Saturday, 7 June 2014

Pooling my resources...

Yesterday...admin work followed by laundering of 'Le Bourg's' linen,cut the grass here at home,cut someone else's grass in Lesigny, 'did' a pool near Betz le Chateau and one at Abilly. Admin clerk, housemaid,gardener and pool-boy all in one day - one needs to be flexible!

The pool at 'La Folie' very tempting on a very hot day.

My pool duties reminded me of the time when I was ding some pool maintenance at another location when a relaxing guest asked me if I moved to France to become a pool-boy? Of course I humoured her and said yes...its all I ever wanted to do! 

A cheese that pleases - Sainte-Maure de Touraine

This weekend is the cheese fair at Sainte-Maure de Touraine


National fair of cheeses

On June, Saturday, 7th and Sunday, 8th, Sainte-Maure de Touraine

This year, the 'guest' region will be "Bourgogne - Charolais"

►Numerous exhibitors
►Tastings of local products
►Numerosous exhibitions
►Crafts under the Halle
►Fairground attractions
►Restoration on the site of the fair
►Musical groups on places and in streets
►Shows and public ball on Saturdays evenings

►Music, animations, cheerfulness!

Don't know if the cheerfulness is guaranteed!

Wednesday, 4 June 2014

A slice of Loire life...


This month’s Living France magazine has an article on the first meeting of the Loire Valley Clandestine Cake Club with this featured photograph. You can play spot the baker!

With thanks to Mike (Funning) for posting on Facebook. 

Tuesday, 3 June 2014

Live music...


http://www.siansa.com/images/mainlogo.gif
Musique et chansons irlandaises traditionnelles



Text Box: www.siansa.com
·  Jeudi 5 juin 20.00hrs Descartes
Bar La Saulaie
·             Samedi 7 juin 20.00hrs
Le Grand-Pressigny
Restaurant Chez Grand'Ma
 (Reservations Tel' 02 47 91 09 09)
·         Dimanche 8 juin 12.00hrs
Le Grand-Pressigny- Prehisto-Bar

Another 'Taken in Touraine...


Where will you find this ornate chimney? Find out here.

Monday, 2 June 2014

Last supper...


...for a while anyway. Last night Miki (owner of ' Le Bourg') and her friend Cathy, who are over for a short stay from Toronto, joined us for dinner along with friends Mike and Liz. They (M &L) are being kind enough to allow Pauline to accompany them back to the UK today. She had intended visiting her mum on the 22nd of June (flights booked) for a couople of weeks but has to go earlier as she isn't in a great place at the moment. She will be taking over from her sister Eileen who is there until Wednesday.. She followed a spell of our youngest son Mark's caring - which was much appreciated.With our season 'up and running'  I have to remain here to do changeovers etc..


The 'tarte tatin' you see in the above pic. will be the last our kitchen will see for a while!


On Saturday night we were lucky enough to be invited to the inaugural dinner  at friends Dave and Jane's new 'entertainment' area. They have turned what was a cowshed into a wonderfully relaxing space which includes a lounge,the dining room above and a couple of guest's bedrooms. It is a fantastic job which features some of the original fixtures sympathetically. The job was completed in a relatively short period due to Dave and Jane's ability to 'get things done' - don't know where they find the energy!.



After my promotion of Chedigny's Rose Festival seems we were the only people who weren't there! Sadly work got in the way. I wanted to finish my 'step project' for Miki arriving and had set to work around 7.00 am to give me time to do this and free up the afternoon - but the truth is when I got back both Pauline (who has also had a heavy workload recently) and I, fell asleep. We did waken up in time to prepair for our evening guests however. 





Sunday, 1 June 2014

Smelling the roses...


Hoping to get to the rose festival at Chedigny today though have to work in morning first. You can also get another of the senses working by doing some wine tasting at the 'Vitiloire' wine fair in Tours which goes into its second day today, You can see some pics. from yesterday on Jim Budd's blog here.

Thursday, 29 May 2014

A busy weekend here in the Loire Valley...


This weekend you will spoilt for choice for things to do here in the Loire Valley...from wine tasting in Tours, to smelling the roses at Chedigny plus more.





The spice of life...

Yesterday I took a break from my current 'project' (more of this later) of concrete step making to do a bit of grass cutting in the morning for some friends/clients...


...and in the afternoon and it took all afternoon, to trim the hedge at 'Les Balcons' as our first guests of the season arrive on Saturday - thankfully.


Tuesday, 27 May 2014

La Claise restaurant, Preuilly-sur-Claise


 Last Friday, along with friends, we visited the recently re-opened 'La Claise' restaurant in Preuilly-sur-Claise We had eaten here in the past when it was a pizza restaurant and were sorry to see it close. It always seemed like a great location for an eatery, so we were pleased to see it re-opened on an earlier 'drive-by'.




We had the €12.00 lunch menu, starter,main.cheese and dessert - all very nice. The price also included a half carafe of red wine -great value for money. On Friday nights and weekends they offer 'gastro' menus at €18, €25 and €31.


Good food in pleasant surroundings in good company -all you can ask. 

Saturday, 24 May 2014

Home thoughts from abroad....



Our hearts go out to everyone associated,past and present, with  Glasgow School of Art, one of our favourite pieces of architecture in the whole of Scotland. The news is a little better than anticipated in that the fire brigade seem to have done a great job in salvaging most of the building and its contents. It is one of the few buildings we know where the exterior is bound to the interior with an natural ease that could only come from someone with the ability to bring life to inanimate objects - Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Thursday, 22 May 2014

Fete Medievals de Loches - this weekend

Fete Medieval 2014

The town has an annual medieval festival - this year seems to be earlier than usual on May  24th & 25th
You can see the programme of events here:









Wednesday, 21 May 2014

Tuesday, 20 May 2014

Chaumont Garden Festival 2014




Here are some pics. from last Friday's visit to Chaumont-sur-Loire's garden Festival.


















Sunday, 18 May 2014

Church on Sunday...Saint-Christophe,Bléré


Interesting church, Saint-Christophe in the town of Bléré on the river Cher in that it is actually two churches that have come together....you can read more here....

Saturday, 17 May 2014

The perfect day?...


Out to play again yesterday with Mike & Liz...good lunch at 'Le Cheval Blanc' in Bléré... 



then searching out the nice Sauvignon Blanc that accompanied the meal at 'Plou & Fils' at  Charge just outside Amboise and conveniently on the route to our afternoon visit...


...to the Garden Festival' at Chaumont-sur Loire. More details to follow! Mike was kind enough to drive...back to Barrou and over to Scottish couple who are staying in gite opposite us for aperos- the perfect day?

Friday, 16 May 2014

Expect the unexpected....

We were invited along to a 'neighbour' in the nearby village of Chambon for an aperitif last night and were really taken by his barn conversion.


His house is a delight of distractions from his 'live in' model for his paintings to his brocante purchases