Wildlife update, May 2018

They're back! Bats in our belfry (well, on the outside stairs) and the barn owls are back in the chimney. That means stamping and screeching for the next couple of months at least (from the owls and young, not from me). They normally have two young and they are very demanding and so noisy. Demanding to be fed, stamping in the chimney and screeching at us when we go outside. Nothing like being observed from an owl on high, peering down at you!

The bats aren't a problem - but they do leave loads of droppings on the stairs.  Last week Harry was going to go up to the studio, up these half-covered staris, and there was a bat with a baby or young one attached at the top of the stairs, so he decided to retreat.  We know we have two different kinds of bat - one with long wings, the other shorter wings.  We did used to have at least three living in our roof spaces, so will be doing a count again this year once we start being able to sit outside (temperatures not great at the moment) in the cool of the evening.

Two day ago on our way to a sheep show a large cat-like animal ran across the road in front of us.  It had a ringed tail and was sturdy-looking, bigger than a domestic cat.  It might have been some sort of European wild cat or possibly a genet, although with the brief view we had of it, it didn't seem to have the genet's pointed muzzle.

And now, even though it's cooled off again, bees, humming-bird hawk moths, butterflies and all manner of other insects are back out in force - ants are everywhere, especially when you move a pot or dish on the ground.  Mason bees are constantly around our door and windows looking for holes - and filling them up as I discovered when opening one of the bedroom windows!


 © Marie Tyler, 3 May 2018

So - who do you think you are (now)?

For years I was a Geordie (still am) - also a Novocastrian, ie from Newcassel!  So, now here we are in Chamberet and I am now also a chambertoise, Harry being a chambertois (and the village tabac and café/pizzeria is Le Chambertois).

In our experience in this corner of la France profonde (deepest rural France) people still have very strong ties to their roots.  The majority of retired people we've met have worked in la région parisienne and have returned here to live where their grandparents or parents lived, living often in the old family home.  Lots of French people still have their family home as a holiday home, or maison secondaire, and, no matter where they live, they return there with children and grandchildren in the long summer holidays, at Christmas, Toussaint (All Saints feast in November) and other bank holidays (jours fériés).

So, a strong sense of place and belonging.  Linked to that, in France, I think I'm right in saying, that no matter where you're from you'll be able to claim your local citizenship with its own word - think of Parisians (parisien or parisienne for a woman).  

In Limousin there are various variable names - if you're from Brive, you're a briviste, from Limoges a limougeaud, from St-Junien, a saint-juniaud, Treignac a treignacois or treignacoise, from Affieux, an affieucois or affieucoise.  

So, there you go - another little ramble in Chamberet!  Who can you lay claim to being now?

© Marie Tyler, 5 February 2018

Even busier days for Chamberet in 2018 – Exciting new projects!

Last night we went to the village ceremony Les Voeux when everyone is invited to come along and receive New Year wishes from the mayor and commune councillors. It’s always very well attended and is an opportunity to wish “Happy New Year”, “Bonne Année, Bonne Santé, Meilleurs Voeux” to everyone that you might not have encountered since the New Year. After speeches from the Mayor, and representatives of other local organisations and funders, like the ComCom (a grouping of local communes) everyone is invited to have a drink – always featuring our own cider from Chamberet and nibbles and cake. It is always very convivial.and everyone listens in silence without talking (most standing up) for about an hour.

For Chamberet this is also the occasion when the Mayor details changes and developments from the previous year and he talks about forthcoming projects. We have a new mayor since last year, Bernard Rual, so it was also an opportunity for him to present himself to the public of Chamberet in his new role as mayor. Everyone was impressed with his speech, and with the number of new and continuing projects presented. I think we’ve remembered them all:

• Provision of 12 apartments in the former presbytery next to the church – for older people who do not want to go into the Maison de Retraite (Nursing Home) but want to give up their current accommodation (often a large house and often in an isolated place out of the village).
• New estate for artisans (local craftsmen)
• Perfume factory expanding with an increase in jobs
• Work on New Health Centre/Maison de Santé which has been planned since 2012, due to start March 2018, to be finished by year-end. There will be 10 different health practitioners in this building.
• Plots for new build all sold and three to be let to Uzerche Prison for families of three officers employed there
• New building plots to be identified and sold
• High-speed internet connection to be brought to whole commune. Work in progress to clear/tidy up trees on roadsides as will be provided via telegraph poles.
• A new communal room to be created in the cellars of Maison Roux which will also utilize this heritage feature and be available for use by the 40-odd community groups in the village.

Other good news was that the population had increased by 40 last year, which of course helps the local economy, also the primary school, as falling numbers mean a reduction in teaching staff.

Our ex-mayor and local gp, Dr Chasseing, who is now a Senator, then spoke and gave an update on work he has been involved in and supported in the Senate He also notified us that the population in Chamberet now stands at the same level as in 1946 (think I got that right!). Another innovation is that we now have a new label for provision of fishing. (I can’t remember the actual title) which will help with other labels eg Station Verte to help promote tourism, of major economic importance to us as a very rural area.

So, there we have it – a busy, exciting year ahead for us in this commune – this commune dynamique - the envy of many other communes in the area, I might add!

© Marie Tyler, 30 January 2018

Back on the blog! Why a blog?

Yes, back on the blog after months of silence!

I have been reporting on my doings with personal emails and comments on Facebook but am now back here, back to the original intention of this blog. 

I'm a great letter-writer - hereditary, thanks to my mam - and when we moved here to France, friends and family were interested in hearing from us and hearing all about our new life.  The blog was a solution to writing lots and lots of letters, mostly with the same information, so a time-saving device and a way for me to keep writing which I very much enjoy.  Also, having my voice heard, and letting my voice gan, as my dad used to say!

So, now a New Year - well, almost - almost at the end of the first month of 2018.  In France you can keep wishing "Happy New Year" - "Bonne Année, Bonne Santé, Meilleurs Voeux" until 31 January, so I've just got in under the door! So, let's see if I can keep up this resolution to keep on blogging in 2018!

 

© Marie Tyler

30 January 2018