lundi 29 décembre 2008

dimanche 28 décembre 2008

Baa!

Pic Estibat

Yesterday another fantastic day racing around the pistes at Guzet with Rupert, Sarah, Ian and Sandrine.

Hier encore, une belle journée courant aux pistes de Guzet avec Rupert, Sarah, Ian et Sandrine.

The off-piste was still horrible and cruddy - So when Justin said he wanted to go ski touring today I was less than enthusiastic - but I saw that Penny and Andy had been snowshoeing up Pic Estibat (1663m) yesterday, so I quizzed her about conditions. Seemed the snow was crusty but generally carrying weight so I decided to go. Sarah and Rupert donned snowshoes whilst I skinned up. We were pretty late leaving and we met Justin on the top.

Hors pistes etais encore pènible avec la neige cartonner - donc quand Justin m'a dit que il voudrais faire le ski de rando aujourd'hui je n'ai pas l'envie. Mais j'ai vu sur le blog de Penny que elle et son mari ont fait l'ascension de Pic Estibat hier, donc j'ai elle demandé les conditiones. Apparemment, la neige etait pas mauvais. Sarah et Rupert ont porté des raquettes et moi les skis avec les peaux de foq. Nous sommes parti un peu tard alors nous avons rencontré Justin déja au summit.
After descending together towards Pic Journalade, Justin and I decided to go back in order to ski down before the snow deteriorated whilst Rupert and Sarah pressed on to Pic Journalade. The ski down was fantastic, we avoided the Col du Port and descended Eastwards, eventually joining the road at about 1100m skis on feet. All over far to quickly, but winter has only just begun let alone the spring.

Après une descente ensemble vers Pic Journalade, Justin et moi avons remonté afin faire la descente de Pic Estibat avant la neige fondra. Neanmois Sarah et Rupert ont continué a Pic Journalade. Pour nous la descente etais 'nickel'. Nous avons evité le Col du Port et descendu vers l'Est et rejoindre la route à 1100m ski à pieds. Trop vite le fin! Mais c'est seulement le debut d'hiver.

jeudi 25 décembre 2008

Christmas tradition

As has now become a traditional for me at Christmas, I spent the day skiing at Guzet, this year with Rupert and Sarah.  It got a bit cold around lunchtime but warmed up later.  The snow as a consequence was terrific all day...I was really flying. I think we skied every piste at least once and most the reds and blacks twice.

Comme d'habitude à Nöel, j'ai pris la journée a Guzet - ce Nöel avec Rupert et Sarah.  Le temps est devenu un peu froid a midi, mais dans l'après midi c' a rechauffé. La neige rest bien tout la journée...Nous avons fait du ski toutes les pistes un fois et les rouges et noires deux fois.

mardi 23 décembre 2008

Ski "click"

Another beautiful day today so after doing the chores (laundry, etc) I headed over to Guzet.  Today was a day when everything clicked.  It's amazing how when you ski well it's almost effortless.  I was hammering down the longest reds from top to bottom without stopping, then going back for more. I bumped into Ian and Nina, then lost them again. I headed over to the black runs on Freychet - alas only "Dome" was open but it was good fun. (It's the ridge dropping at 4 o'clock from the summit in the photo my post of Dec 20th). Steep even for a black, I skied it three times in a row! Tomorrow la chasse, before Rupert and Sarah arrive in the evening.

Une belle journeé encore, donc après les tâches ménagères - je suis allé à Guzet.  Aujourd'hui tout a bien marché. C'est incroyable comment si on faire du ski bien, c'est sans effort. J'ai couru à vitesse tout le longeur des pistes rouges, sans arrête.  J'ai rencontré Ian et Nina puis partir a les pistes noires sur Freychet.  Seulement la piste "Dome" etait ouvert, elle est tr& grave;es pentue, mais je l'ai fais trois fois.  Demain la chasse avant Rupert et Sarah arriveront.

dimanche 21 décembre 2008

Shooting

Up early this morning to feed the sheep.  Then I set to work mounting my riflescope.  Using a spring balance and allenkeys I could exert the correct torque for the screws and after mounting the bases, rings and scope I bore sighted the scope and adjusted the windage. Then it was down into the field below the house with tape measures, targets and ammunition to zero the scope. It's the first time I've actually fired the gun so that was an experience! Despite the recoil my first three shots were within a cm of each other at 25m from a standing position without a rest. Some adjustment to the scope and the next three where within a cm of the bullseye. Then after consulting the ballastics charts I readjusted the scope so that it was zeroed at 150m. This puts the shot at ± 25mm from the point of aim for any distance from 0-200m - doubt I'll be attempting any shots further away than that!  

Le matin, je me suis reveillé tôt de donner le manger aux brebis. Puis j'ai commencé de regler ma lunette.  Avec une balance et une clé Allen, j'ai réussi de faire le moment de torsion precis aux vises de montage pour les embases et les anneaux.  Apres j'ai reglé la lunette par cibler le canon, je suis descendu au pré en dessous chez moi avec des munitions, un mètre ruban et des cibles. C'est le premier fois que j'ai tiré ma carabine! Malgré le recul, le premiere trois tirs ont atteindu un centimetre les unes des autres à 25 metres.  Un peu de reglage et le prochain trois tirs ont tapé on plein dans la mille.  Enfin, j'ai lu la table des ballistiques et regler la lunette à 150 metres. Comme ça toutes les tirs entre 0 et 200m atteindront la cible plus ou moins de 2,5 centimetre.  Je n'essaierais pas un tir plus longue que ça!

Next the christmas pudding went into the steamer (it has simmered away for the last 8 hours).

J'ai mis le Christmas pudding dans un bains marie pendant huit heures.

By early afternoon the sun had begun to melt the snow and expose the first blades of grass in the south facing fields (1 and 2).  So I decided to let the sheep out (they've been confined in the barn for the last week).  I had already blocked the hole in the fence in field 2 where they got out last time, but when I let them out they charged for the location of the hole and head down, horns forward, they rammed the fence and broke through!  After quickly extending the electric fence around field 1 to exclude field 2, I rounded them up.  By now it was too late to join the hunt, so with the chainsaw I tidied up some the many trees which have been toppled by the snow in fields 1, 2 and 3.

Au debut de l'apres midi le soliel a commencé de fondre la neige et j'ai pu voir des herbes dans les prés qui sont orienté au sud (Prés 1 et 2).  Donc, j'ai decidé de décharger les brebis (elles etaient dedans la grange depuis une semaine).  Une fois que j'eus bouché le trou dans le haie, je les ai dechargé. Immèdiatement elles ont couru vers mon réparation dans le haie et comme un bélier ont cassé un neuf trou!  Le clôture éléctrique etait néccessaire!  Enfin les brebis ont clôturé mais c'etait trop tard a faire la chasse.  Au lieu, je nettoye les arbres qui a tombé dans prés 1, 2 et 3.

Soireé

The two Jean-Lucs - birthday boy is wearing the Santa hat.

It was Jean-Luc's (president of the Aleu Chasseurs) 50th birthday yesterday. A party was thrown, a piglet roasted and much alcohol consumed.  Thanks to Jean-Pierre for the photos.

Hier etait le cinquantième anniversaire  de Jean-Luc, president de l'ACCA d'Aleu.  Il a fait un fête, griller un cochon et nous avons bu trop!  Merci Jean-Pierre pour les images.

samedi 20 décembre 2008

Guzet

A fine days skiing at Guzet with Ian.  Alas no powder, but plenty of empty pistes to practice my skiing technique under Ian's critical eye (I think it's his left one!).

Une bonne journeé de ski à Guzet avec Ian.  Helas pas de neige poudreuse, mais beaucoup des pistes vides, idéal pour practiser ma technique de ski sous l'oeil critique de Ian (je crois que il soit ton oeil à gauche!)

vendredi 19 décembre 2008

Better late than never

Busy times - chopping wood, fetching hay, rebuilding the chicken run after the weight of snow colapsed the netting roof and making xmas presents. I nearly forgot to make the Christmas pudding! I was never very keen on xmas pudding as a nipper - I don't like the peel and they were usually dense and dry, but now I have a great recipe suggested by my mum and written by Delia Smith which is light, moist and fruity...at least after my modifications! I ditch the peel in favour of chopped dried apricots and extra apples.

The snow is melting as fast as it can, but it's still a monochrome landscape here and everywhere above about 650m. Very slushy on top and very muddy underneath - difficult conditions for the tractor.

Je suis très occupé au moment - fendre le bois, ramasser le foin, rebattir le cours des poules après le tôit a cassé sur le poids de la neige, et faire des cadeux du nöel. J'ai presque oublié de faire le déssert du nöel. Je le n'aimais jamais quand j'etais jeune parce que je détest épluchures et le déssert etais sec et lourd. Enfin, j'ai une recette formidable par Delia Smith, ce qui est legère, moelleur et fruité...du moins après mes modifciations. Je rejet les épluchures en faveur de les abricots haché et plus des pommes.

La neige a fondu de vite que possible mais la paysage est encore monochrome, partout au dessus 650m. Très fondue à la surface et très boueux en dessous - des conditiones difficiles pour mon tracteur.

mardi 16 décembre 2008

Nanook of the north

It was still snowing this morning and the weight of snow brought down an enormous bough from the beech tree (about a foot diameter) which in turn brought down two similarly sized chestnuts - all three fell across the path to the barn blocking the way. An hour with the chainsaw had it all safely tidied away.

Il neige encore le matin et une branche enorme de hêtre a renversé sur le poids de la neige, ensuite l'est tombé deux châtaigniers de plus et l'ensemble boucher le chemin à la grange. Un heure de plus avec la tronsoneuse et toute est propre. Lorsque je degage l'entreé de la garage, j'ai me rendu que la neige est parfait à faire un igloo. Après trois heures et demi j'ai fini l'igloo et ça me plais!

Shovelling the snow away from the garage I realised we had perfect igloo snow.
I've always wanted to build an igloo so I set to work. It only took 3 1/2 hours and I'm pretty pleased with it.


lundi 15 décembre 2008

More snow!!

Up early this morning to fetch the sheep more hay from the Paul's barn. The power was off and as it had snowed all night long there was now around 18 inches of snow. Outside the silence was only broken my the snapping of tree branches under the weight of snow. The tractor ploughed and skidded through the snow but halfway to the barn it nearly skidded off the track, threatening to tumble down the bank with me on it. Fifteen minutes of delicate back and forward manoeuvres, digging and skidding and I was back on track. The journey back up the hill to the road was a similar affair more sideways than forward but eventually I got there with the hay.



Le matin je me suis reveillé tôt à ramasser du foin de la grange de Paul.  Il y avait un coupère d'electricité et il neigais toute la nuit - presque 45 cm de neige. Dehors les branches qui cassent sous le poids de la neige rompre le silence. Le tracteur est défoncé et glissé dans la neige, et mi-chemin de la grange il est tombé presque du chemin avec moi à bord!  Après quinze minutes de manoeuvres délicates j'ai pu continuer. La continuation etais une affaire pareille - plus contournant qu'avancant - mais enfin j'arrive.  J'ai emmené Paul à l'aéroport de Toulouse. Entre chez moi et St Girons une dizaine d'arbres sont tombé sur la route, heuresment ils ont degagé déja. Je suis rentré à 15.30.
                                                                                
I took Paul back to the airport in Toulouse. Between the house and St Girons dozens of trees had fallen across the road but fortunately they had been cleared earlier in the morning. I got home at about 3.30.

It is still snowing, but the weight of snow and a slight increase in temperature has allowed the snow pack to tamp down a little. The electricity is back on.

dimanche 14 décembre 2008

More snow - more skiing



There was a heavy snowfall during the night and it has continued all day. Must be well over a foot now. In the morning Paul and I went stalking for deer. We stumbled across two but they were long gone before we could do anything about it.

At lunchtime we headed over to Guzet in increasingly heavy snow and despite the poor visibility, had some great skiing in deep fresh snow. Off piste seems to be 'clicking' now, although in the video clip I'm not facing down the fall line enough. Always plenty of room to improve.

The second clip is part of the drive from the village to my house, fortunately after the snow plough had passed.

Beaucoup du neige tombait dans la nuit et il continue tout la journeé.  Plus de trente centimetres. Le matin Paul et moi faisons la chasse à pieds.  Nous avons trouvé deux chevreuils mais elles fussent parties avant nous ferions quelques chose.  le midi nous sommes arrivé à Guzet dans un tempest de neige et sans visibilité, mais du bon ski sur la neige fraiche.  Mon technique de ski hors piste ameliorer (mais pas dans le video!)

Le deuxieme video est la route à chez moi, mais après la chasse neige a passé

samedi 13 décembre 2008

Ski-do!

Paul is over from the UK for a weekend of skiing. As the local resort Guzet Neige opened this weekend we headed over.  Only a couple of pistes were pisted and everything else was left "au naturelle".  A wide range of hors piste snow conditions - deep powder (light and heavy), windslab, crust and crud - made for an interesting days skiing so early in the season.  A strong gusty wind was blowing the spindrift around on the ridges and sending twisters down into the coombes.  One of the lifts broke leaving Paul and I isolated on one side of the domaine but a ski-do came to the rescue and we each got a free high-speed ride back to main run of the resort.

Paul est venu d'Angleterre de me visiter pour un weekend de ski.  Le domaine plus proche d'ici, Guzet Neige, est ouvert aujourd'hui pour le première fois cette anneé, donc nous l'avons visité. Seulement deux ou trois pistes eurent pisté et toutes les autres sont aux naturelles. Un grand choix de conditiones de neige hors piste - poudres (legères et lourdes), plaque de vent, cartonner, etc - un jour très interèssant très tôt d'hiver.  Un vent fort avec des rafales soufflait la neige sur les crêtes et envoyais des tourbillons dans les vallons.  Une remontage mechanique etais en panne à la moment que Paul et moi avons été plus loins de la station - mais heuresment un ski-do viens au secours de nous. 

mercredi 10 décembre 2008

Deer v Wildboar

Although we don't have many wildboar in the UK, deer is still the undisputed king of game - the game of Kings!  And man does venison taste good! I'm eating Roe Deer regularly at the moment and it's fantastic.  Here in the Ariege however, Roe deer are almost considered vermin, it's the wildboar that is the 'raison d'être' of hunting.  Isard (Pyrenean Chamois) however seem to carry significant status as do Red deer.

Bien que il y n'a pas beaucoup des sangliers en Royaume Uni, les chevreuils/cerfs sont le roi de gibier - le gibier des Rois! Zut! Il a un bon gôut.  Je mange le chevreuil souvent au moment et ça va très bien. En Ariege, par contre, le chevreuil sont presque nuisibles(!), c'est le sanglier qu'est le raison d'être de la chasse.  Les isards toutefois portent prestige (comme les cerfs).

More snow



More snow today and set to continue for a few more days yet...just what Guzet Neige (the local ski resort) needed.

Aujourd'hui il neige de plus et il continuera pour plusiers jours encore...bonnes nouvelles pour Guzet Niege (le domaine de ski plus proche d'ici).

lundi 8 décembre 2008

Cap de Bouirex

A phone call early this morning from Sandrine changed the course of the day. The weather had dawned unexpectedly bright and she suggested a day in the mountains. I quickly packed the rucksack and we headed towards the Col de la Core. 45 mins walk on snowshoes saw us at the Col and then we climbed the ridge to our left before beginning the traverse through the woods with the aim of going to the Cabane d'Eychiel. There were lots of 'sketchy' little couloirs to cross where the slopes above had purged of snow in the last few warm days. The way ahead didn't look appetising and a huge cornice loomed far overhead threatening to colapse (as its neighbours had) triggering an avalanche across our path. We decided to change are plans.
So back to the Col then steeply up towards Cap de Bouirex.
The views were spectacular until a cold front swept across the Col dropping the cloud level to few metres overhead.
A steep direct descent through the woods saw us back at the car.

Tôt ce matin un appel de Sandrine change mon jour. Il a commencé beau et elle m'a suggéré que nous partions au montagne. J'ai fait mon sac au dos et nous sont parti vers le Col de la Core. Après quarante cinq minutes nous sommes arrivé au Col puis après monter le crête à gauche nous avons commencé de contourner la foret afin arriver a la Cabane d'Eycheil. Il y avais beaucoup de petites couloirs raides et delicates a traverser. Le continuation ne nous seduisant pas et une corniche enorme au dessus la route menacais de tomber comme ses voisines. Nous avons décidé de changer nos plans. Donc nous sommes retourné à la Col et monter rudement au summit de Cap de Bouirex. Une bellevue jusqu'au front froid à traversé le Col et les nuages sont descendu à une dizaine metres au dessus. Un descent raid et direct à la voiture.

dimanche 7 décembre 2008

A Balmy Sunday

Got up early on Saturday and made a tour of the commune in the Jimny using the numerous pistes and tracks - no sign of the sheep. I returned home to hear the familiar sound of bells - the sheep had returned and were close to Pauls' barn. I shepherded them back to the barn, then headed off for the Saturday hunt. Out with the dogs for a long day and a good work-out. There were wild boar and roe deer crashing through the undergrowth, but nothing visible, so no shots fired.

Today was a balmy winter's day. I trimmed Leia's hooves which have had some problems following her blue tongue infection and then moved the sheep down to field 4 and fettled with the tractor. The hunt was in the valley in front of the house. All day long the dogs traversed the wooded hillside opposite and perhaps 20 shots rang out - but the hunter I saw at the end of day said they hadn't shot anything! Surely he must be mistaken.

Le Samedi je me suis réveillé tôt et faire un tour de la commune en ma voiture vers les chemins et pistes - pas de trace des brebis. J'ai rentreé et entendu les familieres sons des cloches - les brebis sont rentreé toutes seules et resté près de la grange de Paul. J'ai fais entrer des brebis dans ma grange, puis partir à la chasse. Tout la journeé à pied avec des chiens, un bon exercice. Il y avais des sanglier et chevreuils dans les ronces, mais j'ai vu riens, donc j'ai ne tiré pas.

Aujourd'hui etait une douce journeé hivernale. J'ai coupé les pattes de Leia - mal depuis sa infection de langue bleu puis bougé les brebis a pré 4 et travaillé dans le tracteur. La chasse etait en face de chez moi, et tout la journeé les chiens sont contourné le foret en face. J'ai ecouté peut être vingt coups - mais à la fin de la journeé un chasser m'a dit que ils ont tué rien!

vendredi 5 décembre 2008

Great Escape Revisited

Left the house at 8.00 to go and help Justin hang two enormous sliding doors on his barn.  Got back home about 30 minutes before dark to find that the sheep had escaped.  Tracked them heading down towards the mill in aleu before it got too dark.  Will have to resume the search tomorrow.

J'ai parti chez moi à huit heure afin donne un coup de main à Justin qui posera deux grandes portes sur ta grange.  J'ai rentré 30 minutes avant la nuit et aperçu que mes brebis ont échappé. J'ai suivi leurs trace vers le moulin d'Aleu avant la nuit tombe.  J'aurai besoin reprendre la recherche demain.

jeudi 4 décembre 2008

Pont de la Taule...again


The rain is falling today and clearing the snow that has been on the ground at Quélébu for the past few weeks.  This morning Clive finished off the doorway and I continued cleaning the beams on the first floor.  Lots more still to do but it feels like a 'milestone' has been passed.

Tomorrow I'm helping Justin and Emily finish off their barn.

Il pleut aujourd'hui et la neige qui couchait sur le sol à Quélébu pendant plusieurs semaines dégage. Le matin Clive a fini la porte et le nettoyage des poutres se poursuivent au premiere étage. Beaucoup plus de faire, mais je sens que ce marque une étape importante dans les travaux.

Demain j'aiderai Justin et Emily a finir leur grange.

lundi 1 décembre 2008

Pont de la Taule

Today Clive gave me a hand with the doorway at Pont de la Taule...or rather he finished it off whilst I cleaned beams and joists, made cups of tea, made the last door frame and mixed mortar. He's much more experienced in masonry than me and took down more of the wall than I had dared to - making the job of inserting the door frame much quicker.  He soon had most the wall rebuilt.  

Aujourd'hui Clive m'a donné un coup de main à la porte à Pont de la Taule...ou plutôt il la finirais lorsque j'ai nettoyé les poutres et chevrons, fais du thé, fabriqué le dernier encadrement et mélangé du mortier.  il a plus d'expérience de maçonerie que moi et demonté plus de le mur que j'ai osé fait - comme ça le boulou allait plus vite.  Le mur etais bientôt rébattir.

vendredi 28 novembre 2008

jeudi 27 novembre 2008

Laying tracks

Our tracks in the powder - mine are the slightly hooked ones due to poor technique!

Ian and I headed for Guzet today.  Although the resort doesn't open until the 13th Dec, we were able to skin up the pistes a couple of times then ski back down through the powder - and very nice it was too.

Ian et moi sommes allé à Guzet aujourd'hui.  Bien que le station de ski n'ouvre que le 13 Decèmbre, nous pouvions monter les pistes sur nos peaux de foq et ensuite nous avons fait une belle descente sur la neige poudreuse - ça va très bien!

mercredi 26 novembre 2008

mardi 25 novembre 2008

Neige

Snowed through the night and again today - a good 6-7 inches. The electricity went off at 2.00 in the morning and didn't come back on until 8.00 this evening. No electricity means no central heating pump and no phone (land line or mobile) so busied myself with painting a new direction sign for Quélébu and Pinsou.

Went exploring during the morning towards Saradaou and took some great photos (which I've just deleted by mistake). The postwoman couldn't get any further than here because of the snow, so in the afternoon I played postman and delivered all the mail further along the road.

The sheep have finally had little option but to eat the hay - something they've been avoiding in favour of bark, leaves and acorns. So a trip on the tractor in the slippery snow was necessary to collect some more from Paul's barn.

Il neige toute la nuit et encore aujourd'hui - entre 15 et 18 cms.  Un coupure de courant entre 2 heures et 20 heures donc pas de pompe de chauffage centrale et pas de téléphone. Je me suis occupé de la peinture d'un nouveau panneau de Quélébu et Pinsou.

Le matin Je suis allé dans le direction de Saradaou et pris des belle photos (mais malheuresment je viens de les annuler par erreur!).  La factrice ne pouvait pas continuer plus loin que chez moi au cause de la neige, donc l'après midi j'ai devenu le facteur.

Enfin les brebris n'ont plus de choix et elles ont dû manger le foin -  bien qu'elles préférent l' écorce, les feuilles et les glans.  Un voyage 'glissant' sur le tracteur a obligé de ramener un peu plus.

lundi 24 novembre 2008

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Hunting at the weekend in heavy rain and an icy wind but this time I was moving with the dogs rather than waiting at a post getting cold (at least for the first half of the day).  A good work out in difficult terrain and conditions and two sanglier to divide up.

Today it's snowed most the day with the snow settling above about 900m or so.

À la chasse ce weekend dans un déluge et un vent très froide, sauf cette fois j'allais avec les chiens plutôt que attendant m'geler à la poste (au moins tout d'abord).  Un bon exercise physique dans le terrain difficile et les mauvais temps, de plus il y a deux sangliers a partager.

Aujourd'hui il niege pendant le pluspart du jour avec la neige couche au dessus a peu près 900m.

vendredi 21 novembre 2008

Clouds


Strange clouds visible early this morning ahead of the stormy weather this evening.

jeudi 20 novembre 2008

Update

A day at Pont de la Taule painting the external new door which opens from the living room to the patio (installed a few days ago) and three windows destined to be installed upstairs.  
Tomorrow St Gaudens for the last free Suzuki service.
Snow building up nicely - skiing soon.  Most big resorts are partially opening this weekend ahead of the regular opening the weekend after.

mercredi 19 novembre 2008

Google Chrome

I have been using Google Chrome as my internet browser for the past week or so. It's GREAT but....

There's some problem with Java which still isn't fixed. Despite having the latest version (Java6 U10), Chrome won't open any Java applets on web pages and continually prompts for Java6 U10 to be installed - which it is already. Tried everything posted on the numerous help pages and forums as possible fixes and none work. With out Java working it's a 75% browser. Come on Google - get it sorted.

lundi 17 novembre 2008

An odd day

Headed over to Pont de la Taule early this morning to install the windows and doors. I picked up cement from Jason's en route. Then over to Ercé to collect the windows and doors, which according to a phone call on Friday, were ready.  But the joinery shop was closed.  At Pont de la Taule (empty handed) I set-to with the continuing saga of the bathroom doorway.  I removed a few more stones but needed to remove more of the solid rock to get an acro prop in place, but the (incredibly cheap chinese) kango hammer that I recently attempted to repair, wouldn't work.  Refusing to be beaten I transferred my attention to the retaining walls - but after 30 minutes of work I dropped a huge rock on my shin when the end I was holding in my right hand snapped off.  It wasn't my day so I abandoned ship.

On the way home I dropped in on Ian and Nina who have moved into their new home in Soulan.  After a spot of lunch, as I had the trailer, I collected their freezer which hopefully I will part exchange for my smaller one. Back at Quélébu after transferring the freezer contents, it was time to butcher the half deer waiting in the workshop.  I tried a few new cuts - a boneless rolled shoulder joint and a sirloin knuckle.  It's all in the freezer now but am looking forward to some delicious winter game.  It's strange how each animal has its' own very distinct smell when you butcher it.  Something that if you buy your meat from a supermarket or butcher you are entirely unaware of. 

dimanche 16 novembre 2008

Deer

Yesterday a cold but sunny day with the chasse.  A huge roe deer (chevreuil) passed within 60m of me but at fall speed and through the thick undergrowth - I didn't even have time to shoulder my rifle.

Today I've been digging out some of the paths below the house which have a strong camber, to make using them with the tractor easier.  Heavy work, but a fun time testing them all with the tractor this afternoon. 

Collected some clouded clitocybe mushrooms - one of those species that can make some people sick and with a strong flavour.  As with all new mushrooms I've only tried a couple of slices - not to my liking so they're in the bin.  This evening a knock at the door and the mayor produces half a chevreuil for me.  Apparently the chassers got three today!  I need a bigger freezer.

vendredi 14 novembre 2008

Gates

A lovely day: clear blue skies and snow on the mountains. Spent it making gates and fences around the barn. These should provide access to the barn for the sheep, whichever field they are in and also provide a way through for the tractor (and any pedestrians using the communal path).
The sheep are bemused by it all

mercredi 12 novembre 2008

Calendars 2008

Spent last night helping Sandrine (my neighbour) build some blogs to display her 2008 range of Calendars: 'Trees', 'Mont Valier', 'Seascape'.

Sandrine is a photographer and the pictures on the calendars are beautiful. The images in the 'Mont Valier' and the 'Trees' calendars are all taken here in the Ariege, whilst 'Seascape' has collages of photos from Cornwall and Orkney. The calendars always sell-out before christmas, so if you haven't bought all your christmas gifts already, take a look at these beautiful calendars now by clicking the links below...and if you have finished all your christmas gift shopping already, then why not treat yourself!

Trees

Mont Valier

Seascape

mardi 11 novembre 2008

Pic de Fonta

Although the weather today was a bit miserable, Sandrine and I ventured upto col de Pause with the aim of climbing Pic de Fonta via the south ridge called Serre Durban. Unfortunately the descent from point 1835m was across very steep wet snow resting precariously on wet gispet grass. Sandrine had forgotten her axe and an unstoppable slip into the Valley d'Aula 1000m below was not worth thinking about. We retraced our steps and after a short circuit around the Cabane d'Areau headed for an early return home.
On route we saw a huge male isard, from the length of his horns, quite old.Yesterday evening I got my first share of game - a piece rump and a leg of sanglier. Tonight sanglier slow cooked in red wine.

dimanche 9 novembre 2008

Wall Building


Wasn't cold enough last night to keep the snow powdery and today was balmy so opted to start rebuilding the two 2 metre high retaining walls at Pont de la Taule. Found a lovely riven slab of marble so made a little bench seat in the wall as it catches the afternoon sun. Another days' work should see this first wall complete.
I also found a masons' mark with a date of Oct 1813. Probably the age of the house.

samedi 8 novembre 2008

Spot the deer

The view from Joubac, Aleu village below in the near distance

Last night Justin, Emily, Ian and Nina came for dinner. A mountain of washing up this morning meant a late start, so a day in the mountains was abandoned in favour of joining the chasse for my first dry day out with them. Once more we were posted high on Joubac only this time the views were spectacular (good for choosing a route in the mountains tomorrow).
Spot the deer ... no neither could I

Alas not a sniff of game for me, but three sanglier (wild boar) were shot lower down in the valley. Tomorrow, in the mountains.