A touch of Spring weather - up to 18°C - in February!

I don't usually like February.  It always seems to me to be the most miserable month of the year for weather and I remember why I used to like to go to tropical climes at this time.  However, this year we have had some extraordinarily warm weather which has been very welcome.  The time it takes to travel to warmer places however, puts me off making the arrangements to go too far afield.  By the time I have driven and been ferried back from Brittany to the UK, driven up to a London airport from Cornwall, waited for hours at the airport, done the eleven hour flight to Tobago, gone through immigration and taxied to the hotel, and then reversed all that coming home, I am ready for a holiday.   Somehow it's easier to stay at home and keep feeding the woodburner.

The beginning of February saw two English Workaways arrive to help me, particularly up on the field.  The weather forecast was dreadful so I couldn't see us getting much work done but luckily because of the dryer weather we did loads on the To Do List.  Sunshine and blue skies have been de rigeur for a week or so.  All the outside veggie beds have been prepared and the polytunnel beds too.  

Pete and Ben have also replaced all the old raised bed frames with new timber which has not been an easy task as it was originally inserted when the concrete paths were poured.

As I have been baking bread every other day with three mouths to feed, I have almost run out of Strong White Bread Flour and don't seem to have anyone coming over from the UK to replenish my store cupboard.  






I may have to resort to French flour about which I had read dreadful hygiene comments in various Facebook groups.  I did buy a bag of Francine multi-cereales flour and as soon as I got home I decided to decant it into a plastic lidded container.  I am afraid to say that when I unrolled the fold of paper at the top of the bag, I found a live maggot wriggling free.  Not a good experience and I now feel like buying bread until I find an English supply.

The girls have been laying better which is the norm as we get into February each year and I had five eggs from the nine garden hens today, the best so far this year.  I have also had lots of duck eggs but am still waiting for the geese to start laying again.   I have just brought in the incubator and filled it with eggs, so in 21 days ....

We had a Bowls Competition last week - each female had to play all of the other females and the same amongst the men.  There was to be a final with the winning female playing the winning male.  Phil won for the men but had an appointment to rush off to so the final has been deferred.   To everyone's surprise, especially mine, I won all of my games with the girls and will therefore play against Phil in the final at some point. 

Daffodils and crocus are popping up in the flowerbeds, just showing their colour but not open yet. 

My neighbour's snowdrops are lightening up the area by their stream and are quite beautiful.  I love seeing the gardens coming back into life again.  

The gorse on the lane is brightening up the corner by the calvaire.

At this time of year, the mistletoe is silhouetted in the trees everywhere around here.  

My unsuspecting sheep have now been shorn.  The lovely New Zealand housecarers I had last April when I visited England, have returned this week for a couple of days visit and saw to Ricardo, Lisa and Martha.  It's a bit early in the year, but it is mild at the moment and they do have a good shelter.  Martha and Lisa are both pregnant and I can't wait to see the lambs.

Here Denis and Lynelle are attempting to get Lisa into the Land Rover

and here's Ricardo, almost done ...

Lunch at Auberge de Guerledan with the Book Group and a good menu ...

We seem to touch on the books nowadays and the meetings now seem to be more about the lunch, which is all good!

Afterwards some of us visited the glass shop in Caurel and I seem to have signed up to do a glass fusion course when there are enough students to make it viable.





Three things I like:

1.   Having surprise visit from friends - especially sheep shearers!
2.   Sowing lots of my veggie seeds - seven trays are already showing little shoots.
3.   Hearing the incubator in the kitchen and knowing that in three weeks there should be fluffy chicks.

The New Year begins in St André

I come into 2017 with mixed sentiments about how I think the year will pan out, with Brexit negotiations being mismanaged by Mrs May and the inauguration of a new seemingly lacking-in-morals US President.  I don't feel at all positive about the future of the world and am more and more grateful that I was born when I was, so won't be alive in the years to come.

My left wrist continues to be painful and weak on lifting or twisting against something. After four x-rays at my rheumatologist's surgery, he confirms there is no fracture, but probably a ligament problem which often results from a fall. Incidentally, he said there had not been a cracked bone at all higher up near the elbow. Neither, as I thought after internet searching, do I have algodystrophy - the Guingamp ED Dr Sakkar, seems to be hopeless at diagnosis. Needless to say, I shall not be returning for my next appointment with him. I have been booked in for an arthroscan on 15 February - done with contrast which shows up tears. If a tear is found it may be necessary to have a small operation to repair it to avoid permanent disability occuring in that hand.

I was woken early one morning by my GP’s receptionist saying that Dr Quarck had asked me to go in and talk to her at midday.  It was cold again this morning although water not frozen in the animal drinkers.  I pulled clothes over my pyjamas and went to the field with two thicknesses on my legs. 

Dr Quarck wanted to ensure that I understood the possible side effects of Aclasta.  I said that the rheumatologist had explained that I might get flu like symptoms for a couple of days.  That was not enough information.  Apparently, Aclasta has can have the effect of severely diminishing bone in the jaw and can be extremely painful. My GP called me in to make sure that the rheumatologist had explained this. He hadn't. I have to see my dentist (not until April in the UK) before to check that he would be happy with this before, and if I went ahead, afterwards to monitor the situation. I said that if there is any possibility of losing bone in my jaw I will definitely not be having this treatment. I am dentalphobic and could not cope with this possibility - in tears even discussing with the GP I am so bad at tooth talk.  She explained that the treatment wasn’t urgent so I shouldn’t worry.  

When I heard Christian's chain saw buzzing, I quickly popped round to him with three logs which were too long for my woodburner for him to halve them.  I loaded the six halves into the Bag for Life I had brought and his wife, Paulette shook her head putting the bag into their wheelbarrow and filling it with more logs from the pile they had just cut - as a cadeau.  Christian then wheeled the barrow back to my sitting room door and helped me bring the wood into the chimney area.  They are so kind, I am very lucky to have such lovely neighbours.  Here is the view from across their garden on different mornings this week.

There has been a female blackbird visiting my bird table regularly this year.  She had such a red/orange breast when the sunshine caught it, that I could hardly believe she was a blackbird.  

Other birds have been mainly blue tits and great tits with an occasional robin too. Lots of magpies around and sparrows too. A friend gave me some black oats which her hens wouldn’t eat and I have been putting these on the bird table - they are disappearing, so I presume they are enjoying them.

A power cut resulted in loss of both telephones and internet for two days.  When the rest of the hamlet got internet and 'phones back I only got internet.  My 'phone line remained unusable.  Christian called Orange for me and they said it would be five days before they could fix the problem.  In the event, the phones were restored after three days, so not quite so bad and I was able to use the laptop to make 'phone calls with Voip.

Two parties so far this year.  I went to the first at Sally and Richard's, met old friends and stayed overnight with Lorna and Alan.  The following week I should have been back for a party at Lorna's but had a rotten cold and took myself off to bed for a couple of days, with Asda Max Strength Cold and Flu medication and lots of hot drinks of lemon, honey and ginger. Thank goodness, eight days saw the back of the germs.  Hopefully that is my cold for the year!

As the month has progressed it has got colder and colder overnight.  This morning it was -5°C in St André, but three miles away it was -10°C!  Here is the whitened lane one morning with the cats accompanying me to the field to let the animals out.

Here are some of the frosted leaves on the verge in the lane.

The rhubarb is pushing through the earth on the veggie patch and looking good for this year.  A friend in Spain has thick snow in her area and posted photos of her making Snow Angels.  At least we haven't had snow yet.

Because the sunshine doesn't reach the garden hen run, I have relented and allowed the girls out in the garden where they can shelter in the doorways of the cottages and enjoy the warmth of the sun.  Every day seems to be sunny with blue skies, but, of course, it is these clear skies which are allowing the night time temperature to drop so severely.

Bulbs in the narrow bed under the sitting room window are pushing up well through the earth and if they survive the hens scratching around they will be lovely in the Spring.

I had my first guests of the year into Small Cottage for two nights this week.  They are farmers looking to buy a farm in Brittany, so Brexit hasn't discouraged everyone from travelling to and moving into mainland Europe.  The exchange rate is not good, but maybe it will improve again eventually.  They brought bags of logs for the Small Cottage woodburner in their pickup in case they had to buy logs and left all those they didn't use for the cottage.  They also asked if I needed anything brought over and came with five bags of layers pellets for the girls.  Very nice guests indeed!

There was a strange sight along the top lane this afternoon.  I couldn't see signs of a burst water main but just this one tree was covered in ice from top to bottom.

Three things I like:

1.   These glorious blue, blue sky sunny January days.

2.   Making new friends.

3.   The room filled with bread baking aromas.

Last day of 2016

The year is only eleven hours from finishing as I write this in front of the woodburner at St André.  I arrived back home on Thursday morning with my daughter and grandson who will be here until their ferry sails from Roscoff on 2 January 2017.  As I was going to be away I didn't do decorations inside but did have my usual two pallet Christmas trees hung in the driveway.

Amazingly, I was driving back from St Nicolas du Pélem, just before Christmas and found a Christmas tree in the middle of the road.  I turned the car around and just about managed to get the majority of it into the Land Rover with the back door open.  My housecarers decorated it and placed it in the garden opposite their cottage.  They took care of everything here while I was away and did a good job - all animals are fine and they even lit the woodburner in my house ready for our arrival - double brownie points!

I went over to Cornwall for Christmas, the first in the UK since I moved here in 2006. 

One lunchtime, with Libby and Charlie, we ate at a new Mexican restaurant, Chiquito in Truro.  There were sombreros for diners to wear during the meal.

I stayed with my son, Matthew, and the weather was mostly dry and bright. We spent Christmas Day at Brett's parents home, here are Matthew and Brett while we were playing Jenga. 

On Boxing Day, Val and Colin came back to us for lunch, Breton prawn cocktail, duck, spicy red cabbage, petit pois, roasted butternut squash and dauphinoise potatoes, followed by lemon meringue pie and Christmas pudding with cream.

We were joined by others later for food and drinks.  No Christmas would be complete without Quality Street of course ...    We seemed to have four or five days in a row spent drinking quite a lot with various friends coming round, ending with a party the night before I came back home.

The ducklings that were born in October have grown and nearly have all their adult plumage now.

Earlier in December we had our Writers' Group Christmas lunch at Le St Antoine in Plemet. The food was excellent and we had a great time.  We enjoyed it so much that we are planning to go back in April for our normal meeting and also to celebrate my 70th birthday.

I missed a couple of the competition bowls matches this year due to hospital appointments but managed to make this one, doubles, and Daryl was my partner.  At the start of the last end of the final we were only one point behind but Martin and Linda played too well for us and we were runners up.  It was a good day with a good selection of buffet food provided by members.

My most recent Workaways, a young French man, and then an older Italian, worked hard clearing up for the winter months.  Amongst other tasks, apples were collected and stored, individually wrapped in newspaper and the log delivery was neatly stacked away.  Luckily my Breton neighbour is my log supplier so I should always be ok for nipping round for a wheelbarrow of logs if necessary.

They and my neighbours, Christian and Paulette, helped collect some attractive pieces of carved stone which had been dumped as waste in an area used by the local stone mason. Not sure what I'll do with them, but they were too nice to leave.

My baking has been going well and I now bake bread every other day.  I think it's the buttermilk which helps the rise.  In our Brittany supermarkets there are usually seven different types and I use this for the liquid necessary topped up with a little water.

And, lastly a photo taken by a previous Workaway, Bill, of my village from the other side of the calvaire, he posted it on Facebook and I've nicked it ...  hope you don't mind, Bill.

Three things I like:

1.   Coming back through my door when I've been away - there's no place like home.

2.   Catching up with friends and family when I'm back in Cornwall.

3.   Settling down in the warm, with the cats on my lap and computer table, in front of the woodburner when it's dark and chilly outside.

I WISH A HAPPY AND HEALTHY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!

The first frost, the last leaves on the acer

The first frost yesterday morning meant that I had to break the ice on the animal drinking containers on the field and in the garden.  It seems earlier this year ...

The Autumn colours are so beautiful in the lanes that I have to keep stopping the car and taking photographs. The last leaves have fallen off the acer in the garden.

My Workaway, Lynn, mother, Ute and sister, Elin walked around the Etang de Beaucours at St Nicolas du Pélem and the reflections in the water were beautiful with the trees just starting to change.























We had two evenings with me cooking on the first and Ute the second, playing Triominos and Gin Rummy.  Good times.  

Their journey from the north of Germany by bus took 13 hours to Paris and another 6 hours on to Guingamp.  

Two days later Ute, Elin and Lynn too returned home.  It must have been exhausting travelling.  









While Lynn was here we drove up to the north coast of Brittany and collected shells on the beach at Pordic.  There was a chap walking across the beach with lots of equipment. He was hoping to shoot - yes shoot - bass.  















We watched him slip into the water and round the edge of the bay.  Unfortunately we didn't see him again so don't know if he was lucky.

At Binic, we also collected shells - so many different ones - and finallly walked from the beach behind the wall on the left in this photo, and somehow, don't ask me how, as I am seriously challenged with heights, I climbed up a set of steps on the end with no viable handrail for the first part.  It was a slow, ardous, terrifying climb for me, but I did make it.

I took a photo of the seafood restaurant I saw last time I was there and also photographed the menus.  I definitely want to eat here sometime, the food looks really good.












This was the Créperie where we had lunch in Pordic.  It had a good atmosphere and bio drinks.  Very pleasant and worth a second visit.




My neighbours, who have a holiday home in the hamlet have given me permission to pick from their orchard and I went over to collect medlars.  

They need to blet - that is rot - or at least get very ripe.  To that end, I have spread them in a single layer on newspaper in a fruit tray and will wait for them to be ready to make medlar jelly.

My three surprise ducklings seem to be thriving and love it on the duck pond with and without their mum.

The little chick who sat on my shoulder for most of the mid-summer and who I named Annie, seems to have grown into a cockerel.  Although there are no large tail feathers yet, there are spurs and these combined with thick legs make me feel that soon we will be getting a crowing noise from this bird.

Baking today, and I made a dozen seeded rolls.  Last week I made this plaited loaf which rose and rose, so much that I nearly couldn't fit it on the baking sheet.  I hadn't really baked much bread since I was ill last year and it's good to get back into it again.




















My woodburner is performing beautifully again and in spite of the colder weather outside now, inside is toasty warm.

The photo on the right was one I found on Facebook and loved - what a way to display a logpile!

















The sunsets and sunrises are beautiful at the moment, here is one of the sunsets last week.

















Lastly, a group of cows standing in a gateway, who made me stop my car and record them!

Three things I like:

1.  I had my 'flu' jab this week from a nurse who managed to slip the needle in without me feeling it at all - hopefully that will see me with another 'flu' free year.

2.  Started - with Lynn - on the mammoth task of clearing the stored stuff in my studio. Already found some things I haven't seen for years ...

3.   The early morning cobwebs glistening in the branches in the lane.