25/02/2020 Out for another walk....

Maximum temperature in the Charente today 12C, minimum 5C. Rain on and off all day not measured as yet.  24km/h north-westerly wind with gusts up to 55 km/h.

I apologise for my late replies to comments, we seem to have been very busy and also a number of visits for me to the dentist - still more to go!!

Speckled Wood (Pararge aegeria).

As above.

A lone daffodil with a bug!

Our neighbour's chickens.

Our neighbour's lamb...

As above in plural.

Do you think it still works!!..

These look in slightly better shape.

A lost feather.

Dandelion and bug.

Ivy.

The quiet track leading down to a stream.

Self-seeded rapeseed by the side of the road.

Rose bedeguar galls caused by the wasp (Diplolepis rosae). The female lays up to 60 eggs within each leaf bud. The grubs develop within the gall.  I put a picture of one on an earlier blog but this is a better photo.

Long-leaved Lungwort (Pulmonaria longifolia).

Last but not least there were still some cranes around flying North but I was in thick woodland so photos were almost impossible.

See also my

 Bird blog

Join us on a drive to Villebois Lavelette.......

Maximum temperature today 21C, minimum 9C.   Dry; 5 km/h North winds with up to 10 km/h gusts.

No surprise, as soon as we are on the highway - roadworks...

As above.

Leaving the highway, I could not believe how green everything was...

As above.

Green and yellow of winter wheat and rape.

Golden fields of rapeseed.

Apologies for the reflection on the windscreen, but I just loved the carved stonework over the barn door.

Logging.  I gather the forests are very well managed in France and in fact, they are getting bigger rather than smaller.

Saint Catherine, we have never been through this town before and it looked a lovely place.

Dignac, (sigh) more roadworks.

Still cannot believe all this greenery.

Almost at Villbois Lavelette...

The chateau and the church up on the hill.

To be continued as we walk around the town and I take photos of this historic place.

N.B. My new bird blog is HERE 

Part 6 of the birds I saw last year in Africa.

21/04/2018 Nature is beautiful.

Maximum temperature today 26C, minimum 14C.   Dry; 6 km/h South Westerly winds with up to 17 km/h gusts.

In the garden (top) and by the roadside. (bottom)

Quince blossom and apple blossom with bee, (top)

Hawthorn and Rapeseed oil. (bottom)

I will get back to normal eventually but it will probably be a couple of weeks!!

N.B. My new bird blog is HERE 

Part 4 of the birds I saw last year in Africa.

06/04/20/2018 Still running a day late!!!!

Maximum temperature today 22C, minimum 6C.   8 mm of rain measured over the last two mornings; 15 km/h South Easterly winds with up to 37 km/h gusts. 

Sun is shining happily today 😊

Total rainfall so far this year now 420 mm.

Yesterday we had plans to go to Confolons, but every road that led in that direction had a deviation sign on it so we finally gave up!  The signs just sent one around in a circle back to the same place!!

Traffic was milling around and had no idea where to go!  Very unusual in our area.

Next we went to La Rochefoucauld, but coming home we were down to one lane on the N141...

The powers that be were cutting back the scrub that was growing on the sides of the road....

While this truck was picking up all the rubbish to cart it away.

Closer to home an old tractor out on the road...

and fuel prices going up!!!

A drive-by shot of the rape starting to come into flower.

One of the Canadian carvings at the side of the road in Chasseneuil. 

Back in the garden, a dandelion with a bee of some kind and many very small beetles.

I just liked the way the light was shining through the tulips...

as above.

an unknown insect.

N.B. My new bird blog is HERE 

Part 3 of the birds I saw last year in Africa.

14/04/2017 Out shopping and looking around!

Maximum temperature 19C, minimum 6C. 12 kmh NE wind.  Dry.

Charente forests.

Hmmm the elections are coming up very soon.

The church at Montemboeuf and the war memorial to the left... 

and the library.

Advertising in the car park, La Rochefoucauld...

As above.

The Chateau, I could take photos of this on a daily basis, I love it...

As above

Le Pont du Chateau - La Rochefoucauld.

The main street in La Rochefoucauld. Apologies for the blur on our windscreen, the car in front is not smoking!

Rape seed oil driving back home, love the yellow fields.