Some of us have got to stand on our hind legs ...

Anne- Sophie has just left to attend a meeting in the marie. She wont be allowed to speak but notes will be taken and her presence will be felt if not recorded in the minutes.
The slackness and complacency regarding the continual destruction of the land, our common heritage, gets a blind eye turned towards it , as the soil spews like so much chocolate sauce into the ditches. A great wonder to me that all the members of the marie aren't carrying white sticks.
A great deal of agitating is in order. Embarrassment for some, deep humiliation for some caring traditional families who's progeny now ignore the basic conciegerie, the exercise of duty of care. quick profits being put before the preservation of future generations rural economy and the common amenity for all living creatures.
Excuses abound, they are just that, easily blown out of the water. Speaking of water. The damage caused by the tractor driven ignorance, keeping the local cowboys in beer money once the heavy rain and springtime thaws have taken their toll will cause many thousands of tonnes of mineral and topsoil fines to be scoured away then dumped somewhere downstream, at the expense of some other communes ecology and local economy. Them az duz the naughty doo dooz iz gonna have the doo dooz rubbed in their noses. It is the least we can do, for now, a little more by each season passing.
The only ones in pocket are the farmers and their drivers who dip their bread in Euro funds without responsible care. The damage can and should be avoided.
Who pays for the harm that is done and who pays for the repair, if repair is possible. Everyone from the lowliest landless labourer to the most privileged and exhaulted land owner. Common peasant or bourgoisie.It comes out of the taxes.
Representaions will be made to the local electorate few are wholly awakened to the magnitude of the problem.Association will be formed to give weight to the voice of dissent against the on going neglect.Our back up may have to be the national and the European auditors. Claw backs and penalty for those who deliberately evade their moral and legal obligation.We have many photographs illustrating the results of poor practice, some video footage. Official letter of complaint has been received by the mayor.Attention is being drawn to many other interrelated issues.
Anne-Sophie has a blog expressing the relevant concerns,It's in French,time to practice what you learned in school, a real shame if all that hard earned education money was wasted.

The one eyed camera view gives little intelligence away...

Three views that don't amount to One worthwhile opinion between them.
How heavy, how hard, how painfully sharp.
You can't lick the working knowledge off the screen. Doing the do, iz the only way to learn.

Two tonnes, thrown and carried...

You would have to do it to see the sense some of these rocks weigh 10 to 20 kilos. They sit waiting for tomorrow when the will join the pile at the top of the rise. Minimum damage to the garden the weight is borne by the pathway which will be regraded before planting season. You will get no esoteric waffle about arcane knowledge here. Doing the do,debunks all mystery. As it should.

The gift of Topinambour...

Jean Gerard and I have exchanged less than a couple of dozen words over the last three years.His gift of Jerusalem artichokes says much and means more to me than trivial blah blah in any language. Thanks neighbour.

Tractor driven ignorance...

At twelve years old I was taught about the causes of soil erosion. Thanks go to Mr. Gosden our Geography master. The benefit of his lesson stayed with me.
The complacency of the bottom lining cowboy culture has to be taken to task. Anne-Sophie is up in arms. Neither of us fear losing friends over this issue.
Check out: www.moncampel.blogspot.com
For news of progress or local opposition to it.

Nice bit of stuff.

It's hard to keep up...

DEGRADATION...

OUCH , and plenty more where that came from...

Hardcore...

I've been throwing stone for most of the day. One at a time. I tried barrowing them but it left ugly brown wheel ruts in the grass paths. The by air method works well. It is night now, I feel cheated by the shortness of daylight. Waiting for tomorrow iz not the most satisfying work. More purple slabs will join their friends at the entrance of the top circle. A pretty sight they are. First job after coffee I will fill the crescent with the small stones, a raised field, flat topped and chamfered sides will be blinded off and later covered with a waterproof membrane then topped with small slabs bedded on lime mortar and grouted. That is to be the base of the verandah , the cool place to sit work or just shoot the breeze in the summer.
Once the pile of small hardcore is transfered I will treat it to judicious attention of my sledge hammer. A tonne or so more of purple slabs to move once that little chore is done.
I dare say folk would find it hard to believe that I might be enjoying the work. Loving the labour. Maybe not. I will get some sleep ,I am starting to blether. Hell, this blogging is a real time and energy vampire. I feel worse for doing this than after an afternoon of hard graft. Tomorrow then, another hardcore day.