The Blog is back - read about our progress two years down the track

It's nearly the first of May. Which means in France there is an abundance of lily of the valley about. Everyone enjoys this holiday because it heralds the arrival of spring. We've had the bluebells and the cowslips - now the lilac and wisteria are out. The whole earth is bursting with life. The weekend was hot - unseasonably. We had a beautiful walk through the woods and a cycle ride through local hamlets. 'Avalanche', our three year old spaniel was in her element. After a wet April the plants are growing almost under our eyes.We strimmed and mowed and worked ceaselessly in the garden trying hard to get things under control for a new year of lettings. This is also our first year of preparing a vegetable garden. Now that the build is finished and we are no longer under that pressure our next project is to offer fresh produce to our guests. They already enjoy freshly laid eggs but at present egg production is on the low side due to Teresa the turkey going broody on us.We should have had her at Christmas as was originally planned but once you give an animal a name it is difficult to serve them on a plate. She also has a slightly sad air about her - but maybe that is peculiar to all turkeys. After the hot weekend we turned off the central heating woodburning system and switched to the solar panel. Naturally the clouds gathered and it rained. Have heard the cuckoo and the nightingale and the screech owl. Looking forward to evenings out in the warm night. Thankfuly, they are not that far away.