Happy New Year to everyone

What a year it's been! To top off our fantastic year, Orla Elsie O'Connor arrived, a little late, on Christmas Eve.

Congratulations to Rob and Susie on the arrival of Orla

We had a lovely party last night, with lots of our friends, plenty of wine and food. A fantastic way to end a fantastic year.
I've just skimmed back over the year, and it's hard to believe how far we've come. There is still lots to do, decorating to finish off and most of all the garden to sort out. In March I was hopeful of starting my vegetable plot - that didn't happen, but I'm going to try again this spring. I still haven't done anything about getting bees - but I've not given up on the idea yet. Plenty to do! The coming year will see more changes, the biggest one being Hugh finally retiring from the day job in March and moving out for good. I can't call it retirement, because that is the last thing it will be!
So, a few photos taken over the last couple weeks in and around Vue de Duras.

Christmas at the Chateau in Duras

Duras from the Chateau

Finally, the two 'spare' cockerels go to their new home, joining 150 Light Sussex hens - lucky boys!

The Christmas market in Duras

 

A visit to Bordeaux just before Christmas

Sunrise

Piglets when they arrived at Domaine Gourdon

My Christmas present from Ellen, David and Nicole

After the rain.

Collecting the Christmas tree with Lizzle.

 Following being featured on ITV's Little England, we are in this month's Living France, an article about being filmed for the tv programme

To see the article, go to our website - and wait patiently for it to load.

Happy New Year - hope it's a good one for you all!

Treading the grapes etc.

Coming soon to a TV near you!

Or already there if you have caught the trailer for said TV programme!

A lovely day spent at Domaine Gourdon again today, this time picking Cabernet Sauvignon for the rosé. Weather was cool and dry - just perfect. Lunch as good as ever, fantastic curry, thank you Lesley and Andrea.

An extra treat was to tread the last few boxes of grapes - mislaid while the rest went into the machine.

John the Brummie and me!

The ultimate pedicure?!

During the week, the grapes at the bottom of the garden were harvested by machine - not nearly so romantic! (But still lovely wine - La Perriconne)

And lastly two new additions to the Vue de Duras Poullailer. Two hens (sisters of the existing chickens) who will be replacing three of the four cockerels. We will draw a discrete veil over their fate.

They are in the adjoining pen at the moment, separated from the others by some chicken wire until bedtime when they will be rejoining their siblings - hopefully without too many problems. 

Catch up - overdue again!

Despite all my good intentions it's been a month again! I've finally given in to the hectoring by he who shall remain nameless - but we all know who he is!  We have been busy. The gite has been booked out for the last three weeks or so, and is full until the middle of September, which we are thrilled with. So far guests have been delightful and full of complements, even when the weather has been a little damp and thundery. (It has improved now - honest!) The Bed and Breakfast branch of Vue de Duras has also been busy, so there has been much laundering, cooking and cleaning going on, with not much time for blog writing. Nicole has been working hard, but has escaped back to the UK for a week. She will be back here for two weeks, and then back to Worcester permanently as she has landed what looks like a fantastic job, which apparently she is going to get paid for as well! On the subject of jobs, Ellen, lovely eldest daughter has also landed the job of her dreams this week too, clever girl ended up with a choice of two. Well done El!

So..news updates and photo's today.

A new fence around the pond for safety's sake.

It looks a little stark at the moment, but I see it as a  blank canvas begging for  plants to add colour and form!

Added at the same time as the fence, a bit of trellis to give a little privacy to the gite terrace 

Already planted with a beautiful bougainvillea.

A swing added to the tree - irresistible! 

I spotted a baby redstart outside the window - they are living in the fig tree, still being fed  by the adults.

The chickens have had an extension built, they now have three times the amount of room to scratch about in. Here they are heading through the hole in the fence into the extension for the first time.

One of our 'hens' - crowing! We still think there may be three or even four cockerels where there should only be one!

Basket of plums picked from the orchard next door. Unfortunately, it's been such an odd year weatherwise, that they are not big enough to be sold as Agen prunes, so many will be left to rot on the trees. They make lovely jam and desserts!

While I didn't get to make a vegetable garden this year, I did squeeze a couple of courgette plants in amongst the flowers.

and a butternut squash - I think!

 So, that's the news for now. I will try to do better!