Sunday 16 January 2011

January lambs

It's been very mild but rainy and grey for quite some time, often 11 or 13C which is not what you associate with January.  Yesterday it started to get better with a bit of sun. Today it is full on sun and clear blue skies. A bit colder 9C but lovely.

On Friday on my way back from a meeting in Loches I noticed that there were a few very young lambs in a small paddock next to a farmhouse on the ridge as you start to come into Charnizay.  Today they were far more assured on their feet than Friday when they were still ever so slightly wobbly. We disturbed a kestrel who flew up from the paddock before we could get a snap

new lambs Jan 2011


We popped up to the Dolmen where there's a lovely view over the Aigronne Valley to the south where our house lies on the opposite ridge.

looking south to Charnizay across the Aigronne Valley

For the rest we didn't have much joy. A flock of lapwings disobligingly settled in a newly ploughed field and so camouflaged themselves perfectly. 

We then drove over to the 'Parc naturel regional de la Brenne', a fabulous nature area of shallow lakes--the first created in the Middle Ages as stewponds, or fishponds for rearing carp. Near 'l'etang du mere rouge' a small group of white egrets decided to hide behind a small hillock so no joy there either. Nor did we see any obliging waterfowl on another lake in the Brenne.

lake in the Parc naturel regional de la Brenne


To be honest it didn't matter, the weather was so un January-like it was a joy to be outside--we even had the sunroof of the car open for a bit as we drove to the Brenne.

4 comments:

GaynorB said...

The weather and scenery look fantastic. The weekend in the Midlands was wet and windy, and the only view was the inside of my son's bedroom which I was emptying and stripping prior to decorating!
We are in a phase of life called SORT, DECORATE, KEEP CLEAN AND TIDY UNTIL RETIREMENT, DOWNSIZE AND HEAD OFF TO FRANCE.
With any luck 4 years should see us done!!

Niall & Antoinette said...

Seems it was just the one good weather day for now. Although we had a bit of watery sun today. LOL like the "sort....downsize" 'mantra'. We may be in France but you're a lot closer to retirement :-)

Jean said...

I don't always comment but do enjoy reading your blog.
The bits about the weather are particularly interesting, because one of the things that we love about the area is that the weather is always just that bit nicer than it is at home in Derbyshire, even in the depths of winter. And the spring arrives sooner and summer lasts longer.
One of Nick's concerns about moving to France for good, which we hope to do eventually, is how we entertain ourselves in the middle of winter. My response has always been "pretty much the same as we do at home but with more fun because the weather is better" !!

Niall & Antoinette said...

Jean- thanks for your comment. :-) We're certainly not bored. If you do get a yen for pavements as Niall does then Paris for the day is a realisitc option. Got TGV tickets for 90 euros for the 2 of us(total cost):- I need to renew my passport so we'll have a day of museum/city stuff.