Bonjour from Beautiful Brittany

Discussion in 'Introduce Yourself Here' started by Felicity, Jul 8, 2017.

  1. Felicity

    Felicity New Member

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    And a glorious morning, sunshine just strengthening, cool and damp underfoot, birdies busy, me just about to be.... Long ago (a decade or so) I took a permaculture certificate on the Isle of Man and loved every minute of it, was hugely enthusiastic and looking forward to early retirement in rural Brittany and time to develop my own permaculture project. I think I've done OK on my patch with a good range of edibles but certainly wouldn't hold it up as an example; I have learnt a lot and there are several things I would not plant again. Since being here I've discovered I don't really consume that much of what I grow, most of it I leave to the birds alongside the food I give them, so I'm concentrating more on things that bees and butterflies like, wonderful smells, colour for me and them. My good wishes to everyone who is concentrating on enhancing our magical earth.
     
  2. Pop Alexandra

    Pop Alexandra New Member

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    Welcome! I hope you enjoy your time here.
     
  3. mischief

    mischief Senior Member

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    Hi Felicity, welcome to the forum.
    Brittany is one part of the world that I would love to vist, such an interesting history.
    What made you decide to setle there?
     
  4. Felicity

    Felicity New Member

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    Thank you both for your kind welcomes, much appreciated!
    I see you are in New Zealand Mischief and that is one part of the world I would love to visit... maybe we'll do a swop?
    When I decided to retire in Europe I drove from Cornwall to Crete and back via Spain & Portugal, then visited Turkey which I adored but when it came down to moving my cats I took the wimp's decision not to move them too far out of their accustomed habitat which was Cornwall. I've not regretted it, Brittany is indeed spectacularly beautiful, especially in Spring when the bursting energy is palpable.
    Like your photo blog, especially the big black cat! my two are black also. And the little table...
    Go well.
     
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  5. Timcognito

    Timcognito New Member

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    Bonjour Felicity. We are neighbours, sort of. My extended family and me moved to the Orne (61) 6-years ago and since that time, my brother and I have endeavoured to create a wildlife corridor in a predominantly corn/wheat/cow farming area. Each year our little experiment extends a little further. We replant hedgerows, trees and grow as much as we can, even managed to acquire a polytunnel last year which has been awesome. Bonne chance, The Palmers
     
  6. Felicity

    Felicity New Member

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    Hi Palmers, great to know there's a few of us here plugging away at what we do! Yes, we are close neighbours - for France... What a good idea to move with extended family, an opportunity to get so much more done. How much land do you have to go at? Have you managed to convert any neighbours to the cause yet? I think France is getting the idea, somewhat slowly, especially in rural areas unfortunately, I've been here 10 years and feel reasonably positive about the way things are going although the dreaded chasse scupper other very real efforts towards re-establishing what must have been a truly bounteous countryside a couple of hundred years ago. Do you have a website of your activities? or are you too busy getting on with it? A+
     
  7. Timcognito

    Timcognito New Member

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    We have 15 acres and leave the majority alone. I suppose long-term we'd like an edible landscape. We tried hosting WWOOFers for a year but decided we needed better accommodation before we would do it again. Although we did pick up a seasonal visitor who stays with us spring and summer helping out and a good friend from the US who stays the maximum 3-months a year, every year. The locals know us but think our use of hand tools is strange. The longer we stay the more they want to investigate us... we're polite but I deteste the destructive nature of the farming techniques here. you can see more on my blog but since starting a Facebook account I have neglected it somewhat: palmer-permaculture.blogspot.com . Bonne chance. Tim
     
  8. Felicity

    Felicity New Member

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    Rebonjour Tim (like the sobriquet!), thanks for your blog address, lots of interesting work you're on with; are you registered as a wildlife reserve? May be on your facebook but I don't do social media. In theory it would be fairly straightforward to change the farming practices here as I understand it is all controlled centrally but there are a huge number of vested interests in such things as the chems and the vast machinery, however our new president doesn't at mind upsetting the established order so maybe there is a better future out there? Although political will is only one element - animals are in law sentient beings for several years (as if it needed a law to tell us this???) but still folks go shoot 'em up for 6.5 months of the year. Incroyable. Forward with heart we can only do our best, it is perhaps with the influence of your girls and their like who will presumably be fully bilingual and 'local' that the next generation will begin to see things differently? A+ Felicity
     

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