[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”grid_ SS_G3_20180115_2″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G3_20180115_2″ content_type=”image” height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]It’s still raining! perhaps one more week. The good thing is that we have found a field for Caudy & Sunny, it belongs to Madame la Maire and is on a slope with trees with a flatter bit at the bottom by the road, It’s very convenient as it is opposite our friend’s house where we are currently staying. Sunny thinks he’s back in Wales and stands on the top of a hump surveying his domain. Their feet have dried out and they are rather enjoying the new environment, especially as they can look across the fence and say hello to the donkeys.

We want to get going on the building work but progress is so slow. However we have had some progress, Jean-Luc and Francis (he who did the floor of the barn) arrived this week to start planning the new drive. We are moving the entrance to the other end of the west field, it will be between a walnut tree and the cemetery wall; this will be much safer for everyone, and save us having heart failure every time we exit the property. The plan is to make a private road and a small parking area for our guests, the entrance between the house and the barn will not be used by cars, we will use the private drive and park at the back of the open barn and enter the house from the back garden behind the house. We tramped around the field in the drizzle and encroaching dark, measuring and considering options. There is quite a bit of earth shifting to be done, it will take a couple of weeks to complete here is a rough plan that will give the general idea. Now we need to wait for the weather, it will be done as soon as the ground is dry enough and the rain stops, maybe that will be the first half of February. Once done, apart form the safety aspect it will also enable the workmen, once they start, to park and unload easily.

Liz wanted horticultural grit, which as yet we can’t find in garden centres, and some sand to add some structure to the potager soil. Jean-Luc directed us to CM Quartz at St Denis. This is a large quarry operation with a lot of differnt sands and stones or every dimension. They don’t deliver less than 2 cubic metres – about 3 tons – which is really more that we need of grit but what we found was perfect and not so dear so we decided to buy 2 cubic metres of each and that was delivered this week. It was wet in the field and raining which meant that the two loads had to be dumped at the top of the current field entrance, so since then we have been shovelling sand and grit to it’s correct position. We can recommend shifting several tons of sand and grit for aiding bad sleepers – we were dead to the world.

This time last year it was -12 degrees so it is very different, everyone says it is unusual but these days who knows? It seems we will have another week of rain and perhaps then it will let up. However thereis some slightly colder weather predicted and possibly frost. We have planted 20 orange Fox-Tail Lilies (Eremurus), so Liz thought we had better cover them up during the risky period – they may be alright as they are desert plants and deserts can get pretty cold at night, but we really don’t know how they will do here so we are watching them carefully. So far fourteen of the twenty are showing signs of growth which is not bad. If they grow it should be spectacular to see their tall waving orange ‘tails’ in the meadow grasses. We have bought many of our bulbs direct from the commercial growers in Holland, and they have been brilliant – polite, helpful, fast and super quality – so it you are looking for suppliers next year try these guys: either  Green Garden Flowers or their sister company Bulbi for smaller quantities.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”grid_ SS_G3_20180115″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G3_20180115″ content_type=”image” height=”400px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Unbelievably we have been here exactly a year! So tonight we are going to La Venus in Prayssac to celebrate. Do we regret it? Not one bit, we are very happy here, we have lots to do, the people are welcoming, helpful and gentle, the markets are wonderful, the wine is delicious and the weather is glorious. No, not one bit![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#deead0″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Perhaps you would like to know…
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