New Arrivals, New Beginnings
After the spring rains came the deluge – of people!
But in a great blessing from the Universe, the calm before the storm came in the form of another house-sitting gig. This time at our friends’ Robin and Meredith’s place – a beautiful country home with it’s occupants of 8 cats and three chickens.
While we still put in long days at the cheateau in preparation for the opening events, the quiet, relaxing evenings here gave us solace and reflection time for the summer ahead. We also had the great fortune to use their car while they were away. This new freedom was amazing and we were so grateful to have the opportunity for exploration, dropping into nearby Castres for a Saturday Market day.
Before, during, and after the house-sitting, Chateau Brametourte had been hosting a number of helpers from England, France, New Zealand, and Canada, mostly younger in age. But now we were getting ready for the arrival of another US American of the wiser age – the most senior Wwoofer we know: Christine’s mom!
Meredith and Robin were kind enough to let us take a trip to Toulouse to pick up Christine’s mother Cheryl from the airport. Along the way we stopped at a well-known Tibetan Buddhist retreat center, recommended by Meredith, and enjoyed an impromptu free lunch at the end of their retreat weekend.
We enjoyed the friendly table conversation about who we were and what we were doing. From there we visited the church in medieval Lavaur and walked around the picturesque town.
It’s not really necessary to qualify these towns as medieval, there are very few “new” or overhauled towns where the streets have lost their medieval plans. Sure many storefront facades have changed, but the old churches and central neighborhoods with their narrow lanes and traditional constructions are very medieval and continue to be the heart of the populace.
On from Lavaur, we found the airport, but more importantly, we found Christine’s mom!
Cheryl jumped right in learning the ropes so to speak and getting to work with the other Wwoofers – here she is with Liz.
Meanwhile, we got to pick our first courgette harvest (that’s zuchinni for those who are just joining us).
The following week we would have an even BIGGER harvest…
The Chateau’s first commercial booking was a healing song and dance workshop led by a nice man from California named Tui.
With Meredith’s graciousness, Christine, Jonathan and Cheryl were all invited to take part in the workshop in exchange for a bit of help in the kitchen. Our time with Robin in the kicthen was entertaining, (a different kind of) relaxing, and informative. With Robin’s culinary expertise, Jonathan learned the importance of having dry salad leaves for the dressing to work properly. We also learned some secrets about ratatouille (having really ripe tomatoes is key) and how to appreciate good kitchen organization.
The workshop was fun, although a bit tiring for us, and it culminated with a viewing of Across the Universe, a musical with adaptations of Beatles music about the 60’s cultural revolution. On the night of the Summer Solstice, the three New Zealand girls, fashioned an effigy of a fertility spirit-goddess (she has a name they gave her but I can’t recall it) which we burned on a great bonfire after ceremoniously eating the fruit of the land from her mouth.
pictured left to right is Kiersten, Liz, Cheryl, Ella, Natasha, Anna, Christine
Since then, we’ve been busy with cake stalls for various events, the vide granier (flea market) in Lautrec, and a weekly market in Realmont. Sonia and John took the three of us out for a day in St. Antonin-Noble-Val, for their market before picknicking on the Aveyron River. We took in three great bastide towns (hastily fortified hill towns built during the Wars of Religion, 11th-13th century) on the way back and have since dined with them again, savoring their fresh garden produce and John’s fantastic artwork.
Also joining us for this last visit with John and Sonia was another new arrival from the States, our friend Brian!!!! Straight off the plane from Morocco, Brian, a former co-worker of Christine’s from Oregon, came to share his good company and experience a small taste of the Chateau life.
Here at the Chateau, rabbits have been the scourge of our dismal harvest. It’s somewhat painful to see all the hardwork and potentially my dinner getting devoured with no employable means to stop them. Alison didn’t really take my suggestions seriously about getting weasels or martins, but she did vow to invite the hunters around come rabbit season this winter.
Alas, perhaps it just wasn’t meant to be. The global economic downturn has crept into the countryside here and has caused our downsizing. We were informed last month that our gainful work arrangement was drawing to an end. So we’ve created new travel plans which will take us further north (although the weather here is quite perfect at the moment).
As of this writing, Christine is at her second annual Ladyfest in Berlin with our friend Annie, while Jonathan prepares to hand off the groundskeeping plans to Liz before spending a night couchsurfing in Toulouse. Then it’s a reunion in Paris on Wednesday for Christine and Jon where we’ll stay with a friend of Jon’s sister for five nights and explore Paris in the summer. Then we’re off to Bretange and the northwest coast of France for a couple days camping followed by some more helpXing. Then we fly across the chanel to Cork to catch a bus to a small helpX farm Kenmare in Co. Kerry, Ireland. Whew! Sounds like fun!
seeingspain
July 27th, 2009 at 7:10 am
Hi John and Christine.
I was really sorry not to be in good health to wish you a nice trip back !
I’m feeling better now, a week later !!! Just wanted to send a kiss to Christine as well, who was already in Berlin while we were coming back from southern spain.
Hope we will see you again back in Europe, sincerely. It was a pleasure to meet you both.
You might remember, when I made my first “barbecue” in May, there was a guy named Fabrice that spoke a little spanish with Christine… He was so ashamed to know you were already gone home. First of all, I must tell you that his wife Sonia gave birth to a second little boy last week (he’s called Adel) !
I think you had a conversation with him about the olive harvest in Spain ?… If ever you’re interested and want to keep in touch, [edited to protect privacy]
Many kisses from Marmotte and Lautrec’s people !
July 29th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
FYI, I am still enthusiastically following your adventures. Your next stop in Ireland brings back memories of my summer trip there as a 17-year-old. Tell me if you don’t agree that there really are extra shades of green there.
I am nearing the end of a very busy, but interesting summer school term – 4 science classes in preparation for nursing. Finding a bit of time for playing and hiking, and even working the occasional day as a PSS. (I quit in May to go to school…)
August 2nd, 2009 at 2:09 pm
Hi Jon and Christine, Just got caught up on your happenings. Those are huge zucchini but I guess they would do well in the ratatouli. I guess you are in Irland now. Your Great Grandfather Trueman’s roots. Looking forward to seeing you in November. The pictures are wonderful. Such beauty all round. Has Cheryl returned home? Love and hugs, Grandma B
October 7th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Cheryl is on her own adventure now so this wasn’t just a visit on her part. She’s keeping her own blog too!