1 May 2015 - New life in Videix

Rain, rain, rain!  And that’s why this area is so green and lush.  Tim, Annika and I set out for an early walk with the optimistic attitude that of course the rain would stop and we’d return refreshed and ready for the day!  Wrong!  The rain was set to stay, heavy and consistent.  Annika and I were wearing our wellies but none-the-less with that type of rain, we were drenched on our return.

 

The Charante looking a bit more like a river

Wet looking Tim!

The trickle of a river at the bottom of the hill was a running torrent, no longer a little ford.  We saw a dark coloured wet rabbit dashing by but all over animals that we might have seen at that hour, were probably sheltering.  We saw the dear old farming couple out tending to their poultry.  Otherwise it was so quiet today.

Wet as wet!

It is May Day, 1 May, and probably given the size of this tiny village and surrounding villages, we were unlikely to see much going on.  It is a public holiday, so very quiet.  Luckily we were prepared and had food!

Walking down to the local pond!

School happened but Luke was particularly wriggly today.  The weather remained dismal, but he finally finished and was raring to play with his friends.  Then it was time for me to help Tim and Annika!  I really needed another walk by late afternoon!!!

Annika, Garry, Karl and I walked back to the road crossing of the Charante and little pond there hoping to see some more of the cute little coypu, the swimming rodents which are about the size of an otter and look like a small capybara with a tail!!    

Can you see the coypu?

On the way passing a paddock of Limousin cattle we noticed a cow giving birth who seemed a bit perturbed by our presence so we thought we should give her privacy.  We walked down to the pond and we delighted by a big family group of the coypus grazing and swimming.  The rain pelted down but we weren’t too bothered (or surprised!)

Corn for the cows!

We saw the farmer parking his tractor and I felt I should tell him about his cow giving birth.  He spoke no English and I attempted a charade of a cow giving birth and he seemed not to understand.  We walked back up the hill, and there was the little newborn calf, still lying on the ground, in the rain, with its mother licking it and the sisterhood of cows surrounding her in support.   We felt it was our citizen’s duty to watch until the little baby could stand and feed.  He slowly wobbled to its feet, became stronger and finally found its mother’s udder to have its first feed.  Relief!  He had conquered the first obstacles in life and we felt we could leave knowing he would probably be alright!  As we were walking away, the farmer who had been the recipient of my charade pulled up in his car and climbed through the fence.  Another little Limousin calf for the herd!

New baby Limousin - so sweet!

Finally the little calf found his feet!

Back to the house, warm and cosy, with the wood heater churning out good heat.  I was so warm last night that we have kept our door closed today so our room stays cool. 

After a quick gas bottle change, our dinner was well on its way and I didn’t even feel guilty about eating the local beef!  Annika made some apple roses again for dessert which we gobbled down with mascarpone cheese on top.  What a perfect dessert!  Meanwhile Luke had helped himself to half a dozen teaspoonfuls of the delicious honey we bought at the market the other day which seemed to send him into a sugar high and frenetic behaviour.  Definitely past bedtime!

Apple rose for dessert - thanks Annika!

He is really enjoying a book from home” “My Place” by Nadia Wheatley and Donna Rawlins.  It is a picture book and one of Annika’s hear 8 texts and full of history, stories and discussion points as it goes back over the decades focussing on a particular house, tree and canal which have meant different things to the children who narrate the book.  It is a TV series in Australia, too, which I haven’t seen yet.