The Loire Valley and especially Blois
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”
Isn’t this the prettiest mushroom? Not edible of course. Our lockdown is to continue without any changes for another 2 weeks. If the number of patients admitted to hospital has diminished sufficiently by 1st December, shops selling non-essential items will reopen with strict protocols, but not bars and restaurants. Quel joli champignon n’est-ce pas? Mais …
Continue reading “Lockdown #2 Day 14 – Reconfinement Jour 14”
We have clay soil which makes this slope a challenge. We are in that period when there are still flowering perennials such as Japanese anemones that lose their leaves in winter while those that flower in winter such as Christmas roses (hellebore) are just starting to bloom. Last year the deer ate them all but …
Judging from the long queue at the market today, we are not the only ones pleased to be able to buy fresh organic fruit and vegetables directly from the producers! The markets were closed during the spring lockdown after one week but very few people were wearing masks at the time. Étant donnée la longue …
Today was our last chance to take a long walk at Château de Chaumont before lockdown tonight at midnight (and to buy some Anistead sage plants before the garden festival section closes until next April). The Prime Minister announced the details of the lockdown this evening. As far as we are concerned it’s better than …
Continue reading “Last Long Walk – Dernière longue promenade”
I had never seen pine tree catkins like these at Chateau de Chaumont before although I’m sure they must be everywhere. Je n’avais jamais vu des chatons de pin comme ceux-ci au château de Chaumont. Pourtant il doit en avoir partout.
Modern cave dwelling was totally unknown to me until I arrived in France and visited the Loire Valley over forty years ago. It was not until later that I understood what the word troglodyte means today. The soft tufa cliffs are ideal for hollowing out whole houses! For more information on troglodytes, click here. These …
Continue reading “Inside a Troglodyte Home – A l’intérieur d’une maison troglodyte”
My first encounter with a 2CV was when I first arrived in France and saw two young men pull up in front of a terrace café on the Boulevard des Pyrénées in Pau. They tried to parallel park but the space was very tight so they got out of the car and manually lifted it …