Update on chicks

These are two of the six chicks born this year. They are almost full size. They are very healthy and happy in the flock. The others keep asking if they are ready for the pot and I keep saying they are not big enough. I cannot face them going in the freezer.
It seems to me there is too much horror in the world now and I desperately want to keep my little world peaceful. I feel there is no place for killing animals. We do not need meat so let them live.
I have started emptying the duck pond again as there is another leak. I am having trouble finding this one. It is an enormous task but is a good chance to clean out the pond. I have found a system for filtering the pond but need help to put it in place. As the others are all focused on finishing the Gites I am on my own with what I want done.
Finally cut the grass in the orchard as the clover had finished and the bees are busy with the lavender now. The geese can see where they are going now.
The perimeter of our land is nearly all fenced now and clear of brambles. There is a clear view of the surrounding fields. This means there is no cover for a fox and it will be more difficult to get in. This is good but I do rather miss the wild tumbled garden. I have managed to keep an area of nettles near the duck pond and the wildflower area in my veg patch. I think I need assertiveness lessons!
I have taken the decision to try to eat fish and give up most dairy. I will probably keep having butter as I will not eat plastic spreads.
I have also found some inexpensive crochet cotton and am busy making floor and washing up cloths. I no longer want to use anything disposable and proper cloths are not available here.
I continue to make progress with my chemical free and green life.
My plan for next year is to get loads of flowers into the grounds. Shrubs and bedding. If I can get my polytunnel finished I can grow things from seed which is more affordable.
I am putting in a lot of work to enjoy living here but it is hard to do.

Summer has finally arrived

 The last two weeks it has been summer. Late starting but here at last. Still not normal though...temperatures have ranged between 25 and 38. I have been spraying the dogs and chickens with cold water.
It has meant work has been slow as it is often too hot to be outside. This has also meant our roof is still not finished. I begin to feel like it will never be done.
Last weekend we were in England. I finally picked up my fathers ashes. We took them to a country park he loved and scattered them in the undergrowth in the woods. A couple of rain showers will wash them into the ground. I found it very traumatic but that is the last thing to do for him!
I still feel very unsettled with no clear idea where my life is going. In my heart I really want to be in England. It has many problems but it is my home. The other three all are happy here. So as always I keep quiet.

Created for my bees

This is a section of a small wildflower garden I created for our bees and other wildlife. I would like to create more areas the same as I love wild flowers. The poppies self seed each year and spread without any help. The other flowers seem to sort themselves out too!
The next patch I will create will be in the orchard where the geese and bees live.
The lavender is now in flower and the beautiful humming bird moths are already visiting. I have seen my bees on it too.
The Hazel trees are covered in nuts so I hope I can beat the squirrels to them this year. They are still green at the moment. Apples and pears are in abundance too. Lots of chutney making before long.
We are slowly getting our land the way I want it!

Holiday time

We are on a road trip with friends from our UK car club. On Tuesday we drove up to Belgium and spent the night in a lovely hotel in the countryside. I was very impressed by Belgium, many speak English and no one made us feel unwelcome. I had forgotten what customer service was!
On Wednesday our friends from the UK came over using the tunnel and drove up to where we were. We managed to meet on the motorway. 12 Corvettes of different ages caused quite a stir on the motorway. Somehow we managed to keep together driving up to Holland. We spent two nights in Raalte. We visited a Harley Davidson museum which was amazing. He had bikes going back to early last century. We then drove along a dike road which was lovely to a town where we had arranged to park in the town square whilst we had lunch. In the afternoon we visited a Corvette museum that had almost every car since they began. His latest find is an immaculate 1953 model!
The next morning we did a boat trip around a beautiful residential area where cars are not allowed. Even the post is delivered by boat!
Then we drove a long way to Valkenburg for the Corvette Fame event.
Today we left early to park the cars at the event. Today and tomorrow we stay with the show. We leave the cars overnight and security guards have been organized to watch them overnight.
This afternoon some good friends arrived unexpectadly. We saw the car and said it was familiar but could not place it. They are joining our group for dinner tonight.
On Monday morning we start out for home. We plan to go through Luxembourg and a corner of Germany then under Paris and on to our place. We will stop just inside France Monday night.
We are both really enjoying this road trip. It is so far from our normal life. It has been great to have our daughter and son in law to look after things for us. Visiting other European countries makes me realize how wrong France is in trying to stay totally French!
Still no idea what we will do long term.

More buzz buzz

So, today I did my first hive inspection. I used smoke as instructed but to be honest the bees were not bothered. I had a good look at the brood chamber which now has lots of filled cells. The syrup has hardly been taken which I expected. From observing them I knew they were bringing in lots of pollen. I have now removed the feed tray and put a framed super on instead. Hopefully the bees will move up into this to store the honey.
My nucleus is growing into a colony very quickly.
P helped me to alter the hive but was very nervous and insisted on being a helper letting me do the main bit. Very few bees landed on us.
I have also put the hive up on wooden blocks sitting in pots of old engine oil. This stops ants getting into the hive.
I am really enjoying bee keeping and look forward to next year when I can harvest honey.
I remembered this time to pin back my hair as last time it fell across my face. Nothing you can do when suited and gloved! It is a big learning curve but I feel like I am getting there.
If one day we do move back to the UK I will continue to keep bees.

Mrs goose

She is properly sitting on her nest which is lined with her feathers. Mr Goose stays close and hisses at  anyone approaching the house. Now all animals and birds are fenced into their own areas I think she is happier to sit. She has pushed out a couple of eggs which I guess were not viable. I have lost track of how many eggs she is sitting on so it is a case of wait and see.
Yesterday we received a booking for next April which has cheered us all up. Seems English people do still want to holiday in France!
Picking raspberries daily now and putting in the freezer ready to make jam once I have enough. Veg doing well and apple and pear trees full of fruit.
The bees are collecting lots of pollen from the clover and blackberry flowers. Hoping the wind drops today so that I can inspect the hive.
The back of my roof is now finished and I have made a start clearing up that bit of garden which is now the chicken area. The chicks are now over 7 weeks and I am sure we have two boys which will go in the freezer after 13 weeks. We will wait for them to get bigger. The current broody hen is sitting on about 10 eggs. Will have to see how many hatch.
Very much focusing on what is going on here and trying to ignore the world!