[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”grid_SS_G6_20171205 ” data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G6_20171205″ content_type=”image” columns=”6″ height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We are not sure where this year has gone, we seem to have been here both ages and also no time at all. And now Christmas approaches and the villages are starting to be decorated with lights and sparkles. Our little village has it’s own…

[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”grid_20171121_1″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G5_20171121_1″ content_type=”image” columns=”5″ height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Our hedging plants arrived. These are to go around the potager and this plus an internal ‘grillage’ (a wire fence a bit like sheep-link fencing) will keep out animals and the chickens, once we have let them roam free. The potager will change as Margie thinks…

[vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”grid_20171103″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G5_20171103″ content_type=”image” columns=”5″ height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][vc_column_text]Last weekend we went to Montcuq and watched the Endurance Ride. This is an international event, it is a timed test against the clock over a marked and measured cross-county trail of natural terrain for horses and riders. This event was  190 kilometres over the two…

[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”grid_20171003″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G5_20171003″ content_type=”image” columns=”5″ height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Some of you have inquired about the chickens so we thought we’d do a quick update. We found a local man who breeds chickens, we went to visit him and bought some youngsters. We started with three large ones, two hens and a cock and two…

[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”grid_20170924″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G6_20170924″ content_type=”image” columns=”6″ height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]You may remember the barn, now with its new floor. We have put down palettes and ply and the next job was to clear the ‘mezzanine’. The barn is split in two with one side originally housing cattle with hay stored above them and the other…

[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”grid_201709003″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_S7_20170903″ content_type=”image” columns=”7″ height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] We have barrow loads of tomatoes so have been busy picking and conserving them: sun and oven drying, added to a preserve that Margie calls Ratatouille Chutney; making tomato consommé; and making passata. We now have dozens of bottles of red tomato passata made with…

[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”grid_201708201″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G5_20170820″ content_type=”image” columns=”5″ height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] The potager is thriving. Liz is especially please that she has managed to grow finocchio fennel, it isn’t quite ready but we can already see that it will be delicious – and we’ll eat the flowers…. read on. This week we found a beautiful caterpillar…

[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”Grid_20170811″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G3_20170811″ content_type=”image” height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We have been busy with Jean-Luc, our Maître d’Oeuvre (a sort of construction project manager), planning the renovations. This was going quite well, if slowly, when the UK election came upon us. The pound since then has plummeted to a new low point. When we bought the property…

[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”Grid_20170804″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G4_20170804″ content_type=”image” columns=”4″ height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Mixed weather again bringing rain which has made the potager even more productive.  This week we were able to eat ratatouille made with all our own vegetables. Delicious! If you haven’t ever done this it’s hard to explain the pleasure that cooking and eating your…

[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”Grid_20170728″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G4_20170728″ content_type=”image” columns=”4″ height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]We’re told the weather here isn’t typical, certainly it’s different to our holiday here – only a year ago; we seem to have alternate weeks of blazing sunshine then monsoon rain or overcast days. The plants are doing well because of the rain although we are…