I’m working on the site of a retired B&B in Céret right now, renovating the garden and watching the kids of a family that just moved in. Mostly, though, the kids watch me, and try to teach me things about the chickens, the chestnut trees, and “the new bedtime” their parents, hand-over-heart, really said they could have just yesterday.

Besides them and the chickens there are two mourning doves, three cats, nine guinea pigs, a rescued pigeon, two exotic breeds of racing pigeon (?), one puppy, and whatever of the neighbors happens to stop by. Including a donkey.