Dairy - November 2012

Our two red squirrels and wildlife are getting used to us being around but the birds are so well fed here that they are only taking a cursory glance at our bird feeders before flitting off to the nearby fields.  Even so, we can sit in bed in the morning and watch the display in the bushes outside our window.  We’ve seen plenty of Chaffinches, Great & Blue Tits, Green Woodpeckers and in the surrounding fields, Kestrels, Buzzards and Goldfinches.  This morning a young deer ran through the garden!

We have two new French friends already - both nearby woodsmen who wave when we pass by in the motor-home.  We used them both when we were unsure if one or the other didn’t quite understand the size of wood we needed for the wood-burner.  In the end it will be the cheaper guy we will use if we need any more, he is so friendly, he even gave us some wood to be getting on with until he could make our delivery.

The autumn colours around here are fantastic at the moment but we can see the change day by day as the leaves fall from the vines and the green fields are ploughed ready for the next planting.  

Luckily, we can still sit in the garden for lunch when the sun is out, very enjoyable!  

Foire de la Saint Martin – Duras  - 11 November 2012

This annual fair is quite big, as things go in Duras.  We are told this fair marks the time when autumn wheat seeding was completed, and the annual slaughter of fattened cattle produced the "Martinmas beef".   Historically, hiring fairs were held where farmers would settle their rent accounts with the land owners and the farm labourers would seek new posts elsewhere.  Now the fair consists of a large ‘vide grenier’ (almost the same as a car boot sale) and various food stalls and fun things for the kids.   Of course everything stops for lunch; tables are set out beside the stalls complete with table cloths and bottles of wine and no-one seems to be too bothered if they sell anything at all.  Don’t remember it being quite like this the last time we did a car-boot sale!

14^th November -  After a couple of days of very misty mornings today starts well with sunshine all day long and very warm  about 20° in the sun.  We decided to take a walk from the house along the quiet lanes and down to the nearest hamlet. After spotting two deer in the distance we passed the first farm and petted the dog …...  big mistake!   It seemed we now had a walking companion who indicated to us that he liked finding and retrieving stones, to which we duly obliged.  We carried on walking for about 1 mile further but the dog stayed with us actually making us feel we had a legitimate purpose for the walk.  The little hamlet had a church and we walked into the cemetery, closing the gate behind us and hoping the dog might go home..…but no – a few minutes later we heard the gate squeaking open, and sure enough the dog had managed to find his way in.  (See pic) In the hamlet there was a large low level farmhouse with a Perigordian style central tower, it almost looked like a country hotel. Just outside the doorway, in the garden was a woman ironing! ……what a good idea when it was warmer outside than in today.

 It was at this stage we decided to make our way home, and luckily the dog gave us an opportunity of talking to the owner, our neighbour and introducing ourselves.

Another surprise awaited us when we walked up our own drive…..a well camouflaged  praying mantis who seemed quite content to be photographed and even looked our way when we crouched down to inspect him more closely.           

16^th to 20^th November.  Gill and Rob visited us and thankfully, as the weather was kind we were able to show them around the area.  The Xmas markets have started here so we decided to take them to the local village one at Monteton.  Great views from the village but the market was a little disappointing as most of the stall holders were English and we didn’t feel as though we were in France at all.  Les managed to lift our spirits with his great idea of visiting the local Pruneaux & Chocolate producers in Duras where tasting was on offer.  The little pots of chocolate covered prunes, nuts and fruits were very tempting and it wasn’t until we had demolished quite a bit that someone noticed the sign saying “ taste only, don’t dine”.  Oh dear, we just had to buy a few more to take home.

Viewpoint at Monteton

Our local restaurant Le Camélia is closed at weekends and it seems they have most of their custom at lunchtimes when the menu is at it’s most reasonable. Even though it was Monday we had been advised to arrive early and so at 12.15pm we drove 5 minutes down the lane only to find that the carpark was already full.   Les deposited us and went off to park the van.  We managed to get a table and when the bottle of red house wine arrived a little later, it soon became obvious that it was assumed that everyone was having the same ……. the five course 11.60€ menu of the day.  Including wine and coffee of course! So that is what we had.  It was an excellent meal and I am sure we will be back soon. There was a very mixed clientele including a few workmen whom, we assume, still manage to go back to work afterwards?  

23^rd November.  A lovely day today so we have decided to go for a bike ride to Sainte-Sernin a small village near here overlooking a lake.  Knowing how hilly it is we checked the route out on Google maps and found a shortcut through the woods.  Yes, you have guessed it ……. not one of our best ideas as first we found ourselves surrounded by hunting towers and hides, luckily no hunters on that day, and then we ended up in the middle of a plum orchard and vineyard pushing our bikes uphill to the road.  Fantastic views all around especially, with the Autumn colours, which must have distracted me somewhat as soon afterwards I found myself flat on my back having got tangled up with the bike somehow and fallen off!  Must remember to put some plasters in the saddlebag next time.  The ride was only 11 miles but all the hills made it feel like about 25 especially when we are more used to the Sussex flat roads.

View down our lane, just missed the deer!

Guinea fowl behind me!

Across from our cottage

24^th November.  A trip out to Monségur for a walk.  This old bastide town is a few miles from us and has a lovely walk around the old ramparts with views over the surrounding area. We noticed that there will be a massive Flea market next weekend so a note made in the diary for that.

The photo's below show the hard pruning of the trees give them a rather eerie but somehow fascinating look.

Ramparts walk

Underneath the Arches

25^th November.  Our best photo’s of the red squirrel in the garden.  The other one has a darker tail but is a bit camera shy!

Click to enlarge!

Spot the squirrel competition!

29^th November.  A lovely day today.
Our friends Ann & Nick, who have lived in France for some years, came over to join us for a long lunch.  This morning we had the first frost of the year and as the Gite is really mostly set up for summer letting, it felt quite cold.  Les went to collect the baguettes from the local  ‘depot de pain’ in the village and was pleased to tell us how much French he had been able to use when talking to the shop owner and another woman who had just come in for a chat.  The rest of the day was spent catching up with each other’s news and after eating we settled in around the woodburner - at last feeling quite warm.

30^th November.  A frosty morning again but much sunnier, so we decided to do one of the many walks that we obtained from the tourist office as printed leaflets (see the route below).  We had trouble parking the van in the small hamlet so asked a friendly French farmer if we could pull in on his bit of land.  He was most accommodating after we managed to explain that we would like to make a ‘petite promenade’ in the area.   The views were lovely and the village displays some information boards pointing out the most interesting houses and battle encampments. Lubersac had its origins in Roman times when flax was grown extensively; there were two water fountains and a forge etc.  The village suffered during the 100 years war when the entire village was depopulated.  So much had happened in such a small place.  Nearing the end of the circular walk we came upon the farmer again helping his neighbour, tractor in tow.  He very kindly took the trouble to chat with us and point out one of the fountains after we had shown him the map of the walk we had done.

So that’s the first month in the Gite……..now only one more month to go and we are back in the van again heading south.