Thursday 9 October 2014

Autumn is making an appearance.

After a long Indian Summer September, Autumn has started to make itself felt.  The leaves are turning, the apples are ready to be harvested and we are getting the odd day of driving rain, which fades out into that horrible mizzle, which seems to get into your very bones.

Here at Bonkers Farm, we are still trying to do as much outside as we can before the really bad weather sets in.  The assault on the Brambles continues.  I think we are going to be trying to get rid of these for the rest of our lives, but we have managed to clear out the bank by the barn drive and it is amazing just how much ground we claim back.

The piano is the first off.
"Garage Sale" anyone?
Finally our furniture arrived.  If anything was going to advertise that the Brits are here is was the huge Britannia Removal Van!   In fact, a couple who had managed to squeeze by on the day stopped yesterday to say hello as we were clearing the drive.  We do give ourselves some time off and we did get to the Vide Grenier the other Sunday.  We immediately reverted to type, and I bought a French painted stool, that needs upholstering and a quilt and Max bought a Sound System and a pitchfork.  Though if you look at our garage now the furniture has arrived you would be forgiven for asking if we really do need any more stuff!

The Vide Grenier was on one of those horrible mizzle days that I was talking about and it really is a "clear your attic". Held in the streets of one of the nearby village of Vengnon, the locals had literally opened their doors and out up a trestle table. One had opened up as a bar and their front room was full of locals having a beer.  I think if our French had been better we would have joined them.

I was mooching at this stall with the stool, which I knew was being sold by some Brits and Max was browsing a collection of garden tools they had and he just happened to be wearing his "Castles" T-shirt.

Man: "Is that Castles in Christchurch?"
Max: "Yes I worked there for four years."
Man: "Do you know Barney?"

Turns out they are from Southbourne and have had a home here for twenty years!  What are the chances?

Present from my lovely friend Nicola Hancock,
Can't think what she means!
"Pleeeease let me in!"
The cats have all had their various operations and the girls had their stitches out.  All ready for their assault on the local wild life, along with our new family member Bill.  This poor little chap had been hiding under our hedge for the past few days, although looking back we think it could have been longer.  Well it was heartbreaking to hear him, and he kept sitting on the window cill playing with the gang of four through the window.  Of course, it was no time at all before he had weedled his way in and had his own little cushion in the dining room.  We let them all meet a couple of days ago, and apart from a little bit of hissing all seems to have settled down and Bill is now one of the family.  But that is it!  No more cats.


Finally a guest bedroom
Bonkers Farm has also had its first visitor.  There is nothing like the imminent arrival of a visitor for the incentive to sort out the guest bedroom.  Jo Mansfield arrived at Cherbourg and we drove up to collect her.  It was lovely to have someone else see our home.  She said very nice things to our faces......As Jo is a big walker it gave us the opportunity to explore the local walks.






Looking back to the start
Bonkers Farm from the old railway line
The old railway line used to run at the top of the hill.  It stopped being a passenger line in 1938, then took freight three times a week, then finally that was stopped in 1988 and the line was taken up in 1997.  It is now part of a picturesque walk /cycle way that links up with others in the Vire Valley.
 
The Old Station at
Mortain/Le Neufbourg
From the top of "Bonkers Hill" to the old Mortain/Le Neufbourg station is 7km....and we did there and back!  I think I am even shorter now that I was before.  It certainly is the furthest I have walked for a long time.

German Gun emplacement
Wherever you go in this area there are reminders of the Nazi Occupation and here at a neigbouring barn is the remainder of a German gun emplacement.  It is a perfect location, looking right down over the valley, protecting the area from attack by the Allies.  It is very similar to those found all over the Channel Islands.
Found on our Railway walk.  We THINK
is a white truffle but there is now way we
taking a risk on it!
We know that our neighbour Roland, lived in our house during the war because the Germans took over his, but seeing this brings it home as to how real this all was.

A couple of years back, Max and I were in a show with songs from both World Wars.  One of them was "The Folks That Live Up The Hill".  It is a real dirge, and not a song I enjoyed learning.   Elaine Paige played it on her Sunday programme and Max turned to me and said " I guess we are now the folks that live up the hill!" and I guess we are.

Bonkers Farm at night

2 comments:

  1. How exciting to have all your furniture arrive :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Can't wait to see it all next week x

    ReplyDelete