2014 a welcome to all our new guests and ......

We hope you have enjoyed our diary over the years but for 2014 we have stopped writing for now and have been concentrating on a new website at and creating a more modern website. 

 Choose any dates on the right hand column to enjoy whats been going on at Gone Fishin! 

 We are enjoying our family home and life in the Lot et Garonne South West France and the managing of our gite through the summer months. 

Thank you to all who have made 2014 another bumper season for the business. We are taking bookings for 2015, we advise you to book early so as not to be disappointed as we already have 8 weeks booked up in 2015.

 See you soon.... Alan and Jenny xx Our new site update is now www.france4two.uk

Gone Fishin' 2013

A very happy 2013 to everyone.

A big thank you to all our returning friends who have booked again and a big welcome to our new guests for this summer.

A very dry garden but succulent table grapes!

We are delighted to say we have just 3 weeks left to fill for the summer season, so do be quick!!

Where 2012 disappeared to is a complete mystery, hence the somewhat neglected blog of what we have been up to.
A very dry summer as you can see here the garden at Gone Fishin' looks somewhat parched but the table grapes did very well!

In the picture below around October the lake looked low........

Alan and our son in law Alan having fun trimming the trees!

We are pleased to report that we have had a good drop of rain (yes, really pleased, honestly!) the lake had never really caught up with its usual amount of water during the last 3 years as we have seen dry winters and of course dry summers, but despite this the lake and fish remain in a  healthy state and the  level is now excellent.

The water level is well up and now no sand banks.

What never fails to amaze us is how the ducks know to the very day in February when it is the end of the hunting season, even though they are left in peace and quiet as long as they remain on our land as it is forbidden to shoot on our 22 acres surrounding the property and we have to say our wishes are well respected.

October 2012 we had the house painted

For us our great excitement was that we had all the exterior of the house painted. We just need to put back the wisteria then all is finished.

Can you spot the hare in front of the 2 deer.
In fact there is a family of 5 deer but 3 out of camera shot.

The deer, hares and red squirrels are making their regular appearance which we know so many of our guests look forward to seeing when on holiday at Gone Fishin'

Regular visits from the red squirrel and not a grey one in sight!

We are sincerely looking forward to the arrival of our first guests in May, see you soon.

                 Enjoy!

July 2012 at Gone Fishin'

What a bumper summer season we are having with the gite. Thank you to all our guests new and returnees.And yes, we are already taking bookings for 2013. Same price as 2012 just £325.00 per week throughout the summer season offering self-catering with exclusivity, just for 2.

Just a little reminder to those just visiting for the first time......... we want you to be re-assured that we are real people that live in France full time and have converted part of our lovely country house into a self-catering  holiday Gite/cottage . The West side of the house (your accommodation) allows itself to be a totally independent cottage/gite allowing total privacy and tranquility. A lovely large garden is all yours with terrace and BBQ area, with access to our 22 acres in and around the lake, fishing rods are provided or bring your own or simply just enjoy the view. Picnic table are around the lake for you to enjoy perhaps watching the wildlife. Find out loads more at our website Please Note we have a new site www.france4two.uk

     

Catching up with May and June at Gone Fishin'

Thank goodness we had the rain at the end of April and part of May. The level of the lake was well up and the Carp now feeling very happy with themselves, lots of babies!.

These two months have been absolutely perfect weather warm bright sunny days, not too hot.

This little green frog know as a Rennet is real and very vociferous!!

The wild flowers were at their best May and June and the grass looking a lush green. Flowers the best ever thanks to the rain and warm sunny days. General maintenance keeps us busy and finishing off our new project... the balcony at the side of the house so we are able to enjoy the views over the lake and watch the wildlife. 

The first ducklings to hatch in the garden, mum is about to escort them on the journey to the lake.
What is it? It's a glow worm, nice from a distance but not so good close up!!

 

Celebrating the queens Jubilee with neighbours but more importantly with Sandra and Alan who kindly organized the party.

 Balcony project with views over the lake

  

               The 2 Alan 's cutting branches for a better view

Thousands of baby carp active at the end of May early June.

Again, catching up with March & April 2012.

March arrived as if someone had turned a switch .... it became spring very quickly.
Many people including ourselves had lost a lot of plants in the garden even though they were wrapped in fleece for protection and in the greenhouse.
Nature never ceases to amaze us how it tolerates the abrupt changes in the climate here.

Kermit enjoying the spring sunshine

Blue skies and e few green leaves showing spring has arrived at Gone Fishin' Aiguillon

Cherry blossom and views across our own private fishing lake

Daffodils and pansies doing their best in March

April, what a difference in a few weeks, pansies in full bloom and more leaves on the trees

It's catching up time with the blog, thank you to those that have asked me to continue as its so easy to keep saying I will do it tomorrow.
January and February wow, was it cold . Temperatures hovered in the -9 C region and in early February plummeted to -17C. We were all as snug as a bug in a rug . By the middle of the month the snow arrived and stayed with us for a good 2 weeks. Enjoy the pictures.

Kermit sleeping it off !

Seeing in the New Year 2012

The lake at Gone Fishin frozen over

The gites garden and terrace under snow

The quiet country lane to Gone Fishin' is even quieter, brrr beautiful but cold!

A Very Merry Christmas to all ...............

Wishing  A very Merry Christmas and a Healthy Happy New year to all our friends and guests from the gite who have indeed become our friends.

                                               

June through to September 2011 ......gone in a flash!

Little Al's visit to see little Ted

Well, the time just flew.
Thank you to all our guests that gave us yet another full summer season.
The weather was unusually hot early on in June and on the whole stayed that way through the summer.
Surprisingly the fish in the lake coped well as they just go deeper in the water, but that did not deter our guests who chose to do a bit of fishing whilst their wives enjoyed the shaded terrace.
Friends and family came and went enjoying their stay.

Friends and family

The fruit and veg in the garden did remarkably good depite the drought!

 

and the flowers bloomed........

A 2 day trip to Carcassone and a stop over in a hotel was a delight..........The castle could easily have been Hogwarts ..Harry Potters schoo!! and certainly the streets within the castle were Diagonal Alley!! very spooky but fascinating.

September the family arrived to chill out......... lovely.

And plenty more visits from friends..................................Spot the bambi in the distance.

 Our regular visitor the cheeky red squirrel..........................................

April - May summer arrived too quick...

With only a few April showers and the very warm continual weather in May our early spring aubrita and pansys flourished then went very quickly!!!

By mid May we were watering the garden late in the evening but at the same time trying to conserve water by using all washing up water in the garden!!
Sitting out in the evening listening to these little chaps singing to their loved ones is quite an experience!

       

 By the end of May we are well into our BBQ's every lunch time and enjoying welcoming our gite/ cottage guests arriving  for their start of the summer holidays.

   
The grass is looking a bit dry by now but flowers are looking good.

     
A much enjoyes siesta after lunch at the hottest time of the day is a must and its only May!!!!!

Young master Kermit enjoying an evening exploring. Is it an optical illusion he is bending the tree or does he really need to go on that threatened diet!!

       

March with spring in the air.

March has arrived with plenty of sun as we speak and it really feels that spring has arrived. Yes, its chilly in the early morning but by 10.30am we can be sat out having coffee!
March 26th the clocks move forward I think!

Lovely peacock butterfly enjoying the sun in March

The honey bees are buzzing!

The end of February is when the hunting season for ducks comes to an abrupt stop. Within days somehow the ducks in and around our lake (even though never shot at) can sense its safe to walk across our quiet lane and come across to the garden with love in mind as this is where they bring there wives to nest in peace and quiet.

A good sign for lots of fruit this summer.Enjoy!

This chaps brought his wife into the garden from the lake! to have a foot bath