Bonjour
Hope you had a great week.
I missed chatting to you last week as I was on holiday in Brittany! It was my first holiday in several years and despite the rain most days – it was brilliant. I love Brittany with its glorious coastline and wonderful little villages and historic towns (you can see my pics on Instagram – I finally made it to St Goustain’s Port which I’ve dreamed of visiting for years!).
Back home, it was time to let the first batch of baby chickens out into the big wide world. They were in the house with us for their first few weeks as they were abandoned by a flighty mother. Then they went into chicken kindergarten; nursery pen followed so they could interact with other birds but were protected. Now they’re running riot all over the garden. They follow me around, peck my toes and hang off my sleeves. I’m definitely still their mum!
Just two more sets of babies to release though, and I’m done with being mother hen for this year…
This week we’ve been clearing out the woodsheds in readiness to have firewood delivered for winter. I hate this job – massive spiders everywhere, but it has to be done. If you pass by a French farmhouse in a tiny hamlet in the middle of nowhere in rural northern France and hear shrieking from a shed, followed by a small woman hurtling up the garden flapping her arms – you’ll know it’s me.
This time of the year the farmers are harvesting crops, and mice, spiders and other animals hurry from the fields that surround us to find shelter elsewhere. I think there might be a sign pointing to my house! One morning this week I found a tiny shrew (a long nosed mouse) just sitting on the doormat at the backdoor. Fat Cat who is incredibly idle, lay on his bed looking at it with a modicum of curiosity but no desire to eat it. After a night in a box with some water and food, we released the shrew out of sight of the cats. I hope he (or she) makes it.
Our French neighbours think we are ever so slightly crazy wandering around the countryside releasing rescued moles and mice, but the older I get, the more protective I feel of the wildlife and animals who can’t help themselves. Even spiders.
Wherever you are, whatever you have planned, I wish you a very bon weekend.
Wishing you a very bon weekend wherever you are and I hope you enjoy this week’s posts…
Bisous from France
Janine
Editor
Photo: Chicken Raquel Welch who loves helping out in the woodshed!
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