2009-- Happy New Year!

It is January 2nd and I'm sitting in the office felling awfully Sundayish!

Yesterday we had all the friends who'd fed and entertained us over the Christmas period come and see us for a small New Year's Day buffet lunch.

It was a pleasantly gentle affair. Some people had stayed up very late the night before.

We filled our plates and sat in the lounge, chatting and nibbling--and sipping Geoff's mulled wine. It was such a great success ( thanks to Jamie Oliver, who recommended heating the sugar and oranges together, nearly to the point of caramelisation, before adding the wine) that he went and made a second batch.

Those feeling delicate ( and at least 3 people who couldn't even make it!) had been to the Charroux New Year's Eve bash.

Eating starts about 10pm. Seafood--fruits de mer and particularly oysters! The French eat tons of oysters at this time of year. ( We had some on Christmas Eve but I really don't see the attraction.)

Many courses later ( with a bit of singing and dancing in between! ) --- about 5 am on New Year's Day, onion soup is served and everybody goes home!

Geoff and I refrained from this marathon this year knowing that we were entertaining the next day ( not to mention the 48 euros per head cost!)

In between feasting and sleeping we've walked the dogs.

Sometimes we go together-- in which case we usually chat and so don't notice --or scare off-- anything of interest. Walking alone and we make an effort ( particularly since deciding a nature blog might be of interest to would-be Maureville holiday -makers) to observe the wildlife.

Birds spotted during the last couple of weeks include:-

A goldcrest. Oh to have had the camera! It posed, only a couple of feet away, for an eternity!

A woodcock. This took some research to identify, but i've since been told they are

A large group of long-tailed tits--all settling in the branches of a hazel tree growing on the bank of the R Charente, that meanders alongside the field at the bottom of our garden

A pair of mistle thrushes--eating mistletoe berries! The mistletoe is prevalent on the trees in the river valley.

A flock of fieldfares flew over the back field last night.

Numerous lapwings can be seen on the corn stubble.

Buzzards are regularly hunting the fields, --the rabbit supply is plentiful!

Our resident kestral--who angrily squalks at us for walking round our garden!

And numerous geese, ducks and cranes--too high to be readily identified flying overhead to heaven knows where!

But roll on summer when the summer visitors return!