Happy New Year from La Menantelliere. The new year brings hope, faith and love. Because, hope makes all things work, faith makes all things possible and love makes all things beautiful. May you all have all three in abundance in 2013.

We are looking forward to an plentiful harvest from the potager and welcoming the chickens, our new members of the family in the springtime. The chicken coop is under construction from reclaimed and recycled materials. I would especially like to thank Lou and Dan for the invaluable reference books on keeping small livestock.

Alice Walkers 'The Chicken Chronicles' a memoir is a lovely read and provided me with more inspiration and excitement at getting the chickens.

Our renovation programme is coming along nicely and thanks to Dom (website development) we are very pleased with the new barn conversion and the development of our website.

I am finishing on a note from Frederick Eden, A Garden in Venice, 1903. A garden is not made in a year; indeed it is never made in the sense of finality. It grows, and with the labour of love should keep on growing. And hopefully La Menantelliere will keep on growing from strength to strength. 

Madame Josephine xxx