Wednesday 11 April 2007

The Woods that Legend Spake Of

We have solved one of the great mysteries of our lives. We have found The Woods That Legend Spake Of!

When we bought the house the previous owners chucked in about one and a half acres of sapins (pine trees). Up to press these have been a coloured in F shaped block on the plan cadastral. We have made forays down the lane that leads there but it peters out into a mess of barbed wire and bramles. The little plots that look so clear on the plan are nothing like on the ground. We have always referred to the missing plot as "The Wood That Legend Spake Of"

So Monday tea time Lawrence was once again chewing over the plan but it was hot I was knackered from moving bricks AND I had a poorly thumb. Then he outmanouvered me. He spotted Joel our next door neighbours' son and rushed out to greet him saying something like "Hello Joel How are you? Isn't it hot? Land ours (jabbing at the plan) me no find you know? You help?"

Joel agreed and led us off down the lane plan in hand pointing at landmarks and the plan. I can tell you he set a right old pace while we trotted along behind him gasping out the odd oui, non and daccord hopefully in the right places.

At the spot where the path disappeared he led us over barbed wire (just the right height to be embarrassing) and down a field pointing out where the chemin "track" should be. Then we were there! THE WOODS THAT LEGEND SPAKE OF. The bits around it belonged to Joel, his mother and his father and Voisine was obviously really important and the numbers on the plan but Voisine knew and Voisine was the key to it all although it was very complicated.

We did a complete circuit while Joel pointed out the bits of rotten fence post, rusty wire and broken down walls that marked our boundaries. Like all legends the woods did not quite live up to their reputation. They were mainly horizontal due to some great trombe or trompette or something, obviously something windy as the few trees that were standing had had their tops ripped off at about twenty feet high. Or maybe it was the dragons. (que X files music).

So we will be self sufficient in firewood next winter and blackberry jam.

And Voisine? that means neighbour another mystery that was resolved when we found the dictionary, which we really should carry with us at all times. It was very complicated but Joel could take us straight to our land as he could tell from the plot numbers that we were neighbours.

2 comments:

tea and cake said...

Hello Karen! It has taken me days to get back to look at what you've been up to, and it looks great! What lovely weather you've been having and, to have got so much dug and planted! I seem to be sprouting !! sorry.

I am impressed though. We've just been trying to agree the shape of our chicken coops and I've got the name of a man who may be able to supply hens, phew, busy or what?

So glad to see you're settling in so well and that you have patient neighbours. Look forward to reading more. cheers kaz xx

Breezy said...

Thanks Kaz - Chickens! Soon to be installed here if we can ever get to St Junien early enough on the right Saturday of the month. Glad it's not just us having bother with the chicken coops although most chickens round here seem to live in old chassis of deux chevaux