A whole year at Vue de Duras

Well, here we are, a whole year later!
A year ago today, we arrived in Duras, to take a look at the house that was about to become ours.

What a year since then. Look back over the blog for details!
This week has just about seen the last of the builders with the re-roofing of the back of the house. We're hoping that the coming winter will be a bit warmer in that part of the house, now that it has new insulation and is water-tight.

We have re-used all the old tiles on the lower roof, so it looks just the same, but we know it's better. Clearing the ground beneath the overhang, where all the new tiles had been stored for months, I found the remains of the roof before the last one, but it looks so much better now.

We have had a good first year for our B & B business, with guests still arriving - mostly house hunters at the moment, but the year has also seen holiday-makers -English, French, Dutch, Australian, and guests at weddings at the chateau in Duras - mostly French. We've enjoyed meeting them all, they've been a lovely bunch of people, thank you to all of them. We've also enjoyed visits from friends - none of whom over-stayed their welcome and we look forward to seeing them all again!

Our newest venture is 'tea and cake on Sunday afternoons'. 

Earl Grey cup cakes, ginger cake and coffee fudge cake

Tea with a view

Tea with a view - and some shelter!

Join us if you're near-by. Ring first just to make sure (details on our web-site).
 3-5pm Sundays.

A few photos to sum up the last month.

A Sunday morning hot air balloon.

Autumn sunrise.

Newly planted vine next to the gite terrace - grapes for eating.

Newly planted birch trees, by the pond.

Weeping willow

Passion flower to grow over the fence

Geoff and Judith, enjoying a lovely September day with us.

I'd like to think that these are the collared doves hatched in our palm tree!

Autumn sun set.

Early morning alarm call!

A beautiful car belonging to some of our lovely guests.

Another step forward...

It's been a while - I don't quite know what happens to time out here! More changes to report - I'm looking forward to a time when the only changes are the seasons. So, where to start.....
The gite - still not ready, but looking great, the builders are doing a great job, and the shower rooms have had the walls tiled and are ready for the floor tiles..

The bedrooms are plastered, painted and the floors will be tiled in a few days time...

The outside furniture has all been treated and looks fantastic - just begging for meals to be eaten outside (already happens on a daily basis!)

The pool has been cleaned, is warming up nicely and is almost ready for a dip (just a bit more adjusting on the chlorine.)

The chickens have a home, ready for the weekend. The permanent one will be ready soon - just a little adjustment of the legs to take account of the slope (we built it like that on purpose, I swear!) the roof added, a bit more work on the walls and voila! as we like to say!

I'm hoping the fence will keep them in until they're ready to be really free-range - they're a bit on the small side at the moment...

but growing quickly, like everything else around here!

Tiny buds on the vines. They look great, but apparently they are suffering from a shortage of rain following the driest April in years. We did have an amazing thunder storm the other night, but not enough rain to satisfy the farmers and vignerons. 

The vide greniers have started again (flea market/car boot sales) with one virtually every weekend all summer in one or other of the local villages. These plants were from the one in Duras a couple of weeks ago. 

 Last weekend there was one at St Sernin, where we found some great bargains, which I am off to photograph now, and will add to the blog later, as we are about to go out to dinner - a treat for all the hard work we have done this week - so far!