Another update from deepest France about our grandson. Our grandson Luca now 6 months old is begining to sit up on his own.
For those of you that look at my photo blog you will know that from time to time I post a photograph taken by his Mum or Dad so that we are able to keep up with his progress.
I have wanted to post this photograph for a while. It wasn't taken at Réal and is part of a little silde show on flickr that I have linked to before.
This little fellow though he was hiding in the fold of a leaf and enjoyed himslef when I watered the plant.
It's name in French is Reinette and again it was taken with my little Minolta digital.
Right in the middle of good farm land and lots of tractors, most of the hay cutting has been done now and I took this photograph a couple of weeks ago in the field next to us.
There is an abandoned farmhouse not very far from us. In one of the buildings next to the house are a number of old farming tools and this old radio.
There it sits gathering dust and cobwebs but every time I pass by I have a look because it reminds me of my Grandmother and the radio she used to sit and listen to.
Ah memories.
More than a little late today with my post!
This is my one of competition. If anybody can name this bug by tomorrow they will receive a post card all the way from Réal.
Yes I know other folks are doing this but I just wanted to do it this one time.
Anybody know?
This little pussy cat was photographed in the village of Cordes sur Ciel, in the Tarn district.
I wanted to show one of the bridges over the river Tarn. All along this part of the river there are a number of suspension bridges.
This one is at the village of Bessieres just now the road from us. I saw all these different signs and thought it made for a very nice confusing picture – the heat must definitely be getting to me!
I know that the weather all over Europe is sizzling in a heat wave conditions, and as I see on other photo blogs we are not the only ones.
Got to get into the swimming pool to cool off, my wife may do me a lot of bodily harm for posting this photograph, but at least she is having fun!
Not from Réal, or even a photograph taken in France, but as I have posted photographs of our grandson Luca before I thought I would give an update of how he is doing.
He looks to be doing fine on a weekend trip to Brighton with his Mum. There is a chance we will get to see Luca again when he may come back to France in September, along with his parents of course. In the meantime it is great to see his progress with weekly photographs.
Photographer unknown - but I think can say it is a friend of Luca!
The interior of the church of Saint Michel at Gaillac, not to many takers for the coolness or anything else for that matter.
It is nice to wander round these lovely old places and feel the history that surrounds whilst doing so, and as Dianne mentioned yesterday the wine of Gaillac that can be had next door makes for a pleasant detour.
Apart from shopping malls and air conditioned cars one of the other places to go to get some respite from the heat are churches.
Yes it is still hot; in fact it seems to be getting hotter draining all energy from everyone.
This is the lovely church of St. Michel at the side of the river Tarn in the town of Gaillac about 30 minutes drive from us, and yes it is nice and cool inside.
We did have a storm last night and a little rain and it refreshed the air a little while, but we are back to hot, hot, hot.
Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun as well as the odd photographer. This deserted street in Albi, Capital town of the Tarn, shows the shutters are closed and no one is moving.
Time for an ice cream and a cool drink.
In the old village of Puycelci there is and artist’s house. This rather imposing and perhaps intimidating guard dog sit above the entrance which is closed and only allow visitors a fleeting glance through the closed gate of other sculptures that lie within.
Whilst I am writing this there is a rain storm passing overhead bringing the much need rain. Thunder rattles round about and lighting flashing can be seen from time to time. It is not as violent as some of the storms we have had here and for now we welcome the rain. We are all hoping when the sun shines again the temperatures will not be quite so high!
Still no sign of the storms that have been forecast for at least three days now, we have seen them pass by, either to the south or the north and experienced electricity cuts, but nothing much in the way of rain.
The daytime temperature in the shade has remained at 38°C again today and we are wilting in this heat.
Another nice cloud shot taken from the garden looking west – where the stroms are supposed to be coming from – perhaps tonight!
I took this photograph about 15 minutes ago. The sun is setting and the storm clouds and gathering for the second night in a row.
We could do with rain and we could do with the temperature dropping about 10°C it has been another day with heat wave conditions and highs of 38°C.
We also keep having the electricity cuts so I am going to post this quick and shut down the computer.
Another cheesy shot from the Monday market at Bessieres about 8 klms from us. We will be off to the market again tomorrow.
I love French markets, the produce that is available and chit chat that goes on. Lots of fun and of course excellent cheeses, fruits and lots more, or you can wander round, not buy anything and soak up the atmosphere.
I love taking photos of people at their work. The great chat that goes on is always fun.
We used to buy Crevettes (prawns) for us but since Billy the cat had one a few years ago we only get them for her now.
It is her special treat once a week. Lucky cat.
It is French National day here, and I am working in the garden. It should be a holiday, but it seems only Billy the cat has the right idea.
It is hot outside so she is resting before taking a stroll this evening.
I am way late posting today. Still in the garden and very busy. I think I need a vacation/holiday.
I got stung by a wasp the other day, the first time since I was a kid and it hurt I can tell you.
There are lots of little wasp 'nests' like this around the garden and I usually leave nature alone which I did when photographing this one. I have to add I was not stung by this fellow, it was when I was clearing some rubbish away.
I am having to post images that I have taken before, summer is getting to be a busy time and I am not getting time to get out with my camera. This image was taken in the garden with what I refer to as ‘my little digital.’ A Minolta Dimage Xt, no longer made and I believe that Minolta has been taken over by Sony now.
I am always surprised at the quality of the images even although there is no macro and it really is a point and shoot camera.
If anyone is interested in seeing a slide show of some more photographs taken with this little wonder have a look at this slide show on flickr,
a stroll in the garden.
I just had to post another sunflower photograph. The countryside now has whole fields of yellow round heads and it is an impressive sight.
I will say this is from a series of photograph that I did some time ago but I wanted to share once again one of those images that is synonymous with the south of France and I am living in the middle of all this lovely colour.
A nice bit of open plan terrace in the ancient picturesque village of Puycelci, just what need in the 35°C heat we are having at the moment.
It is a little hot in the south of France again, but I am not really complaining.
I wanted to post this photograph today. It is of our German friends Michael and Kerstin who came to visit us along with Kerstin’s sister Ute back in May. We had all had a great time together and it was a very special occasion as Michael and I initially met by being part of the same internet forum on website development and related subjects and this was the first time we all met in person.
The reason for posting this photograph today is to thank the German people, (yes I know that is rather grand of me) for being such wonderful hosts for the Football World Cup. Germany has third place and today France and Italy play the final. As I live in France and my wife is French I am hoping France will be the winners.
Football fever is running high in all three countries I think, and when I have watched TV interviewers ask either French or Italian supporters ‘Who do you think will win?’ the answer has always been, (if you are Italian) ‘may the best team win – as long as it is Italy.’
So of course I have to say, ‘may the best team win – as long as it is France.’
We will know soon enough……………
Nous n’avons pas L’ADSL mais nous avons un très bon garagiste.
The Question ;
Avoir L’ADSL et un mauvais garagiste, quelle est la priorité !
Nous préférons Monsieur Blazy a Rabastens.
We have yet to get ADSL (broadband) in our area but all around us it is available and I will tell anybody who wants to listen, even our local garagiste, and above my wife wrote;
We do not have broadband but we have a great garage mechanic.
The question; what would we prefer broadband or a good garage mechanic, what is our priority?
We prefer Mr Blazy in Rabastens, one of the villages close to us.
Although I do have to say as long as my car is going fine I really do want broadband.
Football World Cup fever has taken grip in France. France and Italy play in the final on Sunday.
I am not a real football fan but I am caught up in the fever and of course I hope that France win. We will know on Sunday who is to be the winner.
In the meantime with all the celebrating going on I thought I would offer you all a drink from the local market. Roll up. Roll up. Have a bottle if you want.
Just struck me as a really funny sign must be the dark side of me. It means thieves path, or thieves’ alleyway. Taken in one of those old French villages that surround us – must have been a lot of thieves around in bygone days, or maybe it is a new sign.
Who knows, but I liked it
This is a shot from the Monday market at Bessieres about 8 klms from us, and every Monday the Magic Bus is there. I believe we would have called it a Iron Mongers (sp) in the UK in days gone by.
The sides of the bus open up revealing everything from watering cans to sky hooks – axes, nuts, bolts garden tools etc. You name it they seem to have it.
Once again I am amazed at what gems can be found in this lovely country.
Temperatures are rising and it is getting hot in the south of France. The green of spring has now been replaced with yellow – that is depending when you go out and the sun low in the sky. The grain fields are being harvested and there are areas covered with magnificent sunflowers.
Before ever visiting the south of France sunflowers were one of those images of France that I would dream about seeing in full living colour, now they are all around me.
This photograph was one that I have had for a while but I wanted to post it as it shows those lazy hazy days of summer.
Happy Fourth of July to all my American friends.
On a very quiet road very near to where we live we were surprised by all these bikes racing towards us.
There was an all terrain bike race going on so our normal Sunday walk which usually is very calm presented us with a reminder that Le Tour de France had already begun. This was not it of course and I wondered how these guys were managing to keep going in temperatures which were about 35°C
Another sporting event to keep us in front of the TV.
When we were all having fun drinking wine and stuffing out mouths full of good French food kids of course know how to get away and have their own fun.
I though this was a lovely shot for a lazy Sunday. I was taken last Sunday during our celebration.
This Sunday in the south of French it has warmed up to a sizzler - it is hot.
This is the other light of our life – Billy the Cat. We found her abandoned at the side of the road about five years ago as a little bundle of fur. She survived the first night and has been with us ever since. She has traveled as far as Portugal and the UK.
Just now she is looking to see if it is really worth chasing after that bird that just flew by.
