Christmas Pudding

Today was the day to make the Christmas pudding. I never put peel in my puddings and usually substitute it with chopped apricots - this year for a change I'm trying cherries. 7-8 hours of gentle steaming this evening, then 4 weeks for the flavours to mature.

yum-yum

ill

A rough night feeling wretched...but the sun is shining and there's snow on the mountains!

Snow!

Just an inch or so

Food for the birds

Icicles on the thatch

First snow of the winter here at Quélébu overnight. Unfortunately I have English "man-flu", so am wrapped up in bed sniffing and coughing and feeling generally rough. With just under a metre of snow at 2000m the first ski of the year is now long overdue.

Spindrift blowing from the summits this evening

Totnes

Back from a week in Totnes visiting Susie and her children Jasper and Ruby. Finally got to see Susie teaching dance - she's amazing. A short walk on the moor, a trip to the cinema, a sauna and a swim, plus I caught up with Dominic and Bridget and Al who's also just moved to Totnes.

Whilst there a beech martin got into the chicken run here and killed all my chickens. There's been a good fall of snow on the mountains down to 1000m and it's cold. The Rayburn and stove are both alight to rewarm the house.

Tuc de la Seube, Cap d'Auternac, Tuc d'Eychelle (10 peak watershed)

An enjoyable circuit in fantastic weather starting and finishing at Col de la Core (1395m). Ian, Ben, Arto and I set off a little before 9 and on reaching Col d'Auèdole followed the ridge over Tuc de la Seube (2105m), Sommet de Peyre Blanque(2176m), points 2224m, 2256m, 2314m, 2331m and Cap d'Auternac (2361m). After a descent to the Col de Crouzette we climbed upto Col d'Estiouere and followed the other side of the watershed over Tuc de Quer Ner(2389m), Tuc d'Eychelle (2315m) and L'Aubague, before descending the ridge (and some tricky, iron-hard steep snow below Pene Rouge) back to the Col de la Core. Ice axes were indispensible, crampons would have been useful but we managed with some step cutting.

First summit and a quick bite to eat

The peaks on the ridge to be climbed before our descent to the Col de Crouzette

Ian heading for peak number 5

Ben strikes a pose

Lenticular clouds warn of the on-coming poorer weather

Le Mont Valier (left)

Ian descending from Tuc de Quer Ner

Hot

A beautiful day today, 28 degrees in the sun. A walk in the mountains planned for tomorrow.

Current state of snow

There's enough up there to ski, but there are strong winds forecast tomorrow morning which might spoil it.

Cabane d'Eychelle

The Indian summer continues (a reward for a tough first half to the year) so today Ian and I went for a leisurely stroll up to the Cabane d'Eychelle from the Col de le Core.

It was hot and we were post holing through the crusty snow. Not a cloud in the sky but plenty of gossamer threads of spider's web glinting in the intense sun and drifting on the gentle breeze. Meantime the valleys remained under a sea of low cloud. At the Cabane d'Eychelle we found an unopened bottle of Bordeaux and couldn't resist. We progressed no further and snoozed in the sun. In payment we took the litter left at the hut back down the mountain.

Too much wine!

Golden day

High pressure has reasserted itself and the days are hot and golden. The colours of the trees change so fast.

Aujourd'hui etait chaud et dorée.

Even the sheep like looking at the colours.

Book binding

My little book is finished. A hand made book with an original tale and a combination of watercolour and photo illustrations. "The Trial of True Love" is (of course) a romantic fairytale!

Mon petit livre est fait. Faire à la main, un histoire originale, et les croquis de aquarelle. "l'essai de vrai l'amour" est (biensûr) une conte sentimentale!

Bacon

Two days of heavy rain have kept me house bound, but I've been busy preparing the bacon, and doing some book binding (something I haven't done for a while).

Today the clouds have cleared and there's a good covering of snow. 30cm at the Port d'Aula weather station, so a tentative 'first ski tour of the season' might be made tomorrow.

Il a plu pendant deux jours et j'avais rester dedans. j'ai fait la poitrine et un livre. Ce matin les nauges ont disparu et il y a de la neige sur les montagnes. 30cm au Port d'Aula...peut être un ski demain?

Terrace

Another day at Pont de la Taule. Today was terrace day. There was a lot of faffing about to get main beams level, then quite a bit of shovelling muck, but once we (Chris and I) got into the carpentry it sped along. All done in a day - phew! Knackered!

Encore à Pont de la Taule. Aujourd'hui la terrasse. Il y avais beaucoup de trevail de faire les poutres horizontales, et quelques terrain a battir, mais lorsque la charpenterie a commencé toutes a passé vite. Toute a fait.

South wind

A strong hot (24 degrees) south wind has been blowing all day. Producing amazing cloud formations.I swear I have been able to see the colours of the leaves on the trees changing before my eyes from minute to minute.

Le vent fort et chaud de Sud soufle toute la journée. Il a fait les nauges encroyable. On peut apercevoir les coleurs des feuilles changeant chaque minute!
Sometimes the natural beauty of where I live is overwhelming.

La paysage ici est souvent trop belle pour ma tête!

Bringing home the bacon

A beautiful day. Visited Justin and Emily this afternoon and spent my time playing with chestnuts with the twins. I picked up some pork for this year's ham (which I'm doing off the bone for the first time) and plenty of belly which I'm brining for bacon.

Une belle journée. J'ai visité Justin et Emily l'après-midi et j'ai pris du temp jouant avec quelques chatâignes avec les jumelles. Aussi j'ai ramass&eacute un jambon et de la poitrine pour cette hiver.

Pic de Cour Vic

Susie has been visiting for the past few days and we've been having the most fantastic time. There was a good fall of snow on Monday followed by some gorgeous sunny weather, so we walked up to Pic de Cour Vic from the Col de Pause in the fresh snow.

Susie me visitait les derniers jours et nous avons eu les belles temps. Il a neigé le lundi soir et le soliel a brillé mardi donc nous avons fait un promenade au Pic de Cour Vic du Col de Pause dans la neige.
Cold in the wind but deliriously hot in the sun so we had a snooze at the new (but closed) refuge d'Areau.

Il fait froid dans le vent mais il fait très chaud au soliel donc nous avons fait la sieste a la neuve (mais fermé) cabane d'Areau.

Beautiful day

A hard frost last night but a glorious day today (23 in the sun). Managed to get some fuel this morning (big fuel shortages here due to the ever present strikes in France) then the VET came this afternoon to take annual blood tests from the sheep - two escaped, but 6 out of 8 was sufficient.

Il a gelé dur la nuit dernière mais aujourd'hui du beau temps (23 au soliel). Le matin j'ai réussi d'obtenir de l'essence (il y n'a pas au cause de la grève) puis la véterinaire est arrivé afin prendre un coup de sang des brebis (profilaxie annuelle). Deux ont échappé, mais 6 sur 8 ont été assez.

Snow on the hills

Snow last night down to about 1500m. Hail and rain showers this morning whilst I was working in the barn building the new stalls. I used the small ash trees I felled in field 8 plus an old door and the adoption pen which I've incorporated in case I need it again next year.

Il neigeais jusqu'au 1500m hier nuit. il y aurais les averses de la graille et de la pluie le matin lorsque je travaillais dans la grange. Les enclos sont prêt. j'ai utilisé quelques frênes deu pré 8, une vieille porte, et le carcon de l'agnelage de l'année derniere.

Things are a bit brighter this afternoon and after starting the apple harvest, I'm getting ready to taste the first of the mutton - yum!

Un peu du soliel cet après-midi et j'ai commencé la récolte des pommes. Ce soir je ferai le premier gout d'agneau - miam!

Saving space

I'm always struggling for space in my tiny kitchen (particularly at this time of year with jars of jam, pickle and jelly and bottles of various drinks). So this morning when I realised there was the side of a wall cupboard not being used I quickly knocked up a drinks rack.

Afterwards I moved the sheep down to field 9 so that I could make a start on reorganising the barn - I want to make a couple of stalls one with a gate, so that it is easier to catch the sheep whenever they need treatment, de-worming, feet trimming, etc. Their annual blood tests are due imminently.

A medium sized walk in the evening collecting mushrooms. There's a nip in the air and there even the chance of the odd snow flurry on Sunday night/Monday morning!

Je toujours manquais l'espace dans ma petite cuisine. Ce matin j'ai aperçu qu'il y a un versant d'un placard pélé, donc j'ai fait une étagère pour les bouteilles.

Prochain j'ai bougé les brebris à au pré 9 et commencé d réorganiser la grange - je veux faire deux enclos, afin il sera plus facile d'attraper les brebis lorsque elle a besoin de traitment. La profilaxie annuelle est attendant.

Un promène ce soir afin ramasser les champignons. Il y a un coup de froid et peut être quelques flocons la dimanche soir/le lundi matin.

Mutton

First job is to saw each carcase in half

Today I picked up the two sheep from the abattoir. About 26kgs for each carcase. I ended up butchering them both. Was pleased that the end result was pretty neat and that it only took me about 45 mins for each half.

Aujourd'hui j'ai ramené la viande de l'abattoir. 26kgs chaque carcasse. J'ai fais toutes la découpage. C'est propre en fin et ca prend seulement 45 mins par demi-carcasse.

One half jointed up

Bagged and ready for the freezer

In the evening I installed my new stove. I have to wait for the fire cement to go off before lighting it.

Le soir j'ai installé le poêle. J'ai du attendre le ciment à secher.