15/11/2021 - I am jumping to November photos at present...

  The maximum temperature here today is 11⁰C, minimum 8⁰C. Grey skies. Wind 16km/h icy North-Easterly winds with gusts up to 32 km/h!

I have so many photos from September and October, hopefully, over winter I will have time to go through them and catch up with the past!!

10/11/21 A French sunset but memories of a South African one.  Taken from just down the road from the house.

Common Carder Bumble Bee (Bombus pascuorum) I think...

As above.

Tapered Drone Fly (Eristalis pertina) with a Western Honey Bee (Apis mellifera).

Western Honey Bee see above...

As above...

As above.

Mexican Orange Blossom (Choisya ternata).

Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus).

Cosmos and Californian poppy with a couple of bees and a fly, still flowering well in mid-November

Remembrance Day November 11 2021

Before the service started, this little Jack Russel who obviously belonged to someone in the village, just wanted to play.  He was so cute.

As the service ended the Common Cranes (Grus grus) flew overhead calling as they headed South to warmer climates...

As above.

Love poinsettias (Euphorbiaceae pulcherrima).

A trip into Angouleme last week and I spotted this new (to me) wall mural.  Love it, and more memories of Southern Africa ...

A little closer...

As above...

and finally.

Take care everybody, keep well and stay safe.

My local list of wildflowers. (91 Species 20/06/2021).

See also my

 Bird blog

Joining up with My Corner of the World. 

11/11/2018 We shall not forget them

Maximum temperature today 15C, minimum 10C.  2mm of rain measured this morning and still raining; 15km/h south-easterly winds gusting up to 38 km/h. 

The wreath is laid at our local village war memorial.

A minute's silence, before all the names on the memorial are read out.

In the village hall, one of our local residents has his display of WW1 memorabilia.

as above...

As above...

As above.  The articles on the wall give a brief but excellent year by year summary of the Great War and I have put them on a separate page HERE for those of you who speak French and might like to read further.

The service was followed by a repas (meal) that was cooked by the local ladies...

Here is the Maire (mayor), who, apart from his official duties, takes part in all village social affairs, serving up a tray of duck legs which were part of the main course.

I am not very good at selfies, but here I am with a flame lily (for all the Rhodesians) a poppy (for Remembrance) and the cornflower (for the French).

The local church looking pretty good for its age. The first stone was laid in the year 1080.

I have updated my bird blog HERE.

12/11/2017 A catch up on yesterday's memorial sevice and some fun photos of the birds today.

Maximum temperature 14C, minimum 5C.  18km/h NE winds, 54km/h gusts. 1 mm rain measured yesterday and 8mm this morning. Foggy and steady drizzle all day. Dismal!!

Wet roads and Autumn colours.

More autumn colours outside the church.

Waiting for the service to start it was cold and very wet!

The Mairie and the war memorial.

Laying the wreath after the service and one minute's silence,

Drinks and a chat in the Mairie afterwards.

This was followed by a luncheon...

Coquille de la mer, the only food photo that was any good!!

The meal was cooked by the local ladies and was excellent

For my French speaking followers. Sorry too long for me to try and translate!!

Today's sparrows enjoying bathing in the drizzle...

as above

As above.

The first time I have made corn bread inspired by Luna. Not something that is common here, but it appears to be in the USA.

N.B.  Because photos are hard to come by in this weather, posts may well be a bit intermittent and not daily!!!!

12/11/2016 Catching up from yesterday - Remembrance Day

Maximum temperature 15C, minimum 1C.  36 km/h NW wind.  7mm of rain measured yesterday morning, and no rain during the day, so none measured this morning.

The church service was held first...

then the service at the memorial..

as above...

The wreath has just been laid.

A donkey in a close-by paddock reminded us not to forget him as well :-)

We then proceeded to the luncheon...

where we had a small exhibition.

The menu which is mainly cooked by the local committee with home grown vegetables..

The vegetable soup.

The fish was served in foil envelopes which was delicious but did not make for good photos.

The main course was help yourself from the tureen....

and potatoes arrived in a separate bowl.  All made easy to allow the ladies in the kitchen to sit down and enjoy a meal as well.

I forgot a photo of the salad and the cheese!!!

and finally the dessert.  

No shortage of wine was also served with the meal.