The minus 3 degrees!

 In my last post, i did say the geese were on their way to a warmer place for the winter, maybe this is why, they must have had an idea as what was on the way!

Over the last few days it's been getting colder every night and before going to bed last night it had started to snow. Not as bad we know as you're all putting up with over in England (the Charlotte & Nicola weather watch service is gratefully appreciated!) but it has made everything much brighter compared to the last couple weeks of dreary damp/wet weather. Not quite sledging weather yet but i don't think it'll be too long.

The robin we befriended whilst working at St Nathalene has followed us here.... so has a eurocamp bbq....woops, it was broken and we were going to throw it away, honest!!

Heading South

Up until a week ago whilst we were working outside, every now and then you couldn't help but hear an almighty racket from above, wave upon wave of geese heading for a warmer winter were on the move, sometimes in the classic v formation, sometimes in a right mess as though they couldn't decide who would be the leader or, in a couple of cases, which way they were going to go. One group circled over head for a good 10 minutes until they made their minds up...and proceeded in the same direction, thankfully, as all the other thousands of their friends!

Find No. 1

Rumaging around the barn yesterday, i found under a pile of  dirt, cobwebs and numerous other bits that have gathered in a corner over the many years, this amazing old iron. It's about 8" long, 4.5" wide and 10" high including the woodern handle. The head at the front acts as a catch to seal the iron together when i take it hot coals were placed in to heat it up. On the inside if the lid is the product name 'Sphinx 4'.

I've googled charcoal irons but have not found anything of a similar design so can't date or get any more info as yet, if anyone else can find anything i'd be very interested to know.

It weighs a ton, whoever used it must have had amazing muscles, especially in one arm.

I think i'll clean it up the best i can, it'll make a good ornament, or even doorstop, for the house!

Meeting the neighbours.

For the first time in a week of us being here we actually managed to get out for walk this afternoon, yes it was a damp afternoon but it was nice to get out for a wander. A 5 minute walk up the road and over the Le Moustier Vezere River bridge to have a look at where our old neighbours had lived from 55,000 years ago up to Norman times. Click on the image left and you can see the carvings in the rock face of La Roque St Christophe where their dwellings were. Further along the road is a fine viewpoint of La Roque with the Vezere flowing beneath it. 

The last picture I managed to take before the light really started to fail was looking up the Vezere Valley from Le Manoir toward Montignac, we had to stop to take in the view and, to be honest, we both had to pinch ourselves to make us realise we have come to settle and work in such a fantastic place!

Gathering nuts in....November!

Walnuts anybody...we have two walnut trees in the orchard and all the nuts have dropped, luckily we've rescued a few carrier bags full which, after some good advice from our new friends, are now drying outside in trays. We've already sampled some of them and they are delish!!

Today is our second day of ownership of des Granges. time has been mainly spent on the front garden, as you will see from the pic below, the ivy has gone from the front gate posts plus a lot more you can't see from the picture, plus we've been cleaning the Hay Barn gite thoroughly as we're moving in rather than living in the main house.