The Loire Valley and especially Blois
Pansies are for thoughts. This post is dedicated to all the family and friends I haven’t seen for many months due to Covid. Yesterday we celebrated a virtual thanksgiving with my children and their partners in Boston. At least they are able to see each other regularly. We can only hope for better days ahead. …
Continue reading “Lockdown #2 Day 28 – Reconfinement Jour 28”
On our walk today – the last where we will be limited to a radius on 1 K and one hour (tomorrow we are gardening at my holiday rental before the first frost) – we went past what is usually a duck pond and couldn’t see any ducks. But as we got closer we were …
Continue reading “Lockdown #2 Day 27 – Reconfinement Jour 27”
One of the things that keeps us sane during lockdown is our fireplace. It makes the long evenings very cosy. Our house was built in 1584 according to the stone plaque above the mantel. L’une des choses qui nous aide à garder le moral pendant le confinement est notre cheminée. Notre maison fut construite en …
Continue reading “Lockdown #2 Day 26 – Reconfinement Jour 26”
President Macron has just announced what lockdown will be like for the next few weeks and I am more reassured that I expected. New cases have gone down in the last month from 60 000 a day to 20 000. From 28th November, all shops will be open again with a strict protocol limiting the …
Continue reading “Lockdown #2 Day 25 – Reconfinement Jour 25”
Only the stumps of our bay leaf tree are left but we have a lot of mulch and some firewood. Our Covid figures are improving despite the fact that France now has 49,232 deaths against 40,987 on 11th November, an alarming increase. Loir-et-Cher, the area in which we live, has 4 people in intensive care, …
Continue reading “Lockdown #2 Day 24 – Reconfinement Jour 24”
We are having our first cold days here with 1 degree at night and under 10 during the day despite the sun. Gardening will be put on hold for a while. We are told the second wave peak is over thanks to lockdown but we need to stabilise. Everyone is clamoring to have non-essentials shops …
Continue reading “Lockdown #2 Day 21 – Reconfinement Jour 21”
This photo was taken when we left the market this morning. It was 1 degree. The second was taken 2 hours later on the way home, after going to Biocoop, the organic supermarket and Intermarché, the regular supermarket. It was 4 degrees by then. Next Saturday we will only have to go to the market …
Continue reading “Lockdown #2 Day 22 – Reconfinement Jour 22”
I was most surprised to see this temporary sign erected by the local council on our walk today. It says « I’m clean – my master picks up after me ». Obviously too many dogs are being taken for walks by uncouth owners. This particular behaviour is not one of France’s most endearing traits. J’étais …
Continue reading “Lockdown #2 Day 20 – Reconfinement Jour 20”
This is my other garden – a shared garden that belongs to the apartment building in which I have a holiday rental studio, Châtel Rose, which sadly has not had many guests this year. During the spring lockdown I couldn’t do my share of the gardening but this time I can. I’m rather pleased with …
Continue reading “Lockdown #2 Day 19 – Reconfinement Jour 19”
I wouldn’t buy such pale green spinach myself but I admired the way Junior was helping Mum at the market. Personnellement je n’achèterais pas des épinards aussi pâles mais j’ai admiré la façon dont le petit gamin aidait sa mère au marché.