In the village of Chanterac I once got to know a farmer who specialised in duck rearing, making his own foie gras, confit de canard and other delicacies. He had invested heavily in what he called his laboratoire, the hygiene certified place in which he sacrificed*,...
No need to spell out the rest of this sombre quotation. We have suffered one tragedy in the fields of La Chaise, another nearer the main house. The lambs and their mothers have been in the fields for many days now, coming in only at night. Then, a couple of days ago...
Has anyone else noticed that commercial eggs, eggs bought in shops or from market stalls, lack two important characteristics? None of them are plain white and very, very few have a pointy end. (Hint: if you do see white eggs, check whether they are duck eggs before...
It is always a joy to return to La Chaise from ‘Away’ especially in the Spring. The grass and the trees have been washed clean. New grass is lushly growing. Catkins grace the hazel twigs, sway with the slightest waft of air. The stream flows from the...
Our small commune, St Aquilin (pop 500) is riven by rumours, libel, slander and general ill-will over a project that, in the abstract, is all that fits in with current bio preconceptions and all that could be desired ecologically, arguably even economically. In real...
The Lady of La Chaise is in a panic. Audrey and Alexandre, along with Charlie and (H)aska the dog have gone away and left her. Admittedly The Lady has not been left for long, only four days. But she has been left in charge of the vegetable garden. The tomato...
Sheer desperation is supposed to stimulate imagination, out of the box solutions – and so on. The temperatures were getting hotter, the grass browner, the heavy crop of fruit on the trees was not swelling into ripeness. Then Alexandre had an attack of...
We feel very proud of ourselves at La Chaise. A third brood of swallows have hatched, and flown. Their parents built them a new nest, pre-used homes obviously not appropriate for this late brood. Always hungry, always crying As always the nest was in...
Why is it that some domesticated animals, those with the escapology gene, can only find their way out? An escape route seems to be one way. They never return via the way they left. Mostly they do not come back. Very small lambs go through a period of getting under...
Nearly three weeks now that Country Mouse has been back in her habitat after a two month stay in London. Return timed with the onset of long delayed, long wanted rain, missed the May heat-wave that grilled the spring plants. Modestly declined any responsibility. La... 
