my hens ? Mikes tractor ? ....no contest really.

Mike's surfing on Le bon coin came up trumps again yesterday and we went over to Gratot  to pick up 15 third hand railway sleepers. We paid just under five euros for each one which may seem expensive but as they are jolly useful around the garden to retain gravel or give a little height to a boarder we feel it is worth the expense.  We have used sleepers quite a few times already and like the end result but not the handling of them, when they become cumbersome and extremely awkward heavy lumps of poo. We had to do two runs to get  this lot  home and it took courage over two days to unload. We have to apply the science of fulcrums as I am completely incapable of lifting one end so we use the sack truck, lashings of gravity and concentration, a few choice words and dirty looks at each other to get them into position, fortunately this lot  stay on the drive as their final destination is still at planning stage and besides they add a bit of old wood-pile interest in front of the house now that the pot plants and hanging baskets are all away in hibernation. I hope it snows this year because these lovely old bits of wood will look stunning dusted with snow, oops went a bit arty there.

I have  bottled the very last of the apples and tomatoes this evening and I for one are delighted.  I know I will use my stock as I have now discovered, but I really knew this all along,  that both stewed apples and roasted tomato puree are very good for you when you are on a diet, but not necessarily together. 

We had a fun outing to Cherbourg to meet up with  brother John and to check the boat over this week, it is always good to catch up and as we have so much sailing to talk about the time just whizzes by and before the day is out John is slipping off onto his next adventure.  

Autumn is well and truly with us and I for one just love this season with all the promise of warm fires and dusky evenings. Our clocks go back on Sunday which leaves us in the dark until eight thirty in the morning and that means we keep to winter time, and don't bother to even open the shutters until nine. The cock stays quiet and his night gets longer which means that the happy clutch spend much more time in the hen house. I had totally forgotten about that equation and had a nasty shock to see how much muck there was in the house at yesterdays clean out, so now the hens will need cleaning out every three days instead of a week and in the cold that is no joke. Last year the hens stayed in the garage for the winter, but poorly tractor has filled the space and, my hens ?  Mikes tractor ? ....no contest really.