February - Early Spring

Farmhouse and Grange in February

Almond Blossom

Rainbow

Early spring is here, with catkins, almond blossom, blackthorn white with flowers everywhere and bees buzzing.  Violets with their distinctive scent have extended into the grass near the house.  The first daffodils are flowering along with the wild celandine and the ditches are filled with cowslips, both a distinct yellow.  I have even seen my first summer visitors: Blackcap warblers, two males have taken up territories at La Bastide and are singing daily to attract a mate.   A pair of Kestrels, are as usual looking for a nest site in one of the windows of the farmhouse.  Normally with the all the gardening I undertake, they are disturbed and nest elsewhere.

View from the cottage the farm cannot be seen in summer

Play Barn

Chicken Run and fresh eggs

Butterflies are leaving their winter hiding places and are starting the search for nectar.  The big excitement was seeing a Barn owl around the Grange hopefully it will find a mate and nest in one of the barns.  The garlic is already 15-20cm tall and growing fast.  Winter wheat is taking over the brown fields, they will all be green shortly.  

Farmers are preparing fields with the plough and cow manure ready to plant the summer crops of sunflower, lentils, and  maize  (mostly for cattle feed).

Turtles at Cambournet

On a visit to Evie's horse riding at Dicosa (pony), I walked to Cambournet-sur-le-Sor and saw a Hen harrier, Great white egret (winter visitor) the start of a Heronry, about twelve pairs, a Cormorant colony (lots), various ducks and grebes and heard my first Chiffchaff of the year.

The kids have been off school for two weeks, so I arranged a ski holiday in Baqueira, Spain.  It was fantastic to hear from everyone on the trip that they thought  the kids were great and how proud I must be.!  "Proud and knackered."  They have been brilliant, integrating with the other skiers and enjoying games, bathing in the hot tub (not for long) and enjoying the four course evening meals  Tom has become a very accomplished skier and is a lot better than me... as are all the kids.  He even planned a route and guided two of the more accomplished skiers, through the trees and down a few red runs.  Tom has since announced that he wants to do a ski season before University.....only another six years to go!

Mountains, fresh air and skiing

Back at La Bastide,  I have a number of jobs for February: hedge cutting, pruning the vines, cutting the grass (yes, it's growing already) cutting out trees that have self seeded and completing the under-barn.  I'm beginning to hate grouting!

The good news is that we have a lot of bookings already.  Even for the new apartment, so I think we are in for a busy summer.  

Kitchen install

Bathroom

Here are a few photos of the apartment to whet the appetite.  It has a new Nolte kitchen fitted by my friend Jean-Philippe.  With a gas and induction hob, two Bosch ovens, Franke sink and a Whirlpool dishwasher.  There are two bedrooms (double and two single beds) two bathrooms both with showers and we have installed a large bath.  

We are building a large wooden deck so that guests can walk out onto a large outdoor "room" to sit, BBQ and enjoy the fabulous south facing view

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Great wine and cheese

We are planning Charlie's birthday and as usual he wants a car.... this time radio controlled.  We will plan a party shortly.  During the month I cooked a traditional French dish: Beef bourguignon and a hot Chicken curry both for an apéro with friends, however it would not be an apéro without plenty of wine, good bread and cheese.

This month has been warm, 17 degrees and in the sun and very pleasant.  Breakfast with the dog and coffee on the terrace........fantastic.

Well, that's it for another month, friends arrive in May, I am off to the UK and Austria in March.  I cannot wait for shorts and T shirt weather.

Drive to La Bastide