Nailed it

I got a nailer for Christmas, and a very fine nailer it is too.

Got some extra nails too, they come in packets of a few thousand.   So I'm thinking that that's enough to see me out.   Then I'm thinking that that thought comes a bit more frequently these days;  something to do with age I think.  I'm not sure if I'm being positive or negative.

Figs

A few years ago I managed, after several false starts, to get a fig tree to grow from a cutting given to me by my musical friend Sandrine.  It is beside a South-West-facing wall that backs on to a shed that backs on to the boiler room.  It is probably the warmest spot in the garden in Winter.  I took 8 cuttings from that tree this Autumn when I trimmed it back a bit.

Meanwhile, some cuttings I took last year have grown and I have planted them out.   The warm spot by the wall being occupied, I have had to find somewhere else for them.   I have put them beside a low South-West-facing wall, and made little dry-stone shelters for them that I hope will keep the worst of the cold off while allowing them to get some sun.   They have a hay mulch for extra protection.   Fingers crossed.

I have had good crops from the one mature tree, but it's clear that figs go off very quickly.   So I'm wondering how they preserved figs to make figgy pudding (that we all like) at Christmas.   Did they dry them, or maybe make the pudding in October, or what?   For my part, this year I made fig wine.

River's high

It has been raining heavily during the last week or so, but that day was bright and dry, so I took a walk along the river.  It was high as expected, and the path was muddy.   First obstacle was the river  blocking the footpath.  I did the lumberjack thing, swinging from tree to tree....

The stepping stones at this point were underwater too.   This is a winterbourne; perfectly dry in Summer, now gurgling away happily.

 

Walkers and ramblers are like rivers: they find the path of least resistance.   This style was bypassed months ago and is in disrepair.

This pool is filled with river water in Summer.   I'm not sure that it's officially a swimming pool, but people swim in it.  I avoid it.  Lyme disease anyone?  I'm not sure what that shower-like thing is in the middle - I've not seen it before.

A bridge over a muddy puddle in the path, a repurposed palette.

And so, back home, via paved roads and paths.

Snow and visitors

In common with much of north-west Europe, snow arrived here yesterday.   And today we have visitors.

There were three deer, but I only every got two of them together.   They were eating leaves from the trees and the occasional fallen apple.

How to fix a collapsed roof

Sorted!

Random update

I grew a small amount of sorghum this year.  I'm not sure why, perhaps I thought it was a good idea at the time.  The grains are now drying in the conservatory.   Anyone got any idea of what to do with sorghum grains?

It was windy on my walk the other day but this tiny butterfly was holding its own.  Not a good piccie, the phone zoom is not that good.

My walks sometimes take me past this barn.  It's never been in good repair, but the roof has finally collapsed after the recent storms.

Our village hosts art exhibitions every year.   This evocation of a forest I thought was excellent (it's complete with sound).   The careful use of mirrors makes it look bigger than it is.  Can you find the hedgehog?  The mouse?

Piccies of the Puy du Fou

No need to go into a blow-by-blow account of the shows we saw; here's some pictures.   Everything on offer was done to the highest standards of production and theatrics that I have ever seen, and the horsemanship on display was extraordinary.

A few points of note: it's impossible to see everything in one day; plan to stay overnight if you want to see them all.  Be prepared to walk a fair distance, and queue up if you're there at peak season.   If you rent a mobility scooter there is no need for an "emotion" pass (costs extra but gets you reserved seats).   Restaurants in the hotels are self-service, but good.   My favourite show was "The Star and the Mime", that is also the newest show - indoors so no piccies.  The theatrical effects were effective without being showy, and the story engaging.   The Last Panache was also excellent, though again no pics.

The secret of the lance:

The horses seemed to love this.  At certain moments, they would be galloped across the scene, one at a time.   They were all docile until it got to their turn, when they would get all excited, rear up and be difficult to control until finally they set off at full tilt.

The Vikings

This show had some "how did they do that" moments.   The viking long ship rises from being completely submerged, with what appear to be model people on it.   Except they're real people who then take part in the fray.  I hope they were wearing wetsuits under their costomes, else they'd be freezing. At the end these same people get back on the boat and it disappears underwater.  Not a very realistic arrival or departure for real vikings, but still quite impressive.

The romans

The chariot races were great fun, with thrills and spills; wheels come off, chariots break away....   The centre stage in the first picture transforms into the galley in the second one.   It turns around as well.

This was a fun break, with the weather being the only downside.  The first day was rainy, the second was rainy and cold.  Not the fault of the Puy du Fou.