Moving rocks

After working at Pont for most of last week and Saturday being probably the last day of the amazing weather, I decided to stay at home today. I got to work clearing the land beside the ruin and then starting to move and sort the tonnes of stone which were lying close to the building.

Pont

Works progressing nicely at Pont - the walls to bedroom 2 and 3 are insulated and plasterboarded as is the roof. Only the sloping soffits still have to be boarded. The lighting and sockets are wired and working.
Of course there's bedroom 4 to do and all the second fix joinery, decorating, and board jointing to do yet!

Hot

Another beautiful day...alas I'm busy working inside at Pont for the next couple of weeks.

Pic de la Calabasse

A lovely day in the mountains today with Ian, Ben and Sandrine. A fairly relaxed start at 10.15 from the ancient slate mine (1000m) above Ruech. It was freezing in the deep sunless valley but we followed the Besset stream and soon emerged into glorious sun and summer temperatures.

After the little cabane we skipped the Col de l'Herbe Soulette and climbed the snowy ridge to the summit of Pic de la Calabasse (2210m). Crampons were necessary for much of the ascent.

The ridge to the summit

The views from the summit are immense and we lay in the sun eating lunch for an hour.

Panorama to the east

Panorama to the west

The onward route took us down to the Col de la Calabasse.

Pic de la Calabasse from the Col de la Calabasse, Sandrine in the distance

Then along the snowy ridge over Roche des Gours, Pic de Paumaude, Tuc des Pans and finally the Col de Lourech from where we cut across to the Col de Quimes. Here we quit the ridge to descend steeply past numerous barns to eventually reach the forest track and then the car. 7hrs and 1200m height gain.

We returned to news that a mini bus had crashed off the road at the Col du Pause and 3 people are dead, 2 seriously injured and another 4 also injured.

Lenticular

Some more lenticular clouds behind Mont Valier early this morning.

Busy

Been rushing around a bit too much since getting back from the UK - chopping firewood, working at Pont, a trip to Pamiers to get insulation, a trip to the notaire, a trip to a friends house in Boussenac to check for frozen pipes. A half hour walking the fields was a welcome moment of calm. It's easy to forget how beautiful it is here.

Bright sunshine this morning with lenticular clouds over the mountains. Light rain swept in over the peaks this afternoon. More sunny weather on the horizon so this weekend will be a good opportunity to catch up on farm work - topping the brambles, lopping low branches and maybe pruning the old apples trees. Maybe a walk in the mountains too.

Dartmoor

Back from another trip to the UK visiting Susie, Jasper and Ruby. Did some decorating for the Dare's during the week which has helped to fund my trips!

A lovely crisp day walking on Dartmoor last Saturday.

Susie and Ruby posing

Susie walking on water

Some lovely lichen

Lovely Susie

Dom and Bridget

Light snow here at Quélébu on my return, but there is still no significant snowfall on the horizon - it's looking like a dire ski-season.

Tractor mended!

My plan worked and the tractor works! There was a small hole in the hose between tank and fuel pump.

Je suis desolé que je suis tardif avec les traductions en français, ils arriveront bientôt.

Tractor problems

A couple of very frustrating days trying to solve a diesel engine problem. The tractor runs for 10 mins or so then it starts to miss, loose power and eventually conks out and won't restart. At first I thought there was some water in the fuel as the behaviour started when I was traversing a steep hill and I assumed that the water in the fuel (which would sit at the bottom) probably moved over fuel tank outlet and was sucked into the cylinders. After changing all the fuel the problem has persisted. Once it's conked out I'm pretty sure there's no fuel getting through (no smoke from the exhaust) but I can get the tractor running again by bleeding the fuel line at the injectors. So now I'm pretty sure that it's air getting into the fuel line....but where from? It's a two cylinder, air cooled Ruggerini RD 220. So a pretty basic diesel engine.

My plan is to replace all the fuel lines (they look pretty old and perished) and jubilee clips, plus the fuel filter for good measure. Hope that does the trick otherwise it might be something more serious, beyond my knowledge and therefore expensive!

Studwork

Back to Pont today to continue with the studwork which is nearing completion.

Then home for a bit more excavation in the ruin, the pipe is a combustion air supply to the fireplace.

Warm

On Friday I made a day trip to London to accompany Susie to the funeral of her father.

Today I started clearing out the ruin next to the house, which I hope to acquire soon. The weather here is unbelievably warm (25 all day) but winter may finally arrive next week if the forecasts are to be believed. As usual here, the ruin is full of rubble, car parts, bottles and other assorted rubbish. I'll probably need to borrow a mini digger to properly empty the building. Plans have been quickly drawn for a possible extension of the house but I won't be 'counting my chickens'...'until the fat lady sings', or at least until the notaire has prepared documents for us both to sign.

Etang Bleu

After yesterday balmy day basking on hot rock in shirt sleeves, today with a change in weather and location we plunged into winter.

Post holing in rotten snow on the way up

The weather was cloudy and rainy this morning but we knew it would be snowing higher up. We headed off for the Etang Garbet with the idea of maybe pushing on to the Etang Bleu if the weather wasn't too bad. It is rare for Paul and I to venture into the mountains together without some disaster besetting us (a few years ago we were avalanched out of a couloir climb on Pic Maubermé), so it was no surprise when on reaching Garbettou that we realised we were following fresh bear tracks through the snow! They were difficult to photograph in the flat light but the size of the print, the size of the stride and the 5 forward pointing toes with big claws were a give-away. He was somewhere out there in the mist but we didn't see him. A few minutes later the crash of a sizeable avanlanche somewhere to our left in the low clouds rang out. It was reassuring to know that after yesterday's uneventful rock climbing that things were back to normal!

The Etang Garbet was completely frozen and by the time we got there it was blizzard conditions. The push on to the Etang Bleu in the rapidly deteriorating weather didn't appeal so we headed for home.

The frozen Etang Garbet

Climbing at Calames

Paul is staying for the weekend, so today as there is no snow to speak of and the weather is unbelievable warm we headed over to Calamès for some rock climbing. It's been nearly 18 months since I roped up but the I soon got back into it. We climbed several routes at 5a, 5b, and 5b+ in glorious sunshine. We bumped into Donna and Tes at the crag, then called in on Emily and the twins on the way home.

Rain forecast for tomorrow, but hopefully we'll get a full day in the mountains regardless.

Shin splints

A short time before Christmas I started running again, after a five year lay-off. Although I've done 2 half marathons, I've never considered myself "a runner". All started well but now I am beginning to suffer shin pains (which was one of the reasons why I gave up I now remember). After a couple of miles my shins hurt, I feel myself running flat footed, it feels like my forward foot is already swinging backwards before it hits the ground and when I stop to try and stretch, I find I can't pivot my foot upwards from the ankle. Any advice would be most welcome.

On Tuesday night I had a pleasant evening with Magnus, Anne-France, their children and briefly Serge (Danni his wife was unwell so he had to leave early). Yesterday I was hunting for the first time in ages and today I finished the pointing for the first two attic rooms at Pont de la Taule. Next week I can make a start with insulating the roof, building the studwork and plasterboarding.

Another balmy day, 25 degrees in the sun this afternoon.

Woodpecker

A decidedly balmy day today with an assortment of birds in the garden.

Back home

After a lovely break in the UK with Susie, Jasper and Ruby, I've been back home for a couple of days now. The chainsaw is mended, firewood cut, the Rayburn is lit and the house is warming up again after my 2 week absence. There's very little snow in the mountains and none forecast in the coming week - glad I managed to get a ski tour done earlier in the year.

Nevertheless the weather turned cold yesterday afternoon and we had a dusting of snow during the night here at Quelebu.

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