Daily cow news

Well not news really as I would say there is no change. Udder may be a bit bigger at the back but similar from the side. I wondered if the bump had shifted, then decided it has not. The bump 'disappearing' is sign of imminent arrival apparently as the calf moves in to the birth canal.

I was sure that the ligament that relaxes to allow birth to happen was softer, but then I felt Bluebell and she felt the same.

Look, she has a tiny dog standing on her back!

The Garden

Doug has made a good effort to get some stuff (edible stuff, we hope to have time for flowers one day, but not yet) planted, but we just haven't had time to keep on top of it, so some plants are still on pots, some has been eaten by slugs and some engulfed by weeds. A few have survived.

The weather for the next few days is really hot, so we got up early despite being on holiday to get a couple of hours in before the sun comes on to it.

Before

After - looks a lot better for having all the paths strimmed.

After

I did some weeking (4 barrow loads) which has hardly made a dent on the total number of weeks. Here is an example of a weed filled bed (which is still like this along with another 3 or 4 of them. Aaargh.

I cleared one bed to plant sweetcorn and found a lemon verbena we thought was dead and a thyme I had forgotten about

The raspberries are doing really well - we only planted them last year

They made a yummy brunch afterwards with drop scone, cream and merangue.

Doug also strimmed the area where we have been dumping the rabbit poo where we are planning on planting the squash. They really should have gone in some weeks ago.

We hope to get some more done other mornings, save some of the things that are growing and plant a bit more stuff.

Saint-Jean-de-Luz beach

Just by Biarritz, lots of surfing there too.

We went to a beach just to the north which is still in Saint-Jean-de-Luz but not the beach in town. Beautiful weather and not the school holidays yet so not too busy. Called Erromardie Plage.

The sea was really warm, Doug and Poppy went swimming too. Poppy is getting really good and braved the waves and everything.

Here is the beach from the cliff above.

Looking towards Biarritz. 

All the villages are very pretty with red roofs

Buttercup starting to 'bag up'

Yes, I do in fact spend much of my day taking pictures of our cows udders and er, lady garden, at the moment.

In the photos I posted yesterday Buttercup didn't have much udder and it was quite wrinkly. Still a bit wrinkly from the back, but it has suddenly got HUGE. Not a definate sign of imminant birth, but shows things are progressing anyway.

Quail chicks

They hatched about 10 days ago. Quail grow very fast, so they have little feathers already.

We are trying out a new heater. Previously we have used an infrared heat lamp, but that means the chicks keep waking up in the night and rioting - which gets a bit annoying.

You can see it on the left of the photo, they go under it and touch the surface above to keep warm - kind of like a square plastic hen. It is a lot cooler than the heat lamp and we have it at an angle so they can chose how closely they want to touch it. It is cheaper to run than a heat lamp and not a problem if it touches something - less chance of burning the house down.

Elderflower Champagne

I have posted a recipe before, but this is a less precise one that I actually use as I find it better just making a bottle or two at a time so I just fill the bottles I am going to make it in with water and pour that over the flowers and add the other stuff in approx amounts. 

Every year I forget how much sugar, so writing it here to remind me.

90g sugar per litre of water

Pinch of yeast in the bottle before pouring the mixture in

A bit of citric acid, vitamin C or lemon juice (maybe 1/2 lemon per litre)

A couple of heads of elderflower per litre of water

Put everything except the yeast in a pan or bowl, stir, and leave over night.

Strain in to bottles with a pinch of yeast (optional but I find it gives more certain results). I use a funnel with a filter in it to fill the bottles.

Cow pregnancy pictures (yet more)

Buttercup's due date is Monday (283 days). We keep inspecting her for signs of imminent birth. We are looking for a number of things such us udders filling up, mucous from the vagina, and apparently the two best signs which are her pins dropping and the baby bulge out the side disappearing which means the calf is moving in to the birth canal.

The pins dropping is explained here https://spiritedrose.wordpress.com/jersey-cattle/medicine-box/how-close-to-calving-photos/ We keep looking and I convince myself something has changed. But then I look at Bluebell for comparison and it seems it is still 'normal'.

From behind 2 weeks ago

From behind now

Comparison is difficult as it depends how much she has eaten and how full her rumen is.

Rear end 2 weeks ago

And now - looks just the same to me!

From the side 2 weeks ago

From the side today

Here are some of the other cows so they don't feel left out

Bluebells udders are still growing. She is due in 2.5 months

Bluebell, not really much of a baby bump yet. 

Hainoa

Islay

Bread in the BBQ

It is summer so cooking in the BBQ is the thing to do. I had a sudden inspiration to BBQ rolls - raw dough, not precooked ones.

They came out better than I expected!

I just made the dough as normal and cooked them on a low heat not directly over the burner for about 30 mins. I checked quite often that they weren't burning on the bottom.

Summer holiday

Hurray! I am on holiday for a week. A week away from this.

Obviously (as I always say in case my boss is reading) I LOVE work. But it is lovely to spend longer than weekend at home 

We are planning on going to the beach, dinner out, various dog walks with friends as well as useful things like getting the car serviced and going to see a company with a sprayer about the insulation for our walls.

The weather looks like it is going to be sunny and pretty hot most the week.

However Buttercup is due to calf any day now (we hope!) so that could interrupt plans.

Lights!

Last week I came home and as usual it was dark. 

There were some lights left on, normally Doug leaves areas lit up if there has been some exciting development.

I went in to the storage room to try to work out what it was. I look around for some time and couldn't see it. Just as I was giving up I realised I was very stupid and it was the lights themselves! Before it has been work lights plugged in to the only socket, now it is real lights on the wall with a light switch and everything! Yes the polythene around the edge of the walls still needs removing...

Fairy lights have been wired in with a switch too

Steve our trusty electrician has been busy!

Pimms Pimms and more Pimms

Pimms is a good drink, in London or the French countryside.

A colleague at work stays in a boat in St.Kathrines dock during the week (and lives somewhere far from London at the weekend). He invited some of us round for Pimms during the week. If he moved a couple of moorings he would see Tower Bridge. But pretty nice alternative to a boring flat (this is the view out the back) - although a bit small, it is fine for just the week days.

Here I am are a couple of days later enjoying a more amazing view in France. Same drink though (I had to bring it from duty free, haven't seen it round here in France)

Busy busy

You can see from the fact I haven't posted anything since getting the new flat that I have been a bit busy. Partially because I have been dashing around getting it rennovated. Coming on well now.

We have moved on from this

and this

To this

I haven't quite finalised the kitchen tiles, I need to get lampshades, curtains and furniture, but most other stuff is ordered. It is hard to visualise what will go together when none of it is there.

We have been up to stuff despite me not blogging it. Doug's uncle David visited, we had a very nice time (despite Easyjet's attempt to spoil with late flights!). I will post some photos.

Doug has been busy cutting trees as the council complained about them overhanging the road and the telephone wire (we thought it was their responsibility to cut them - but apparently not). Pretty hard work, but looks much neater now. Here is a photo of the resultant wood (should hopefully keep us going for a winter). 

More photos to follow.

Last weekend I went to a friends girly 'pamper party' suprise party. Photos coming from that too.