The snows have gone and yesterday, when the sun was shining, it was almost Spring-like. So I went up to the Séchoir to inspect the new drive more closely. I must say, I'm very pleased with my JCB man's work. I told him I wanted it to be NEAT, and neat he has done.
The area on the right, where he has deposited all the earth, will (when levelled) become a new orchard. I shall plant peaches, figs, cherries, pears, plums, and apples. I've not yet decided what, but ONE amongst them will be planted on June 5th to celebrate the Queen's Diamond Jubilee; maybe a pear, as they usually become magnificent trees (There's some corner of a foreign field, etc).
Whilst up at the barn I happened to notice this roughly etched date (1976) on the back wall; it had previously been hidden by brambles. I'd always wondered when it was built; now I know. I was living just 300 metres away in '76, but I don't remember it going up. Maybe I was just too busy with other things.
Who would have thought that 36 years later, I would end-up as its owner. Even my own life never fails to surprise me.
That is amazingly neat, the JCB driver deserves a medal for his artistry! I'm guessing that France was parched and sun-blasted in '76, probably more so than Blighty - you may have become partially nocturnal as a defence mechanism, and hence missed the building!
ReplyDeleteCapability Cro.
ReplyDeleteMaybe the barn's builders were Amish and threw it up in half a day?
ReplyDeleteThat's one neat road Cro. What's the surface material going to be again?
Fantastic. I hadn't realised you had lived in France for so long. You must be able to speak French 'comme une vache espanol' by now.
ReplyDeleteThat's what we call Lady Magnon. I didn't realise that it was a well known expression!
DeleteWell it was colloquial in the 60s, which is where most of my french is rooted, I'm afraid.
DeleteSpring is springing....and one super driveway! lovely.
ReplyDeleteHow I would love to say I own a Séchoir...sigh...
ReplyDeleteThe coming of spring is always so appreciated after a very cold and hard winter.
ReplyDeleteThe drive looks perfectly done and your plans for an orchard sound lovely. I have and do love my pear trees, but they are ornamental and bear no fruit. They are glorious though.
Happy almost spring, Cro.
Life is a constant surprise...some mornings I'm surprised I'm still alive.
ReplyDeleteyou may have posted about how you came to live in France, but I don't know the story. It seems a fairytale life that you have over there and I love to read about it and see the gorgeous photos of your environment.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it's time to tell the tale once more....
request seconded!
DeleteHey Cro, thanks for letting me know about the
ReplyDeleteHericium erinaceus. It does look like the images I googled. So tempted to eat it since one of the sites said it had a lobster flavor. But, alas, I don't want to chance it.
That dirt road is so inviting! I could walk forever on one.
ReplyDeleteJCB man has done a brilliant job. The orchard you're planning sounds good too.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. All of it.
ReplyDeleteIt looks lovely, and the orchard sounds great. We had three apple trees when we first moved here. The oldest one was dying and blew down in a windstorm. The older of the two that are left bears loads of small apples, and the younger is just getting started.
ReplyDeletemegan
Your new garden sounds like it will be wonderful!! And 76 was a very good, happy year...my twin sons were born then!!
ReplyDeleteVery neat indeed! Like the idea of an orchard and the fruit it will produce in years to come. I suspect that being in France will open up a few more fruity opportunities than in the UK.
ReplyDeleteOh, your planned orchard sounds FABULOUS!
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