La Vie Rurale (Rural Life)

Up and down weather kept us from completing more tasks but we seem to have accomplished a great deal in the last month.
Michelle finished the pointing  - a beautiful job - and then I helped her paint the living room

 

 which allowed us to finally place the furniture where we wanted, well... sort of, for now anyway...

Brian attacked Grange (barn) #2.   
 First, he removed the wood above the doors and replaced it with newly stained boards. Then he built the doors using, whenever possible, the old cast iron hardware.

 What a difference!  The next step is to have the concrete block rendered by Michelle then we will paint it. I have to say the birds don't seem to care about its appearance - they are only interested in flying in and out of their houses with food for their young. This is the second set of offspring we have heard cheep-cheep-cheeping when hungry. Kids eh!

After the cuisinière was installed the kitchen cabinets were off center so Trevor repositioned them. This also entailed electrical and plumbing work because of the dishwater and sink, he then returned to install the extractor/fan hood/hotte décoratif. He had to cut through the 30cm (12 inches) thick stone wall to vent it outside.

TREVOR MAKING A HOLE IN WALL

HOLE IN THE WALL*

This was one of those unusual 'Perfect Timing' jobs as Michelle was here at the same time and she immediately pointed around the outside vent. 
Trevor also inserted a small heating device under the kitchen sink and now we have instant hot water.
Dishwashers and washing machines here heat their own water and therefore are only plumbed for cold.

* In Britain an ATM/Cash Machine is nicknamed the Hole in the Wall.

Sundays are vide grenier (emptying the attic) days; weather permitting. Unlike the US and Canada one may not have a garage sale anytime one wants. Oh no... one is not allowed. 
So, each village, each year is assigned one date to have a brocante. Some larger towns and cities have many dates. The vendors are usually a combination of locals and merchants who travel from one brocante to another setring up stalls in a dedicated area of town or out of town. We went to one last month about 40km distance, supposedly in Brie. There usually aren't addresses listed in the schedule book as the location is obvious by the parked cars along the roads. We drove into town, thru town and out of town without spotting any activity. We took a different direction into the countryside and in about 1 km found a car turning around. There was also a car following us. We converged at the intersection and through pigeon french we determined we were all looking for the vide grenier. Eventually, 5km from Brie and closer to another village we found the huge parking area. Now, why would it not be better sign posted ????

This is the most recent one we attended. It was close by on Château de Javarza's grassy grounds. There were 280 stalls selling everything from antiques to the usual fare of toys, furniture, clothes and jewelry, etc. plus one green, ceramic, salad bowl just begging me to take it home. Most sellers were French and more than a few Anglais were milling around looking for bargains. We were only 10km away  from home but didn't bump into anyone familiar, however, we have been as far away as 30km and met up with acquaintances.

Each morning, up until a week or so, Brian was enjoying our strawberries on his cereal....not now....an unknown critter is beating him to it and leaving only the husks.

                 Could it be this young, long legged hare??

We don't think so as our vegetable plot is still intact with its lettuce towers - Ooops, should have harvested them a long time ago but they were bitter. I have since learned that 2 days of refrigeration will 'un'bitter them.

I started six large cherry tomato seeds. Five survived and then we were given eight pomodora plants and three unknown volunteer plants popped up and all are thriving in the garden. We will have plenty tomatoes to eat and to make sauce. 

This year the weather has not been as advertised. Our area is purported to receive 300 days of sunshine but it seems half way through the year we have been shorted by 100. But, when the sun is shining and the white puffy clouds with the flat bottoms are floating by, well it is magic. The nights are light for so long it almost seems as if it never becomes dark.


 Our flowers are amazing: varieties and color changing week by week.
The roses are blooming and the hollyhock is as high as an elephant's eye!

             We had no idea poppies had so many faces!

                                                       Stunning varieties  our garden

Our Little Wood Shed in Bloom

From the photos you would think we never leave our property!  Actually, that is almost true.








We had the pleasure of being invited by Penny and Robin to a picnic with music. This is an annual event held on the open grounds of several families. That day the weather was perfect having had dull, windy days on either side, it was quite fortunate! About 100 people brought their own food, tables and chairs and drinks.  Two steel drum bbq's were available to cook your own meat. 




                                      And a picnic just wouldn't 
               be complete without some fowl


The band was from the UK and      
 played country/blues.

It was a very enjoyable. warm, relaxed afternoon.

Judy and Ray arrived at their holiday home on Friday. We attended a village event with them last night but I will leave that story and our upcoming excursions til next time.

Happy Summer-ing!