March and Spring

Smooth leaved elm

Cherry Tree

Despite a cold start this morning, spring has arrived with the dawn chorus escalating with the number of species joining.  There are partridges, pheasant, and hares all getting ready to find a mate.  The roe deer stags have already got their harems sorted, they arrive early in the fields below the house to graze, soon the hinds will disappear to find a quiet place to give birth.  One stag has two hinds, another four.  At a friend's house, I watched the birds migrating inland, overhead I counted six or seven Black kite and an Osprey.  Blackcap warblers have taken up residence with at least four territories with males singing.  I heard a Nightingale on the 27th and first Cuckoo the 28th and saw Garganey at Cambournet-sur-le Sor.

Liner removal

We have instructed the pool guy to replace the liner, so I emptied the pool (it took a few days) this week.  The pool has been stripped of the old liner, the water filter cleaned and the sand replaced with glass beads (better than sand and last longer).  I am painting the exterior of the cottage and replanting the cottage garden.  Then there are the hedges to be trimmed before the birds start to nest.  I have replaced the dying Nectarine in the orchard with an Apricot, that has since flowered and is now setting fruit.  The Almond tree has blossomed and the leaves unfurled.  At the end of the month the Cherry trees blossomed. The Mirabelle which last year was covered with blossom and then fruit, has a few flowers. the opposite is happening to the Victoria plum, hopefully loads of my favourite plum.  The sad news is one my biggest apple trees which was flowering, lost the top four feet due to some rot in the trunk.

Laundry room

Warm enough to start having coffee and breakfast on the terrace,   I have switched from jeans to shorts when it's sunny and bright.

I have had my first vaccine (due to ataxia) Pfizer, with the second, early April.  The hospital was efficient, but with only four booths, very slow.  It probably was the lack of vaccine.  In the last week a number of countries throughout Europe have suspended the use of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine due to possible blot clots. I think the EU, especially Macron and Merkel are feeling the effects of a poor vaccine purchasing strategy.  In the past few days AZ has been given the green light, but the poor response from many European countries, has promoted antivaccine sentiment.  The good news is all my friends in the UK have had at least the first vaccination.  One friend is volunteering at a vaccine centre.

Fuel injection

1962 Fordson Power Major

This month saw the arrival of a new toy, with a friend Ian I have bought a 1962 Fordson Power Major tractor.  It is an original two owner beast, it started after 15 years and after a brief tour we made an offer which was eventually accepted.  We found out at an apéro that the village knew before we did!

Tractor Barn

It has a tractor fork and had a home made two ton concrete and metal barrel weight on the back. To transport these were taken off, however the previous owner decided to try to lift the weight only to succeed in the hydraulic lift cover being blown off, causing a 500 euro reduction in price, now that we have to replace this part!

  

Very dirty

I will update the blog as we service and repair the tractor.

Granville fritillary

Spring is very much here with garlic springing up in the fields, blossom and flowers everywhere.  This week though there were five days of snow forecast, which changed the following day to cloudy with showers. and a lot colder.  Today not a cloud in the blue sky and forecast to be over 20 degrees.  The hottest  day this month reached 27 degrees! 

The Apartment wooden sun shade has been completed and the ten ton granite pile is getting smaller as we barrow rocks down to the bank and sides of the stairs.  This will be completed in this month.

Plum blossom

The children are back at school and Tom even organised a five friend Minecraft marathon.  He installed a server, connected my laptop and mac wirelessly, then connected a switch for the PCs and internet.  Two friends brought PCs and apart from meal time, I hardly saw them.  I'm not sure they got much sleep on the Friday night.  

The 16th is Charlie's birthday, so we will have presents after school with burger and cake.  Sunday he has invited five friends to play Nerf war and ping pong outdoors.  Let's hope the weather is good.  I will provide pizza, drinks and more cake!  Postscript: The weather was good and the party a great success, with his favourite present, a kite, being flown in the afternoon.  I must say Charlie flew the kite well.

Quiche lorraine

March seems to have flown by, with lots happening at La Bastide, we will be into April next week and all the summer migrants will start to arrive.  Nightingales will sing all night for a month, Hoopoe,  Red backed shrike, Bee-eater , Golden oriole, Turtle dove and my favourite raptor;- Honey buzzard will arrive and breed.  It will get hot and the season will start.  We have bookings from France, Belgium and the Netherlands mainly in July and August, but who knows what will happen once vaccinations have been rolled out.

Last night, Wednesday 31st, France announced a third lockdown! with vaccine rollout now happening during the weekends.....unbelievable, that this is only now being really pushed.