Our neighbor’s eggs

The house next to ours in Orthez is what I would term a manor house;  that is, a grand old home in its own modestly sized park.  I am sure that the term ‘manor house’ implies something specific, but to my eyes,  it’s a manor house.

Although it was originally built as the home for a single family, the current owners, sisters in their 80’s whose father built the house, have converted it to apartments for a number of families, one of which they occupy.  The park has been in part converted to garden and a meadow that is home to chickens, rabbits, a calico cat and usually, a number of migrating birds just passing through.

Monsieur Belkir, who keeps the grounds and tends the chickens is kind enough to offer us fresh eggs as often as we like, along with vegetable and lettuce in season.

We in turn contribute all our vegetable trimmings and stale ends of baguette by tossing them over the fence.  I think we get the better end of that bargain!