Rural Life

Autumn Lockdown - Day 17 - details

I have a friend who helped to get herself through the first lockdown (in Denmark) by using her daily exercise period to find something and photograph it in enormous detail.  She looked at flowers, insects, leaves, buds - and each photo was a small miracle and was shared with her chums across the world.  Today I have taken a leaf out of her book and have details of two natural things that have brought me a certain joy.

People go on about lichen being rare, delicate and a sign of good, clean air.  As some of these are scientists, I guess I have to believe them.  Clearly the lichen in our garden is a mutant version, as a large quantity has chosen to colonise one of the plastic chairs in the garden, is growing away strongly and is pretty well impossible to remove, even with a pressure washer and a scouring pad.  Why would I want to remove it?  Well, I'm not so keen on sitting on lichen as it also marks your clothes quite badly (it is purely a nightmare that it would start to colonise my jeans as well, but someone might want to make a Dr Who script out of that).

That's the chair leg, and this is the chair back.

I've shared a couple of photos trying to show the joy of spindle berries, but today I found some that I could get up close and personal to, and these do show the colours and the shapes.  My mother in law remembered seeing great banks of spindle berries on the shrubs by the side of the railway line over the Malverns, taking her and her sister to the school in Herefordshire they were evacuated to.  We tried to buy and plant spindles in her garden in London, but they were never as prolific as the wild ones here around us.

Finally I did promise another racoon photo on a Sunday.  Here is a photo of Rachel the Racoon, another of the critters fed by a friend of a friend in the States.  Isn't she gorgeous?

 

Autumn Lockdown - Day 13 - Remembrance Day

The 11th November is a bank holiday here in France - the second of two holidays to remember those who gave their lives for France (the other being 8th May, or Victory in Europe Day).  They are not quite so fixated on a two minute silence at 11am, not least as in a normal year some dignitaries and local marching bands have to attend more than one ceremony, so they can be at any time from about 9:30am to midday.  Ceremonies are well attended by local elected officials, the uniformed public services, the junior council and the old combatants, who wear their campaign medals and their best clothes.  Once wreaths have been laid and a few words said, there is then a vin d'honneur for those not going on to another ceremony.

Each commune was required by law to set up a war memorial in the years following the Great War, and to simplify things, the Government made available a catalogue of different styles, so it is quite common for towns across the country to have the same soldier or group of soldiers on a plinth.  This was an interesting snippet from a recent lunchtime news programme.  This is Baugé's war memorial, photographed on Saturday, next to the Tribunal.

This year the ceremonial has had to be much reduced, no vin d'honneur, and I could not track down when the wreaths would be laid in the village - turns out sometime between 10am and 11:15am.  It is near the cemetery so I photographed it yesterday on my walk, before the wreaths had been laid, but the flags were out already.

People have taken advantage of the bank holiday though, and when I went out for my walk, I saw more than I normally see, taking advantage of a fine afternoon to stretch their legs and get a change of scene.  I didn't go as far today - just 2.5 kilometres - as I was mixing up the routes a bit.  I may well have a rant soon about the relative ease (or not) of getting a different walk and one's potential full allowed distance, but not today!  Instead I found some more spindle berries but closer to where I could photograph them, so here is a better view.  The pink is almost synthetic and you can just see on one, that the seed inside is a bright orange.  They are still poisonous mind you!

 

Autumn Lockdown - Day 6 - out and about

Thanks to advice from chums who read this via Facebook, I decided to brave the market at la Flèche, armed with my attestation and a shopping list.  I was glad I did - for a start it was a lovely drive up, with magnificent leaf colour most of they way.  Parking by the river was easy, and I could stand and watch this view for hours!

Pretty well all my regulars were there, except the bread, croissant and cake stand, which was a real shame as I had been looking forward to croissants later in the week (although the porridge is still magnificent).  I came home laden with local produce including a very fine cauliflower and a christophine - probably the only one this year, as the guys who manage to grow this tropical delicacy found that the polytunnels were too hot for it this year.

This afternoon I finally started on a rather nasty but essential task, and progressed it as far as I could, at which point I felt that I needed a treat and some exercise.  Armed with another attestation (fortunately the paper supplies 3 normal and one work related per day), I set out on a short but beautiful walk.  First I turned up the mediaeval Rue Basse to the Church.

I then walked down to the Pont de Godeau (once again, he didn't turn up).  Passing by the wall of the mini-chateau, I noticed they had a very fine crop of olives this year.  If they have a couple of kilos, I'm sure they could get them pressed for oil at the oil mill - we are thinking we might get some walnut oil made, if I spend a period of confinement cracking them.

I then went up to the Route de Beaufort, along a bit and back down the Rue de la Croix de la Mission.  I had to go over the old railway line, now a walking and cycling path.  I did pass a jogger at one stage, and spent a few minutes contemplating how far he was taking the Mick, as he had clearly come and intended to go further than 1 kilometre from his home base or his place of work.  But what the hell - people are working within the spirit of the regulations, and keeping their distance, and that is surely the point.  I was wearing a mask too, so should have been safe from any droplets he was shedding around him. 

Anyway, on the field side of the disused railway, I spotted this magnificent spindle bush covered in bright pink berries.  The higher up berries are hawthorn and can be cooked, but spindle is pretty poisonous so is best admired at a distance.

And then towards home and the road back to the village - a very nice walk, but not the longest I can do in my allotted hour and within the radius of one kilometre, but more about that another day.  Now I must join a Women in OR and Analytics virtual conference.

A demain!

 

Autumn Lockdown - new beginings

I guess it was predictable, and following a day mostly spent in bed with a migraine, it was with enormous trepidation that we sat and watched the President's address last night.  As expected, he announced a four week national lockdown, but kicking in a day or two sooner than many had thought.  There was I think less warning this time, or rather, less official warning.  We are also on alert here for bird 'flu, so things are pretty special.  So here's a heads up - from tomorrow, the daily lockdown blog post starts again!

This one seems to me more daunting than the last one.  Already days here are short, with only 10 hours between sunrise and sunset, and that will only get less between now and late December.  The weather will get worse - despite a slight reprieve in temperatures over the next few days, we are heading for winter, and can spend less time outside and less comfortably.  There really is nothing to look forward to now in 2020 - all events are cancelled that we would usually go to - and the last of the "part timers" left today - we doubt we will see any others before the New Year now.

The glories of Autumn are nearing their end.  We found these cèpes in the One Acre Wood a couple of weeks ago, and there may be a couple more this weekend, but then days are too short and cold to get them going again until next year.  These were delicious by the way!

This year has been particularly good for cyclamen.  The ones in the lawn started in July, and are still going, with some very dense patches of pink flowers.  The ones in the One Acre Wood don't last as long but have been going for a couple of months now, including two new flowering corms which have clearly self-seeded.  These delicate white flowers are a real joy to me, whatever the weather.

Autumn also means we have an extra visitor downstairs - the log fire.  It is like another member of the family and a welcome sight and feeling on cold and wet nights.  Lockdown brings challenges with finding firewood - we might have to go out and about with our best Professional Forest Workers kit on, but that is something to worry about another day.

The same day as the new confinement was announced, I received my official number for my new way of earning money.  I am now officially registered as an autoentrepreneur that helps people out with translating and interpreting (NOT official translations having said that) to get through daily life over here in France.  So getting that business up and running when I can't go out and about very much is going to be really easy, isn't it?  2020 just keeps giving!

 

Day 29 of 30 Days Wild - it's damp in the One Acre Wood

Not today, as I have either been chained to my computer or out at yoga, getting within 4 inches of touching my feet with my forehead, but yesterday, we got to the One Acre Wood for a walk after working on the plot.

Often at this time of year, it is cool and dry in the wood, with the air full of insects.  Sadly, as everywhere else, there are fewer insects in the wood, which is a shame.  Because of the recent rain, it was very damp underfoot and quite humid.  There is a beautiful bit of moss on the rustic bench by the upper seasonal pool (currently empty).

Further down the way, and looking through the trees it felt a bit like a temperate rain forest, although it isn't.

And every good forest has to have its monsters, this is ours.  They really are so unpleasant to look at, these monster orange slugs, but I tolerate them, as if the giant orange slugs are out and about, there is a chance that we will get mushrooms later in the year.  No scientific basis, just observation over the 15 years we have had the wood.

Apologies for this being so late in the evening - I'll bet you have nightmares about our Orange chum!

 

Day 12 of 30 Days Wild - unexpected things

When I said yesterday that I had to go to the supermarket today and that might inspire today's blog, John laughed, and he was right to, as other things have come my way today.  But first I will have a short rant about the supermarket, which does not seem to have worked out yet that lockdown is essentially over and therefore there is really no excuse now for shortages.  Empty shelves where red wine, chocolate, loo rolls, pasta, tea, and cat food should be were kind of acceptable in April, but in June not so much!

First thing this morning I walked up to the boulangerie for our pain au chocolat and baguette (cliché or what?).  There is renovation work going on with a house opposite the boulangerie, and today I got the full effect of the vile concrete render being off.  You can see where windows have been filled in and relish the stonework.  Sadly I expect the stones will be recovered with render next week, but it would be lovely if in fact, it was just the joints that were more fully filled in so we could enjoy this on a daily basis!

Then when I started to work through my e-mails, I found one from a chum in the States, Texas in fact, who had been inspired by yesterday's photos to send me one of the white-wing dove that is sitting on her nest in his garden.  She looks similar to our collar doves but the neck ring is less pronounced.  Thank you!

And then on the wild front - I spotted this in the lawn, after hanging out the laundry.  It is way too early for the cyclamen to be flowering - we aren't past the longest day yet!  Normally they don't start until August.

I wonder what tomorrow will bring!

 

Day 10 of 30 Days Wild - but very tame in fact

Work can be regarded as a necessary evil, although actually, when I have a project running, I really enjoy it.  The one I am currently working on has a very tight timeframe with a lot to squeeze into June, so there are days like today, when once I am home from the market, all I do is sit in front of the computer.  There are also other distractions going on which can affect concentration.  For once that isn't cats on the desk, but that is a first.

I did attend a webinar at lunchtime on how to maintain confidence in work and data when remote working - there was little new in it, but it did help me to realise that actually I do these things quite well and shouldn't beat myself up.  In the new normal, the world could be at my feet!

I have managed to take a short walk around the garden, on the way too and from removing a broody chicken from the coop so I could rescue the eggs before she does something silly (it is the Big White Chicken that is brooding but I sometimes think it is an excuse when she can't be bothered to get up and go out and about).  My first freesia flowers are about to come out.  I nibbled a raspberry or two.  I scowled at the clouds, bringing more rain, but that was about it.

For those that made it this far, I'd better include a nice photo or two of something - what have I got in my stash?  In March 2019 we went to Guadeloupe and did a walk through the rainforest, where we saw this.

Day 20 of Deconfinement Diary - just Saturday stuff

So as not to worry people if I don't post anything, here is a short update.

The market was heaving this morning and given that at 10:30am it was also already rather hot, I decided not to join the huge queue for the fruit and vegetable stand (we have access to quite a lot of stuff anyway), but did get fresh tuna and half a shoulder of lamb (yum - can't wait).

The afternoon was mostly devoted to mowing and watering - but we did avoid these beauties.  There have not been as many bee orchids this year as last year, but this example was particularly fine.

And now I am off to cook said fresh tuna, so I wish you all a good evening!

 

Day 16 of Deconfinement Diary - growing things

Ah the joy of having reliable brakes - it meant I could go out and about quite happily this afternoon, after a morning of staring at the computer screen.  Today's foray was "just" to feed the boys in the country, check round the property and water the seedlings.  It is also a magnificent day here today - blue skies, a bit of a breeze to take the edge off, and lovely sunshine.  The official shade temperature is supposed to be about 25ºC today, and it probably is about that, but when you are out and about, you are not always in the shade, so it feels a lot hotter.  Still, I topped up my vitamin D levels nicely I'm sure!

So what did I see out and about?  Well the contents of the tin of cat food disappeared very quickly as all four boys were hungry for food with gravy on it and even ate their carrots, before joining me down the garden.  Fergus found his usual dust bath, but this time in the shade.

After a certain amount of shuffling around for the best position, Donald took the spare chair and Spooky curled up on the ground, again both nicely in the shade.

Clause was feeling vulnerable - I had found a further two ticks on him and wanted to get them off, but he wasn't going to be pulled around today, he wanted to be left alone, so he took to deep cover.

The potagers are coming on - I really didn't think the tomatoes would take when I just shoved in the bare rooted seedlings we had been given, and I was quite sure the lettuces wouldn't do anything.  The shallots were a gamble and I wait to see how they turn out.  The broad beans are nearly over and the bit of plot in between will be sown with borlotti beans soon.  Beans are good on the vile clay soil there, as the roots are supposed to be good for breaking down into the soil and also for fixing nitrogen.

I also checked the orchids in the other plots.  We've not had as many bee orchids this year as expected and many less than last year, but the lizard orchids are now doing their thing.  They aren't pretty but they are rather dramatic.

I was surprised to find a bird's nest orchid as well.  It's a pretty name for an orchid that is even less attractive than a lizard orchid.  It is parasitic and grows from something rotting in the soil, normally roots of something else.  It has no leaves, all you ever see is the flower stalk.  I've found them at my Mum's and in the One Acre Wood, but it was a first to find them where the boys hang out.

 

Day 9 of Deconfinement Diary - French bureaucracy will get me if Covid doesn't!

After yesterday's triumph of finishing the sewing (still not yet in place however - something for tomorrow!), I felt strong and able to cope with the thought of firstly helping some chums get through the ANTS system, and then looking at the tax declaration stuff.  Well that was a mistake!

Actually things started well, in that we got my friends' approved digitised photos done at the local service in double quick time, plus John scanned the required documents for me so I didn't have to battle the scanner.  Then it all started to go a bit pear shaped.  First off they wanted more documents than we had scanned, so I ended up taking photos of electricity bills and health system cards and using photos.  That worked and one application to change from a UK drivers licence to a French one went.  Could I get the other one to work?  Aaargh.  It took 15 goes to get the home address entered, as the system took offense at a "lieu dit" that it couldn't automatically find in its repertoire.  As the Government will happily send tax and health stuff to the address, that was a bit annoying, but by sidling up to it, catching the system unawares, a judicious prayer to the god of computers, and by not doing anything different, it finally accepted the details and let me do all the other stuff required for the second licence exchange application.  That is two hours of my life I won't get back!!

So after lunch I went to feed the boys and water the seedlings I planted at the weekend and check on stuff.  There are cherries, but not many, not large, not whole and not particularly spectacular - a shame after all the blossom.

I also took more photographs of bee orchids, but most are out of focus.  This one worked nicely though.

Once home, I thought I had better start looking at tax forms for here and Chinon.  Big mistake!  O it is easy to find the exchange rate they said last year at the tax office - I had to access a number of different reports, copy down twelve numbers to 4 decimal places, take the average and now I wait to see if it bears any resemblance to the number I asked for on the Q&A.  If it does fine, if it doesn't …. And tax French bears no relationship to real French like wot it is spoken either.  Another 2 hours of my life I won't get back.

Rummaging in the shed yesterday evening, John found our Covid-19 remedy (not that he was looking for it, but nice to have found it anyway).  We think it has more chance of working than Trump's dodgy hydrochloroquinine anyway.