Here's to a better 2021!

 

My wee New Year poem revisited...

Hae a better year yin an aw

Spend its every moment leevin,

We only get this one wee shot

Wan chance is aw we're gaen.

Dinni look back at 'might-have-beens'

Dinni look tae far aheid,

Live each day twas your last,

for ye canny when yer deed!

What we missed most in 2020 here in France

 

Angels...

  

They will soon be going back in their box.

And do they know

The places where we go

When we're grey and old

              

The right time?

 

As a little treat on Christmas day we decided to open a bottle from our not-so-extensive cave to accompany our duck. We chose this 2009 bottle from Chateau de Breze which we had bought on a visit the same year. The pic below is of the vines taken that day. 

  

A church for Sunday - Saint-Mandé-Saint-Jean de Ferrière-Larçon

 

Revisited the church of  Saint-Mandé-Saint-Jean de Ferriere-Larcon while on a walk around the village yesterday - always dressed so well at this time of year.

Where's Joan?

Christmas day walk...

Images from our Christmas day walk around Barrou

Have the best Christmas you can...

 

Update on thoughts at Christmas...

No need for presents around the tree

That’s not what Christmas means to me

A time to stop and think of others

Family, friends and long lost brothers.

A time for thanks for what we’ve got

And lessons that our parents taught

Of what’s important in our lives

Friends and families, husbands,wives

 This thing that keeps some of us apart

Cannot destroy what's in our hearts

The gift of love and friendship beats

A host of parcels around our feet.

Jim Craig

Sunday's sunset...

Captured this sunset on Sunday night on way down into Barrou from Le Grand-Pressigny.
 

Wall done...

 

Neighbours...

On Saturday I posted a view of our neighbour's property in La Guerche but while out delivering Crimbo cards yesterday was reminded that friends have equally impressive neighbours! 

A walk in the park - Friday in the Parc du verger Châtellerault

 

A walk to La Guerche - and back.

 Did the walk again on Thursday from Barrou over to La Guerche. Needed to pick up a few things and make sure it was still standing!. Took this pic from our doorstep - our neighbours.

Vendredi à vélo - our own rusty bike in Barrou.

In the courtyard of the  Old Walnut Mill

 

Shades of grey but much less than 50!

 Took this on our walk around Le Grand-Pressigny last Sunday, thought it captured my current mood - a bit dispirited and grey very well! This time of year has this effect on me and it's normally lifted by getting together with friends and more importantly family. We are going to make the most of the small freedoms we are allowed over the festive period but know it is going to be a difficult time.We know that there are many others who are in a more difficult situations and really feel for them and it is a time for reaching out to them and making sure there are coping mechanisms in place.    

Back to the wall...

 

With the little spell of mild weather and the feeling of being a little 'stir crazy' I have ventured out the back here at the Old Walnut Mill to tackle another bit of wall at our future sitooterie.

Wee bit of car envy...

Spotted yesterday on our walk around Le Grand-Pressigny.

 

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday Bench - if only

 

This should have been us this weekend in transit, in Scotland to visit family - sadly wasn't to be!

Sad to see...

There are many things that the current pandemic has affected with many lives lost and businesses suffering and when we come out the other end there will have been a huge cost both materially and emotionally. One effect,which in the grand scheme of things is insignificant but is personal to us, is that the garden at Le Bourg, which Pauline and I put a lot of work into, has been reclaimed by nature.   

The new owner has not been able to get over to the house since she bought it last October. We had offered to look after it for her but she said she had people of her own to do it and declined our offer.

We took a walk along the riverbank the other day to check what condition it was in and now rather regret it!

On the new Friday theme of Vendredi à vélo

 

One of our local favourites in a garden in Lesigny

If you have to be confined...

 

If we have to be confined we could surely be in many worse places than here in the  Old Walnut Mill. We are cocooned here in our cosy little house away from the troubles of the world - the only big thing missing is family.

Sometimes you have to stop...

 Although in my case Pauline would say I do it too often and sometimes in the most awkward places. Anyway on the way back from another log uplift yesterday I did just that and took a walk back up the hill as I loved the contrast of the sun on Le Grand-Pressigny with the cloudy sky background. 

That view from a bridge...

Even on a grey day I want to stop and look

And remind myself of other times and photos that I took 

Of spring when light does filter though 

When life and morning starts anew

Of summers when the flowers bright

Enhance the colours and the light 

Of autumn with its browns and gold

With falling leafs and colours bold

Of winters cold, yet crisp and dry

Impossible to walk on by.