Olive Auction

I saw this the other day and was astounded at the price, but I don't know why it is a thousand years old.   There is to be an auction of wonderful old olive trees on Septemer 30th in the Haut-Garonne.  This is a picture of one of the most expensive, with an estimate of 110,000 to 120,000 euros.  Yes, that really is the estimate and I have not made a mistake and added a nought that should not be there...........

Can you imagine digging the hole for it and driving home with it on your trailer?

So eventually, we will have a real money spinner on our hands, when our little baby olive tree reaches the size of its great grand pappy........... Now where did I put the baby bio.........

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.

À Bientôt.

Mountains And All That Jazz

What a day we had yesterday.  Even thought the weather forecasts contradicted one another, one with sunny and rare showers and one with rain, we decided to head south to the foothills of the Black Mountains or Le Montagne Noire – sounds far more romantic don’t you think.

I have a thing about mountains, as soon as I get close to them; my heart begins to rise, very much like mountains do.  Mountains remind me of the Highlands of Scotland or in particular Spey Valley, where as I child, I spent all my summer holidays, as it was the home of my mothers parents.  Grantown-on-Spey was the town and I LOVED it with a passion.  I also loved the Cairngorms that loomed in the distance along with the Haughs of Cromdale.  I still can’t listen to a pipe band without a lump in my throat and tears forming and for the cynics amongst you that is not because of the noise!

The cairngorms from Grantown-on-Spey

Anyway back to the Montagne Noire.  We arrived at a tiny town called Dourgne, just on the edge of the mountains.  It was such a lovely little town and the air was fresh and the sun was warm – bliss.

As we made or way into the centre of the town, where the vide grenier was being held, this sweet, sweet music began to float towards us on the mountain air.  There was a live jazz band playing.  Now I could not have asked for more, to wander a vide grenier in the sunshine, at the foot of the Montagne Noire with a Jazz Band playing and a great jazz band at that, I just knew that I would have to pay for all this bliss later!

We dragged ourselves away after a fabulous hour or two and headed north again, through Castres and up towards Realmont.  By now we were getting hungry and we found a very unassuming little restaurant on the side of the D612 just outside Vénès between Castres and Realmont.  It is run by a husband and wife team and it was fab.  Unbelievably, there were only 8 of us in there.  We took the menu de jour, and it was delicious, the service was very friendly and the price very reasonable.  Check it out if you are in the area Restaurant Le Messidor.

Restaurant Le Messidor



Wanting the day to continue forever, we headed in the direction of Gaillac, where we had seen there was another vide grenier.  On the way there we saw a small village called Montdragon and just had to do a small detour to take a look.  Who could resist with a name like that.  What a beautiful and peaceful place.  In the square at the top was a gorgeous chambre d’hotes, and looking at the sign, it was run by some of our own countrymen.  The house is draped in the most beautiful wisteria.  There were also some of the cutest cats outside.  We took a look at their website when we got back and it mentions that they are cat lovers and we are part of that club!  If it is as good as it looks on the inside as the outside, you would be in for a treat.  Their website is www.montdragon.co.uk.  

We arrived in Gaillac and found the Quai St. Jacques, which runs along the edge of the Tarn river and what a gorgeous spot for a vide Grenier.  By now it was late and a lot of people were packing up after being caught in a downpour but it was worth the trip, just to wander along in the sunshine.  Stupidly, I forgot to take a photograph of the river, possibly because I was too entranced looking at it but I did take a couple of photographs on the way down to the Quai St. Jacques.

So after a wonderful day, we decided to head home, driving up past Albi, one of my favourite French city's and back to the Aveyron.  When we got home, we unloaded our purchases from the car, with me gloating at the lovely leather handbag that I had bought myself for a song.  My husband switched the television on to find out what was happening with the French election and as for me, well remember I said that I would pay for all this bliss later?  Well I did.  I began to feel worse and worse and had to take to my bed.  However, every cloud has a silver lining and I decide to finish my book Almodis the Peaceweaver by Tracey Warr which has kept me transfixed within its pages.

I found out about the book because the author Tracey was giving a talk about her first book at the English library in Villefranche.  She is a lovely lady and her talk was interesting, informative, humorous and warm.  After her talk she did a book signing and I bought a couple of her books, one for me and another for my friend who loves historical novels as much as me. 

The book was a fabulous read and I highly recommend it to all.  What was an added bonus to me was the setting of the book in and around our area of France and Barcelona.  After reading it, I am going to go back and visit some of the places that she writes about, especially Ambialet and Moissac.  Have a great week everyone.

À Bientôt xxxxx

A New Day Dawns & My Competition Winner!

After my last post about the crazy weather and the demise of our dear tree, just look at the fabulous morning that we woke to yesterday.

It was so very beautiful to see the mist rising from the valley.  It gave the whole area a mysterious ethereal look.  I love the photograph that shows the spire of the church at Sauveterre de Rouergue just poking thru the mist.

We were up and out early yesterday as it was  a national holiday celebrating May Day.  There was a large Vide Grenier at Villefranche de Rouergue.  We drove along in blinding sunshine, the clarity of light was superb.  Occasionally, when the light is right, you can see the Pyrenees in the distance and yesterday was one of those wonderful days.  It really lifts your heart to see those huge snow clad mountains dominating the horizon, especially when we have only seen them 3 times in 8 years.  As we dropped down into Villefranche de Rouergue we were slowly submerged into the mist.  When we arrived at the Vide Grenier, it was very murky and like a different world to the one we had just descended from.  However, a little later the mist began to clear and as it did, I took this photograph, showing what a beautiful day it was becoming.

The day then got even better because we met up with M, my adorable friend and her gorgeous family and sat in the sunshine drinking strong coffee and stronger beers!  What more could we ask for.

We then returned home.  The competition that I was running ended yesterday and I needed to do the draw to see who would win the 10 antique invoices.  Now that was not too hard as only one person had entered my competition.  I don't know if you would know that, so maybe I should have dressed it up a bit and said that I spent hours cutting up the names to put into a hat.  That I asked the local Mayor to draw the winner and due to the number of entrants, the local paper had took and interest and were running a story on it....... But no, just one very kind person had entered and that very kind person will have the invoices winging there way to her today.

So thank you Diane - these are now yours!

Our Old Oak Is A Goner

Wow!  What is happening to our weather.  It seems that the whole world is getting battered about by nature.  What a Saturday it was here!  It got quite scary, the wind was so strong.  Our patio furniture was flying around being chased by our pot plants!!  I was sat working in the office and the gravel on the terrace was hitting the window at regular intervals.

Later on in the the afternoon, I went to take a look out of the window and was so sad to find our wonderful old oak lying on its side!  I remember when we came to view the property that I walked down to this old tree and took in the view and just knew that it had to be this place, even though our home at that stage  looked like this.

I had visions of getting one of those circular tree seats and sitting there on a hot summers evening with the hoopoes and the golden oriels singing their little hearts out.  It is proably a good thing that we never got around to affording the seat!  The best we did was put a table and chairs by the tree and it was just a magical place to sit.

The next thing that we noticed was a tree on the otherside of one of the llamas fields had too been uprooted.  This time the roots had lifted the fence and buckled one of the fence posts.  Chinchero did not seem too bothered about it!

Just look how wonderful the weather was at this point on Sunday the afternoon.  Later on it became as black as armageddon and we had to unplug the TV and the computer for fear of another lightening strike.  We have had a couple of close calls with lightening striking very close by and blowing our electricity out.  One strike hitting the tree at the side of the house.  We heard what sounded like an explosion and saw bits of burning tree flying across the grass.  The tree now has a split in it but is still living.

Anyway here's hope for a wonderful May - my favourite month of the year.  Meantime, my thoughts go out to all of your who are struggling with the weather and suffering far worse than a fallen tree.

À Bientôt xxxx

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DON'T MISS OUT ------ SALE ENDS 23RD MAY

COMPETITION - ENDS MAY 1ST 2012

COMPETITION - ENDS MAY 1ST 2012

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Or my blog
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The competion will be drawn on the evening of May 1st 2012. Please keep an eye on my facebook page or my blog for the results.
Thank You Very Much & Good Luck!

Linen Fest & Feather Fetish

I've done it again!  I keep telling myself to stop buying linens because it really is a self indulgent purchase.  Self indulgent that is until I get home and realise that I am in for a lot of work with all the washing and ironing but what the heck, to be surrounded by all this luscious gorgeousness is a kind of bliss.  I thought that I would give you a little taste of some of the delicious banqueting tablecloths and napkins and torchons and linen loveliness that I have just purchased.

We went out buying on a fabulous sunny Sunday.  Up at 4.30pm but it was well worth it.  The skies were bluer than blue with not a cloud in sight.  Look how this amazing tree was etched against the poetic spring sky!

It was quite chilly when we arrived at our destination in the Tarn but later on in the afternoon it was sweltering.  At one of the markets we went to, I managed to find (at last) a 6 meter telescopic feather duster that will reach up to one of the windows in our hallway.  Here is the window in question:

So far, to clean this window, I have had to bring in the ladders and with a stomach full of fear, climb up as far as a I dare, with a feather duster stapled to a long piece of wood.  I know that it sounds crazy but its true.  Now to my absolute delight, I can get at it from the floor.  Plus, what is even more exciting, is that the feather dust can be bent to reach into corners.  I was so excited about this that I began to think that maybe my life is just a little bit sad!