Spring or not just yet

The last few days have been absolutely glorious. Early morning there is a fine mist covering the meadow and river and beyond that the world disappears... The nights are generally cloudless which means that there is inevitably a frost in the morning, so beautiful to see but so cold.

We have been clearing the debris left from the storm (xynthia) of the 28th Feb. I am so glad that I was is in the UK and only witnessed the edge of it. Here the damage was not too bad but on the Atlantic coast it was so very bad. The Ile de Re was cut into three parts by the storm!!! There are hundreds of hectares of farmland in the Vendee that cannot be farmed for at least 5 years because of salt intake due to the flooding.... Oyster and mussel beds have been destroyed. The devastation is unbelievable.. The problems we have suffered here are minimal in comparison.

We are fine, my man has been walking the dog at least once a day and is going further up the lane. He is looking so much better and his demeanour has changed as well. Now this is the man I know and love.... I think we have reached a change for the better.

We are clearing out all the rubbish, not only damage from the storm but also stuff that has been hanging around for some time. After many months in the doldrums my husband is becoming pro-active instead of pro-inactive..... what a difference medication can make!!!! I think also that knowing of what is wrong with himself has made a difference. He knows that he has a specific condition and that his time is not limited but that he has a condition that he has to live with. His mind is relieved!! Does that make sense??

A local estate agent got wind (somehow) that we have put our property on the market. So I got a phone call this morning from their English rep. And so he came to visit... 1st impression I got was that he was a 'negative' person.... ie: "lots of work running a B&B" (only if you want a lot of work!). We shall see how this pans out!!!

I say this is almost spring... not until 20th March according to the calendar!! I have seen a brimstone butterfly and my almond tree blossom is beginning to open (1 nut last year). My daffodils are ready to break their buds and the snowdrops are just finishing (thought that I had lost them). In the lane the celandines and primroses are looking very happy... At least they seem to be unaffected by climate changes and rely solely on the length of the day, or so it seems.

I do so love this place and the changes throughout the year, I will miss it enormously if and when we move.