Mas Saint Antoine

Actually they are what I would call Chooks - thats kiwi slang for you.  We got four of them last Saturday and they are just wonderful and so easy to train.  It can often take them a while to settle in and start laying but so far we are getting 2 eggs a day so at least two of them are pretty relaxed.  The eggs are small but an eggs an egg - right !.  I've managed so far to keep them at their end of the property and they are starting to understand that the gites are for guests and not to be used for them to party at.  We've named them after our parents which we're not sure whether they are happy about or not.  Each has their own personality and will come running or flying when I call for them - of course I think it has something to do with the food in my hand and boy do they like their food.  I think I am now going to be known as the crazy chicken lady as I walk around calling our chook chook chook in the mornings and afternoons.

Come vist us to meet them !

 

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A YEAR OF vastly reduced rainfall means France is already feeling the effects of drought with water restrictions in eight departments.Hopes for increased rain during the past autumn and winter came to nothing and, nationally, France is now 25% below normal rainfall levels - with the Hérault hardest hit at 90% down and the prefecture reporting water courses at low levels normally only seen in June or July. Only the region Provence-Alpes-Côtes d'Azur saw normal rains.Water and weather experts have met industry groups in the Commission de Suivi Hydrologique at the Ecology Ministry to look into the problem as the rain deficit hit levels not seen since 2005.The déficit pluviométrique in 2005 reached 26%, which was, however, still short of 1973 when it reached 28% and 1989 when it hit 29%. Farming groups are worried that the lack of rain will hit this year's grain harvest, with a reduced wheat crop in what is Europe's leading wheat-growing country.The rural life group Confédération Paysanne has called on the government to take urgent measures to help.Ecology Ministry officials - there has been no Ecology Minister since Nathalie Koscuisko-Morizet quit to become spokesman for President Sarkozy's election campaign - said the west of the country was hardest hit and the situation was "worrying" without being "alarming". Even recent heavy rains across the country will do little to help as they will not soak down into the depleted aquifers and will be taken up by surface crops.The Commission de Suivi Hydrologique said the lack of rain in the south-west was near the lowest on record for the past 50 years, hitting 35% in Midi-Pyrénées. Toulouse is also badly hit with rain levels reduced by 60%.In Hérault and Loire-Atlantique water usage has been restricted but there are restrictions on taking water from rivers, streams and aquifers in eight departments. Departments affected by restrictions are: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Eure-et-Loir, Gard, Hérault, Seine-et-Marne, Deux-Sèvres, Tarn, Vienne and Essonne.The departments of Ardèche, Ile-et-Vilaine, Lozère and Pyrénées-Orientales have been put on alert.Details of the precise areas with restrictions are available on the Propluvia website available through this link.

 

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In between days of rain & wind we managed to have a fabulous day for our first pizza night.  It was straight into it with a group of 23 mainly students.  A lot of fun but a lot of pizzas !  Luckily for me they all wanted to have a go at making their own so we let them loose and there were some great creations and then some just plain weird ones.  They all had a great time as did we. 

Our 2nd pizza night is happening tonight with another group of 21, again mainly students.  Hopefully they will take over the preparing to give me a chance to sit down and put my feet up. 

Its been great having them all around over easter and we've prepared  breakfast each morning in our Mas.  Its given us a chance to catch up with them all and have a chat.

All from Canada and a very nice and polite group !  We'd have them back anyday.

Back to the kitchen now to start preparation.

PS.  For those who read my blog the moles are no longer.  One caught by Poodle the cat who didn't eat it but let it go in a drain pipe never to be seen again and one caught by us one morning to be sent packing into one of the fields down the road ! 

 

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Its still windy and we still have no rain.  The blossoms are starting to come out and rather than talk about the moles that refuse to leave our gardens I thought I would give you some info about a new law just out on driving in France.  Don't panic yet as it does not take affect until 1 July but they are giving us a period of grace until 1 November - plenty of time to get organised.

DRIVERS and motorcyclists will be obliged to carry a breath test in their vehicles from July 1 after the publication of the new law in the Journal Officiel.

Foreign visitors and tourists also come under the new law - If you are hiring a car I would check with your hire company to see whether they are included and if if they provide them in vehicles .

Anyone found not carrying a breath test kit will face a fine of €11 and only cyclomoteurs - two-wheelers of under 50cc - will be exempt. A period of grace will mean it will not be enforced until November 1.

Alcohol is the major cause of road deaths - one-third of the 1,150 deaths in 2010 were linked to alcohol, with that rising to 58.7% in weekend night-time accidents.

The move is a bid to make road-users more aware of their responsibility to ensure they are legally able to drive. Advice from the Sécurité Routière is to carry two kits - to cover any eventual usage.

Costs for the simple balloon-type are no more than €1.50. They should carry the NF (Norme Française) logo and should be changed every two years.  If you are driving from the UK then they are available at the ferry and Chunnel crossing depots for £2.

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We've now got nice little mounds of dirt around the garden where the moles or a mole is digging and sleeping.  I've tried to send Poodle our cat out at night on Reconnaissance but shes not having any of it - what cat whats to get up from a nice warm throne (thats what her pillow is named) and head out into the cold of the night.....not our Poodle !  I really don't want to kill them but if they keep digging then it could be me camped out over night to catch them.

Its been a lovely warm week and the fruit trees are starting to bud.  It won't be long before we get blossoms.  All of the bulbs have poked up their heads but it will be a while before we see any flowers.  Looking at the long term forecast we are expecting cold weather again next week so that will slow them down a little.

Its spring cleaning time, oh the joy of it all.  While I feel Sadie the cleaning lady K2 (kerrin) is busy renovating a couple of bathrooms.  Hopefully all will be done before our first guests arrive shortly.  I've also been quite handy with a paint brush but came to halt today as the paint I was going to use had frozen solid from the big freeze we had a couple of weeks back.  Even thawing it didn't turn it back into useable paint.  Down to the paint shop I go.

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How exciting, our little village is getting an ice cream parlour......it could take them a couple of years to build it (nothing happens very quickly around here) but I am sure if it is like Isabellas in Isle Sur la Sourge it will be fantastic.  We walked past where its going to be today and the building signs are already up....Fingers crossed it won't take to long.....

Can you tell we're excited !

 

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After complaining last week of horrid weather this week we are back where we should be, in the positives.  Its been a busy week as the pipes start to defrost.  We've had a few leaks to contend with and luckily only one of those inside a gite.  We managed to catch it before to much damage was done.  While K2 has been busy fixing all the pipes I've spent the past 4 days in the gardens taking apart and making new ones.  I must say its felt like going 10 rounds in a boxing ring but the outcome has been most pleasing.  I decided after last years hot weather to try and minimise having so many pots around so I have three new gardens now.  They are all ready for spring planting for summer colour. 

The long term forecast is for the weather to continue to improve so hopefully it won't be long until we see the blossoms on the fruit trees.  The evenings are getting longer and we had a beautiful sunset at 6.30 tonight, a very bright orange.

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Thanks to the Mistral wind we have had some extremely cold weather these past 10 days.  So much that we have only had a couple of days above 0. Pipes have frozen and its been touch and go getting water out of the bores.  The sun has been shining but with the wild wind gusting upto 100kms you need at least 6 layers on to even venture outside.  We've managed when the days have been a little warmer to do some more of the cutting back in the gardens and orchards before spring arrives which looking at the long term forecast could be a ways off yet.  The fish pond is thick with ice and strong enough to stand both our weights so we took a bit of time out to have some fun and practise curling.  Check out K2, he knows all the moves.....he watches far to much TV!  Even the local canals are iced up and the ducks are walking rather than swimming on them.  The sad thing is that there have already been 8 deaths due to this harsh weather.  We even heard today that earlier this week some companies weren't even open due to it being so cold.  Where else in the world would that happen !  But don't panic if you are hoping to head to Provence this summer, some say it means a long hot summer.  We will see.

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We've just spent a glorious 2 months down under in our home country of New Zealand with stop overs in Perth and Singapore.  We had a wonderful time and although it was not a hot summer like we experience here in the South of France it was still nice to see the sun and enjoy the warmth. 

I never make New Years resolutions as I am one for breaking them but I have made a list of must do's this year and one of them is to write to our blog more often than not.  So do check back here now and then to see whats happening at Mas Saint Antoine.

Our wonderful guardians, ex guests, now good friends left a couple of days ago after looking after the Mas and our cat Poodle whislt we were away.  Over the whole two months they were here they had only 1 day of rain.  We arrived back to what felt more like spring than winter but that soon changed.

Today we woke up to rain and then it was snowing although it was to wet for it to settle and make the place look white.  We are expecting very cold temps over the coming days, around -10 due to the mistral arriving.  But we hope to still see the sun.  Theres much work to be done in the gardens before we open up.

Hope you all had a happy Xmas and New Year as we did and WATCH THIS SPACE or should I say WATCH THIS BLOG

 

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We've got a busy couple of weeks ahead with guests comig and going, some new and some repeats.  Always lovely to see people returning.  We decided to open the pool today as the weather is so nice and its much prettier sitting out there without the old winter cover on.  No frogs or any other creepy crawlys in the bottom of the pool.  Got the pool robot R3D3 working overtime cleaning the bottom and sides, he does such a good job .  Probably a little on the cool side to be swimming but its looks so lovely.  Have some children arriving in a weeks time and if the weather keeps up I am sure they will be taking a dip.  They don't feel the cold like us oldies...ha ha

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I know I was bragging a couple of weeks back about spring being here, well, someone then sent us 4 solid days of rain !  Just what the gardens needed but not quite that much.  We are back into sunshine and warm temps again but have the mistral which is doing a good job of drying everything out.  Our season has started and we have some lovely guests staying at present, even our first dog, Hanna - a 6 mnth old newfoundland and such a darling.  All the bulbs are starting to flower and look lovely although the wind is knocking them about a bit.  The tree frogs are showing themselves, the fish have come to the top of the pond and are now wanting food and I counted over 12 frogs this morning, there was only 2 a week back.  They have laid plenty of eggs so it won't be long before the fish are sharing their home with tadpoles.  We've started planting and have some potatoes, strawberries, lettuces, garlic, ginger, basil and an avocado all in the ground and pots.  The ginger, garlic and avocado are a first but will give them a go. 

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We've got blossoms on the fruit trees in the orchards.  Makes from some wonderful photos.  My bulbs have all poked their heads up and the first daffidil is just about out.  I can see the yellow but its yet to show its face fully.  The weather is lovely and sunny but again next week it will drop down to around 10 for a few days.  You get a nice week of 14-17 then it drops back to 10.

We are off to Cannes tomorrow for a couple of days R&R before the season kicks in.  Our first guests who have been here for a week will leave tomorrow.

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Some of the 600 odd bulbs I planted are starting to poke their heads up.  Weather here is lovely and sunny but the temps do move around alot.  This week we are in mid teens which is nice.  We've spent the past week in the gardens cutting back, pruning, cleaning out the fish pond and making new seating areas....I know....as if we don't have enough all ready.  We have to fill the gaps with something !!

We were in Marseille on the weekend and had lunch out with friends, it was so nice we were able to sit outside, this in the middle of Winter !

Talk again soon.

 

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Another lovely Xmas at Mas Saint Antoine with friends and guests.  After 3 weeks of travelling through Switzerland, Germany, Austria and the UK we arrived home to race around putting up the xmas decos before friends arrived on the 23rd.  Unfortunately we had both fallen with a flu bug so the couple of days leading upto xmas were tireseom.  Shopping done we settled down into the Mas, main house with the fire going and food prepared.  It was Sanglier (wild bore) for our xmas dinner this year which we had colllected in Germany.  A great day was had and now its back to the grind stone.  We have just finished updating the kitchen in Casa Dora which looks great.  Must get the photos on the website now.  Weather is not to bad although the fishpond and top of the swimming pool is frozen, time to get out our skates.....  Hope this all finds you well and that you had a safe and festive xmas.  Roll on 2011.

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We woke up to Ice this morning where it had rained over night.  Chilly chilly mornings starting at 0 but we are getting lovely sunny days.  Had a trip into Avignon and all the german christmas markets are being set up.  All the christmas light are up but yet to be turned on, hopefully they are waiting until December as not to draw Christmas out to much.

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Spent a couple of days at a friends place not far from us olive picking.  Good weather for it.  Unfortunately our olive trees this year have not produced many but we have got enough to marinate for apertifs or to be made into tapenade.

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