Thursday, July 23, 2015

Singing in the rain.


The day dawns with blue skies and a gentle wind. Two horse boxes appear on the village green. Four riders saddle up their mounts and trot off towards the Holy Well. Equestrian pilgrims. Within half an hour the skies cloud over and it starts to rain. A brief shower and then whooosh ! an almighty downpour. A sheet of water flowing along the lane towards the ox track where it makes a right angled turn and disappears down the hill. It takes one of the spring planted geraniums with it. Then, as suddenly as it came, the rain goes. Strangely there's no thunder.

Bob watches the downpour from his vantage point at the front door. Sophie steps over him and wanders out into the orchard. She's called back inside. She turns, looks at me and then trots off to the far reaches of the garden. Bob follows her. The two of them cavorting under the deluge like canine versions of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. 


The rest of the day is spent drying out, lazing in the sun and watching as latter day pilgrims and their rucksacks are loaded in the car and driven off to the station to get the afternoon 'connecting' train to Paris via Bordeaux. 


Today the builders return for two days to do some rendering . A trail of twigs and hazelnuts an indication that the field mice are starting to build their nests in the walls of The Rickety Old Farmhouse. Perhaps the rendering will stop them coming in. Perhaps it won't.

12 comments:

WFT Nobby said...

Love the description of Bob and Sophie dancing in the rain.
I think you are wise to adopt a philosophical attitude to the chances of excluding mice from the ROF.
Cheers, Gail.

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

Hope the rain didn't just make it more humid!

Julie said...

Why is dancing in the rain enjoyable but trying to give a pup a bath not?

Anonymous said...

We recently encountered a furry guest at the Convent, climbing across the beams in the library, which is directly above one of the cellars that house some rather large wood piles. It was a little larger than a rat, had a fat fluffy tail and I have no idea what it was. Given it's proximity to the wood piles below, I am wondering if I have a family of new 'guests'. They are welcome to stay if they are partial to snakes and large spiders!
Thanks goodness for a little rain.
x

VirginiaC said...

Angus how lucky you are to have Fred and Ginger dancing in the rain in your garden....I'm envious...those two sure do know how to live a good life and make every day count.

Jane Le Galloudec said...

Its just possible that what you are describing is a European Dormouse - we get them here in Spain, they are enormous and have a fluffy tail and interesting markings on the face. We initially thought they were rats because of the size. Not sure what they eat.

Angus said...

Sounds like an edible door mouse. We had a pair that lived in our chimney in the house in Menerbes. The Romans considered them to be a delicacy.

BaileyBobSouthernDog said...

Mmmmmm ......... I have been battling tree rats in the attic for years. Of course the solution is to cut down all trees surrounding the house, which will not happen. I was told by our county extension agent to put rat traps in all the trees,screwed down, and changed and baited frequently. Being a polite Southern Lady, I will not tell you my thoughts on that suggestion!!! So profoundly happy you finally received rain,and am delighted the dancers in the Garden enjoyed it. Was their choreography more Fosse or Balanchine? My guess is Twarp.

Emm said...

Now I'm seeing the tea party scene from "Alice", with the dormouse popping out of the teapot.

Anonymous said...

Aha. A dormouse. I may not mention to Stuart the 'edible' portion of the name. Heaven knows what I might discover on the next BBQ otherwise.

Coppa's girl said...

The PON version of Fred and Ginger - what fun - and just too funny for words !
Next time you must take a video.

Myboyzach said...

The terrier won't go out in the rain and get his little paws wet...unless a squirrel or rabbit happens to be out! Then all bets are off!!