Jane Aston, painter.

Budding Eucheras, second time this year.

Very green, this is our view out of the verandah looking towards the forest.

Some of the stone work here is a bit iffy. I have looked at it and contemplated how to do something about it but recently I feel I am getting somewhere researching how best to repair it. The stone used here is granite ranging from pinks to greys. We have piles of it around the farm and stone walls along old boundaries. The walls are a great place for wildlife to live so the grass snakes, slow worms, lizards and mice have plenty of habitats. The trouble is the soft lime mortar is also starting to crumble a bit too much, I think. It's popular with wildlife but including nesting birds but it's a bit neglectful of us to let if get too bad on the buildings. The walls are all drystone.

The traditional mortars are limestone based. The cement based mortar is prone to cracking and doesn't let moisture pass through so it can be locked in the walls. Prepared Limestone is white but when mixed with sand, yellow ochre coloured here has a lovely warm tone to it. Then I read about 'chaux chanvre' last night which is Lime, straw or rather Hemp here to make a material used to make a plaster for the interiors. Unfortunately now is not the time to do anything about the crumbling walls I need to wait until any fear of frosts have passed, it's still warm see all the primulas flowering. But the change can be quick. 

Has anyone being watching the castle building going on in Guedelon, Burgundy. Ruth Goodman and Co. It pretty much covers everything I have been looking into and more.

Always thousands of jobs to do. George cuts wood here, there are piles everywhere mostly in long lengts of split wood but also sticks to start fires.

I have moved plants in and this is just one of those places that is a continual shifting tide of things;

The lamb from last spring, she's big. Unfortunately her mother died, I'm not sure why she just refused to get to her feet one day and no end of coaxing could I get her to move. It's sad but at least there is an elderly ewe that keeps an eye on the lamb.

This is my male Barberie here or Muscovy in the UK. He follows me and breathes heavily like Darth Vega. No quacking;

Cow Parsley.

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The newest kitty sat on one of my footstools bought at a Brocante.