Wednesday 13 February 2013

A wee drop more....



Actually, it all got a bit much as the day went on.....





In the far distance of the above photo, this is where the river started flowing in,
resulting in our fields joining up with the flow of the river.
We are tired today,
not to worry, 
the river is dropping, 
the fields are drying,
and hopefully we will be able to get our sheep, goats, and cow onto this field soon
because the grazing over on Station Field is zilch,
and the DIY hay is just about done,
and we need some sun because the lambs are weakening in the cold and wet
even though they are warm at night.
This has been a difficult winter, 
much worse that last year, with -15C temperatures,
but very warm and sunny during the day.
This year, with this wet, the animals have suffered.
Nearly done now.
Looks like the weather is going to settle down
then the river can slow down
Home Field can be opened up again
and no doubt the animals will be hooraying as shall we.

We like living by the river,
and we know that we will occasionally have water on Home Field,
but not twice in three weeks,
that is silly.





and this is how the Adour looks for most of the time.

Have forgotten about the bacon in the fridge,
so am off to have a look at it.

Then we have a go at mending the feet of three of the goats,
then we shall retrieve my big pot from Sarah's place down the road,
because yesterday we joined forces in true British Dunkirk spirit,
and while they rescued their sundry animals from the water
I sorted out a communal lunch for nine. 
They returned my efforts by cooking dinner for us later on,
which we were grateful for
because we had just helped a plonker of a French chappie,
who had insisted on driving his posh BMW through the water on the lane, 
which was waist high in some places.
How did we know it was waist high?
Because Lester got the tractor out to 'rescue' him,
and get had to get down from the tractor to see if he could get a chain anchored on the car  so he could tow it out for the plonker-man.
He couldn't, mostly because it was getting dark,
and river water is freezing, 
well it would be because it comes down from the Pyrenees,
so I stood calf deep in the water on the lane,
to guide Lester back onto dry tarmac
lest he tip his tractor wheels into one side or another of the lane's ditches.
just like the plonker-man's had. 
So then it was down to Sarah's place
where be camels, goats, chickens, pigs and lamas, 
and in her place there was a blazing wood burner,
and a baby potbelly piglet, one mum potbelly with baby potbelly, four huge dogs, 
several cats and kittens,
chaos, mud, and warmth.
And we celebrated the fact that we had come through another flood, 
which was far worse than that of three weeks ago,
and that our houses were full of muddy wellies, soggy clothing, and tired bodies,
but that we were still up at the wicket,
building new lives,
running smallholdings
down here in SW France. 
x

12 comments:

John Going Gently said...

You need steel capped boots!
It's lashing down here ....my field cannot quite take anymore water!

Denise said...

Gussy looks like he has got a new fond admirer! Bit of hero worship there from Blue, maybe??

Vera said...

John, crikey, where is your water going to?


Denise, Blue is now Gussy's apprentice!

rusty duck said...

Oh Vera, I do hope it does dry up for you now. There is nothing worse than being cold and wet.

Take care, Jx

Niall & Antoinette said...

Gosh that's a lot of water! Hope you get your field back from the river soon.

Everything is still seriously waterlogged here; although we're on a ridge the ground is so bad we seem to have permanent 'mini-lakes' all over the place

Jean said...

I feel for you Vera, it's hard at the sharp end and I now feel embarrassed for grumbling about a bit of snow.

I hope your lovely little lambs are ok, and you and Lester of course, and that it dries up soon for you. We are all desperate for spring I think.

Horst in Edmonton said...

Wow, that water is really high this time. Thank goodness that you have those thick stone walls around your buildings. The reason you have such good soil in your area is because of the river flooding every so many years. Your grass will be twice as good this summer if the water ever goes away. Love the big beautiful trees in your area.

Kev Alviti said...

And I thought our place was wet! Sounds like you all pulled together, I love how well things ilke that can work in a crisis. Enjoy a bit of rest now before the tidy up!

Vera said...

Jessica, amazingly most of the water on the fields has gone, and the weather has calmed down for a while. Ah the joys of having a smallholding!

Niall & Antoinette, well the river has taken away a chunk of the field, but at least fields are now drying out!

Jean, ...but when you mentioned the snow I thought, 'Wow, at least we don't have snow to cope with' and that cheered me up no end! As you say, it will be good when spring arrives.

Horst, Lester mentioned the same thing this morning, that the silt from the river will benefit the fields, and the grass is starting to push up already so hopefully we shall be able to harvest some good hay this year. We have some very old oaks here, probably a couple of hundred years old, and they are truly beautiful.

Kev, you are right - when things get tough the comradeship and pulling together is amazing, and heartwarming!

Diane said...

I am complaining because our fruit trees are standing in water and the lawn is squelching, but compared to you it is nothing. We are on high ground though and we do not expect it here. I hope for all of us, but especially you, that this rain gives us very soon. Hang in there and good luck Diane

Vera said...

Diane, we sort of expect to get some water on our land because of our close proximity to the river, but twice in three weeks was a bit much! But at least everything has had a good soaking which is going to give a good start to the coming growing season, better than being bone dry!

Wendy said...

Hello; I've just really enjoyed watching/reading about your smallholding. I'm sorry to see that you're having to cope with so much water; hope you see it dry out soon. Our land is soggy/muddy - and worse where the animals like be. We're all desperately hoping for a dry spring.