Last week’s blog spoke about a weather-affected ‘bitty’ week of jobs with a lot of weeding having been done. This week has been very similar.
It ended saying that some of the gardening, principally continuing to clear the old chicken run, was dependent on finding a new fork that I liked. I have – inevitably on a certain website and, sadly, in the UK so I won’t have it for a few weeks. There are many little things where France and the UK differ and even garden implements are one of those areas. I am used to UK tools that have a grip or handle on the end of the shaft. In France, tools just have a long shaft which I don’t find as easy to use or drive into the ground – perhaps that’s why I have broken so many!
As such, I have had to resurrect an old fork with 3 remaining tines of the original 4 – it isn’t just handles I break – and have put in a number of hours continuing to clear the chicken run brambles. The photo doesn’t show much progress, and it is slow work, but I am pleased with what I have managed to achieve and think (hope) that the task will get a little quicker soon.
I did manage to wire in the gate light on the east side of the rear access – a task that has been outstanding for a number of months – and we are really pleased with how the back gate now looks. We have planted a number of loniceras on top of the wall I completed last year and, if they grow as quickly as the plants on the west side, we should have a great hedge in a couple of years.
I have tried to find a picture of how the rear gate looked before we started the work. Other than one of the west side on my blog of 27 November 2016, which coincidentally was when I broke the tine off the fork I have been using, I can’t find anything to show it in all its horror. Nonetheless, we are really pleased that the back gate is now finished as we had planned, all looks very formal – we just need to make the front entrance as neat!
The rest of the week has again been more bitty jobs which has included re-staining a number of the fence and gates I made a couple of years ago to make sure they still look good and last as long as they can; lots of lawn mowing and, almost a day’s worth of splitting wood into kindling. With all of our building we have amassed a large amount of wood pieces and offcuts which, with that hoarding instinct I have mentioned before, we have hung onto but done nothing with. Now that we are clearing out the garage bays I am going through this large pile and we will have enough kindling for the stoves to last most of next year (hopefully!)
Finally, I thought we would include a few dates that you may be interested in for activities in the village and commune if you’d like to come and see us and take in some Breton culture.
The weekend of 1st and 2nd June is the biennial Grand Prix Arc de Triomphe in Sizun. This is a fantastic event where the centre of Sizun becomes a race track for some classic sports car and you can get up close with the action.
The 8th – 10th June is the Assomniak Associations 3rd Fête du Bourg in the centre of Saint Cadou. For the 3rd year this active association are organising a number of music and cultural events in and around the centre of the village which is always popular.
The weekend of 21 / 22 June is France’s annual Fête de la Musique where every town, village and hamlet arrange some sort of musical entertainment which Saint Cadou combine with their annual tantad / bonfire for the Fête de St. Jean.
Sunday 30th June is the annual TriBrezh on the Lac du Drennec which is always a spectacle and good opportunity to have a beer on the terrace of Au Lac and watch others exerting themselves.
Saturday 21st September (tbc) is the annual foire a l’ancienne (horse fair) in Commana and Sunday 29 September is Saint Cadou’s annual pardon and pig roast – a great event.
With the many and frequent Fest Noz and Fest Deiz events in our, and the surrounding area, there is always something going on to be enjoyed. We’d love to welcome you here.
Salut.