The latest building project, a kitchen and bathroom extension for Laura and Guy taking shape.

First shots with the new camera which Olympus sent to the replace my old one.

 Looking across Dartmoor on my way to see Anton Coaker for some chestnut.

Lovely weather yesterday, so we spent the afternoon in Dartington Gardens.

Our little garden in Dartington

Camera problems and France

It's been a while since my last post. My Olympus Stylus 1 developed an annoying intermittent fault and as it was still under warranty I sent it back to Olympus for repair. Two weeks later it returned having been to Portugal to be repaired in little more than a plastic bag! It was missing the viewfinder shroud and had a load of new faults! After writing an angry letter to Olympus the camera is once more with their repair facility, supposedly with a senior technician. I'm still awaiting it's return.

Another timber frame building project is under way in Devon, this time a kitchen and bathroom extension for friends near Totnes. Photos soon.

A quick visit to France at the weekend is now coming to a close. Final works at La Falaise, emptying the barn of rubbish, strimming and extending the ventilation from the septic tank to the roof ridge.

A Quelebu, some long overdue works: 

Lowering the basin in the bathroom

 Double glazing for the old part of the house

 Kiwi plants showing signs of growth at long last

 The rose of the pergola expanding

Susie's onions and strawberries (after a marathon session of dock removal)

 Plants from Pont for the porch

  The lime tree doing well

An unknown beastie about 3-4 cm long...maybe a type of digger wasp?

Scabbacombe

Lovely spring weather in the UK at the moment and when we got home Susie and I worked on the vegetable garden which is full of life at the moment - potatoes, onions, garlic, broad beans, shallots, blackcurrants, raspberries and lettuces.

This afternoon I went for a stroll to Scabbacombe Bay. Clear weather and waters. A spot of fruitless spinning from the rocks and some photography.

In the next bay I sat in quiet spot on the cliffs and watched a pair of Peregrin falcons patrolling the cliffs.

Cooking in the snow at guzet

Basking in the sunshine

Easter week in Aleu and the weather is glorious. Most had a bit too much sun today and are resting with sunburn! As usual it's a mixture of work and relaxation for me...with trips to see the SMDEA, Notaire, clients and builders, plus some logging. 

After a family effort to move some of the stacked firewood from Le Sarrach, on Sunday we made a circuit via the Col de Saraille and Col de Bidal with a fruitless search for morels.

Monday was mostly relaxing for the kids, whilst I cleared and logged the trees which fell into Paul's field last winter, with an afternoon trip to Joubac for Susie, Jasper and I.

A trip to the Notaire this morning then more sun as Susie tidied the garden and planted more shrubs and herbs, whilst I started refencing Paul's field.

Wistmans wood

High pressure in the South West at the moment so we're making the most of it. Susie drove us to Wistmans wood near Two Bridges. An opportunity for Jasper to add to his photography A-level "woodlands" project and for Susie and I to take photos also. These are mine.

Also spotted a solitary lesser redpoll, but it moved away too quickly for me to take a photo.

Susie's great photo with flattened perspective

Another snowy night before leaving for the UK but things were melting fast! On the journey home, discussions with potential purchasers and after some negotiations La Falaise at Pont de la Taule is now SOLD!

After three viewings at La Falaise interspersed with more painting and varnishing it was time to spend a few hours on Quélébu - making shutters for the bathroom window.

Most of the week has been glorious sunshine (20 degrees +), but rain on Friday gave way to snow on Friday night. Heavy snow showers have continued all weekend. I suddenly realised at 2.30 on Saturday that my next trip here with the family sees us arriving on Good Friday. In France 'holiday' means 'holiday' (they don't even do Sunday trading) so the first four days here would be with shops closed. A mad dash to the supermarket ensued to get food for us all. On the way back I noticed the screen wash in the car had stopped working, then the battery went flat! Transpires the Suzuki has the washer fluid in the same duct as the electrical wires. The pipe had frozen and the expanding ice plug had disconnected a pipe joiner. I could see the water dripping from the rear of the car but to get to the connector involved removing the bumper, rear lights, wheel trims, rear seats, interior trim, rear seatbelt and taking the skin off my knuckles....all in the ensuing blizzard. Nice.

Sunday afternoon a trip to see Justin (who has just returned from Toulouse Hospital after back surgery), Emily and the twins. I gave them a break by taking Myla and Thea upto the Col du Port in the blizzard for some major snowball fighting, sledging and snow-bear making. 

Latest selection of photos of La Falaise - SOLD

A new window in the front door, a new fence, redecoration throughout including some colour changes...just 89,000 euros...

See here for a detailed description.

Works at Pont continue...lots of painting and today strimming and the creation of a fence. It makes the house feel more private and hides my neighbour Philippe's temporary pile of building materials for his on-going renovation.

This evening the sun set twice...either side of Cap de Bouriex.

Tomorrow the planners (DDT) to discuss their u-turn on my barn/gite conversion.

Pont works

Long days at La Falaise repairing the damage from my lovely tenants. Repaired the shower and hot water system, re-glazed the skylights, mended the bathroom extract, re-hung the radiator in the kitchen, I've installed a window in the front door which makes the entrance much lighter.

The balcony guarding, which the tenants all but destroyed, is now repaired.

Kitchen floor re-varnished.

Living room repainted, floor re-varnished and broken lamps in the dining room replaced.

Much work outside also, burning rubbish and strimming.

By the time I get home this is all I see!!

Back home in France to finish the repairs to La Falaise at Pont de la Taule.

My planning application to turn our barn into a gite has been refused. I have made two other applications for almost exactly the same conversion of barns to gites, in the same commune, under the same the same Plan d'Occupation des Sols, in the same Zone Non-constructible - and both have been approved. It makes no sense.

The reason for refusal is to safeguard agriculture. The only pocket of agricultural land here is owned by me, has been created by me, fenced by me and is maintained by me. The sheep which grazed it were mine. A hectare or so of land is not large enough for an Exploitation Agricole, the barn is too small for modern bales and would not comply with the Normes Francaises for ventilation if it were to be used to legally house animals. The future of marginal land here is as part of Agro-tourism. With a gite, we could subsidise our small holding, supplement our income, sell our surplus home grown produce to our paying guests. Surely that is why the Le Parc Regional Des Pyrenees Ariegeoise exists?

I will have to resubmit the application, hopefully with a letter of support from the Maire and the Chambre d'Agriculture.