Count your blessings

I never take this amazing garden or farm for granted. And perhaps having to leave for a few weeks makes me appreciate it even more.

I’m just in from a long deep watering of all the shrubs and the vegetables. It took just under three hours.  But I did have to pause for animal feeding and nurturing as I worked.

Ulysse is happy at long last as he has a companion on his side of the fence this week. Jean Daniel is away and none of us relished being on Return Ulysse Duty. The old escape artiste extraordinaire.

So Jean Daniel relented and gave him some companionship. I can’t remember the name of this grey horse from the riding school  (there are 23 of them, so I should be forgiven) but  I think he was the stallion’s companion over winter. Until he was found out ring barking juicy young cherry trees in the forest and was banished before Ulysse worked out the trick as well.

Still, I’m delighted that all is quiet.  And the only shrieking I hear is the cupboard love Feed Me Apple demand you can see here. But that’s fine. The horse gets an apple and I get close at hand horse manure in this part of the farm.

Oh, and I was caught out with Artur this morning in a most embarrassing way.  I had assumed I was on my own. This mountain only has two houses, so I can be pretty sure that unless I hear a car coming up the drive I won’t be disturbed.

So there I was sitting on a step near the potting shed, patting Artur who was sitting on my lap and kneading my bare knees with his claws.  We were having our usual conversation – cat purring and meaowing, me telling him how adorable he was. Except for the claw bit. When a complete stranger spoke to me from the road. Gad I leapt. I didn’t see her coming at all. And Artur leapt off too so it did look as though I was talking to myself.

She was lost and wanted to find the path.  This happens a few times every summer when people mistake our private road for a walking track. But I do usually see them coming. Not this time. So blushing slightly, I explained how she could find a way to the chateau down by the road, and hoped she didn’t think I was a complete loony.

She smiled enigmatically and told me I had a beautiful garden and went on her way. Now that was a lovely thing to say (better than saying, hah! I caught you talking to yourself) . So I went back to work thinking that it may have taken six long years, but I’m getting there.

No more pictures of the lovely garden alas. My camera battery needs recharging and I can’t for the life of me find the charger.