Our Stairs were designed to catch out advancing Knights with swords drawn

If you have ever visited a castle you may have heard the reasoning that a staircase curved upward clockwise to hinder an advancing enemy, who, normally right handed, would have his drawn sword consequently on the inner side of the stairwell as he climbed, whilst the defender would be free to advance down with his sword extended.

Why am I thinking about this? It’s our stairs. They are wonky. I mean really wonky. Our petite maison is very old, probably about 1600s. We think. And whoever built it, either didn’t have a clue about how to build stairs or was seriously out to put off advancing rogues.

Bad Mummy Duck ~ or ~ Making the Most of Grandparents?

Spring is a time or replenishment. A time to plant the garden, a time of rebirth amongst the animal kingdom, and a time – thank goodness – when we can move some of the off-spring out.

Now I can’t claim to understand, possibly sympathise, but not truly understand what it is to raise children. But I can tell you about ducklings, that is about ducklings that live in your house. Having raised Maggie from her hatching to the hatching of her own brood – of 13! – I can debate with myself that I am starting to get the hang of it. And then I think…. nah.

A little franglais goes a long way. Stereotypes and misconceptions of France.

We recently had people visit, visitors who hadn’t been to France in years, and when they had been it was always Paris. This was their first trip to the countryside of France. And they couldn’t get over the difference. The French were actually friendly, and helpful!

What is it like to have a pet Duck? (Part 2) ~ She can fly!

We’ll blame Gigi, our kitten, for Maggie, our duckling, learning to fly. Gigi loves to pounce, playfully, when Maggie is around. Consequently Maggie got very good at moving away quickly. As running from a playful kitten is rather impractical when you are a duck, the next obvious step was to utilise the wings. First it was a high hop, then a longer hop, and as Gigi loved this new game and would jump with Maggie, the hop became further and further. Both of them were in heaven. Gigi because she had finally found a way to play with Maggie (something she had been searching for since her arrival), and Maggie because, well, she was flying.

What is it Like to have a Duck as a pet? All bets are off

What nobody tells you when you find yourself with a duck as a pet, is unlike cats, dogs, and even chickens and rabbits, there are almost no instruction manuals, helpful hint videos, or even how to sites (of any use) on how to raise a duck.  So what is it like to have a Duck as a pet?

Point of Perspicacity – That waking at 4am frustration

Throughout my life I have had mornings, early mornings, when I found myself awake and tossing and turning at 4am (or thereabouts). I used to lie awake and get so frustrated because  I wanted to be asleep. It always seemed the more I wanted to be asleep, the more wide awake I would become, until finally as dawn would break I would fall asleep ~ only to be woken a short time later by an alarm clock, feeling groggy and all out of sorts for the rest of the day.

But no more.

What’s to like about Menopause? I’m no longer allergic to cats.

What’s to like about Menopause? Honestly? Not a cotton picking thing. Well… there is one thing. I am no longer allergic to cats. My allergy to cats has been something I have had to contend with all my life, and, since I absolutely adore the little fur balls, I have simply learned not to put my face in, or even near, their fur. But all that has changed.

Building Compost Bins – out of bits and bobs

Compost Pile – in the beginning, it was a heap.

When we first moved to our new home* in France, there were a few obvious projects that attracted out attention – the vegetable garden (maximising its space and putting in a mini-vineyard) and the compost heap. Literally. It was a heap.

Chickens in the Vineyard

We have a little vineyard of 90 Chardonnay vines in the midst of our vegetable garden. They are in their second year, which means next year we should get grapes and make some wine. It takes 3 to 5 years for vines to mature enough to be able to start making wine.  In a very productive year you can get up to 2 bottles of wine out of a vine, but generally it’s 1 and a little more.

I was weeding and tucking in the vines the other day and the chickens, along with Maggie Duckling, decided they needed to help me. I can’t say they managed that much weeding, although Maggie ate quite a few of them, but they did enjoy following after me and finding the bugs unveiled as I removed the weeds.

The Cockerel amongst the berries

The chickens help in the vines

Pumpjack surveying his domain

Gertie finds some great bugs

Maggie weeding the vines. Read more about Maggie

Pumpjack and PIddlewick look after the vines

 

Garlic Virgin – Live and Learn Gardening

If you have read my earlier gardening posts you understand that I classify myself as a Garden Virgin.  I suspect no matter how many years I garden, in future I will still think of myself as such.  Why? Because other than the occasional foray into ‘how to?’ on the internet I make much of it up as I go along. Okay, I admit, I do apply an ounce of common sense now and then as well.

I’ve listened and watched the odd gardening programme (oddly addictive) in my lifetime and someone always seems to be saying ‘you have to do it this way.’ I get that experts have worked out best ways to do things through experience, but I also realise that every plot, country, climate, soil, etc. all added up to make each garden unique and different, so I’m all for rules are meant to be bent, if not broken, e.g. what applies to one, does not apply to all. And~ I find half the fun is not planning, or worrying too much, and simply seeing what happens.