Winter is starting to set in at our gite here in Creuse and the self catering holiday season is drawing to a close. We have just had the first taste of snow and it won't be the last. It did not last long and by mid-afternoon with the sun shining brightly most of the snow had disappeared. A little taster for what is to come perhaps? By late afternoon as the sun was setting over our gite the temperature plummeted and a icy glaze started to form on the surface of the water in the butts dotted about the garden.
Overhead in the fading clear blue skies vast formations of Cranes flying in inverted V formations honk loudly as the head for warmer climes. The thousands of Etangs, Lakes and waters that dot the Limousin region are a Mecca for the migrating cranes and twice a year they flock to Creuse and the surrounding areas to feed and breed the next generation of these wonderful birds.
It was time to light up the wood burning stove for the first time this season and after 5 minutes of smoke billowing out of all the openings, the vents cleared and the fire started to pump out the heat slowly but surly. The cats soon moved in and within a few minutes there was several fur balls curled up around the stove and basking in the heat.
As the cold winter nights start to draw in and sunshine and salads are just a distant memory it make perfect sense to start brushing up on the casseroles and stew recipes along with thick vegetable soups and broths. There is nothing better than come in from out of the cold into a warm house and tuck into a hearty lamb and vegetable stew with herb dumplings especially if the vegetables are grown in your own garden. I will give you details on how to make a tasty home made soup in another blog.
Time to see to the geese, chickens, rabbits, cats and Umma our black Labrador who has just spotted a stray chicken in her territory.
Bye for now and keep warm.
www.french-gite-creuse.co.uk
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