A Fuller week

Here’s a tiny glimpse of a great week spent with good friends from the UK.  For some reason there is minimal photographic evidence, but I have excellent memories of us having a lovely time.  A lack of sunshine on certain days meant that the showering facilities were rather colder than expected and the composting loo was deemed not to be up to the standards of modern day living, a few too many flying, stinging, biting things for comfort, but all in all, I believe a positive experience.  We ate and drank well and had several tourist excursions to places that I would never have visited on my own.

http://gouffre-esparros.fr/le-gouffre/la-visite/la-visite-en-images/

A great, though much longer than expected, walk in the mountains to see the tallest waterfall in europe.  Little Emma did amazingly well having set out on a walk that we thought was going to be an hour and a half but was actually nearer to five hours.  we should have taken out picnic with us.

there were that many people we could see where to go

can you spot the Fuller family?

getting soaked

Brilliant achievement

Cirque de Gavarnie from a distance

Next time I’ll wear appropriate footwear when I have the opportunity to visit the local amusement park. Parc de Demi Lune.   Proper flying fox and tree top rope bridge experiences - they didn’t approve of flip flops as appropriate foot wear otherwise I’d have spend half the day up in the trees.  Emma thoroughly enjoyed her pony ride and we all had great fun with the craziest crazy golf ever, but the best bit for everyone were the bumper boats.  Out on a lake with ten or so other bumper boats.  Little, inner tube surrounded tubs powered with outboard motors, with their drivers intent on bumping into and splashing the other occupants, known or otherwise, for fifteen minutes or so.  It was a free for all, we all ended up soaked having had great fun.

The whole visit flew by in a moment and i was left standing in a bit of a daze, had a short moment to gather my thoughts before heading off for a weeks’ participation on a straw bale build project in the mountains.

Joy visited

My dear friend Joy has been to stay.  She booked a flight from the UK ages ago and I was slightly concerned that the weather wouldn’t be at it’s best during April.  Thankfully it was kind.  We saw days of warm sunshine, a bit of rain, the most amazing storm with thunder and lightening crashing right overhead that went on for most of the afternoon, missed snow, by a day, when we visited Pierre at Lou Rider, but mainly it was lovely.

Joy enjoying a spectacular sunset

snow on the mountains just before going through the tunnel to spain

through the tunnel to spain

Ainsa, on the warm sunny side of the mountains

 Joy’s visit was timely and gave me good reason to ease back into ‘full on’ working at a sedate pace.  We did plenty of touristy pottering about, visited markets and had long leisurely lunches found flattish places for strolls and discovered the opportunity for plenty of pauses for cappucino’s  or cups of tea.

I got to thinking how little of this I do when I am on my own, and how that must change.  Now that the project is coming up for a year in the making, the hard graft can be seen to be making a big difference.  The clearing that took months last year was brought back under control with an afternoon strimming.  A couple of hours weeding in the well mulched vegetable areas and it all looks clean and tidy.  I am smiling writing this, as the vision of ‘clean and tidy’ resembles little of what I would have imagined a few years ago.  

A deep layer of autumn leaves surrounds the wanted plants keeping annual weeds to a minimum, they protect the soil from heavy downpours and days of hot sun, regulating the soil from excessive temperature and humidity fluctuations, slowly decaying to provide food for the plants and soil organisms alike.  Meandering paths allow access to different areas of the plot, cut through swathes of fast growing natives.  Beautiful drifts of wildflowers are already bringing colour and interest for myself and the hosts of wildlife that keep themselves endlessly busy day by day.  My hours of bramble root digging look to have paid off in the most part, an occasional tour with the strimmer should knock back any determined shoots and, theoretically, in three or so years, the majority will have given up.  Other weeds are taking their place.  Buttercups are highly visible this spring, dandelions put on an impressive display and the docks are springing up here and there.  It’s going to look spectacular as summer unfolds.

still plenty of veggies fron last season

a good layer of mulch keeps the weeds down and the soil moist and friable underneath

My trays of seedlings are growing fast and will soon be ready for planting out.  Need to get some ‘friendly’ slug pellets, if there is such a thing, but I really would appreciate some of the vegetables reaching maturity and with the dampness about at present I fear or the little ones.  I’ll try a light liming of the raised beds too, though not too much as it may not go down too well with everything.  Perhaps half and half, to see if there is any difference.  Will keep you posted if I remember.

the seedlings travelled too!! 

festive preparations

Four days in the mountains, a mini break of sorts, with Pierre at Lou Rider.  Our aim was to bake Christmas cakes and make chutney, get out and enjoy the mountains for the last time before the snow arrived and enjoy being away.

I picked up a couple of crates of ungraded apples at the market, fine to eat but ideal for cooking with, though some varieties tend to keep their shape however long you cook them for.  Apples and a couple of home grown winter squash were the basis for chutney, along with two mixes of spices and other ingredients for the two batches planned.

I got to use one of my latest car boot treasures, an apple peeler, corer, slicer all in one.  It really was amazing and already paid for (3 euros) for the quantity of apples we processed.  Check out the pics.

one of my new kitchen toys

chutney in the making

peels, cores and slices in one easy action

 Pierre had been soaking dried fruit in alcohol for weeks in preparation for the cakes and we raided a supermarket on the way into the mountains for all the other ingredients.  Between us we made nine beautiful cakes of varying sizes and two cases of chutney, one of which will blow your head off!!!  I can’t wait till they’re nicely matured and ready to taste properly.

alcoholic fruit

Christmas is coming

Neither of us were on form, so we didn’t really venture out that much which was a shame.  The winter cold bugs were busy doing their thing and our bodies probably benefited from a bit of a rest.  Thankfully all the produce we made was thoroughly cooked and none of the bugs will have survived.

the calm of november

The calm of November is here.  Not that the first seven days have been calm at all, I’ve only been home for two and a half of them.  The weekend spent in the mountains, Friday night Halloween Party at Lou Rider with Pierre and a group of his french friends from St Lary.  It’s still strange to be at Lou Rider in the summer with it being warm outside, I always expect to be greeted with a blast of freezing air whenever the door is opened, not this time with the last dregs of summer warmth.  Saturday we hiked up a couple of red ski runs, high into the mountains, to have a look at the view and some new structures that have been built to help with crowd control on the winter pistes.  The weather remained impressively warm and my lungs reminded me that I need to do more hill walking to get back into some sort of cardiovascular shape.

Sunday continued in the mountains, I left Pierre, crossed a nearby pass into the next valley and met up with my good friend Simon.  We had intended to pass the afternoon together but one bottle of wine turned into two, the roast chicken on a string took it’s time and was just as delicious as the previous time - four or so years ago.  We chatted till well past dark, watched the stars and the moon from our grassy outpost high in the mountains before retiring to our respective vans for another night at altitude.  

That was the end of summer.  Next morning the temperature had fallen dramatically and the weather turned to grey and damp, the first morning without sunshine since early September, if I remember rightly.  Spoiled by the weather.  We have a plan to learn mini digger skills together, I have water pipe to bury before it gets too cold and Simon suggested he would help if I hired the machinery.  All booked and diarised for the 17th and 18th of November.  

fergus and family come to stay

hiding in a hide L-R Me Don Ginny & Fergus

My godson comes to visit, it’s half term in the UK and Fergus and his parents, Ginny and Don are here for three very quick days.  Lodged in comfort in the B&B just down the road (in case the weather was cold and autumnal) they have come to lend a hand.  That hand has already been well used, with a whole suitcase of goodies that I have been ordering on line inthe UK to take advantage of free delivery.  It has been arriving at theirs for the last three or four weeks and transported as hold luggage for a fraction of the postage price.  Thank you SO VERY much.  

I am now fully kitted out with all the chainsaw security clothing, all I need now is a chain saw!!  have decent solar lighting that will do fine till the next stage of investment is arranged.  Various english food items including baked beans and christmas pudding - something that I have been raving since a conversation a few weeks ago,  I’ll keep it till nearer the time and enjoy the wait knowing that it’s there.

My guests loved the place, the whole area in fact and thoroughly enjoyed their short time with me.  We got plenty done in the garden, namely the second vegetable bed properly dug and composted, the lights up in the chalet and, importantly some decent time spend discovering my locality.  

I have the most amazing lake about ten minute drive away, a huge nature reserve that is frequented by tens of thousands of migrating birds each spring and autumn, we happened upon a guide whilst we were looking who explained a great deal of what happens and the kind of birds expected.  Next visit will be in the late afternoon as that is the period of activity, as all the birds return to roost.  Safety in numbers.

That same guide proposed an amazing restaurant, well, farm where one can dine.  You have to book, so we did so and enjoyed a fabulous meal one lunchtime, emerging into the sunshine mid afternoon, fit to bust, and in no fit state to participate in strenuous activities.  A leisurely afternoon was spent strolling around my closest market town, checking out the architecture and a fascinating junk shop ( to become a frequent haunt I am sure).  

I breakfasted leisurely at the B&B each morning, sneaking in an hour or two of tasks before hand, the neighbours invited us in for drinks one evening and with a trip to the market the time was gone, far too fast.  It was wonderful to have guests, especially now that I am better equipped and in the knowledge that there is shelter and comfort, to some small degree, should the weather turn.  Will be thoroughly ready by the time spring arrives.  Future bookings now being taken.

selfie - 'nuff said

fascinating corn on the cob.  shame it's animal grade and terrible to eat

enjoying the autumn sunshine

lake puydarrieux from one of the hides

looking towards the mountains from the dam

Most of the rest of October

Since the Belgians were here and my last blogging stint whilst dog sitting at Vanessa and Lisa’s a fair amount has happened.  Mostly not here, but have been getting things done too in the gaps between.

I spend three days on the Atlantic coast, celebrating my birthday, having some time on the beach and enjoying gloriously hot and sunny weather.

we made it for sunset and stayed in the same spot as last year

Had a very interesting house construction meeting with a carpentry company that produces timber framed buildings in the ‘old fashioned’ style but using modern computer guided milling machined to do all the technical joints and angles.  The finished product looks amazingly smart and the time spent on construction is minimized as everything is ready cut to fit.  Not quite the real thing, but affordable and close.  We’ll see when the quote comes in.  

A day discovering Tarbes, my larger local town, nearly an hour away.  I had two leads to get solar electricity quotes, partly for now and out of curiosity for the house in the future.  I found both companies and know what they need to work it all out.  An evening or two of listing all my electricity requirements, then they can get on and do the sums.

Help from Pierre to cut my wood.  It was a worryingly large pile that I thought may take a day to get through.  We were done by lunchtime and stacked away soon after.  The joys of a decent chainsaw - I really must get one soon.

cutting wood in readiness for winter

Pierre admiring some of the wood

Hosted lunch for old helpX hosts from the past who live not that far away.  It was great to catch up and share with them my ideas for the future.  Really enjoying being able to host again.  A french lunch event is great if you’ve got nothing else to do for the rest of the day.  I’ve had two couples round for lunch now and both times we’ve still been chatting at four or so in the afternoon, an excuse then for tea and cake.  A properly leisurely affair.  

A cry for help from Cherry and Chris had me over near Carcassonne for two days helping Ben repair a collapsed roof.  Hairy stuff, jacking up one of the main beams of an ancient roof to the right hight so that it can be braced and secured back into the wall.  There were a few tense moments with loud cracking sounds, sliding tiles and unexpected noises but all went well.  The rotten end of the beam was removed, we added a new bit, thoroughly braced it with oak planks on either side and secured it back into the wall.  I would have stayed for a further week, to reset the tiles outside, build a staircase (from a kit) and continue a list of outstanding jobs, but with more guests arriving, I really couldn’t afford the time.

Another offer for a weeks paid work came in at about the same time.  A project that was overrunning with a deadline to finish.  It’s amazing how all these things seem to come at the same time. 

The Chestnut Fair.  A fun fair in a tiny village in the foothills of the Pyrenees where the chestnut is celebrated.  Stalls selling all things chestnut, jams, cakes, drinks, basketry, tools, demonstrations on grafting, pruning, woodworking and more.  Stalls selling local produce, honey, wool, handicrafts, the local male voice choir circulating amongst the throng, singing in the local language that only they seem to understand.  Three hundred or so people lunched on chestnut and pumpkin soup or chestnut raised pork charcuterie, local lamb and potato gratin followed by a chestnutty choice of deserts.  It had to be done.  Amazingly I ran into the chap who had come to look at providing me with hedge plants way back in June.  I’d heard nothing since, so had rather abandoned the idea of using him.  He assured me that the paperwork was ready and waiting since June but he knew that I was visiting the UK so hadn’t delivered it.  He called round two days later, excusing the handwritten estimate of costs, explaining that his colleague hadn’t been in the office yesterday to do a proper one. 

roundhouse update

lime rendered and ready to go

Matty posted a photo of the roundhouse with render so I’ve nicked it for my blog.  It looks magnificent.

Weatherproof yet breathable, quick drying (compared to clay) lime and sand render, two coats, now all he needs is a door, some windows, a floor, some lighting, furniture..... still a way to go then.