Start with dessert

Happy Thanksgiving to the American crowd! I made our holiday pumpkin pie on Wednesday, the day before the holiday. The idea is that it would be done and out of the way when the rest of the meal is prepared this morning. Ken's going out early to retrieve the leg of lamb that he ordered on Tuesday.

Pumpkin pie made with a butternut-like squash from last year's garden.

It looked better fresh out of the oven, but I'm sure it will taste just as good.

We'll also be having some Brussels sprouts and flageolets (small green beans traditionally served with lamb in France) along side. The starter will be snails in a garlic, butter, and parsley sauce. I'll try to get some photos along the way.

Le Mont Saint-Michel

I snapped this photo in June 2006 while visiting the abbey at the Mont Saint-Michel on the Normandy coast.

A forest of columns in the abbey of Mont Saint-Michel, June 2006.

I'm waiting for that part I ordered for the wood stove. The delivery date was estimated for the 27th, which is today. It's not here, yet.

Pull up a chair

Or a couple hundred. These were in the cathedral at Sées up in Normandy, again back in the summer of 2006. The cathedral is an impressive sight, inside and out, and worth a stop if you're in the area.

I'm glad I'm not the one who has to line them all up. Sées, June 2006.

I was hopeful that the recent winds we've had would help to dry things out. But, no. It's still soggy outside. Not much fun for waking with Tasha and not very practical for getting yard work done. I know I could just buck up, bundle up, and get something done out there, but I'm not motivated. I am, however, looking forward to our Thanksgiving feast on Thursday. Priorities.

Hangin' around

This is a view of the organ at the church of Saint-Pierre in the Loire Valley city of Saumur. We visited a few places in that area with our late friend CHM that summer in 2006.

A rather ornate pipe organ, Saumur, July 2006.

The warm-up has come. Temperatures are in the mid-teens (celsius), but not for long. The wind has died down, and rain is predicted to move in as the temperatures start to drop again (probably not below zero). Our yard is covered with dead leaves and downed branches (nothing serious) around the bases of trees and in the driveway and the garden path. I'd like to deal with those one of these days. Maybe today, if it's dry enough.

Warm up

The forecasters say it will be warm today with a high of around 18ºC (about 64ºF). We'll be out of the single digits, at least for now. I'll take it. It's been pretty cold these past few days.

The nave of the church in Cunault, near Saumur. July 2006.

We're making plans for our annual Thanksgiving meal. Not that there's much to do. We have most of the fixin's on hand. One of us will head across the river on Monday or Tuesday to order our traditional gigot d'agneau (leg of lamb). We've decided to ask the butcher to bone the leg, then roll it and tie it into a roast. It's something we've had done before because it makes the leg easier to roast and carve. Stay tuned!

'Sno more

The snow we had on Thursday is long gone. Little remnants can be seen here and there in the shady spots, but for all intents and purposes, it's gone. Snow has become rare in these parts over the twenty-plus years that we've lived here. I remember that we had a dusting on New Year's Day in 2004, our first winter here. And, in late November 2010, we had about six inches in one storm.

Thursday's view from the deck.

In our first winters here, there was usually some snow accumulation, an inch or a few, that lasted for a few days or less, mostly in February and/or March. But we've certainly had fewer of that kind of snow event in recent years. I doubt that twenty years of dwindling snow accumulation in our part of the world qualifies as evidence of climate change. It's more likely just part of the normal cycle of things. Whatever it is, I welcome a little snow now and then to remind us of the season. As long as I don't have to drive in it.

It snowed

I went out early to the grocery store on Thursday morning. It opens at 08h30. It was raining lightly when I went in, but it was snowing wildly when I came out. I drove home carefully. The snow wasn't yet sticking to the roads, so it wasn't treacherous, but visibility was reduced. When I got home, it kept snowing, and then it began to stick everywhere.

Part of the west forty seen from the den. This isn't a b/w photo, but it sure looks like one.

I think we might have had an inch in total. Not very much, but very pretty. It started melting away in the afternoon and evening, but there may be some ice out there as the overnight low temperature was (and is as I type this) very close to zero. I'll have to be careful when I walk Tasha this morning.

I wrastled with a goat

Yesterday started out fine, but soon took a turn toward the bizarre. I walked Tasha, as usual, out in the vineyard. When we got home, I saw what looked like a goat in the street a few houses down from us. Two of the households down there keep goats so, obviously, one got out. I took Tasha inside and didn't give it another thought.

This is not the same goat.

After drying Tasha's paws and giving her the morning biscuit, I went out to move our car out onto the street so that Ken wouldn't be blocked in by the groomer, who was to arrive at 09h00. After I moved the car, the goat from down the street casually walked toward our house, into our driveway and went out to the back yard. I went out to shoo it back out of the yard and it cooperated. I closed the gate and started to walk down to where the goat came from, thinking it would follow me to its home and stay there.

It followed me, alright. About halfway down the street it turned and attacked me with its horns. And it wouldn't stop. I was wrestling with the beast in the middle of the street, trying to grab it by the horns, but it kept wriggling away and butting me, again using its horns to trip me up. Twice I hit the asphalt very hard. I was able to keep my head up while the goat kept upending me. By this time I was shouting Help! and Au Secours!, hoping someone in the neighborhood would hear. But there was no one at home to hear, and back at our place, Ken was in the shower.

I managed to move the goat back to my driveway gate and hold it off long enough to get inside and close it. I went into the house and told Ken what happened. I noticed I had a bloody shin and calf. Just then, the groomer showed up and parked on the street outside the gate. The goat had walked back out to the vineyard and was watching us. I told the groomer what was going on and we hurried to get her tools into the driveway and close the gate as the goat trotted toward us. It jumped up on the gate, but couldn't get over. Then it turned and jumped up on the groomer's car door. Finally, it turned and walked back toward its home.

We got the groomer set up in the utility room and, as she got started with Tasha, Ken called our town hall to report the rogue goat. They didn't have a clue about what to do. The mayor, who lives in our neighborhood, couldn't be located. We told the groomer all this and she took out her cell phone and called the police. As she told the police, in a good-natured way, what had happened, I realized the story sounded kind of comedic. I'm glad we had her as a witness.

The police took a long time to show up. Goat herding is understandably not a high priority for them. When the two officers arrived, we told them the story. I could see that they were fighting back smiles. It was then that I realized that the goat was gone. We thanked the police and they left -- there was really nothing they could do -- but where did the goat go?

Later in the morning, the woman who keeps the goat (she has two) rang our bell. She knew what had happened and apologized. Apparently, her father (a frequent visitor to our neighborhood, but we never knew who he was until yesterday) had forgotten to latch the gate on the goat enclosure earlier in the morning. He had realized his mistake and gone back to the house, got the goat in, latched the gate, and went home, all in the time between the attack on the groomer's car and the time the police arrived. We actually saw him driving away, but didn't make the connection.

Life has resumed its normal slow and calm pace. Tasha's all groomed. My leg would is superficial, but I'm still a little sore in spots. Looking back, our story sounds slightly ridiculous, but it truly happened and I was genuinely frightened. I'm not a youngster any more and that animal was stronger than me.

I can only imagine the guffaws over at the police station.

Grooming day

We've been anticipating today's grooming appointment for a while now. Tasha's original appointment was canceled last September when the groomer went on maternity leave for several months. The "new" groomer will still come to the house but, from what I can tell, she doesn't have a mobile grooming vehicle. She'll use the shower and tub sink in our utility room instead. So, this appointment has given us an excuse to do some long-overdue tidying up down there.

Looking west-northwest over the vineyards and toward our hamlet and the Cher valley beyond.

This shot shows how our hamlet is built on a high spot between two stream beds that drain the vineyard to the river.

Last evening we enjoyed (not) a few hours of stormy weather. Heavy, wind-driven rain pelted us between 17h30 and 20h30, drowning out the television's volume for for a while. The good news is that our roof repairs seem to be holding. I can see no evidence of leaks where there were not so long ago. Another weather system is expected to move through on Thursday. Temperatures are expected to drop toward the negative and some snow is predicted. We'll see what actually happens.

Monday's sunrise

The fog has gone. Clouds, wind, and rain are the order of the day. And probably the week, according to some of the forecasts. But, on Monday morning, some sun slipped through.

Looking toward the southeast from the deck. The maple leaves are almost all on the ground now.

It was a productive day. I carted the recycling away and I got the barbecue grill all put away for the winter. We also worked on the tidying up the utility room in advance of Tasha's home grooming appointment on Wednesday. This groomer doesn't operate out of a converted RV like her colleague. She wanted access to a shower and a tub, both of which we have in the utility room. Just a little more to do and we'll be ready.

Next steps

So... we have a battery charger that seems to have worked. We have a leaf blower to help clean up autumn's mess. We have an air compressor to pump up tired tires. And we have cold and soggy weather keeping us from getting much done outdoors.

Stairs along the Seine in Paris, August 2006.

So... what's next? I suppose I should put the battery back in the lawnmower and see if it starts. Something is making me hesitate. Maybe it's just inertia. I have to finish cleaning the barbecue grill so I can cover it for the winter. Again, inertia. I definitely have to make a trip to the recycle center. Our bins runneth over. Maybe I'll do that today.

In a fog

We are still fogged in. It's been weeks. Nothing but gray with low visibility. And everything is damp and dripping. Today is supposed to be a change day with rain moving in to replace the fog. Lovely.

The vines are now bare. Those round (dead) flower heads are Queen Anne's lace. Pruning will start before long.

I think I told you that I managed to get the dead battery out of the riding motor. It's a 12v battery, sort of a mini version of a car battery. And we got the charger that was "recommended" by the guys in the hardware store ("this is the one we use"). I read the instructions very carefully and very frequently and then hooked it up. It seems to have worked as it should have, even though it took about eight hours to charge. The next step is to put it back in the mower and see if it works. Then it will have to come out of the mower again for the winter.

The documentation (or as I call it, the fine print) for the mower says it should be stored with the battery disconnected, and to charge up the battery every four weeks or so to keep it happy. Oh, and Ken ordered a small home air compressor to keep the mower's tires plump. That should also come in handy for other flat tires around the house (wheelbarrow and hand truck, for instance).

Another one bites the dust

One of the growers who owns most of the vineyard parcels behind our house is at it again. She is replacing yet another parcel of old vines. At least I hope that's what she's doing. Many of the parcels that she's had dug up over the past few years are still lying fallow. And here's yet another parcel that she had dug up last week. Shortly after I took this photo, the pile of dug up vine trunks (visible in the center to the left of the orange backhoe) was burned to ashes.

I forgot the caption. So there's this.

There's another patch of vines just outside our garden gate, about five rows, that was pulled up, too. The vineyard is looking less like a vineyard and more like a construction zone (and a muddy one at that) these days. Remember the ravine? Let's hope for new vines, at least in some of the parcels, next spring!

The garden path

Here Tasha and I just left the house and are heading out for our morning walk. A lot of leaves have fallen from the tilleul (linden tree) onto the garden path (there are still a lot left to fall). Raking them up is a pain, but no more! We just became the proud owners of a leaf blower thanks to our hardware store credit. My plan is to blow the leaves off the path and onto the grass, them run them over with the mower (once I get that running again).

Looking west toward the vineyards at dawn on Thursday morning.

I tested the blower out yesterday in the driveway on the other side of the house and it works pretty well. It also has a feature for sucking up the leaves into a bag, but that looks like a lot of trouble in terms of emptying the bag and cleaning out the machine. We'll stick with blowing the leaves for now. Baby steps.

A month ago

I took this picture about a month ago, just after arriving back from my trip to the US. A throwback to autumn, even though we have another month of it to go.

Looking back at our hamlet from the vineyard road.

Yesterday, I stopped into the hardware store to see about a recharger for the lawnmower's battery. I had no idea what to look for and there is nothing I can find in the manual to tell me.I wanted to ask the staff what they would recommend for my mower. After all, it's the place where I bought the thing. I haven't pulled the battery yet, so there may be something written on it.

At any rate, after much consultation (with each other) and head scratching, the two guys that were helping me found what I hope is the answer. They pulled a charger off the shelves that I never would have seen myself because it was on an end cap and not with the other chargers. "This is the one we use to charge lawnmower batteries," one of the guys said confidently. Why he didn't know that sooner, I do not know. So, after some more online research, I'll probably get that one. I didn't buy it yesterday because, well, that's a long story. Short version: we have a store credit to use up and it's in Ken's name. He has to do the transaction.

I'm going to try to remove our mower's battery today to see what's written on it.

Stacked

As I mentioned, this year's firewood is stacked and ready for the season. I've already had a few small fires. With the stove grille (that part that keeps the logs from falling out when the door is open) broken, I don't want to risk a regular sized fire. 

Firewood. The garbage cans on the left are filled with kindling. The big stump in front of them is my chopping block for splitting logs.

New problem: the battery in the riding mower is dead. Turns out that it's my fault. I was supposed to remove the battery before parking the mower for the season. I was also expected to recharge the battery about once a month during the off season. The mower didn't come with a charger and nobody mentioned it to me when I bought the machine. Of course, it's in the owner's manual. Which I didn't read in depth. A few days ago, one of our neighbors (who has essentially the same mower) asked if I had taken the battery out. Uh, no. So now I have to go to the hardware store where I bought the mower and ask about rechargers. From what I can tell, the battery's sole purpose is to start the mower's engine. And mine is now dead.

Tasha Tuesday

Tasha has been spending some time on the deck while I've been down below stacking firewood. It keeps her dry (the grass all around is pretty wet) and out of trouble (mostly). Good news: Ken found a groomer and Tasha's got an appointment next week. This is another groomer who comes to the house. She asked if we had a shower and/or a bathtub that she could use, so this is not the same setup as the previous groomer (who's now on maternity leave). The utility room has a shower and a large tub/sink next to it, so we should be in good shape.

Ever vigilant!

The log stacking is done! I'll have a couple of photos in the coming days.

Serendipity

This morning I got an email from a local friend who reads this blog from time to time. She read yesterday's post and took note of our problem with the wood burning stove. She suggested I go on line to look for replacement parts for the stove. I hadn't even considered that! I figured that since the company who made the stove went out of business years ago, there wouldn't be an opportunity to find parts.

Nothing to do with today's topic.

Leftover sauerkraut made a great second (and third, and fourth) meal last week.

Well, I forgot about third party enterprises that collect parts and stock them. Et voilà ! I looked around and found the exact product I needed for our stove and ordered it. It'll be delivered to our house in two weeks. Total cost: €50 (about fifty bucks US). Thank goodness for friends and blogs!

Firewood

Ken and I started work on stacking the firewood that was delivered on Friday. The pile (if shaped a little differently) is almost as big as the car. I think we got almost half of it done before we quit. I'll be back out there this morning. Ken might be out there, too, unless he's busy making lunch. Pictures of the stacked wood to come.

Firewood and the Citroën C-4.

Now we have a wood stove issue to deal with. The front grill that holds burning logs back from the stove's glass door broke in two a few days ago. It's been deformed by eighteen years of use, but I never imagined it would break. It's made of cast iron, after all. We're trying to get in touch with the company that installed the stove in 2006, but they seem to be busy at the moment. And we're in the middle of a holiday weekend. Ken will likely call next week to get an appointment. We need to figure out if there's a grill replacement or fix available. If not, we may have to considering replacing the stove. Ka-ching!

Snowball

Here's what's become an annual post here: a shot of our neighbors' snowball bush in the fall. In the spring, it's covered with round, white flowers that resemble snowballs. In the fall the flowers are long gone, but the leaves turn bright red.

The neighbors' snowball bush seen from the deck. That's our red maple on the left.

Our firewood was delivered on time yesterday morning. It's in a big pile (dumped by a truck) in the driveway next to the carport. This morning I'll start stacking it. Of course, rain is predicted for Sunday. I'll never have it all stacked (and out of the rain) by then, so I may need to throw a tarp over it.

Still in a fog

We haven't seen the sun in quite a while. Just fog. There was one day last week when the clouds did part, but only briefly. Like about fifteen minutes. Then the fog closed in again.

Visibility varies throughout the day.

We're expecting a firewood delivery this morning. Early this morning, like 7h30. The logs will be dumped in our driveway, then it's up to us to stack it. That will take a few days.

A red parcel

This grape vine parcel out back is more red/orange than yellow/orange. If only I could remember what variety of grapes is planted there. I took these photos on Halloween, a week ago already. Most of these leaves have fallen since then.

These could be one of the three red grape varieties grown here: cabernet, côt, or gamay.

On today's agenda: a trip to the pharmacy for prescription renewals and an appointment for another covid booster. Also, a stop at the hardware store. I mentioned a leaf blower. I was serious.

No words

Autumn view

This is looking from our great room out onto the deck and beyond. Our two red maple trees (that's likely not their biological name) reached peak color this week. The driveway (just below) is paved with fallen leaves. The annual cleanup job is going to be fun. Not.

Can you believe that we're shopping around for a leaf blower?

The deck chairs are already put away in the garage until spring. The table is next.

Things need to dry up a bit, weather wise. It's not raining, but the fog seems permanent. It's cold (but not near freezing) and everything is dripping. Typical dreary fall weather, for us.

The meaning of color

The first time I saw the fall colors out in the vineyard, I made an assumption. White grape leaves turn yellow and red grape leaves turn red. I was wrong. But I've never figured out what's right. Does the leaf color have to do with the variety of grape? How does that explain varying color in parcels that are planted with the same variety of grape? Is leaf color based on weather, pollen, or some other factor? Is it totally random?

Bits of orange and red among the golds and yellows.

I must admit that I've done zero research on this vital issue of our time. The whys and wherefores of grape leaf colors continue to elude me. But they're pretty.

Split personality

What's going on here? The vines on the left (a small plot of white grapes) have been severely pruned and their guide wires have been removed. The vines on the right (a small plot of red grapes) are, so far, untouched. It looks to me like the white grapes will be pulled out of the ground and, hopefully, the parcel will be replanted. I'll keep you posted.

This parcel is adjacent to the houses of two of our neighbors.

Two more days remain before you-know-what. I voted (by mail) back in October, so I'm trying to minimize exposure to the chatter about polls and, well, everything election related. None of it will, or in fact, can, change my vote. I do scan the headlines, but the "noise" just makes me nuts.

Out of the gate

This might be a familiar view for many of you. It's what I see when I go out the backyard gate toward the vineyards. Most of the time, I'm walking Tasha (and the previous dogs before her) when I see it.

Looking toward the west.

We've been under a high-pressure inversion for the past couple of weeks. That means that fog is pinned to the ground, unable to dissipate, and we hardly see the sun. Today's short-range forecast is for more of the same.

Donkey tail

This donkey tail, which, by the way, is a kind of sedum, sits in a corner of our greenhouse. I don't think it knows whether it's fall or spring. The one we had out on the deck was all green. This one is, well, colorful.

There's a little green left. I hope it's not dying.

I took the camera out yesterday morning. It was foggy. I've got a bunch of vineyard photos lined up for the next few days.