“To market, to market, to buy a fat pig, home again, home again, jiggety-jig” – remember that old nursery rhyme? It sprung to mind as the children and I headed off to a nearby farmers market last Sunday. The girls were drawn like magnets to the baby chicks, the ducklings and rabbits; little did they know they were intended for the pot rather than as pets. I didn’t see any pigs for sale but I am sure, had I made enquiries, I could have bought one, but I really don’t want a pig! 
This was a far cry from the usual weekly market where we buy our fresh fish, fruit, vegetables and cheese – the typical French market where the locals buy so much of their food every day. No, this was, as the name suggests, a real ‘Farmers’ market, in every sense of the word. 
The morning was neither sunny nor particularly warm but that had not deterred most of the locals who came from miles around. A huge undercover area had been set up for lunch. Two young lads were grilling vast slabs of meat on the barbecue and the tables were quickly filling up as lunchtime approached. 
We started at the plant stand where I bought lots of small geraniums for the garden before quickly moving on to local honey. We were offered so many different varieties to taste – sunflower honey, wild-flower honey, honey of the forest; nothing is ever hurried, everything is considered and discussed before a decision is made and there is no pressure to buy which in a strange way makes me buy more! Local organic strawberries were our next purchase, along with spring onions and asparagus; I was definitely getting hungry! We passed on the cognac tasting (the girls are a little young!) but there were plenty of people sampling, drinking and buying; chatting and telling stories, it was all so convivial.
We had arranged to meet our good friends, Penny and Adrian, here at the market and they were quite adamant that we really needed a pair of ducks to add to our menagerie at home. I couldn’t even imagine going home and telling Roddy that we had come back with two more feathered friends, but they just laughed and Adrian said he knew a good lawyer! And so before I knew quite what was happening, two ducklings, not more than a few weeks old, were chosen and put into a cardboard box as a very belated house-warming present!
Back home and the sun decided to make it’s first appearance of the day – lunch on the terrace and a bottle of bubbly, if we needed an excuse then it had to be celebrating that Roddy loved the ducklings and the divorce lawyer was not needed! Adrian and Millie set about making a temporary outdoor run for our new acquisitions, complete with an old borrowed paddling-pool from our lovely neighbour. The ducklings are still too young to roam free (which is the long term plan, of course) but for the time-being I wouldn’t trust our dear nearly fully-grown kittens, Rory and Clara, until the birds are much bigger. Surprisingly Clara, who is a real hunter, has no interest in them, but Rory is intrigued. I don’t think he wants to hurt them, he just wants to play, but to him playing is all about teeth and claws; this is a great game with Bentley, but I’m not so sure it would be so good with two young ducklings, so we’re taking no chances.
So without further ado let me introduce you to the latest members of our family who Penny and Adrian baptized after themselves – I give you Penny and Adrian!
p.s. do make sure you have your volume turned up, the sound of them drinking is adorable!
If I was to tell you that they are even worse for wasting time, would you believe me ?
Our French Oasis 
Lovely to see the ducks swimming around and obviously very ‘at home’ now. Hope to see them and you again very soon!
……….what next ……? A goat perhaps!!
No definitely not a goat! I mean I love goats, but they eat everything within reach and you know how I love my garden! However, Penny and Adrian are a delight and total time wasters!
Thank you for another fascinating post. Are the local organic strawberries hot-house grown or is it already strawberry season there? Congratulations on adopting the winsome Penny and Adrian…no time you spend with (or caring for) them will be wasted! When I was a child, we loved gardening and playing in our yard with our ducks, chickens and rabbits foraging around us. I really want to hear your lucky ducklings in their pool, but when I try to play the video I get this message: “video cannot be played because the file is corrupt.” Would you re-post it? Happily, Leslie
Hi Leslie, I will try reloading the video, it is working perfectly for me but let me know if it works for you. The children are loving the ducks, the chickens, the garden, growing things, and I have to admit so am I! The strawberries have to be hot-house grown, nowhere near warm enough yet, although our little wild strawberries in the garden which grow all along a south facing wall are all in flower.
Your family is beautiful, everything about this idyllic life is delightful to read about.
I would have tons (100’s) of animals of all kinds. I love all of them. Especially dogs.
Perfect place for the kiddos.
Thanks for your lovely comments. Don’t ever tell my children how many animals you would have, we would be a zoo no time!!!
I can hardly wait to see to the picture of them laying with Bentley on that mat enjoying the warming rays of the sun. Your home is amazing Susan. So enjoy starting my day reading about it.
What a lovely comment, thank you so much. I cannot wait until they get bigger too. Then they can roam free along with the chickens! I’ll keep you posted! x
Would you believe I bought TWO ducklings at market in Florence years ago and brought them home.They slept in our kitchen!My neighbors kept saying they weren’t ducks but GEESE……..I did not understand the Italian word for GEESE!I finally GOT IT when they came in to adulthood!THEY WERE A BIG JOY in our LIFE lost out there in the TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE……………YOU will have lovely memories.
WE then had a duck named DONALD here in the STATES.He fetched a stick like a dog!Have the girls try that. Show them a small stick and toss they will run and tap!!!!
I am off to set up an ANTIQUE SHOW Today I need to SCOOT away from here……..coffee time is over for me!!!!
You and I are are very similar in many ways!!!
XX
Oh I so enjoyed reading this, yes I think we have many similarities, we’ll slowly swap more and more stories and so more and more coffee or red wine! I told the children about Donald, of course they were delighted, tomorrow is the start of two weeks spring break so they will have lots of time to tame the ducks and train them. I will let you know how we get on! Hope you have a great Antique show and a fabulous weekend x
I loved Market To Market no fat pig…..
But home with beautiful geraniums for your garden and cute little ducklings. I am so glad your husband excepted the new addition to the family. I love following your adventures and your busy life in France with beautiful photos, the way you write I feel that I am there.
Hi Carolyn, thank you so much and I am so glad to have you following. If you feel as if you are here with us then I am doing something right and that makes me very happy! Lots more adventures and tomorrow we start two weeks Spring Break which I love, it’s such fun when everyone is at home! Have a fabulous weekend x
I love ducks, they were the first feathered friends to join us here in France and I always smile when watching their antics!
I know just what you mean, have never had ducks before, they are so tame already and as you say such fun to watch
Oh I bet these 2 get up to lots of mischief! We bought our chicken coop off a friend who couldn’t cope with her naughty ducks and had to give them away!!! I bet they’ll be a lot of fun.
I can imagine they could be very naughty! Hopefully these two will remain manageable! We adore them already!
oh they are adorable, we used to keep chickens but our garden wasn’t big enough for ducks, hope they settle in well with the cats
thank you, they have become very much a part of the family! To start with the cats were curious, now they couldn’t care less and leave them be. They are such characters and so much fun, I have never had ducks before and am so so glad we were given them!
Oh wonderful, a lovely addition to the family 🙂
Thank you, they are! They have grown so fast and are such fun and so incredibly friendly, we all just love them!
Awww – ducks are such fun and I hope you have a lot of fun with these 2. Do you know what breed they are?
Many thanks for adding a happy duck tale to #AnimalTales
Hi Rosie, they have gven us so much fun already, they are so friendly and they are huge! They are a pair of Muscovies. We just love them!