Awoke this morning to find our pool completely frozen. Despite a spate of cold frosty mornings recently, today was the first time our pool actually iced up. Although we live in Chateauneuf-de-Grasse (itself a lovely medieval perched village) we are, as we are wont to say, down in the pits; an area called by the locals as "Little Siberia". Generally not a daily function in winter, we can find ourselves scraping the hard frost off the car windscreen reminding us, very much, of cold wintery days in the UK.

Between our new office and the river bank I spoke about yesterday, we have a rather large Common Persimmon Tree (Diospyros) - also called a Kaki Tree - that comes into its own during these winter months. Naked and bare of all its leaves it stands majestically with its large juicy orange-coloured fruit. Although Nigel and I are not partial to it, boy, do the birds love it!

Whole flocks of starlings converge onto the river bank trees making the most awful din. Once settled a sudden glorious peace reigns over the garden. Then, one by one, they fly down onto the Persimmon Tree to plunder the juiciest of fruits, pushing and squabbling as they do so and generally showing much bad humour when failing to find a tasty morsel. Momentarily replete, they swarm off in a clap of wings to hunt down another tree.

Once the coast is clear, down come the Great Tits who have carefully hidden themselves in the dense bush and now enjoy the frosted fruit with a touch more finesse and kinder demeanour.

Their feast over, waiting patiently in our abri-voiture, our river bank Robin now pops out. Making sure that no pesky cats are around, he bobs his way to the ripe fruit lying on the leafy ground and pecks at the soft textured flesh inside, burst open by their fall.

Our wintery "Litte Siberia" has been known to drop down to   -15°C yet by lunch time and until around 3pm it can be warm enough to walk around the garden in short sleeves. Magic!