Spotted flycatcher

 First bird photo with the OM1. After taking the photo I realised that the bird was stuck. If you look very carefully there is a tiny bit of thread wrapped around one of his legs (probably from nest material) which had got caught on the bramble. When I went rescue him, he finally managed to snap it and escape.

First few shots with the new camera

Goodbye Olympus OMD-E-M5ii, hello OM1. Quite a bit bigger than the old camera but hopefully it'll come into its own with the wildlife photography....lots to learn....more later.

Naughty Mr Fox

 

Cascade d'Ars

There's been a lot of rain and few opportunities to get out into the mountains 5without getting very wet and seeing nothing), but yesterday despite the forecast things seemed bright and dry so after a hurried call, we met up with Sheri and Michiel for an afternoon stomp up to the head of the Cascade d'Ars. Great to stretch the legs and look at the recent snowfall.

 

Sauna phase 2

A couple of days of preparation for the arrival of the flat pack sauna. First collecting and erecting a scaffold tower beside the gable of the house from which a plank could bridge to the bedroom window. The larger panels would have to go through the window as they wouldn't go up the stairs. To make life easier I also built a trolley to run on the plank and installed a pulley above the window through which a rope would provide some assistance in dragging the panels up the incline.  The packed sauna weighing in at 300kg was due to be delivered in an 11m lorry...too big to pass the tight corner in Castet d Aleu, so we would have to transfer it to our little trailer and transporter it the last 5km. The palletised package was 1.6 m long, 60cm wide and 2m high, so some modifications were necessary to the trailer too so it wouldn't topple over on route.

I waited in all day Monday only to discover at 3.00 that the delivery day had been changed to Tuesday and I hadn't noticed. Tuesday the delivery arrived at 10.00 and fortunately it was in a small 6m long van. We quickly abandoned the trailer idea and the delivery van drove to the house and deposited it on the drive. 

Sheri and Michiel had stayed the night on Monday and they agreed to help us. The first few panels were small and passed easily up the stairs. They got progressively larger and the side walls 1.2 m x 1.9 m where the first up the scaffold and through the window. They were realitively light and easy. The front and back panels 1.5 m x 1.9 m were super heavy. One was fully glazed with 8mm toughened glass and the other was clad in stone tiles! It took all four of us to lift them out of the crate and move them to the deck. 

I worked out I could remove the glass (3 pieces) and transport them individually but the stone clad panel was going to have to be lifted through the window. It weighed over 100kg. The lift onto the tower was 2m so we moved the picnic table to create a 80cm stage to reduce the lift so with Michiel and I on the tower and Susie and Sheri on the table we managed to haul it up. The worst was over and finally all the parts were in the house on the first floor and just in time as the rain started tipping down. 

A quick celebratory cup of tea, then it was on with the build, which went pretty straightforwardly. Sheri and Michiel left once the last panel was lifted and by 6.00 we had cleared up, wired everything in and we're enjoying our well earned sauna!

 

 

Problems finding a small delivery lorry for the sauna, so I ve switched to extending the deck around the pool, something I didn't have time to do last summer.

Project Sauna

Next project - home sauna. Ways to heal the cripple cracked body....sauna is number one (well maybe personal masseuse is top but unaffordable!). After some debate about infra-red (cheaper to run) v traditional, we decided on tried and tested traditional. There's space at the tope of the stairs after some alterations, so a door is blocked up and a little door added to give access to the space behind the sauna that can be used for storage. 

Next step wiring. Installation will involve bringing panels through the first floor window which may be strenuous and problematic! I'll need a sauna after that!

Morels!!

 It's that time of year again....yummy

After a bout of COVID/flu, food poisoning and increased signs I may have rheumatoid arthritis attacking my Cartlidge and ligaments, my 55th year hasn't got off to great start....oh well things can only get better!

Garden mulched for another year - leaf litter and straw

First morels on their way...another 2-3 weeks and they'll be ready.

Frogs

Rain and warm temperatures (22 in the shade today) have stripped the snow on the mountains and ended the ski touring, probably for the year. The frogs in the pond are loving it. Susie and I are starting on the garden preparations.

 

Latest weave off the loom.

Susie has also been busy with her knitted creations

 

Ski practise

After watching some footage of my skiing on the last ski tour, I realised too much ski touring and no practise has lead to an awfully large decay in my technique....I ski like an old armchair! So today I spent 3000m of vertical descent at Guzet ski station practising and remembering how to ski. Time well spent.

Another project on the loom, which promises to be very three dimensional. A combination of pleats and origami if everything works. The mix of linen, silk and stainless steel, cotton and high twist wool could be problematic.

Ski tour Mont Ceint

Snow over the last couple of days hatched a plan for ski up Mont Ceint/Pic de Girantes. Only Paula was available at short notice so just the two of us headed up from the Etang de Lers. Low cloud and cold temperatures forced a retreat from the col at 1830m. The snow was so good we skinned back up for a second descent before heading for home. 

and now snowy

Snow overnight which quickly melted from the trees in the morning sunshine.

Coumarba

cascading droplets

Snow crystal balanced on a leaf

hiding cat

 

Sunny

Typical February weather with highs in the sun of 28 or more and night time temperatures below zero.

Everywhere is very dry but there is snow forecast next weekend.

Hazy horizons from Joubac

A wander up above the col de Pause yesterday afternoon - the barrier which blocks the road seems to get lower every year! Snowshoes only necessary from the col and the track to the Cabane d'Areau very hard ice névé until the cattlegrid. Summer dress and snowshoes were the ideal combo in these conditions!

one way winter... 

the other summer....well almost

Rest in Peace Debbie

Susie's sister passed away a few weeks ago. She was diagnosed only 9 months ago with MND/FLD.

Ski tour Tuc des Hemmes

A quickly hatched plan to make the most of the meagre snow cover. Head for the Val d'Aran (Spain) and snatch Pic de Port Viehla, a peak I'd skied in 2004 with Paul Hadfield. It's a couple of hours or more in the car, so Paula and Andy decided to travel the day before, stay in a hotel and get up at a reasonable time. When they got there I got a worried call about the lack of snow!

I decided it would probably be OK so joined them early the following morning. -5 degrees in the valley and we set off through the forest on an icy hard frozen (but snowy) track.

Eventually we left the forest behind and made it onto the mountainside. the snow was variable - sometimes powdery, often hard and sometimes with a breakable crust. I hoped it would improve. When Paul and I did the peak we climbed on the other side of the river too early and ended up on some sketchy terrain. This time we attempted to follow the classic route but still missed the lake. As the snow cover was very poor on the side of the valley leading to our objective we looked for another.

To our left was the rock pyramid of Tuc des Hemmes and on it's right was a steep snow slope that looked inviting! Constantly in shade we hoped the snow would be still powdery.

Tuc des Hemmes - the obvious rock pyramid

Our new objective the ramp leading up to the col on the right of the Tuc

Looking back to the Port de Viehla and the Peak which takes it's name on the right

Lunch spot

After lunch Paula and I skinned up the slope which was steeper than it first looked - but the snow had stayed fluffy and the ski down was magnificent!

The descent was a very mixed bag, nice from our lunch spot but getting progressively worse as we descended. Old tracks were frozen hard, snow in the sun had breakable crust but pockets of powder could be found. Lower down the snow was just too thin.....rocks and bushes to try and avoid.

A day of mixed snow, but worth the effort.