Pround Parent Moments

Posted by Rosie

Amongst the boring everyday moments and the fights to get the homework done, there are moments that make you very proud as parents:

Like when Ben came home and said he has the lead part in the school play to be performed next year ... not bad for the only English boy in his theatre group.

And when Tom came home and announced he would be singing a solo in the same production.

Yesterday we had another proud parent moment.  It was a Bank Holiday in France and time for the large annual cross country event at Montilly-sur-Noireau.  Athletes from all over the region and of all ages come to take part in a range of cycling, running, horse and even canine events.  Last year Tom ran the 1.8kms for the first time and came ....well shall we say we had to wait a while after the winners for him to arrive and only a few followed him into the finish.  He did say that without spiked shoes he was slipping but admitted he was somewhat our of his league.  

At the start this year - Tom's in there somewhere

This year it was all a bit different and he came about 20th out of some 60 runners and was a completely different athlete.  His sprint at the end was fantastic and he left the girl he was next to way behind.

Tom's sprint finish

Tom - you did brilliantly and at this rate of improvement you'll be in the top 5 next year!  We are very proud of you.

Proud or not, I do have to admit that the stars of the day may well have been one man and his dog.  After Tom's event came the Cani-Cross which is cross country running with your dog.  Put a special harness on your dog, attach him to your waist, teach him to understand the commands right and left (or droite and gauche if you are France) then run 5 times round the course without getting dragged through the mud, distracted by the sausage and baguette stall or wrapped around a post.  This is cani-cross and the man below and his rather gorgeous dog were the stand out masters of this sport having already overtaken some of their opponents on lap 1.  Man and dog in perfect harmony.  They were a joy to watch and neither man nor beast looked even slightly puffed!  Great running and great fun to watch.

Cani-Cross

From Kent to Normandy ...

Posted by Rosie

7 years ago today we were about to say farewell to this view in Kent.  It was our last day there before heading to Normandy, France for our new life at Eco-Gites of Lenault.

Farewell Kent

A week day later we had started our veg patch and our move towards a more self-sufficient and sustainable lifestyle had begun!

Bonjour Eco-Gites of Lenault

Butterfly Boy!

Posted by Rosie

Butterfly

ˈbʌtəflʌɪ/

noun

a nectar-feeding insect with two pairs of large, typically brightly coloured wings that are covered with microscopic scales.

I have mentioned on the blog a couple of times recently how good the butterflies are this year in Normandy. A mild winter obviously benefited them and we have been witness to their dainty beauty all Spring and Summer.  At the moment the greatest magnate for our winged friends at Eco-Gites of Lenault is the herb garden where the mint and marjoram are both in full flower.  Not a day passes when I don't find 5 minutes just to sit down there and watch their antics.

Tom is also very fond of butterflies and moths and a couple of years ago successfully hatched  an Oak Eggar Moth from a caterpillar which he blogged about here.  So when he saw all the butterflies in the herb garden he was fascinated ... and then announced he wanted to catch one.  I have to say I felt his chances were slim but I had obviously not accounted for his calm approach, patience and sheer determination.  
 

Calmly does it ...

Several flew off long before his had got anywhere near them, others nearly landed and then suddenly one brave butterfly alighted gently on his finger and stayed long enough for Tom to get a real close up view of it and for me to snap this photo.  

Tom with a Tortoiseshell Butterfly

Then it was up and away and back to the more nutritious flowers for the Tortoiseshell butterfly that had briefly made friends with Tom.  It may only have been a fleeting moment but it was very special and one Tom will not forget.

For other butterfly related posts you may want to read:

A Prickly Problem
Silent Sunday - July 27th
Butterflies Galore but no Ladybirds
Swallowtail Butterfly 

Have you ever caught a butterfly or have you a butterfly story you would like to share?

Kermesse - a School Fête, Normandy Style

Posted by Rosie

Last Sunday was Ben's school Kermesse.  The word is derived from 2 Dutch words for church and mass but has now come to mean various festivals including the equivalent of a UK school fête.  However a Kermesse is nothing at all like a school fête I had ever been to before coming to France.

In previous years the Kermesse has taken the following form for us:

• Arrive at the allotted time of 12 noon
• Realise no-one else is there yet and hang around
• Head home when you remember you have forgotten that you need to bring plates and cutlery etc to eat your meal
• Eat a meat heavy BBQ
• Hang around waiting for something to happen (there *may* be a rather bad magician to entertain you in this interlude)
• Watch a "spectacle" put on by all the children - usually dancing or singing
• Buy tickets so boys can play games (catch the duck, knock over the tins, football goal game etc)
• Watch boys win tickets of different colours
• Watch boys swap tickets of different colours for generally rather naff prizes.
• Head home wondering what that was really all about and where was the cake stall?

Ben le Docteur

This year however things were different!  The "spectacle" was BEFORE the meal and included a theatre production by Ben's class.  I think this was to try and get more parents to come for the meal which in fairness can raise a lot of money for the PTA but had seen numbers diminish over the last few years.  It worked and many more people than before watched the "spectacle" and then tucked into the meal this year.  Oh and yes, once again we forgot our plates but luckily we had ordered sausage in a baguette and chips that came in a tray so we were OK!

I have to say as non-native French speakers who were rather near the back of the audience we did find the theatre a bit difficult to understand.  However that was in no way due to the enthusiasm of the children who really did put a lot of effort into it.  Ben and his best friend Baptiste were joint narrators and did a sterling job with Ben, especially, throwing his voice so even we could hear him!  Ben was also the doctor in a sketch about a boy who kept falling over when in fact he was not ill but has put both legs down one leg of his trousers!  It was Ben's first time on stage and he loved it!  No wonder he has said that when he gets to collège next year he wants to join the theatre group and being an actor is on the list of things he wants to be when he grows up. 

Linking up Ben's stage debut with Magic Moments over at Jaime Oliver's Madhouse.  Have you got a magic Moment to tell from the last week?  If so why not link up or tell us about it here.

Motorbikes at Eco-Gites of Lenault

Posted by Rosie

We have had friends arrive at Eco-Gites of Lenault by bike (brave souls cycling up the hill to us!), we have collected other friends without cars from ferry ports, train and bus stations and others have come in camper-vans and caravans.  One family did arrive with (not by) a boat but until last week all our guests had come by car.  However last week we had our first guests here who arrived by motorbike.

To say the boys were excited was a slight understatement and they were itching to sit on the bikes.  Our motorbiking guests had made the decision to see as much as possible of the region during their stay here so whilst the boys left for school before they were up, it was after the boys were in bed before they returned from their travels.  Luckily on one night though they did return just a bit earlier and despite being in PJs (well Tom should have been and Ben already was) they got the chance to sit on one of the bikes.  Two very happy boys went to bed that night!

 

There was also the friend of guests who flew into Caen airport and the couple who were walking across northern France with their donkeys and dog who spent the night camping here. I wonder what other means of transport our guests might chose to arrive by.  On horseback maybe?  Have you ever arrived somewhere in an unconventional manner?  Do let us know if you have.

5 Little Miracle Ducklings!

Posted by Rosie

Hettie is our newest young duck at Eco-Gites of Lenault and yesterday I mentioned, that against the odds, she had managed to hatch 5 ducklings.  As a young, teenage even, Mum she wasn't always sure about what she was supposed to do and to be honest having to sit on a clutch of eggs for 35 days can't be fun for anyone, let alone a youngster.  On several occasions she left the nest for long periods and just a couple of days before the eggs were due to hatch she was out and about all day, leaving the eggs to get cold.  She had also chucked one out of the nest and to be honest I thought the whole clutch was lost.

Some ducklings thought otherwise though and on Wednesday we found a single duckling in the nest, very newly hatched, still damp and exceedingly cold.  Hettie was however nowhere to be seen.  Ben, with the warmest hands, held the tiny creature tight whilst I gently blew warm air onto it and Tom was despatched to  find and bring back Hettie.  2 other eggs were showing signs of hatching but already this duckling was dangerously near to dying from hypothermia and it needed it's Mum as would the next ducklings when they hatched.  Luckily she did return to the nest and her maternal instincts kicked in allowing her to successfully hatch a total of 6 young.  One sadly died died but the other 5 are doing fine, even if at times Hettie seems rather at a loss as to what she should to do with her brood.  I have had to shut them inside for now as she hasn't got the knack of keeping them close to her but I am confident she will be a fast learner ... or the ducklings, having already shown a strong will to live, with survive despite her somewhat unconventional brooding methods.

Aren't they absolutely gorgeous?  I really do think these are miracle ducklings and hats off to Hettie for succeeding in getting them this far.  Have you any stories of animals surviving against the odds? 

BMX Boy

Posted by Rosie

In the UK we met up with friends on the Bank Holiday Monday.  Now I am not saying their children were excited about seeing Tom and Ben but when we arrived Sam was up the apple tree looking out for our arrival and had been there an hour apparently!  There followed an afternoon where we hardly saw the children as they spent their time just totally enjoying each others' company and doing what children do best - climbing trees, trampolining, messing about in the stream and hurtling around on bikes.  That hurtling included jumping over some home-made BMX ramps that Sam's Dad had made him.

So, what was the first thing Ben asked Simon to make once we got back to France ....  a BMX jump, "just like Sam's", of course!  Luckily Simon had the necessary wood to hand and the two of them were quickly able to make the required jump.

Said jump has kept Ben very happy all week.

Ready

Steady

Go!!

It has also kept Simon very happy as it has detracted Ben's attention from the fact that he wants Simon to make him a Go-Cart which is a slightly bigger job than a BMX jump!

Have your children been inspired by some friends? Do let us know.

Tropiquaria

Posted by Rosie

Algenon the Giant Tortoise

For the last full day of our trip to England there was a toss up between visiting Dunster Castle or Tropiquaria.  As I also needed to go food shopping I thought it best to let the boys chosse what they most wanted to do so I could lessen the bitter pill of having to come shopping with me!  Tropiquaria it was to be then.

I knew nothing of what to expect but assumed by it's name that we would be visiting a large aquarium.  Not quite so it would seem.  Housed in a Grade 2 listed building (a 1930s BBC transmitter hall) it appeared a rather dreary place when we drew up and I have to say this dreariness continued as we went in.  Both the aquarium and reptile areas were small, although they did contain some interesting and unusual species.  

Outside there was a motley collection of cages with birds and mammals, a couple of large play areas and a large play barn.  There was supposed to be a shadow puppet show but that wasn't showing on the day we went and there was also a radio museum.  Well, there was a collection of old radios and equipment stuffed into a crowded room with little information about them and I did feel this was rather a missed opportunity to show the lost age of pre-internet radio communication.  Apparently the listing status of the building restricts what the owners can do with it but this didn't could not be used as an excuse for the outside areas.  It also felt to me that it couldn't quite decide what it wanted to be - an aquarium, a zoo or a children's play area, never quite succeeding at any of them?  Perhaps the fact we were there out of UK school holidays added to the lack of atmosphere with just one small school party and 2 or 3 other families with toddlers there with  us.

However there was some good plus points.  All the animals we saw appeared in good condition and well fed.  Throughout the day there were several animal talks and opportunities to meet and handle animals.  With so few of us there (the school party had gone) the boys had plenty of time to stroke and hold a variety of animals.  The keeper was happy to answer our questions and said that many of the animals had been rescued from the illegal pet trade or as in the case of Stanley the macaw rescued from an abandoned pet shop where other pets had.  He must feel much happier now having the freedom of the reptile room. There was also Algenon, a giant tortoise who was on a temporary visit after the farm where he lived was flooded in the winter.  He was a great character and spent most of the time during the animal handling sessions escaping out of his enclosure to walk around the reptile area!

Ben stroking Podge the Skunk

Tom and a Tenrec (an unrelated hedgehog like animal)

Tom "wearing" a Royal Python

Ben and a Bearded Lizard

Each cage, tank or enclosure also had information about the species, where it was from and it's conservation status - perhaps not of interest to the Park's younger visitors but I liked it.

Would we visit again?  I rather think not but then the boys are at the top age range for a place like this.  However they really liked the animal handling and giant pirate ships in the play area.

Would I recommend others going?  It would depend.  If you have young children then yes, maybe I would.  They can get close to animals and as it is a smaller and more intimate place than other big zoos then it is perhaps more suitable for younger children.  I had rather expected more from their web page and if I had known what was there it would have been less of a let down.

And there is one final point to bear in mind.  At £24 for the 3 of us it was not the cheapest day out but that money is used to feed and shelter a considerable number of animals.  Without this money the park could close and then what would happen to the animals?

Have you been to Tropiquaria?  If so what did you think of it?

Holidays!

Posted by Rosie

Myself, Tom and Ben are currently on holiday in the UK catching up with friends and family.  We have a lot planned but hopefully there may well also be a bit of time for quietly just watching the world pass by and enjoying doing nothing much at all.  Time to stand and stare for a while I hope :)

Click to enlarge the image

I have scheduled this post as I will have limited Internet access - I will try and catch up with your comments and follow linkies when I get back.

Chess Boy!

Posted by Rosie

Tom came in from school last week saying he had signed up for a small chess tournament at school.  He often play chess in break times with friends, plays with Simon occasionally and has even got to play with gite guests.  

Tom concentrating on a practice match with Simon

Day one of the tournament loomed and we wondered how he would do.  On coming home he announced there was both good news and bad news!

"The good news," he said looking very pleased with himself , "was that I won my match against A and I am now in the semi-finals!" Tom is only in his first year at secondary school and his opponent was in his third year so we were really pleased and proud he had won.

"But the bad news is I am now going up against the best player on the school," he continued.   G is also in Tom's class but has been playing chess at a club since he was five and is ranked the 12th best player in France for his age group.  "I don't think I'm going to get to the final," he said, "but I'll give it my best shot!"

And he was beaten although not without holding off his opponent for a while and managing a few good moves.  Well done Tom!  For some-one who is pretty much self-taught we are really proud of his progress and this achievement.  Chess is a brilliant game (one I wish I could play) and for children it offers numerous benefits.  Research indicates it can help to:

• Raise IQ
• Increase creativity
• Improve memory
• Improve problem solving skills
• Improve concentration
• Teach planning and foresight.
• It may even help to ward off the onset on Alzheimer's .

So Tom - you have chosen well in learning to play chess and we are very proud of you.  Keep at it and one day you may well win beat G and win that tournament.  In between I am sure you will have a lot of fun!

One Swallow does not a Summer make ...

Posted by Rosie

.... but it means it's definitely on it's way and I saw the first 3 swallows of 2014 on Saturday at the neighbouring village of Pontécoulant.

I love swallows - I love their colour, I love their their shape and I love the way they swoop through the skies searching for insects and dip low over ponds to scoop up water. I also completely admire the fact that a bird that weights no more than 25g can fly 6000 miles from South Africa to Northern Europe, twice a year for as long as they live.  They fly 200 miles a day at an average speed 20 miles per hour taking a month to complete their journey.  It truly is a feat of nature that we can go nowhere near to matching.

Is it any wonder any bird survives this journey?  Whilst a lot do others do not make it.  Each year countless birds die from starvation, exhaustion and in storms.  4 years ago this swallow arrived here at Eco-Gites of Lenault and I found it lying on the front drive, exhausted, panting and barely alive.  

It would had flown up from South Africa, diverted along the west coast to avoid The Sahara Desert and flown on into Morocco before crossing the Pyrenees and eventually ending up here.  Swallows always return to the area near to where they were hatched and breeding birds return to use the same nests year after year.  How they navigate back to the same place is still not fully understood.

I drip fed it a little water but sadly it died a few minutes later in my hand, a brave little soul that had pushed itself to the absolute limit.  It did however give the boys and us the chance to have a really good look at this marvel of nature before we buried it near to where it fell.

For the last 2 years we have had very few swallows here - 2 years ago we had none and last year we had a few around, but none breeding.  It was so sad not to see the eager beaks of youngsters stretching out from the nests as the parents returned to feed them or see the aerial acrobatics of the adults as we looked out of the window. 

It did however mean we could go in the feed shed or pig pens without the risk of having a swallow crashing into us and did not find swallows sitting on our clothes drier!  However I can put up with that if it means we can have our breeding swallows back. Hopefully 2104 will see swallows once again breeding at Eco-Gites of Lenault ... please!

For me, having swallows around is both magical and ordinary.  It's magical what they go through to get here yet we almost take them for granted all Summer until one day in Autumn they are gone again.  And in between they swoop a thousand times above our heads and weave a thousand stories.