Our normal peaceful slumber was shattered this morning by an ungodly scream that got us out of bed like a shot. As we rushed downstairs, in came Maggie May (our young Lakeland Terrier) as proud as punch with a baby bunny in her mouth. Thankfully, as Archie and Freddy quickly approached for a piece of her trophy with the cats in hot pursuit, she dropped it on the floor and I was close enough to swoop down and pick the little baby up.

Oddly enough, Nigel and I were remarking just the other day about the lack of rabbits in our area. While hedgehogs, foxes, badgers, wild boars, toads (pictured here limbering up in our pool recently) praying mantis, butterflies, locusts and the odd snake or two seem to make up most of our present neighbourhood wildlife, we had yet to see a rabbit - that is until today.

Carrying it gently in my hands, Nigel charged round the house and office shutting all the doors and cat flaps. With our pets safely locked inside, we quietly went outside, carrying the little bundle into our garden. Luckily we have a stream running past part of our garden and across that a lovely open field. Taking the long pole we normally have to clear leaves from the pool, I kissed little fellow on the head and then dropped him gently into the net and Nigel proceeded to extend the pole across the stream to the riverbank on the other side. A little jiggling and baby bunny hopped out into the leafy undergrowth and towards safety.

Recently this field has been used to graze sheep. A few of these woolly jumpers wear something akin to cow bells that jingle as they mooch around the field. It’s a lovely sound and they are a lovely sight to watch especially the lambs as they jump and frolick with one another and then quickly rush over to mummy for a sip of milk. While so reminiscent of country days of olde I’d forgotten how smelly they can be, but was promptly reminded yesterday: sitting outside the office with my first cup of coffee of the day, a gentle breeze brought the unmistakable smell towards me - strong, invasive and quite overpowering; even my beautiful English scented roses drooped.

I retreated indoors.

Today the sheep have moved away and are now grazing at the other end of the field. Hopefully bunnykins has made it back home to tell tales of adventure to his other siblings as Maggie May proudly explains her terrier tactics to the boys.

Such is life sometimes on the Cote d’Azur.