Hay, lots of hay

The neighbor came and delivered four GIANT bales of hay on hogmanay.
Normally we get bales that are 120cm in diameter. These are 150cm. It doesn't sound that much more but they are getting on for twice the weight. He had run out of the smaller (or rather less big ones). These are better in some ways as four of either size fit in the hay store so there is more hay this way, but they are a bit unwieldy. We could move the other ones between us, but not these.

Delivery on the tractor

Wow says Poppy. These are HUGE!

The sore is crammed now. Which is good. The horses won't starve!

Snug neck warmer

This is great for using up small amounts of left over wool. This was left over from a scarf/neck warmer I made for Doug from cashmere. I like to have something like this for skiing and horse riding when it is cold and maybe wet to fill the gap in jacket necks.

This one is about 35 cms in diameter and 12 cm long. It is quite stretchy so size isn't too critical. I wanted reasonably sung. I knitted this on magic loop needles but you can do it on dpn too.
I am writing this mainly so I remember what I did. I used 3.5 magic loop needles and the wool was for that size of needle.

Cast on factor of 12 stitches. This is 120. You need to use a stretch cast on so it goes over your head. Same for the cast off.

Knit 5 rows of garter stitch

Basic pattern is k2 p2 k6 p2 - repeat all the way round and keep repeating until you are nearly to the length you want.

Cable every 7th row on the k6. (you could do twists on the k2 if you wanted too)

Finish with 5 rows of garter stitch

Cast off

Neck warmer for Doug

This pattern is written here more so I can remember what I did than so anyone else can do it.

I used size 3.5 needles and a cashmere wool that took that size needle.

Cast on a factor of 11 plus 14 stitches
This scarf is 44 + 14 = 58 (which gives 5 cables)
Knitted on 3.5 needles

Knit 4 rows

right side     k4      p6 (k5 p6)      repeat 4 times p6 k4
wrong side  k3 p1 k6 (p1 k3 p1) repeat 4 times  k6 k3 p1

every 6th row do a c6b on the right side k6
Knit 4 rows

For this scarf I made some button holes before the final knit section. This was done in the sections between the cables by doing k2tog on one right side row then a yarn over above it on the wrong side row.

The scarf hasn't been finished off in these two photos so there are threads hanging out which will be sewn in.

I actually changed where the buttons go between the first photo and the 2nd so it fitted better.

Beautiful day for a ride

As the skiing isn't too great (it was good a few days ago,  but having been warm then got colder it is a bit hard) and the weather is amazing, we went for a horse ride from the Plaine d'Esquiou up a hill called Monné.

Having some hay before setting off (we had soup and nice French bread)

That is Monné ahead

Lovely view

More of the view and Monné

In the woods on the side of Monné

The view again

Looking at the view

The woods

At the top (actually there was a slightly higher bit but it was in the woods so the view wasn't as nice)

View from the top

Taking a 'short cut' on the way back down

Looking back towards where we had been

Dog got a lot of exercise which is good - a tired dog is a less awful dog!

Back in the trailer to go home. Owen finds it funny to stick his head out. We close this window when on the move so he doesn't get things in his eyes

Breeding the rabbits

The last litter to be born was probably 3 or 4 months ago and they died. We are not quite sure why, but probably because the mother didn't feed them. The same mother has successfully had litters but has also let other litters die. We would cull her (ie eat her) if she wasn't the only one who produced litters at all.

Since then we haven't been able to persuade any of them to mate (there are now two additional females of mating age so three in total and two males). I have read lots of things on the internet, and as with many things there are lots of unlikely theories out there. Cider apple vinegar is quoted as a cure to just about anything - including rabbits that won't mate. We haven't got quite that desperate yet, but there was another theory about giving them a change of scene, so we put them in cages on the lawn. They were immediately up for it! So all three females have now mated to one or other of the males.

So now we just need to wait and see what comes of it. We have had other successful matings without the doe getting pregnant (they ovulate after mating so in theory any time is a good time)

Bottom Harvey and Debbie (the males are both white called Top and Bottom Harvey as they live in cages one over the other)

Top Harvey with Bernardette (who is the doe who has had litters before. She is the mother of Blondie and Debbie)

Trip to Pau to see Rogue One

It has become a tradition to go to see a Star Wars film between Christmas and New Year - we have done it twice now anyway with the same friends.

This is Pau castle

It was funny going to the city and going to a petting zoo.

We had dinner in a Thai restaurant which as not v spicy (French people seem not to like spicy) but good anyway.

We had some coffee the following evening to celebrate having gone on and watched Episode IV (A New Hope) which comes after Rogue one in the story line although it was made pretty much 40 years earlier (!!!!!!)

Moving cows and horses

Four of the cows are in a field at the bottom of the property where a farmer can easily deliver them hay. The other two couldn't be with them because Bluebell won't stop feeding from Buttercup if Buttercup has milk and we wanted to wean Bif so he was in with Bluebell. Now Buttercup is dried off they can all go in together. We also finally put Bif's ear tags in.

This freed up the field that Bluebell and Bif were in for the horses. It is good because it is high enough up the land not to have springs in it which means the ground is dry and hopefully better for their feet in the winter months. The downside is that this means there is no water for them to drink unless we fill a drinker every day for them - not such a problem in winter when they don't need to drink so much. Eventually we plan on creating a drinker that is filled from the water butt that is filled with water off the stable roof. It is one of two fields with access to the run in shelter that is part of the stables. So ideal for them in the winter. They have not been in this field before so exciting change for them!
You can see it is quite steep in this photo.

This shows the cows in the field before they were removed, you can see the run in shelter the horses can access (which is part of the stable block) and the water butt just peeking round the edge of the shelter.

Merry Christmas!!

We took some small part of French Christmas tradition in to ours. This is a Buche de Noel (Christmas log) which originally were real logs hence the gold decoration the the left which is an old fashioned saw. This is coffee flavour and is similar to a swiss roll but without jam and iced. They are eaten on Christmas eve when the French have their Christmas meal

Poppy getting in to the Christmas spirit. Mainly she likes to chew the hat.

Doug skiing on Christmas day. It was lovely weather

Resting after skiing on a chair that is going to be on a new chairlift soon

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!!

What will you have for Christmas Dinner?

We are having chicken. Don't read further if you don't want to see slightly bloody photos.

We had one remaining cockerel from the chicks we hatched in the spring. He has just started cockdoodle dooing and Warren (the cockerel) was getting aggressive towards him so it was time for him to be offed.

Two kilos all ready for roasting

Dog got the head

I made cranberry sauce too, to go with him...

Washing the car

Yes - to normal people this wouldn't be an exciting occasion. But as we have managed to have a filthy bonnet for YEARS it was quite exciting. The car wash washes most of the car and Doug also rinses it down with the pressure washer sometimes when he cleans the horse box, but the bonnet has had welded on gunk from spring trees for many years now which lots of dirt had stuck on to.

I cleaned it with some vicious cleaner

Which also took the skin off the tips of my fingers - eugh - it is rather sore, but at least the car is clean! Now we just have to keep it that way!

Royal Icing Recipe

Weatherill family Christmas special. Well ok not that special, same as all the other Royal Icing recipes but Michael taught me to make it he was more of a baker than Lorna. Christmas always makes me think of them both.

2 egg whites
450g icing sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
1tsp glycerine

Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and stand in peaks.
Mix in the iceing sugar with the mixer on slow (traditionally Weatherill family used a hand held electric whisk, but now I have the kitchen aid)
Keep mixing until the icing is a good consistency - it should hold peaks - Weatherill family normally go for a 'rustic' look as it is quicker and easier and they are really just interested in getting on and eating it! If you want a smooth finish you want it a bit runnier.
Add the lemon and glycerine and mix a little bit more.
Apply to the cake (should cover about 20cm round cake).
It will dry out less and not get the cake colour through if you put marzipan on the cake before the icing, but we don't always in Weatherill family as we are lazy!

Marzipan Recipe

250g ground almonds
125g caster sugar
125g icing sugar
Few drops vanilla essense
1 large egg

Mix the dry ingredients together then add the egg and mix then knead well.
Chill in the fridge then roll out using icing sugar to stop it sticking
Put some jam on the cake (apricot is traditional, but I use marmalade)