Hibernation over already?

We don't get much of a real winter in the Tarn, although we usually have one shortish sharp snap in January/early February (-14C last year to plumbers' delight), but this year we've been let off lightly (so far...). Only 30th January and SWMBO is pruning the vines in a sunny 18C.

Unlike Dave & Georgie's, our green shoots are real and the birds' behaviour around us suggests they think Spring is on the way. We hope they're right as our house has an electric central heating system and whilst French governments make sure that EDF cannot increase headline kwH and standing charge prices, they have allowed the list of  'Contributions' (French Newspeak for Taxes) that appear in very small type at the bottom of the bill to grow so much in past couple of years that together with VAT, they now account for over 30% of our bill. But still much cheaper than oil of course.

Jos' main past-time is quilting to which she's become addicted. You can't stay in any of our gites without seeing a quilt or three.