Mother Natures Miracles

Tiny miracles of Mother nature in all parts of the garden, here at 'La Petite Maison' we have no shortage of natures gift. The goldfinches (Chardonnerets) are busy making sure there is enough to eat for the five tiny fledglings in the nest they call home. Our Belgian hare cross has given birth to an astonishing twelve bundles of joy, Chris and Joanne are making regular visits ensuring she has everything she needs in order to feed them all. The Swallows (Hirondelles) underneath the woodshed have three fledglings to safeguard, this is their second successful year at this nesting site. The hen chicks are doing well and are in good health. Oh what a joy and education to watch them all bring up their young, indeed, a tiny MIRACLE !

Hurry Before The Birds Get Them

The raspberries this year are enormous, we are not sure how we have managed to grow such fruit but are not complaining. They taste devine and we are not sure if any will make it into a jam pot, we can't stop eating them as we pass by the canes Ha Ha!

Not to worry, next to the raspberry canes are the redcurrants which are also ripe and just at the point to burst, we will harvest these tomorrow and Chris will eagerly wait for the fresh pots of redcurrant jelly that Joanne will ask him to put down in the cellar. He could found hiding at the bottom of the garden with a stolen pot of jelly and a French stick!

New Arrivals

Isn't Spring just the best season of the year? The countryside is such a wonderful place in Spring, all the new vegetation and growth, but most special of all is the new life that is brought into the world. We never stop to marvel at how mother nature knows just the right time to start the process of regeneration.
This year at La Petite Maison we have four new hen chicks in the coop, they will be enclosed in the broody coop for about eight weeks so that they can be fed the correct feed which has a higher percentage of protein than the normal mash, after this initial period they will go free range which means they really can wander where they like.

Goldfinch (Chardonneret) Nest

Safely nestled in the upper branches of one of the Altea trees here at La Petite Maison, one of three pairs of Goldfinches will soon have five baby chicks to look after, with a helping hand from Chris and Joanne if necessary.

Mmmmmm Cherry Cake

Cherries, cherries and more cherries, after the delicious clafoutis, Joanne was once again busy in the country kitchen baking scrumptous cherry cake. Individually frozen cherries nestle deep in the freezer, ready for use later in the year. The harvest has now passed and all that remains are fallen fruit under the cherry trees, not to worry though, here in Chassaing Cheval, the raspberries are just turning red and there is a mass of juicy blackcurrants, mmmmmmm, we eagerly await the homemade cassis.
Did you know that black currants are very rich in many phytonutrients, antioxidants, vitamins, essential fatty acids and minerals.
In particular, black currants are renowned for their high content in Vitamin C (a powerful antioxidant), GLA (Gamma-Linoleic Acid, a very rare Omega-6 essential fatty acid) and potassium. They have been shown to have twice the potassium of bananas, four times the vitamin C of oranges, and twice the antioxidants of blueberries.
Black currants contain anthocyanins, which are compounds naturally found in berries. They are very potent antioxidants and are responsible for the color of blackcurrants. Around 300 different types of anthocyanins have been discovered.
Anthocyanins inhibit the enzymes Cyclo-oxygenase 1 and 2, and reduce inflammation and the effects of arthritis in the body. The effect is similar to aspirin or ibuprofen, so many middle-aged and old people are choosing the healthier blackcurrant juice over these drugs.

Its Your Choice

Awake at La Petite Maison and decide whether you will take breakfast in the dining room or in the garden, both have a stunning view across the valley, the choice is yours!!

Thoughts of Winter

Although we bake in the Spring sunshine there is always work to do in preperation for Winter in the form of felling, splitting and piling wood. Daniel, Michel & Chris felled the trees in January / February before the sap started to rise, they can be seen in the photo's above splitting the wood last week, it has now been piled and will dry on location in the forest for a minimum of two years. It will then be transported to each household and piled ready to burn.
Felling and splitting your own wood is hard work, however, Chris says the forest is the 'countryside gym'
The thoughts of the hard work are long forgotten and a comfortable satisfaction takes its place when winter nights draw in and we sit chatting around a roaring log fire with friends and guests alike, a glass of warmed mulled wine in hand, Chris says he can remember each piece of wood he has chopped but the aches and pains are long gone. Why not join us at La Petite Maison in Winter as well as summer?