Last week’s blog said that we had started 2 major projects which desperately needed doing. It is both of these that I have been continuing with this week – although neither are actually finished!
Earlier in the week I continued with the hedging which is very nearly complete. I was fortunate in that the weather was extremely good and we had lots of adventurous guests who were out and about most of the time so there was less of a concern that I was creating a lot of noise. Thankfully when I needed to be quiet, I was able to give the wisteria its biannual trim and train it against Priory. I can see this summer being the most difficult in years to come as it puts on so many new tendrils in the growing season, all of which weave together, it is very difficult to see what to cut and what to keep. However, having completed and trimmed the buxus at the base it is looking smart at the front of Priory again.
The hedging itself generates a lot of green waste which, at the minute, we can only take to the déchetterie, so a number of things also have to line up to allow me to do it. I need to be able to use the trailer, have access to the car and the déchetterie needs to be open.
As we live in a rural area the déchetterie isn’t open every day nor indeed all day of those days it is open. Many of its open periods coincide when Dave works in Brest so he has to use the car. While I can load the trailer and then take it at a convenient time, it is amazing how little hedging needs to be cut to fill it up – especially in the summer cut when it grows so fiercely between March and July.
We are also half-owners of our trailer having bought it with a neighbouring couple who also have a large garden. We tend to get the better end of the deal as we have ‘custody’ of it for the majority of the time, but if they need to use it we are fortunate in that we have lots of other projects we can pick up.
That other project was continuing to stain the exterior of Grange. By last Sunday I had done the east side which was always going to be the easiest. During the last week I have managed to complete the south side, other than the steps, and have put one coat on the north side. All, so far, without injury!
Hopefully, in the coming week I will be able to get a second coat on the north and 2 coats on the west side. If I get the steps done that will be it completed – at least for the next 7 years! Hopefully too I will get most done before the weather changes from the very hot and dry we have enjoyed for the past few weeks to less settled next week. At least the lawns should start to look green again.
2020 has, for everyone, been an odd year all round although it has meant a couple of firsts for us. With the uncertainty that COVID has made to travel, earlier in the year we had the first time when all of our gîtes were occupied but none of our guests were British. Last week, was the first time that all of our gîtes and we only had French guests stay. Obviously we welcome guests from anywhere, but we were very pleased that the name of Kergudon is being shared within France especially as the French like to holiday-at-home more than most nations.
Salut.