautiously we managed to return to the crossing place. It was already 5.30 and we now had little opportunity but to attempt a crossing.

Sandrine managed to get across using submerged boulders and a fallen tree without being swept away (after a few hundred meters the river crashes over a 120m vertical cascade). I quickly followed but we still had to get the dog across. It tried to follow but was nearly swept away, just managing to hang onto a rock and then clawing its way back to safety (still on the other side of the river to us). There was no option I had to recross, then standing knee deep in the water braced against the fallen tree I managed to attach the dogs lead, then man handle her across. Wet, but glad to be finally across, an hour an half descent took us back to the car - a long 10 hour day!

Today the blue tits which have been nesting in the wall of the house finally left the nest - but only as far as the garden. The parents are still feeding them, but there are 3 or 4 baby birds in the undergrowth not yet able to fly. I hope they make it through the next few days without the neighbours cat getting them!

Visitor

Leon crazy for tea

Leon has been here for few days. On Friday we went for a walk 'cross country' through the woods (once fields) between my house and Pentussa, discovering lots of barns and collecting a 'chicken of woods' fungus which we had for supper. On Saturday it rained (so the planned walk was cancelled) so instead a trip to the market in St G, a bit of work at the new house, then at last fitting a radio in the car. Leon left this morning so after the sun and rain of the last few days it was time to scythe all the fields, dig another veg patch and plant leeks, brussels and carrots, thin out the onions and shallots and paint the final coat of paint on four of the six repaired windows.

I might just have time to plant some tomato plants I bought in the market before bed, in which case I can go for a walk in the mountains tomorrow - weather permitting.

Orchids

So many flowers at the moment it's hard to keep up! Loads of orchids in the field opposite the house - here's one of my favourites the small flowered tongue orchid

Port de Salau

Mont Rouch (Roig) from just below the Port.

Climbed up to the Port de Salau for a brief excursion in to Spain. Although it was very hot, a gale blew and towards the col I could hardly stand up. It's a long time since I was here last with Oliver (1994?) - then we descended in a storm after a long day walk from the Estagnous hut. A dozen or so new flowers were photographed for the collection.

Property

The house

The barn

Been lovely and hot for the past week (in the low 30's) and I've been mostly rebuilding and glazing windows from the latest property project. Having sold the flat in Bath, I've bought a house and barn in a little hamlet not too far away from Quelebu. The structure is weathertight and sound but everything else needs doing - septic tank, plumbing, electricity, kitchen, bathroom and decoration. The price was unbelievable and too good to resist. The plan is to renovate it next year (mostly) and then rent it out.

Still no news on the planning permission, I think I'm going to have to do the chasing myself as the Mairie in Aleu have failed to do so for the past 3 weeks.

Have had a blocked ear and awful earache for a couple of days (which has driven me mad). So today I syringed it. Wow, I never knew my little ear canal could hold so much wax. Still a bit blocked (I think it's a bit inflammed) so hopefully tomorrow all will be back to normal.

Hot, hot

Have had a couple of days out on the mountain bike, doing tours around Aleu.

Today was hot, even now at 7.30pm it's still 26 in the shade. Reglazed some windows, lit some fires in field no 1, fern patrol (they're growing 11" a day!), checked up on the planning permissions (should find out tomorrow).

Tomorrow should be cooler, perhaps a day in the mountains?

Columbine

I found a wild columbine today, its the most amazing flower about the size of a daffodil but much prettier. In the morning a trip to St G to get the keys to latest addition to the property empire (more later).

In the afternoon I finished clearing field No 1. Some more bonfires to light, fencing to complete, then the pigs can get at it!

Xmas present

The christmas present was delivered today - it's a fishing game. Each piece has a point score to reflect the difficulty of catching it (though sometimes the score is arbitary) and there are bonus points for the largest catch. All in all it's a complex game and quite difficult. The kids loved it though there were several tantrums and walk-outs! I think the adults liked it more - Claude, John and Sandrine in the picture above. Nethertheless Natasha (the youngest) won both games.

After several days of heavy rain, today was dry and I took advantage of the cool weather to clear 80% of field No 1 - the last to be cleared. Onions, shallots and potatoes are now all up, only the maize to go. It'll soon be time to plant the remaining crops.

Fresh snow

After the rain of the last few days (and this morning) there's plenty of fresh snow on the mountains (30cm at the Port d'Aula) and it even sleeted here early this morning. By the afternoon the sun was shining again.

The pigs got their first excursion into field No 2 (or at least a part of it). It took some bribery to move them - suddenly they're reluctant to 'escape'. Last years' acorns lying under the hedges soon had them feeling more enthusiastic.

The brambles have called in reinforcements in the shape of ferns. Having dug their massive carbohydrate packed roots out of the vegetable patch I know these boys mean business! They go from breaking the soil surface, to 16" high leafed plant, in about 72 hours. If you leave it this long they're already getting woody stems. Action has to be within 48 hours when they're oh so easy to de-head. So scything is very frequent at the moment, though most mornings it's just fern patrol.

Wild flowers

A quick tally today and I already have 70 different wild flowers (not including ferns, grasses, sedges, trees, etc) in my photo collection and it's not even May yet.

Today the french beans came up - my first vegtables!

Basketry

The crane, ready to lift some big rocks!

Here's the maize and potato patch with the huge pile of roots that came out of the left hand half at the second pass (the vegetable patch is about 9' x 35' (3m x 11m))

The onion, shallot and french bean patch - still no signs of activity.

This morning I planted the maize, then I collected some hazel shoots and made a giant basket (more than 2 feet or 60 cm in diameter), not sure what it's for yet!

General stuff

A beautiful lily (as yet unidentified) which I saw on my mountain walk.

Over the past few days I've cleared field No 5 (the lowest one heading down to the river which I worked on with Alastair), felling some trees and scything the undergrowth - it evens looks like a field now! The trees were used to construct an A frame crane (photo tomorrow) to help lift the stones with which to rebuild the barn (when and if I ever get my 'declaration travaux' approved by the DDE).

The maize patch has been de-rooted and is ready for planting tomorrow.

I gave John a crash course in chainsaw use and maintainance on Friday morning and the afternoon made a return visit to my neighbours at Coumelary with Claude and Susan. They baked me a lovely cake and I learnt a little more Occitan or 'patois'.

This morning I went to the market in St Girons and in the afternoon I serviced my mountain bike. I hope to do some of the waymarked routes in and around Aleu, soon.

Pic de Lasirouge

Whilst most of the Ariege sat under a blanket of low cloud today, I was above it in the sun! I climbed Pic de Lasirouge (the central one in the photo) via a typical Ariege arete of compact rock and vegetation, with a little snow thrown in for good measure. I was hoping to make the peak to the right but rumbles of thunder sent me scurrying back along the ridge. On the left is Mont Valier. A modest 1300m of ascent but the first walk in along time.

Sub-aqua pigs

The door panels found in the old bog - after plenty of elbow grease

Close up of the carving on each door

Another beautiful hot day. Plenty of the usual work going on with chainsaw and scythe. The pigs have started scuba diving. Arrived at the field to find no pigs but a constant bubbling sound. In the pond, two pairs of ears breaking the surface. Idiots!

The chickens went 'free range' to day with no mishaps and they even went back into the run without any chasing.

Tomorrow a day off in the mountains.

More visitors

This morning I loaded up the trailer with some of the junk from the barn. The path to the fields has a tangle of electrical wire in one of the hedgerows which has been bugging me ever since I bought Quelebu, so I decided to remove it. It took forever, because it was half buried and tangled in brambles. As a consequence I had to de-bramble the area behind the wood shed which has been inaccessible until now. Turns out this is the old toilet (long since disused so no pong). Half an old door which had a tap fixed to it (alas not plumbed in) is a beautifully carved oak panel door (photo tomorrow). Definitely worth restoring, if only the whole door was there.

My fingers are constantly full of bramble splinters, often deep tiny arrowheads only 1/2 to 1/4 mm long but painful. Usually I have to prod around with a needle, tears in my eyes, until I can get them out. Anyone know a way of encouraging them out less painfully?

Before going to the dump I finished half the remaining hurdle fencing to field no 2. Its amazing how much wood this uses.

In the afternoon I had visitors from Coumelary, one of the hamlets between Aleu and Quelebu. The extended family came to see the pigs and all my works. They were very complimentary of all my efforts. Claude turned up, so we all retired to Quelebu for l'apero. They're all looking for a young pretty french wife for me - hurry up is all I can say!

Philippe and Celine's neighbours, Alain and his family are also here at the moment, so Quelebu is full for the first time in many years.

Greenery

This morning after some clearing up of branches and rubbish left in the barn by the previous owners, I dug over the potato patch and planted out the crop. It was heavy work digging out the grid of fern roots and the temperature in the sun soared to 34 degrees! In the afternoon another thunderstorm.

At last the trees have burst into leaf.

Rhythm of Life

After over two years at Quelebu, mixing copius amounts of concrete and mortar, watering plants, washing cars, feeding pigs and chickens , I finally installed an outside tap today. No longer does it all have top be done from the kitchen sink! The car got a wash in celebration.

The first vegetables are in, three rows of onions, three rows of shallots and some french beans. Potatoes to follow shortly, plus some maize for the pigs.

The front garden (although it doesn't belong to me) and the rest of the land around the house got scythed today, so everywhere is looking very tidy. Whilst scything under the electric pig fence I managed to cut the wire, so that had to be mended before the pigs realised!

The pigs are growing fast and are quite friendly now. They follow me around and chase each other around the field. They generally sleep most of the day and feed in the afternoon and evening. Corbett had a tick on his neck but I pulled it off - it was the size of a pea so reckon it was about ready to let go anyway.

Today was a beautiful spring day (which equates to a summers' day in the UK) 30 degrees, sunny and still, with the heat lingering until 9.00 pm or so.

Life here is developing a new rhythm around the animals: up at 7.30 to feed pigs and let the chickens out, collecting eggs at 3.00 ish, feeding pigs again at 6.30, then closing the chickens up for the night at 8.00 (early dusk). They now put themselves to bed which saves chicken chasing. The cockerell is the loudest most incessent crower I've ever heard - fortunately the neighbours don't mind. At least the immediate neighbours, from the echo he can be heard in several neighbouring villages too!

Storm

A beautiful and hot day today (low thirties in the sun) ending with a thunderstorm, as has been the pattern over the past few days. Only as today was very hot, the storm was very big, with several strikes within 300m! The lightning doesn't bother the pigs, who are quite happy to go on grazing, oblivious to the storm around raging them- until the rain gets too heavy, then they retreat to the ark.

In the morning, I scythed all the brambles in field no 2 which are sprouting once again (this takes about 2 hours). I think this will be a weekly activity this year (for both of the cleared fields) if the brambles are to be eradicated. The grass and wild flowers are slowly colonising the field. A coarse tussucky grass seems to be the first grass to spread - I'm cutting this before it can seed but leaving the finer grass which I want to predominate. In several areas (the last to be cleared) the brambles and nettles reign. These areas are still covered in thick mulch of dead bramble stems, bracken stems, leaves and twigs, which I left in place over the winter to help prevent erosion. I decided that this was probably giving the brambles as unfair advantage, as it is difficult for the grasses to establish under this mulch. So today it was all raked into piles (16 in fact) and burnt. Hopefully the grass can get a foothold now there is a little bare soil.

The first of the vegetable patches is now ready for onions and shallots (plus some french beans later). A final sieving of the soil has left a fine tilth ready for planting tomorrow.

Pigs test the boundaries

This evening the pigs got out of the field. After a week in their new home and perhaps because I was 20 minutes later than normal with their evening meal (l'apero at Claudes) they managed to force their way through the hazel fencing. The food bucket soon had them back in the field and a single strand of electric fence inside the hazel should keep them there! I'll soon be moving them to the other field anyway but in the meantime I want them to stay put.

This morning I made more spars (ready for fencing) from the arisings of the hedge I layed. In the afternoon I finished the initial digging of the potato and maize patch - which was heavy going. The soil is very clayey, compacted and absolutely full of roots, most of which are 1-2" in diameter. This year is just a test to see how the soil is, next year after the pigs have turned it all over and fertilized it, operations will be on a larger scale.

Hedge laying

Up at the crack of dawn to lay the hedge between me and the pigs. The EDF cut some of it down about 18 months ago (because the power line runs overhead), but they just leave everything where it falls - a right mess. The brambles spread into the dead branches lying on the ground on either side of the hedge and before you know it there's an area of scrub where once there was a hedge. All is neat and tidy now and for the first time I can see the pigs, field and barn from the house.

In the afternoon, I finished the chicken's mobile run, had a couple of visitors keen to see the pigs and chickens, dug a vegetable patch for the french beans, tidied up all the piles of dead wood and brambles waiting to be burnt and played with the pigs.

The firebugs have come out for the first time.

All in all it was a lovely day today.

Rayburn weather

Yesterday I went to see Ian and Nina and Ian and I decided we would go ski touring today 'whatever'. At 6.00am awoken by the noise of the torrential rain we decided to postpone until Monday. It rained heavily until about 4.00...so a wise decision.

I lit the Rayburn for the first time in over week and cooked a Belgian dish (slow cooked) - Beef Carbonade. Very nice too, a mixture of sweetness from the caramalised onions and sourness from red wine vinegar and beer, all set off by a hint of coarse grained mustard.

Settling in

The animals seem to be settling in now. A full compliment of eggs today (4) and the pigs now come running when I enter the field and will happily follow me around. The pigs now have names - Barker and Corbett. Barker is bigger and dominant, I need to build them a 'mangoire' (currently they eat off the floor) and I'll have to give it two compartments with a screen between, as he often bullies Corbett away from the food. At the moment they're 'joined at the hip' but in time they should become a bit more independent. The pigs are digging over the field - need to get them in field No 2 soon, as it could do with some rooting up of the brambles which I scythed over today.

I spoke too soon about the fox. Tonight I heard one barking in the woods. As an extra precaution I've run a single strand of electric fence around the chicken run to stop any attempts to dig under the chicken wire.

Had planned to go ski touring with Ian tomorrow but the weather has deteriorated (raining) and won't improve until Sunday. Oh well, more time to plan the trip.

All well and accounted for

This morning the rooster came down from the tree after crowing like a siren. When the chickens finally emerged from the hen house they were all there so the one I thought was missing must have been in the nest box all the time. The run now has a roof and an evening rainstorm allowed me to shut them all in the hen house, so hopefully they'll settle now.

The pigs slept outside, but seemed none the worst for it. They slept most the morning too. They're slowly getting used to me.



Early this morning I watched a Pine Marten in the field. I have seen a lot of droppings that I thought were maybe those of a fox but I have never seen a fox a here and the droppings aren't quite right - now I know what they are. I think this predator is the main threat to the chickens. The photo above makes it look like a squirrel (in fact it eats squirrels) - the male is the size of a fox, but with shorter legs and more of a weasel like 'bounce' as it runs along.

Livestock

It was a frantic morning getting everything ready, but at last the animals have arrived.

The pigs are being very well behaved so far. I think it is their first time outside and it was great to see them exploring their new environment. It's also their first time with an electric fence and it was 50/50 whether after getting shocked they'd end up on the right or wrong side of the fence. They're getting the hang of it slowly.

The chickens on the other hand were fine until dusk. They're obviously used to roosting high up in a barn, so my 'low rise' accommodation wasn't appealing. Instead they lined up on the roof of the hen house and refused to go in. After some Benny Hill'esque chasing around the run they decided to show me that they could fly - out of the run (tomorrow it gets it's roof!). After about an hour it was totally dark. I managed to get three of them in the run, the rooster is in a tree and the fourth hen in AWOL. I just hope it comes back for food tomorrow. On the plus side I have 2 eggs.

Skiing

Skiing again in Baqueira as the weather was good and I can't make Judith work everyday!! The weather was just fantastic and we got there nice and early so we beat the rest of Spain who had come to ski. The resort is big so even with the hoards it never felt as busy as say 'the three valleys' in the Alps. Off piste the snow was truly great spring snow, almost as if it had been pisted.

Tomorrow fence building in the morning, before taking Judith back to the airport in the afternoon.

Pig ark

Judith is here for a few days (first time at Quelebu) so this morning we went for a walk around the valley and to Pentussa. I'm building a photo collection of all the wild flowers here and I found about 10 or so different species on our walk. It was a beautiful spring day with temperature in the sun peaking at 28 degrees.


In the afternoon Judith gave me a hand painting the pig arc blue whilst I finished off the roof.

Animal Farm

Double click the image to read the text on the hen house.

This morning I quickly put the finishing touches to the chicken run (a weather cock!) then set off in search of poultry. High above Seix I visited a little farm which I had been reliably informed had loads of poultry, including the much prized 'Cuckoo de Rennes' (talking of which I heard the first cuckoo yesterday). But alas he had none - the buzzard took them all (me thinks perhaps my run better have a roof!). I asked about pigs. (I had already asked the local butcher but he could only offer me carcases!) He suggested the guy I was going to see anyway in Galas - M. Alban Sentenac - but suggested he might have chickens too.

Onwards to Galas, just a few minutes drive from home. Once the family had all gathered I was taken to see the pigs. Black and very hairy and confined to the tiniest of dark 'cells'. The sow would have a litter which would be available in 2 months (ready to eat perhaps next spring). I hadn't planned on animals over the winter so asked if he had 'any' to sell. Out came 3 three month old porkers - I plumped for the two smallest. Cochon noir (I have since found out we call them Large Blacks or Cornish Blacks). Big, good mannered, grazers and a good outdoor animal. Then he showed me the boar. I think he said it was 4 or 5 years old. I can only describe it as a rhinocerous in an over size gorilla suit! I've seen smaller cars.

Next I asked about chickens - a barn door was opened and out came about 60 ducks and chickens. I said I'd take 4 hens and a cockerell.

All will be delivered early next week when I let him know I'm ready.

Meantime a hurried visit to St G to get foodstuffs, bedding, electric fence, etc. Then back home to try and finish the pig ark in double quick time. Not yet finished it and there's still 30 feet of hurdle fence to erect. With guests over the weekend I hope to be ready for receipt on Tuesday. It's kinda scary.

Chickens - but not yet

A day of snow, sleet and hale showers. But in between these I managed to finish the chicken run and I'm now ready to go in search of chickens!

The pig ark is also taking shape so hopefully it won't be too long before I can get them as well - just a few bits of fencing to finish.

For Julian

Thanks for the book Jules. These are for you.

Hen house

Well here it is, the new hen house complete with zinc roof. I found some old sheets of zinc in the outbuilding. Its based on one of the designs in the book DKA bought me when I left. The handles allow it to be moved around (sudan chair style). The roof slides forward to access inside, where you can slide the roosting perches and droppings shelf forward to access the nest boxes below and hopefully the eggs! Just need to finish an enclosure and I'm ready for the first livestock.

Skiing

I didn't go skiing yesterday (overslept) so I built the chicken house (more of that tomorrow) but today I DID go skiing. Just about everything at Baqueira is open and I had a good 7hrs of piste bashing. The weather wasn't too bad although from time to time the clouds would descend and in the ensueing white-out I'd get motion sickness.

It was the first real chance to try out the tourlite bindings and all the benefits of lightness for ascent aside, I prefer them for downhill over the Diamir/Fritschi binding. Perhaps it's because your foot is closer to the ski or maybe it's the different ramp angle - anyway I found my skiing improved in most respects with the new set-up.

Thaw

A beautiful clear and sunny day today which allowed much of the snow to start thawing. In the morning I designed a chicken house (portable for 4 -5 hens and a cockerel) and a pig house. In the afternoon I bought the materials for fabrication but that will have to wait as tomorrow I'm going skiing. The recent snow promises some spring touring so as I haven't skied since early December I reckon I better get some practice in!

Xmas present

Finally stopped snowing here. The kids from Pinsou came over for part 2 of their christmas present fabrication. After getting them to draw sea creatures last time, I cut them out of plywood and today they painted them. They have no idea what it is going to be yet. Of course I know...do you?

Snow, sleet and rain

Been an odd day today. Overnight the snow thawed a bit and during the day we've been on the cusp of the snowfall level - some rain, some sleet and some snow - some sunshine too. Replenished the log store in the morning and have updated my other websites to look more like the blog. A few new photo's too. See the links to the right of this post.

Break in the snow

A lull in the weather allowed a quick snow shoe through the woods and to the neighbours. Here are some photos.

For Philippe and Sophie...

Works update

After a quick trip into St G for more cement, here's the finished fireplace (the hearth is still drying hence two tone appearance).

Still snowing

Set to continue all Thursday as well...about a foot here so far (though with strong winds it's drifting around) and 3 feet on the high mountains .