Hard working photographer

I thought if Mark over at Sainte Maxime DPcan show how hard he works I thought I could do so also. This was me at the weekend busy taking photographs (as some of you know of my Grandson Luca) when someone snapped me in action.

So now you all see how hard I work.

Four Generations

Is this beginning to turn into a family album or what?

Yes I know but I can’t help it I am so proud of my grandson and the celebration of his babtism that took place in such a beautiful setting.

On the male side there are four generations of the James family. So there you are one for the family album that once again I am sharing with you all. I also thank you all for the lovely comments about this wonderful event that happened.

Now we have to get back on track and I have a real dilemma France plays Brazil on Saturday. What am I going to do? I have a French wife and a Brazilian daughter-in-law and grandson – I think I will just sit back and watch the game knowing that whoever wins I am on the winning side.

Or if you have any suggestions then please let me know.

L to R Me, my wife Ghislaine, Izabel, Michael and Luca - Dad, Granddad and Great Granddad - Mum, Grandmum and Great Grandmum.

Luca Babtism

The line up from left to right is Izabel (Luca’s mother, Père André holding Luca and Michael, father of Luca.

The baptism took place in the church - Eglise Notre-Dame de Bon Voyage at Port la Nouvelle not far from Peyriac de Mer. I was delighted with Père André and his very laid back attitude to the whole affair, it was just wonderful.

Salt Lagoon Peyriac

I am way behind with posting photographs and this is the last for the moment for the beautiful village and the surrounding area of Peyriac de Mer. A nice peaceful image of the salt lagoon.

My daily blog about Réal I am sure will get back on track but I think as a proud Granddad I am going to have to show a few more photos of Luca and his special day when we all celebrated his baptism.

After all that’s life and we do not always stay 365days in the one place.

The old village of Peyraic de Mer

Ever thought about living in the south of France? Perhaps buying an old property and renovating it? Thousand of people are doing it.

You might even get some piece of modern transport to go with your house??

Heading back home later today with lots more photographs and perhaps if you folks are interested I can tell you more about Peyriac de Mer.

And then of course there is the Babtism of Luca - what a great weekend we have all had.

View of Peyriac over the salt lagoon

Late but I am here. What a wonderful day we have all had.

Here is a photo I prepared earlier - as they say................

The beautiful village of Peyriac de Mer is situated at the southern end of the Languedoc Roussillon area of the South of France in the magnificently rugged region of the Corbières. Over 3,000 sq. km of well-preserved nature, wild yet hospitable, with the Pyrenean mountains and the frontier with Spain to the south and the Mediterranean Sea to the east. In this beautiful part of France, where the sun shines more than 300 days a year, you are surrounded by a rich history.

Pink flamingos

This is not from where we live but from the surrounding area of the village of Peyriac de Mer in the Aude region near Narbonne, close to the Mediterranean and surround by salt lagoon filled with pink flamingo’s.

Nice place to spend the weekend and it is where my parents have lived for the past nine years.

Family celebration this weekend so I hope I don’t miss posting a daily photo.

Peyriac de Mer

A beautiful house in the village of Peyriac de Mer. Near Narbonne, south of France.

This is the house, with the blue shutters, where we will be staying this weekend. It is just up the road a little bit from where my parents live who are already full up with my son, his wife and my grandson Luca.

Big celebration this weekend with 4 generations of the James family and the babtism of Luca on Sunday.

Luca Eyes

OK I know this daily photo blog is not about Luca but someone said more Photographs of Luca so how could I resist?

In fact this was taken by his Mum and I am also way too late in posting today. Lots going on at the moment and Luca and his Mum & Dad have gone to stay with Luca’s Great Grandparents near Narbonne and we will be joining them tomorrow for the weekend so there is going to photographs of 4 generations of James’s

I just know you will all be so excited to see that.

Les Serveurs

The friendly staff at the Restaurant Saint Salvy in the Place du Cloître Saint Salvy, Albi, Tarn France.

Les serveurs - Le Top des Top.

Great place to eat if you ever visit the town of Albi.

Place du Cloître Saint Salvy

If you do get a chance to visit the town of Albi then a good place to have a very friendly meal in a beautiful setting is the Restaurant Saint Salvy in the Place du Cloître Saint Salvy

I will give more information about this lovely town and what can be enjoyed here, for now those that are regular visitors to my daily photo blog know that my time is being taken up by a little wonder called Luca – my grandson. Full time occupation this granddad business you know.

Luca and Grand-mereGuiGui

My wife prefers the Brazilian " Vovó GuiGui " as apposed to Grand-Mere GuiGui.

Anyway I make no apologies for yet another photo of our darling grandson Luca taken at a lovely restaurant on our visit to Albi yesterday. Albi is the capital of the Tarn Departement.

More of the restaurant in the next couple of days because if you are visiting Albi this is the place to enjoy a very nice relaxed meal.

Iced Colours

I loved the colours of these iced drinks or whatever they were that I photographed in Cacassonne.

I was going to have one until I read the middle one which says Raspberry. I have never seen blue raspberries before.

The colours do look nice though.

Sons of George

Sons, or daughters of George.

A few weeks ago I posted a photograph of Gorgeous George our friendly pheasant who wanders around. This spring it was George with his wife and baby pheasants who gave us great pleasure.

It was difficult to get a good photograph of the baby pheasants but this image gives you and idea of the delight we had when we saw this lovely family if birds.

We think there was eight chicks born of which five have survived.

Luca and Granddad

I am so proud of my grandson that I wanted to post another one of Luca with me, his granddad.

Taken on the morning of arrival by my his mother Izabel as we sat having breakfast in Carcassonne.

A magic moment for me and I just love this photograph.

Free Spirit

When visiting Cacassonne the medieval walled city I am always amazed at the amount of visitors from all over the world who are visiting France.

This photograph I like. Four girls had managed to find a quite spot to have a snack yet all around were tourist coming and going and I liked the peace and quite they had found.

Luca James

This is my grandson, Luca Raphael Azevedo James with his Mum Izabel. Luca has a fine heritage of Brazilian Scottish ancestry.

As you can image as a proud granddad all my time is being spent enjoying this beautiful new baby. How can I find time to photograph any other subject?

This was taken on the morning they all arrived as we sat having breakfast in Cacassonne.

Wall of Cards

After collecting my son and his family included my brand new grandson from Carcassonne airport we headed off to do the tourist thing and have a look around the medieval walled city of Carcassonne.

It is a magnificent example of this type of fortified city. More info can be found here: Carcassonne

It is a tourist trap, well worth the visit but for me just early enough in the season to make bearable.

Oh and you will be seeing some photographs of my grandson soon.

Bruniquel revisited

A special day today, so another lovely image of the village of Bruniquel before I head off to the airport to pick up my son, daughter-in-law and my brand new grandson Luca.

Luca was born at the end of January and this is the first time I will see him for real.

I'm excited.

Tarn House

Another little house in the country.

As far as I was able to understand from the farmers’ wife this is a traditional farm cottage from the Tarn area. And very few now exist as they are built using bricks made from sun hardened earth. I had a look inside and I could hardly image what it would have been for a family to subsist in such a place.

The farmer and his wife are slowly restoring it as part of the heritage of the farming community that surrounds us in the Tarn.

Brocante

Another visit to Rabastens, about 8 kilometers from us to visit the many Brocante - like a jumble sale, or yard sale of old or antique pieces that are held there.

I am not going into competition with Mark's competition but I have looked at this photograph and wondered just what these ladies were discussing?

Tarn Lght

That south of France light!

Late afternoon after a quiet stroll around the many beautuful villages in the Tarn. The light is just right all I need is a model, luckly my wife agrees.

The Tarn

A late post today, computer, or dial- Up problems this morning then an early morning trip into Toulouse airport to drop my wife off to catch a flight to Paris.

She will be in Paris and I won’t. I am going to miss being with Eric’s Angles, and before you all start crying I noticed a post on Eric's PDPyesterday from Joye about, no photo I don’t live in a town, nevertheless there is lots to photograph where ever you might live. So this is by way of a little encouragement in the way Eric helped me.

The image I posted today is of the rolling Tarn countryside, sometime loosely described as similar to Tuscany but with more trees. It is beautiful and because of Eric’s encouragement I started this daily blog. There are no more than six houses within walking distance of where we live but there are plenty of images to be snapped.

Le Château at Bruniquel

So how many old villages are there in France? Lots and lots is the answer, and it is not a case once you have seen one you have seen them all. They all have there own character and amongst the many things I love about France is the uniqueness of these charming places where there is plenty to discover.

After climbing slowly up through the winding streets right at the top of the village of Bruniquel there is Le Château and a spectacular view over the river Aveyron.

Bruniquel - one of my favourite villages

Back to my favourite village of Bruniquel.

Bruniquel is to the north of us and just over the ‘border’ in the départdement of the Tarn-et-Garonne and I believe I have fallen in love with these old villages that over recent times have been carefully and lovingly restored so that we can now enjoy wandering around and perhaps dream of a bygone age.

Today is the 62nd anniversary of the D-Day landing in France. I have posted a photograph here to remind all of the sacrifice others have made.

Somica

If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, goes the old saying. I am sure that this old fellow had been mended many times but it is still working.

On farmland these days you can see tractor workhorses that cost more than most family cars but of course they do a lot more work that tractors of 30 or 40 years ago. I don’t know how old this one is but it was at the end of our road and I just had to take a photograph.

The make of this fellow is Somica and no longer made.

Deux Chevaux at Bruniquel

Two of my favorites, the village of Bruniquel and a Deux Chevaux, a car that has become symbol of France.

My wife would like buy one of these cars. Me, well I like looking at them and photographing them. As I mentioned in a previous post these little cars are affectionally known as ‘une deudeuche’ and one of these days I will get to one of the car meetings held all over France of the aficionados of these fine French cars.

Bruniquel

The village is another one of several well preserved Bastide villages from the middle ages. A joy to wander round an enjoy the ancient architecture, and then stop to have an ice cream, or site at a café with a cool drink.

Bruniquel is to the north of us and just over the ‘border’ in the département of the Tarn-et-Garonne.

Walking through this elongated archway leads you into the village.

Back to School

Another photograph taken in the village of Rabastens at a local Brocante. I love these kind of markets. Lots of things to buy but I go mostly fpr the photography.

Although this image show an old school desk which along with the book might help someone improve their French!

Kodak Brownie

This photograph was taken in the village of Rabastens, about 8 kilometers from us, at a local Brocante, like an antique sale, and of course reminded me of how photography and cameras have changed so much in recent years.

I use a very small Minolta Dimage Xt for wandering around, about the size of a pack of playing cards and very unobtrusive. Gone are the days of a bulky camera bag and loads of equipment.

I just wondered what all you other DP’er used to capture your images on.