Wrapping up in Brittany

 Sunday 27/03/22

The cherry blossoms look like a wave breaking across the pathway

We only have two weeks left at our sit before we begin the 'Brexit-shuffle' back to the UK.  

We're using the rest of this year as an opportunity to spend a bit more time in the UK (and nearer Charmaine), and have quite a few house-sits lined up in England,  as well as a return trip to the farm sit in Portugal later in the summer.

Bokkie has been spruced up with a few odd jobs and a good clean, and we're looking forward to taking her on a long drive, even though the diesel price is making us wince a bit.

Spring is certainly the time for renewal.

Although the daffodils are coming to the end of their time they have given a magnificent display this year, the beauty of this garden is that the next show is already underway with poppies and tulips

Interesting story:  while we were busy getting all of Bokkie's stuff together I saw I had forgotten the front screen hanging in the hangar where I had left it to dry.  Toni saw a little bird fly out of the screen and also what looked like the start of a nest being built in its folds.  I went to roll it up to stow it away and was about to drop the leaves out of it when I saw there was a full nest deeper in with four tiny eggs.  Panic stations!

You can just make out one of the four tiny eggs.
Unfortunately we need to take the screen with us!

We managed to slide the nest into a piece of drain pipe so that we didn't disturb it too much and made a new sling with an old potato sack and plank.  We then relocated the nest and crossed our fingers.  Amazingly, a few hours later when we went to check, the parent bird had returned.  

I thought it might be a robin at first (except the eggs aren't blue) and now think it might be a chaffinch or tree sparrow.  We only catch the briefest glimpses when it flashes out of the nest if we approach, but we are absolutely thrilled that it didn't abandon the nest and eggs.  Hopefully they can go to term.

Luckily the new home seemed to meet with approval.

Spring is really a lovely time of year, especially when you are looking after such a wonderful garden.  We have relaxed completely into the lifestyle here and it will be a wrench to leave, but lovely that we get to see family soon.

A lot of crêpes in Brittany

 Friday 11/03/22

Spring is in the air

We're lucky enough to stay quite close to one of the premier Crêperie training schools (yes, you need a license to make proper pancakes in France) and, every now an again, when they do training sessions, they invite the public to sample their students' fare. 

Specials of the day: forest mushrooms, and spinach and cheese.

French equivalent of a Ham and Cheese sandwich, mine with an egg on it.

We visited the school in 2018, shortly after arriving at the sit for the first time and were keen to go again so snapped up a booking when we found out they were open again.  

It's really good value and an opportunity to practice our limited French.   As expected, we had a lovely meal: two savoury galettes and a sweet crepe with a choice of fillings - very tasty and filling!

Desert: pear and chocolate.

Lemon meringue, yummy!

Although we are still getting storms passing over Brittany, Spring is definitely in the air.  When the sun manages to break through, it was a real warmth to it and the flowers and butterflies are starting to dominate the landscape.  

A lovely peacock butterfly

Just look at the size of the Stag-beetle larvae!

We're really enjoying the mix of relaxing, gardening and even a bit of socialising as our time here slowly winds up.  In the middle of April we'll head back to the UK for a few house-sits and some family time for a few months.