The Husband carved these Nice zucchini. We're waiting for the trick-or-treaters to arrive. The village children all walk in one big group. Last year they stepped out of the woods behind our house and scared Attila to death. You can see him hiding under the table in the photo. 

Yvette, Leonce's wife. When you eat at her house she kills the chickens she serves you. 

The Husband at Roger's birthday dinner. 

Leonce being his cute self. A wild time was had by all. 

Our youngest neighbors at Roger's birthday party . . .Jose and Evelyn. Both qualify as being the sweetest people in the world. 

Husband feeding the dogs their daily requirement of Omega-3 fatty acids. 

St. Roger celebrating his 78th birthday . . . neighbor Therese is seated next to him. 

The sheep stealing the chickens' corn stash! Biberon discovered it yesterday, and today the entire flock invaded the chicken coop. That's Blanche on the right, and Soixante-Douze on the left, who has this perpetually vigilant look about her. 

Pastoral view from the kitchen window.

My nieces enjoying the French lifestyle. 

Camp Blanche

The Husband reported to me this morning that he witnessed Beau and Lambchop chasing Blanche around. I asked if anything was consummated. The Husband replied that there wasn't any sex. Beau and Blanche ended up too winded. And Lambchop's too young. He just tagged along for the fun of the chase.

"I'm worried that Beau and Lambchop are going to kill Blanche," the Husband said. "At the very least she's going to lose a lot of weight."

Nuts Winding Down

The Husband asked me to report on the fact that he feeds the dogs walnuts . . .so they'll get their Omega-3 fatty acids and live to a ripe old age.

The nut harvest is winding down early this year. Usually it goes into the first week of November. But we had a cold August and September and I think that's the reason the nuts fell pretty quickly . . . just three weeks of harvesting as compared to the usual six. So we'll be winding up the harvest over the next days.

We don't have as many nuts as usual, but they weren't as buggy this year as in prior years.

On Friday, Lambchop will have made it a month past his "death date." So he's officially too old to be eaten by the French . . . the butcher said that if I wanted to sell Lambchop to him, it had to be on the 20th of September . . . I still need to hide Lambchop from the mutton-eaters -- the British.

He's very cute and very fat. Although he has no interest in being cuddled . . . his father Beau is a big cuddler. Lambchop still hangs around with his mother . . . although she no longer has any interest in him.

The Husband. 

Mating Season

It's rumored that sheep breed in October and November. A few weeks ago, I caught Beau and Biberon in the act; now I suspect Beau is after Blanche again.

They were fighting yesterday, butting heads. I couldn't believe how Blanche withstood Beau's testosterone driven butts -- punctuated with his little horns no less. But she didn't back down. He did.

This afternoon I went out, and Blanche had blood all over the side of her. Beau's blood from his horn that broke off.

Blanche is the official Alpha sheep now, and Beau was following her around today. Hopefully she'll be able to hold her own against Beau AND Lambchop when Lampchop matures. I'm thinking of trying to trade Lambchop off for a couple of ewes.

And here's Attila's close-up . . . notice walnuts lying in background that he has forgotten to pick up. 

Check it Out

Here's the SpaFinder.com listing for Camp Biche.

The mesmerizing Antoinette! 

Beau contemplating his next move. Notice his harem lined up behind him. 

Antoinette helping me pick nuts . . .  

Attila helping me pick nuts.  

I'm teaching Antoinette and Attila to work with the sheep. Here they are obeying the command "STOP." They aren't allowed to follow me past the open gate. They have to sit still waiting for me to return. And they have to sit still while the sheep run past them. 

And Voila! Attila and Antoinette have learned their lesson. They're waiting calmly while the sheep file past them. Can you pick out Beau in this photo?

Here's a recent photo of Blanche -- looking svelte and very white from all the rain. 

Attila & Antoinette helping with the walnut harvest.