Bye bye Olga and Elvis

 I really liked the muscovy ducks, but we seemed to have duds and they kept failing to hatch or raise the ducklings. So as we have a rule of ‘no slackers on the farm’ they had to go…

We are trying runner ducks now. Of the first 5 I hatched I think 4 are boys which is not the ratio you want!

Slow roast as not a young tender duck any more

Also duck sandwich

Duck curry

along with duck soup and various other duck based meals…

Piano Pic

 The piano festival happens every year and features some great musicians

There was only one event last year with covid, many more this year… we made it to a few though it was tiring when they didn’t end till 11 or 11.30 and there is work the next day!

 

Happy Wedding Anniversary to us!

13 years! Time flies!

We went to a lovely piano concert with fantastic Chopin amongst other things.

Part of the Pic Piano festival. We were terribly spoilt for live music in London, so it is nice to be able to see something so good locally here!

https://www.piano-pic.fr/

Summer fruits

I kind of messed up the strawberries and one lot of raspberries so we haven’t had loads this year. There have been enough raspberries to make a couple of jars of raspberry jam (made with honey! so exciting!)

The black current crop is best yet though, and Doug did an awesome job picking lots of them. I have made some jam and am in the progress of making jelly too (also with honey!), there are some in the dehydrator too (to have with cereal and yoghurt)

Only a few blueberries ripe as yet, but if we can keep the birds off them, there are quite a few to come…

Funny weather for July!

 

It’s been quite variable through June too. Some sunny hot days and some rainy cooler days. Lovely having dinner outside whatever the weather! We don’t mind the cooler weather in general!