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!

Jim the Digger

Jim the Digger was here today, Filling in the old pond (nice and level - so perfect for camping on!) and digging a channel for the electrics to run a UV filter and pump, to keep the new pond clean and the water fresh to water my plants. The fence around the new pond is going up later in the week, so all will be safe in the Vue de Duras garden.

Who is that lurking in the sunflowers?!

Hugh was here at the weekend, and trying to relax a bit more than of late. We still managed to pack a fair bit in though. New tyres for the car, house full of guests, meals to cook, tv to buy and set up in the gite. Still time for a fantastic meal at Famille Moutier (look at the menu - well worth a visit if you are staying at Vue de Duras), and for some lurking in the sunflowers! 

The weather has been great, the pool is at a fairly constant 30 degrees, all meals have been taken outside and we had a lovely weekend with Chris and Sarah. 

Bookings for our lovely chambre d'hote and gite are coming in thick and fast - Hugh WILL be able to retire soon! Roll on the day....

We got there!

Another long gap, with so much to blog, that I will have to use photos and captions to prevent boredom in the reader!
In the (almost a) month since my last blog lots of things have changed.
The chicks have grown, and grown again and are now pretty much free range, ranging wider and wider, into the vines, the plum trees, our neighbour's garden and the gite! They return pretty quickly though, if they think there might be treats involved!

Mike with treats.

Waiting to be let out!

Table birds?

Oven ready?!

The gite was finally finished and furnished.

Jim the digger, digging another pond, leveling out the car park and filling in holes.

Mike putting finishing touches to furniture for the gite.

Just waiting for the grass to grow.

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2 

 

Lounge and dining room

Kitchen diner

Spot the camera man!

 We are thrilled with the way it has turned out. We wanted to celebrate the end of this part of our adventure, and thank everyone who helped along the way. So we planned a big party and invited everyone who helped along with the mayor to make it an 'official opening'. Unfortunately, we were too busy to take any photos, but we're hoping that other people did, and I will publish them when I get them.
After weeks of very hot and dry weather, it started to rain just 10 minutes before the party began, and rained for a couple of hours - real, steady, wet rain, much to the relief, I'm sure of all our local farmers and wine growers, so we couldn't really complain! We just got on with it, enjoyed the afternoon, and when the rain finally stopped, it turned into a beautiful evening, with petanque, led by Jean-Claude (playing his rules apparently!) and an impromptu (albeit "one we prepared earlier") chilli on the terrace until well into the night.

The petanque pitch, scene of a battle!

So....thank you to everyone who has helped us on our way (not just those in the photo!) and to everyone who came and joined in our celebrations.

Ash, filming the party

The last six weeks or so of our story have been filmed for ITV, to be screened, possibly in September. We're not sure what it is going to be called yet, or exactly when it will be on, but watch this space!

Nicole also had a birthday, celebrated with a visit from boyfriend, Mike and her brother Dave and his girlfriend  Neesha.

After the parties were over, we took a couple of days off and spent one of them in Bordeaux and the sand dune at Pyla near Arcachon, the tallest sand dune in Europe.

From the top of the dune towards the sea

From the top towards the forest.

On the Miroir d'eau des quais in Bordeaux

Taking photos of the photographers!

Chicks going cheep!

We have visiting rights for our lovely little chicks! We took a break from building their coop to visit. They have been enjoying the warm weather outside, but it was a little chilly for them yesterday, so just a short time outside to practice their scratching.

The chicks are Light Sussex, we think five or six are hens so that's a result! This is what they will look like when they are all grown up....

So, the coop...from this ....

 

to this......

Still a way to go!

 .............but we're getting there.

Our pond is filling up slowly, but has gone very green in the hot weather we've been having as we have no shade. I think it will be OK, as there is still a frog living in it. We are going to plant some trees around it, but that will take time. In the meantime, we have planted some reeds and marginal plants, in the hope that they will do the trick.

 

Who is working hardest?!

The gite is moving on too. Bits are ready to be painted now, so back to the paintbrush!

A lovely, smooth plaster-boarded wall and a beautiful old stone wall ready to be re-pointed.

The view through the open doors, changing every day and sometimes by the hour. 

The gite is looking great - light and airy inside, with a cool and shady terrace, fantastic views and a wonderful sense of peace and tranquility (when the builders are not here!). So .... go to our website, (click on the picture of the house above right) get in touch and book a week to recharge your batteries! The builders will be finished soon - honest!

More changes...

Changes over the last couple of weeks.....
                                   the plum trees peaked the weekend after the last post, and beautiful they were too...

The trees are now in leaf, with only the odd bit of blossom in places.

     Our pond is filling up, and not just with water.....

 

                                              we already have at least one resident!!

Nicole and I went to visit our next residents today....they started hatching at the weekend, a few more still to go.

 

 

Over the last week, we have seen swallows and heard a cuckoo, as well as an enormous frog chorus every night. The weather is changeable, cool and wet one day, and gloriously hot and sunny the next. The grass is growing at an amazing rate and the gite is coming on too. The bedrooms are plaster-boarded and the plasterer was here today starting the 'finishing'. More pictures to follow.
One more picture to finish, a view of the chateau through the wisteria growing on the balcony.