Early spring

The way up, Saint Lary

Violets

It is February, the shortest month, but a month full of promise. Birds are already looking for nest sites and courtship is beginning.  Buds are on the trees and the first violets, celandine and apricot trees are in flower.  Daffodils are blooming and the air is warmer, 18 degrees plus,  sunny all week with some wind, drizzle and the odd frost.  The bird table is busy with the usual suspects, but a surprise visit today by a cirl bunting and serin. Lilou barked at the lower meadow and three roe deer ran for the woods.  I have planted an evergreen jasmine near the farmhouse and have some freesia bulbs which will be planted in April.

Saint Lary skiing

Gite Au Chant des Marmites

We spent a week in Saint Lary in the Pyrenees.  We had fresh powder and sunny days, as it snowed overnight three times.   The kids thoroughly enjoyed the visit, skiing with friends Jean-Phillipe and Fausto.  Due to my back I became the chalet maid, creating lunches to eat on the mountain and hot chocolate and cake for the skiers return.  The gite was small, but perfect for a ski week. We stayed at Au Chant des Marmites, which was less than five minutes from the lift and cable car.  A short walk took us into the centre of the pedestrianised town. Bars and restaurants were good, the highlights a Spanish IPA and an evening at Chez Tom, a mixture of great Tapas, and local fare.  

This month sees the hedges completed (cut) prior to the bird nesting season.  The grass had its first cut last week and I even managed to get the lawn mower serviced.  This year I am determined to grow more vegetables, so will start on the potager soon.  I know it is time to sort the potager as potatoes, onions, artichoke and even tomatoes are already available le at the garden centre.

One chicken, three duck

The good news is the ducks have started to lay with two eggs hidden in a nest by the fence margin.  The bad news was that unfortunately one of Evie's budgerigars had died when we arrived back from skiing.

The Beko dishwasher has broken down, but luckily is still under warranty. I await a visit to repair it, in the meantime washing up!

This month, I will carry on with physio, Pilates and back exercises. I am even contemplating acupuncture.  I hope  to be able to ski next season, I have a mates trip to Baqueira, Spain in March and even though I will walk, relax and eat Tapas, it will not be same without skiing!

Friends are starting to book trips to visit La Bastide in May which is good for the kids and me. We have bookings in June and July so far and are receiving regular enquires. 

I just collected two books of this blog, written since we arrived in April 2014.  This year in April we will have been in France eight years.  The books are created by PixxiBook and are very high quality, I would thoroughly recommend them.  The photographs are better than I imagined. Go to  PixxiBook  I decided on a hard copy as the internet can change,

Eight years blogging