Nocturnal goings-on

Up ended cow?…. Attacked by sanglier!

Night time can be a period of rural tranquility. The calm only disturbed by the rustling of the leaves and  the hooting of the occasional owl . This summer we didn’t even get our nightingale or night jar serenading us ; perhaps along with the disappearing swallows, they are another casualty of climate change .   

We are close to a pop concert venue ( Chateau Valmy ) and previously , for three days in July we were entertained by the luminaries of pop music , from  Sting to Elton John , to name but a few ; well I could only name a few! Our generational singers have retired or died out ; except those who continually return on yet another farewell tour . This year the mega event at Valmy too had retired , to be replaced by  ‘ Bacchus’ ; renditions of music but supported by numerous wine cellars , and their wine ! What else in France . Wine was good ; not sure about the music . 

So then peace returned until the other night , with Valmy playing host to a two day disco rave supported by a myriad of famous DJ s ; famous that is to those under 30 ! Entry was only 45 euro ; but we didn’t need to pay as in the calm evenings we could listen , or rather couldn’t avoid the incessant beat . It gets a bit catchy after the first hour . Then finally the tourists leave and we return to calm  ; except that is for the one left behind ! 

An evening visitor peered in ; is that a dog was exclaimed ! Yes, a Jack Russell ; and what a friendly thing he was too, clearly lost and seeking shelter and companionship. In the absence of appropriate food , he was entertained to boiled rice with Oxo, followed by yoghurt with raspberries , and manchego to finish . This dog was going nowhere else!. The contact  number on his collar elicited no response . We assumed perhaps it was disco revellers flaked out , so he settled in for the night . We tried outside , but then after an hour he found his howl ; so yours truly had to sleep on the settee to provide him company  . The next day the revellers awoke and with tears of joy reclaimed their pet ; just as well as we were contemplating providing a permanent home for this charming stray.

The following night six more vagrants strayed into our space ; but this time silently . Weighing at 50 some kgs , that was quite an achievement . These were juvenile sanglier who had arrived for their feast , the animal jungle messaging had worked for them . This time they were after our ripe prickly-pear . Earlier that day I had collected a few , very carefully with leather gloves and tongs . They are covered in nasty looking spikes and very aptly named . Dissection revealed a little fruit and loads of seeds. What I managed to recuperate tasted of papaya ; which I don’t like sufficiently to marinate with tequila; as recommended in the P&O magazine.  They were left outside the front door , as it turned out as olfactory signal to new guests. 

We are surrounded with a robust wire fence which transmits 14,000 volts as an additional deterrent . It works well for humans and other sensitive creatures , but sanglier must be thick skinned ; both inside and out . They crossed it and then decimated the cactus and ate all the prickly pears , spikes too! Searching for dessert they rotavated the boarders and were starting on our apology for a lawn . They ignored the security flood lights , and my flash photography ; but ran off after  few chosen expletives were hearled in their direction. They returned again the following night. Have ordered security detectors  which bark , hoping that may save the garden .

Cactus attack

The culprits , six if you look carefully

Isn’t he cute!!

Blazing consequences

 

It’s the stuff nightmares are made of , or at the very least sleepiness nights.. The sight of vast  clouds of smoke swirling in the gale force winds, far too close,  , continual aerial  activity with the planes trying to contain the fire before nightfall, and the sound of numerous gas bottles exploding . The fire started late afternoon and it would be dark by nine , after which it would be too dangerous for low level flying. So the firemen , and women ( our local chief is a woman ) had only a few hours to prevent the next village from  burning down . Somehow 7/800 had been mobilised and they succeeded ; just . Hence the thoughts of what if …; it had started later , it had been closer to our house, it had been geographically much bigger , ( it had only covered an area of about 5 by 5 kilometres ),( the picture in the paper the next day )the of sheets of flames the size of the trees they were consuming ….

Several days later I drove around the affected area; it was sobering. Acres of black stumps that were once a grove of trees, the remains of a pool slide , and the shell of what was someone’s home. Then there were flowers tied to a post , a memorial to someone who didn’t leave alive ( I think it was a scooter who crashed the next day ). The fire had jumped a major road in the strong winds . But , the positive : the gallant firemen had saved a few isolated houses ,( and the town !),  with burn’t trees just metres away . That took courage.  ..and then there were already signs of new life with green shoots emerging from the black ;  and the owner of the destroyed camp site had already removed most of the debris , determined to be ready for next season . 

So I reviewed  our fire preventions , they were clearly far too timid . Perhaps suitable for a small bonfire size outbreak , but no where good enough for a conflagration of the size  we had just witnessed. As I had previously said , we had to give the firemen the time and space to save our house; a lot more . My temporary rain guns will be replaced by permanent ones on the roof , the fire pump to be permanently relocated and connect to a generator ; all ready for use in the  minutes before  we flee !

However , the  abiding memory of the last week has been one of the whine of the chain saw, well two ; as 10 adjacent pine trees were cleared away to give that all important ‘ cordon sanitaire ‘ around our house. Not a very ‘green’ action , but an essential expedient . Pine trees are a disaster in fires , they almost explode into flame . The oaks burn slowly , so they can remain ; well apart from three which were too close to the garage . Technically ( well actually ) these weren’t even mine ; but I have legal obligation to clear vegetation 50 metres around the house . I decided they were too close , and re-classed them as vegetation .

So we can be more relaxed about the risk of fire ; that is, until the next major one !

PS . it seems as if this last fire was arson, having started in four different places at the same time ; and that would also explain the coincidence of at least four other separate fires this summer ,roughly all in the same area.  Suitable punishment? Burning at the stake?

Death all around

Another one bites the dust , and another one …( Queen )

We counted them...

Now that is scary!

“ I counted them all out and I counted them in “ ;( Brian Hanrahan ) a memorable phrase from the Falklands war , referring to war planes leaving then returning to the aircraft carrier. We felt a bit like a war zone yesterday,  as eight planes flew over at tree top height right above us ; except these were planes that dropped water, not ordinance . Boom , and another and another ….these were gas bottles exploding not bombs ! The smoke was dense,  swirling and advancing in the strong wind ...too quickly . Apocalyptic !

All this was happening far to close for comfort. The smoke intensity grew in the 80km/hr southerly wind from Spain; but a sudden shift could send it in our direction. With visions of the recent devastation in Hawaii , we decided that “discretion was the better part of valour” ( W.S .,Henry the Fourth ! ). With the house shuttered up , fire pump in the pool and sprinklers running , we left as refugees for Louise’s summer accommodation on her campsite. A friend offered more space in an adjacent holiday home . A shower , a change into grandson’s clothes ,( top with dubious looking message ,shorts too small !)  ; with that and Rosé fuelled calm, we were able to enjoy a Pad Thai without undue concern for our physical safety. 

But there was this nagging doubt whether the house would run out of water, and we had to deal with Paul and family. They had been on their way back from Spain using the coastal train , and alighted in Collioure to avoid an uncertainty in Argeles . By now the main roads and trains through Argeles had been closed , so they were cut off . No immediate problem as they had not finished dessert!  

The smoke had subsided , although there were still flames visible and gas bottles exploding. Never the less we felt a return home was possible ; if not the road would have been closed . The house was still standing and half the sprinklers still running ; the pool obviously had not emptied .  A car collection service ( me ) retrieved stranded family via minor roads still open . It was reassuring to see a convoy of fire engines leaving the scene . We retired  behind AC , it was still over 30C , and with the shutters still closed ; just in case! 

Next morning was as though it had never happened . The wind had taken itself off else where, and the heat subsided . A calm after the storm . In places the grass was very green , the only sign, at first, of the evening's excitement. Then a plane over head and the distinctive smell of wet smoke. Apparently 500 “boys in blue “, had stayed up all night  to ensure we would rest uninterrupted.

 

 No! it’s still calm , time to write the blog . I had been running out of new things to say ; I would have preferred not to be writing this . It is not yet the middle of August , the drought continues and this this about the eighth fire too close to us. I hope there is no more verbiage on this subject !

With acknowledgement to Le Independent …and Google translate ( it needs some AI )

DIRECT. Fire of Saint-André : 480 hectares covered by the flames, the fire "to be fixed" and 17 firefighters suffered minor injurie

Follow our live below :

01: 00.

The point on the situation for 1 hour in the morning

The fire which occurred on Monday, August 14 to 17 hours is "to be fixed".

The fire has crossed 480 hectares. The situation was particularly delicate because of the intense heat, drought and whirling winds up to 80km/h.

More than 650 firefighters are fighting the fire throughout the night, supported by teams drones of the SDIS 66. 75 constables have also been engaged.

The air assets will revert to their rotations as soon as the day breaks tomorrow morning.

Four campsites and two subdivisions have been evacuated. At midnight, the occupants of three of the four campsites were able to return to their housing. The occupants of the fourth campsite are taken into account for the night by the city of Argelès-sur-Mer.

17 firefighters were slightly injured (inhalation of the fumes in particular). At this time, no casualties were reported among the population. 

Dark Clouds

 

Sun set magnificence 

Dark clouds, or rather the lack of them , has been the issue . The declared drought restrictions include the ban on topping up private pools . These are a critical feature of holiday properties , without a functioning pool the summer renting season is at risk . So I installed water tanks to recuperate rain water together with hose pipes to enable the  pools to be topped up. 

May brought enough rain to fill pools and tanks ; but then the summer heat started in earnest. Holiday makers splashed in the pools and in one case upset pool operation. The water levels started to decline  below the skimmer . So now it was even more difficult to keep the pool clean . My brain was full of dark foreboding with the prospect of pool failure causing cancelled holiday ( income ). 

Never mind the pools , with six forest fires so far this year , would we even have a house ?. The pictures from Greece painted an apocalyptic future ; …and some of our water bombing planes have been dispatched to help. 

In the nick of time those scare dark clouds appeared , coupled with heavy rain . The pools had been saved and the forest dampened . The next morning I walked with a distinct lightness of spirit. No brain clouds for me. 

A few days later though , just a kilometre away, yet another fire ; less of a worry ( for us ) as the wind was carrying it away . The firefighting was a text book of efficiency . A spotter plane circulated continuously over head . Three helicopters bombed with water , then the area was doused with chemical retardant from a large plane flying with acrobatical panache. All was contained within the hour . They all deserve medals and a bonus. 

More dark clouds , and yes more rain.  So heavy that the pools were filled to overflowing . This storm was coupled with the most incredible lightening display . Continuous flashes overhead for twenty minutes . The paper reported 3000 flashes; I wonder how the were all counted ? Not one hit our lightening conductor ( it actually came complete with counter ) , so I still don't know if it works . Do I want to ? What happens if it fails ? 

Post storm , I was enticed into the hills for another  energetic ascent to our peak ..of 534 metres  …nearly 1800 feet sounds more challenging . A windless calm after the previous nights  cacophony . As I ascended , a sea fog/ low cloud rolled in . I turned round to a view of fluffy white , the Plain of Roussillon had vanished leaving me apparently alone in the world , except for an accompanying blackbird in full voice. 

Descending into the next valley the peace and magnificent vistas continued , but this time with the musical accompaniment of alpine sounding cow bells . Memories are made from moments like these.

I enjoy the challenging of the climb, but knees and hip started to rebel during the steep and  rocky descent . As the grade flattened , I followed row after row of leaves neatly stacked one by one . It was the previous downpour that had washed them into these meticulous patterns. 

Faced with another two hour road walk home, and now  in the sun, I summoned up my rescue vehicle ; this had been on standby expecting a wimpish call. To my amazement a nice young policewoman stop her car and enquired if I was the elderly gentleman seeking a lift . In embarrassment , I declining , claiming renewed fitness. The police had closed off the road to the valley claiming high fire risk : after all that rain ? Then taken pity after my wife’s description of her decrepit husband; obviously lost in translation. 

Only alpine cow bells disturbing the tranquility 

Intrepid alpiniste?

Desert Blooms

 

Our own Desert Blooms

Sitting on Lawrence’s rock ( as in Lawrence of Arabia ) in Wadi Rum , Jordan , I could admire the dramatic sight of acres of desert sand interspersed with rock towers ; similar to Monument  Valley, USA . This was an especially famous rock as it was adjacent to Lawrence’s spring , well more like a dribble ! In his time it was a strategically important site , being a watering point for men and camels whilst outflanking the Turks confined to their railway . Lawrence had to travel light , with small water bag, larger bag of flour ; weight rationed to carry sufficient tools of war. ; all on camels . Heat forces a slower pace of life , giving time to reflect  , and camels did little damage to the deserts fragile ecosystem . 

That was then ;  we arrived in grotesquely large 4X4 ‘s which , whilst providing an exhilarating , and cool, drive across the sand dunes , totally destroyed any nascent  vegetation. With spring rains , undisturbed desert busts into bloom from seemingly nothing . That is where the Bedouin’s goats hadn’t eaten what little exists . To prove a point , and burnish their ‘ green ‘ credentials ; a large tract of the Jordan Valley’s hillside had been fenced off to form a nature reserve ( Dana ) . We had a particular insight as a family member produced a business plan for them ; and we stayed overnight in comfortable accommodation to admire the results . Buzzards circled overhead doing the same , but expecting to eat the by-products . 

Closer to home , in Argeles , large areas of the sand dunes have been fenced off ( to prevent human damage ) ; the result is a wildlife paradise of grasses populated by birds . A marked contrasted to the area inhabited by the tourists . A small part of the beach at Empuriabrava has been similarly demarcated and subsequently nature has returned . Man’ footprint on nature can be catastrophically large.  

Meanwhile our dry garden ‘s cactus’s have produced some spectacular blooms this year . I wonder if that is the result of our near desert climate over the last winter . Is this what the future holds ? 

Wildlife returns

To its reconstructed habitat 

Rain

 

 Nature’s tease, it looks close but actually the rain is falling in the next country.

 

 Rain , or rather the lack of it , is a pressing issue in this corner of France ; as well as other areas of the world ; but they haven't yet impinged on our daily lives.  We are in a RED zone for water restrictions , with no other severity of restriction left …apart from  actually cutting it off. Three local rural villages have recently had to endure that, after their local supplies dried up , and whilst waiting for new pipelines . 

For us it is a bit surreal , as the impact has so far been minor for most ; apart that is for the agriculturers . I know we are not allowed to top up our swimming pools , but the pool police seem to be otherwise engaged . Oh,  and that top up rule only applies to private pools ; the enormous campsite water guzzlers are exempt; you can also FILL a newly constructed pool. It is difficult to take in the seriousness of the drought rules with those sort of exemptions.  

But , we are taking it seriously . Last year two heavily armed cops turned up to inspect that our solar panel installation complied with the rules …it is on the roof ? …; then maybe if their attention turned to drought rules we ought to be seen to comply ; especially as we are part of the non-french community i.e.  immigrants , in a national front stronghold. For the pool , first step is to conserve what we have . So the cover only comes off for a few hours a day to permit swimming . The cover prevents water loss through evaporation . Then we upgraded that cover from transparent to black bubble wrap , to keep out the sun light thus reducing algae growth;  which in turn substantially reduces water loss through frequent backwashing of the sand filters . To provide water for top up, we have fitted water butts piped into the pool . The posh name “ rain water harvesting “ ; but of course this only works if it rains. 

So back to that rare commodity , rain . “ In  detail, only 131 mm of water fell in Perpignan in just over six months against 405 mm on average, the equivalent of the driest year ever recorded in the Catalan city since 1974-75 with 130.7 mm , for this weather station created in 1925.” I suppose that means the equally driest period on record. Now ,the population in the region has over doubled , and I expect with the vibrancy of the holiday trade , summer demand  risen exponentially . So is the drought  taken seriously ? Ah yes those restrictions .

You will see that most bans on the use of water have get outs .It would seem that there is no drought between 20.00hours and midnight . There is going to be a lot of evening water activity . I suppose the drought police will be working nights from now on . Still it shows intent , especially coupled with intensive advertising . Ah well, I visited the local tourist office and a municipal building only to be referred to go to the town hall. There weren’t even any posters inside exhorting conservation , or even on any of the bill boards around the town. Apparently all arriving tourists, who swell the population 10 fold, will some how know .

Perpignan council did announce that they would use recycled water for washing pavements . Nice and Cannes both announced the intention to introduce recycling , of sewage effluent ; but this firstly needed central government approval . Bureaucracy gone mad?  Shouldn’t they by now just have set standards so the locals just get on with it. Nearly 30 years ago ( crikey! really that long ago ),   I obtained Board approval for the urgent installation of treatment and use of sewage effluent to augment supplies to a raw water reservoir in Essex, (in which it would be substantially diluted before abstraction and further water treatment ).  After a dry winter , and faced with the potential of running out of resources , it was quickly voted through , with the enthusiastic support of the Rivers Authority.  There was no public backlash , or comment . 

So just slightly smug , I use our very own personal recycled sewage to keep our plants alive . Treatment of septic tank effluent by reed beds , sand filter and chlorination. Just as well,  as with no mains water we are on our own with well and borehole , the output of which have been steadily declining for the past 10 years plus. For us climate change has a personal dimension . This year it has also meant that the potage has been left largely uncultivated ; I cannot guarantee enough recycled water , preferring to keep expensive plants alive. 

Two weeks ago I was woken by a truly marvellous event , our very own thunderstorm complete with copious rain fall . We , agriculturers  and the firemen breathed sigh of relief . Already this year there have been 6 ( now 7 ) near-by forest fires . It may be spectacular watching the water bombing planes swooping above us ; but all the timing hoping that they will soon contain that fire . I had already brushed off our fire precautions : fire pump to put in the pool , and sprinklers around the house. However these have a fundamental weakness : personal presence to at least get them going . I suppose I will have to consider automatic pop up sprinklers with pumps and valves operated by télécommande . 

Next day , with wet woods , a crispness in the air,  I set off for a walk with little risk of being cut off by a new combustion . What an uplifting pleasure , nature and me both clean and relaxed . However our mountain streams were still dry, emphasising the moisture deficit. I crossed the River Massane which was still flowing , apparently the higher hills on the Spanish border had heavier rain . Spain itself even more , together with a local hail storm that necessitated a JCB to clear the roads. That does seem to be our story : “ the rain in Spain ..” is staying on their plain. Yesterday an enormous thunder cloud built up , but its height deceived its location ; yet again it rained in Spain .  

This evening, again the rain clouds drifted south . So to compensate for yet another rainless disappointment ,  I immersed myself in our own water , the pool temperature, with all that covering,  had reached 30C ; and its only the beginning of June . I  suppose if this drought persists , I can open it up as a communal bath for all those unwashed tourists. ;….or maybe not . I could not bring myself to spoil its’ pristine water. We have to protect our own , which may prove irreplaceable . 

Restrictions, but with get outs!

Getting ahead?

 A 50’s slogan …from the hat industry ..”If you want to get ahead get a hat “ . Well, after waiting a life time the prince became a king and finally got his hat in Westminster Abbey . A spectacle indeed , but which seemed to raise more questions on the monarchy’s future .

But, then again , I’m not a hat person , possessing very few. I suppose childhood was partly a driver for that . On entering my new school in Southport for the first time , half way through a new term, I arrived bedecked in orange and black stripped blazer complete with matching cap  , the prescribed uniform . No need for me to wear hi-viz  . The residents followed the local tradition of only wearing black . This new boy certainly stood out . The cap never saw the light of day again.

Working down sewers it was obligated to wear all the safety gear including harness and helmet.  The harness was to help rescuers in manoeuvring a body up through the tight manhole ;fortunately  an experience I never had to endure. On emerging from a Midland sewer, I found the safety helmet doubled as avoiding head wounds plus catching falling worms, one was hanging off my peak . Yuk !

But seriously , manholes and their access to confined spaces can be dangerous places .  The construction of Carsington Reservoir in the Midlands, in 1983  involved the installation of toe drains and associated access manholes. Unbeknown and unforeseen , carbon dioxide had built up as a result of the interaction of water and limestone . A workman collapsed at the bottom ; three of his mates attempted a rescue , all perished ! This was a shock to all of us at Severn Trent Water. Henceforth all confined access had to be proceeded by lowering a gas monitor.

Twenty five years later and many mile further east , safety standards had degraded. A cultural gap obvious, South Asian workmen were not so valued . Construction of deep sewers in unstable ground can only be described as risky, despite all precautions . Perversely the actual construction passed off safely, the contractor managing the obvious risks well . Gas couldn’t be seen.  It was entry into another manhole that proved fatal to the first entrant and his two rescuers . It was exasperating that, even after that , workmen would enter manholes without gas checks. I should’t have beed surprised . In India it was not unknown for employees to dive to unblock sewers.

Another continent , and a diametrically opposite approach to work place Safety. In Australia , strong sun and the hole in the ozone layer combined as a very real threat of skin cancer . You could sun bathe on Bondi beach , but turn up to work without both sun hat and sunglasses ; it was instant dismissal . The water industry is invariably outdoors, so we had our rather fetching company issued sun hats; although without corks! I left Aussie with my own kangaroo skin hat .

Tilley hats are designed as the ultimate in sun protection , and can even be quite stylish . Most are guaranteed for life; with the initial story that they would even replace one eaten by an elephant ; I assume the owner lived to file the claim . Now they are more circumspect in the terms of their guarantee. Walking in the Pyrenees, in summer, requires serious sun protection , and one that is firmly anchored in place given frequent mountain winds .  A fellow walker introduced me to the benefits of Tilley . I duly  ordered mine only to find that it had to be returned twice , with my request for an ever increasing size ; I have a long ( not big ! ) head . They returned their largest , with a note that it was also their biggest , and if not sufficient then I was on my own ! It successfully accompanies me on all mountain walks ; there are no elephants here , only the occasional bear . The hat and wearer goes on !

Age has reduced cranial coverage , thinning hair and Mediterranean sun requires that hat . Around town Tilley wearers would not be seen by self respecting partners . So I have my version  of a  Peaky Blinders hat , although without razor blades. A Ecuadorian holiday demanded something even more stylish , I couldn’t see “ our man in Havana “ in a cloth cap . The original Panama hat actually comes from Ecuador ; so in good tourist tradition , it was off to the factory . Good marketing ensured that the coffee shop was on the roof in full sun . I resisted the hats confined to a separate locked room , retailing at several thousand dollars ; but left nevertheless , with a jaunty step ; a true man about ( that ) town .   I haven’t summoned up the pizzazz to wear it here.

I was woken in the middle of the night after that coronation by our rescue farm’s very own peacocks . They are truly very noisy birds , and clearly only belong in the biggest stately home with the acres to match . It must have been a passing fox who decided he needed his very own banquet. That got me thinking : did all those guests get fed , it didn’t feature in any of the ubiquitous press coverage. Then again what happened before the event . Some of the lesser congregation must have been in the seats for over five hours . There was no obvious coming and going ; and the Abbey must have had adequate facilities , many of the guests were not in their prime! I drifted off wondering whether all that pomp and ceremony was truly relevant in today’s world and particularly that of the current UK . After all he doesn’t get to wear that hat / crown very often, it returns to the Tower ; and by the way , Modi wants his diamonds back . Perhaps he has a vision of recreating former Indian grandeur.

Look no hat !..or anything else.

Gandhi replied: "Do not worry about my clothes. The king has enough clothes on for both of us.” When he was invited to meet King George V........ nothing much has changed