I know how to show a girl a good time!

 

First load of two x 1.5 ton of gravel for the back paths and 'sitooterie' Pauline loading me carrying.

New cycle track at Descartes...

 Good to see the old railway line section at Descartes looking good for cyclists...should be good for tourism

Wall to wall roses in Descartes...

 

Have a good weekend everyone...

Couple of images from the gardens in Descartes - we managed a short walk there this week between showers!

 

Vendredi à vélo - has she gone too far?

 

In her attempt to make the courtyard at the Old Walnut Mill more enchanting Pauline ordered some more fairy-lights online. They duly arrived this week,the whole 100 mtrs of them! She thought they were solar,they were not, can you imagine the size of the panel that would be needed? Her idea was to take off the individual strings and use them as a continuous loop around the courtyard (a few times?) - now that would have been a fun challenge for me!

Little bit of upcycling and light gardening

Our neighbour was discarding these wall lights and I thought I might be able to use them over at 'the project' but decided against it so Pauline came up with this upcycling idea to use them here in Barrou.

 

Wednesday is for windows...the blue shutters.

 

At Chambon

Nature's gift that keeps on giving...

 

As we sit beneath our wall rose in the courtyard of the Old Walnut Mill we cannot help but admire nature that gives us this display every year...a joy!

Our Sunday stroll...in the pink at La Roche-Posay

 

Now the 10km restriction has been lifted we can venture further afield again. Yesterday,, with friends, we headed over to one of our favourite walks around La Roche-Posay. The walk takes us along the river, up onto the old railway viaduct and back via the former thermal spa, the 'Le Pavillon Rose', where we took a break  under the shade of the pavillon in the gardens.

Not quite Villandry...but it's ours!

 

We have a new garden layout at the Old Walnut Mill - two flower beds, one veg.plot and a strawberry patch,which gave us its first fruit yesterday. Pauline had the pleasure of it!

Pretty in pink...

 

Popped over the border to visit friends yesterday and they surprised us with the offer of this pretty little bicycle for  Ada when she gets over again to visit. It has a wonderful pedigree as their kids learned to ride on it.

Enjoyable afternoon getting to learn a little more about their voyage to where they are currently - the bicycle is leaning against the little caravan which was their first  home on the site, now, sadly, it has reached the end of its useful life but holds so many great memories for them.

Vendredi à vélo and taking in 'Le Tour'...

 

The news that this year's Tour de France is again coming through Touraine reminded us of the fun we have had over the years taking in the event, above was in 2013.

This was in 2016.

  and from 2008 when it literarily passed by the end of our street in Le Grand-Pressigny.

Contrasting styles on Place les Tilleuls in Barrou.

 

Wednesday is for windows - looking up our history...

 This little attic window is along the road from us here on Grande rue - dates back to 1886 which is,we think,slightly later than our property. Little things like this helps you date a place.It is not a grand house by any means but someone has left their mark.

Who knew?

 

Out for a walk with friends up behind Le Grand-Pressigny yesterday morning when they suggested we look over the high hedge of one of their neighbours - what a surprise!

A little Monday motivation....

We pass this lovely cottage, a neighbour, on one of our walking routes up behind Barrou...love the scene.

Mon banc dominical / My Sunday bench at Parc Oriental.

 

Bon 1er mai à tous - from our garden to yours.

 

Late bloomer...

 

We had our first bloom on our wall rose in the courtyard of the Old Walnut Mill this week but the photo below is from April 23rd last year so it is a little late. 

Wisteria hysteria...

In all the years (22) that Miki had owned 'Le Bourg' the wisteria in the courtyard had never flowered.On her last visit prior to selling in 2019 we took what was perhaps the last opportunity for her to see it, to surprise her, by bringing some flowers from a plant in the garden of friends in the street, to let her see what she had been missing! Well guess what? as we were passing yesterday on our walk we noticed that it had actually flowered, all be in not prolifically but flowers just the same. Perhaps since the neighbour cut down some large trees it has allowed more light to get at it!

8th May 2019