Happy 2026

Bonjour/hello and Happy New Year/Bonne Année

Each time I wrote a post in 2025 I made promises that I didn’t keep. I have plans and then life gets in the way. I watch the awful things happening in the world and wonder if it is even appropriate to write about my life in France, food, gardens, weather, etc. I am sure many of us are deeply affected by where the world is currently. Scary times. We may feel quite helpless, unable to comprehend what is going on. I think that just makes us human. We do also need things to hold on to, a belief that things will improve. Perhaps a little light relief at times.

With that in mind, I am reframing my mind-set as one year ends and another begins. 2026 will see me back to regale you with tales from our corner of the Tarn. Several more little owl rescues last year, the ceiling of our dining rooms bears witness to one. Some happy green toads took up residence in our pool. They didn’t care that it was a little troubled and took most of the season to get sorted out! Outings, several trips to the UK, storms, deer in the garden and a very long to-do list.

Last time I posted back in July (where did the year go?) we had undertaken two rescues of a young Little Owl who had been trapped in our woodburner flue. Not content with being rescued twice, Little Owl Junior decided to try a different chimney and got stuck again of course! Unfortunately this woodburner has a flue with a horizontal part so there was no slipping down into the woodburner itself. No amount of encouragement – yes I even played Little Owl calls through the Merlin app – would tempt it down. As an aside if you haven’t tried this app you really should. I often put it on when I am in the garden to see which birds are singing around me. Fascinating – as there are many birds you just don’t see. Anyway back to Little Owl Junior – in the end with the cats safely in the house and closed off from the dining room, I opened the doors to the terrace, opened the woodburner and kept my fingers crossed. Every now and again I checked but no joy. After a while I popped back into the room only to be greeted by a startled looking owl sitting on the top of the dresser. It started to fly around the room so I exited pretty smartly. Checking later it had gone, I worked out it was the owl from the chimney as there are amazing sooty wing marks on the ceiling – Little Owl woz ‘ere! Since then parent, Little Owl Junior and I exchange greetings but the desire to jump down chimneys appears to have finally come to an end.

In August we took up pétanque again in the village. Monday evenings until late – great fun and we aren’t actually that awful at it! Much of it down to luck on my part and a reasonable aim sometimes. Max took a couple of trips to the UK, as did I at the end of August, in October and at the end of November. The August trip was to listen to my younger son reading poetry at a well-being festival. I had a great weekend in Manchester, attending a bowling alley opening with complimentary nail painting and fizz – an interesting combination! October saw us celebrating my niece’s wedding and my sister’s 60^th – a great party weekend, although a very quirky B&B for the boys and I with no breakfast, 3 mugs for 5 of us and an open can of dog food in the fridge! November saw me back in Manchester to be at my son Alex’s first paid gig – great! A cold wet weekend but lots of fun and great music too!

Highlights for me this year were two trips to the seaside – one was a few days in Sète and the other a day trip to Narbonne. I really miss the sea. It truly is my best place. Walks along the beach for miles, stunning skies and amazingly both times great weather. The added bonus was that the beaches were sea glass and shell heaven! The photographs are a great reminder of my perfect place.

There were so many other things in 2025 – coming up in a post of highlights in photos. My other project was a photo a month – same place, same time each month. I will publish that during the next week. Interesting to see the same view over 12 months – by the end of 2025 with a technological addition – a new radio mast!

2026 will also see the launch of a new business venture – a long-time passion of mine and inspired by the renovations here – Oleander Interiors. Lampshades, cushions, wonderful finds from brocantes and more – watch this space for updates!