June and summer visitors

View from the new Cottage terrace

Our first wedding party arrived in June, to a mixed bag of weather, but on the big day at the Brametorte Chateau wedding venue it was warm and sunny. 

Granite road to barn

We spent the first few weeks of June performing the final preparations for the season which started later than usual, probably due to Brexit.  We worked on gardens, gites and completing projects.  We now have two lawns with a granite road to the tractor barn, which will allow visitors to park in the shade.  This week will hit 38 degrees which is 8 degrees warmer than normal!

The cottage is at last finished, with new kitchen, terrace (wooden deck) with a great view, where you can enjoy a glass of Rosé, before supper on the BBQ.

Here are a few photos to whet the appetite.

With the gites upgraded, I can concentrate on my vegetable garden, chickens and the mini beasts i.e. the children.  We have been in the pool a few times...too warm for me!  The kids enjoyed a water slide on the grass in the garden, hunting for insects, feeding the chickens and collecting eggs.

Grange kitchen

Grange stairs to terrace

The Grange kitchen has had a makeover with new granite worktop, stainless steel splash back, new sink, tap and induction hob.  The floor sanded, re-varnished and skirting installed.

Great to cook up a storm and eat al fresco on the terrace over looking the pool and meadow.

Orchids in Grange garden

From our terrace, I watched a Roe deer and two month old fawn (Bambi) complete with spots forage at the edge of the field.   Each morning, on the way to school ,I see Bee-eaters on the electrical wires, Golden oriole which are nesting in the poplar trees at the end of the lane and a group of cheeky house sparrows.  On the way back I normally see a buzzard, woodpecker, little owl and cattle egrets.

One of the highlights this week was a male Golden oriole chasing a Kestrel from its territory.

Duck salad

Lautrec has a new restaurant.  "La Jardin du Clocher" I visited with friends, the food is superb and the wine divine.  You can find and book a table on Tripadvisor.  I thoroughly recommend dining there, due to great service and inspired surroundings.  It's great and in some ways replaces the recently closed and one of our favorites "Au Pied a Moulin".

June is host to the Fete de Musique,  a unique festival where musicians play in bars, cafes and other venues across France.  I went to meet some friends at Café Plum in Lautre,c to enjoy a beer or two and listen to the excellent music.  Other friends sang in a choir in St-Paul-Cap-de-Joux.  It is great fun and one of the highlights I look forward to every year.

Our daughter Evie had her eighth birthday party, which was spent with friends in a pool, lots of presents and I tried to make raspberry cup cakes.  They tasted great, but do not try to put on white chocolate icing when it's this hot....disaster.  After the party, we dashed to the theatre that evening and met up with friends, to watch Charlie and Evie in a play all about the Musketeers, all I can say is we laughed allot.  The kids were great and knew most of their lines.

Well that's it for another month.

Come and visit the upgraded gites, enjoy the pool and the beauty and peace of the countryside at La Bastide!

Next month, I will visit a friend in Bridlington,  Yorkshire for a few weeks, return home, then travel back to the UK with my daughter Evie.  We will visit Frencham common, Grandad in Fleet, London, Petworth and Brighton!  So the next blog may be shorter.