St. Valentine's Day and the Weekend!

 The 14th of February  - always brings a bit of fun into our lives, this year we had a very quick (in-car) picnic by La Vienne river - which gave me the perfect opportunity to take some photos of the river running high and fast!

La Vienne flowing fast and high!

Water flowing at La Vienne

Sunday we had a good old family get together which meant a glass or two of bubbly and a very wet walk in the woods. I am hoping that all this wet weather will see lots of lovely bluebells this year!

Cheers!

In the woods

Burst of Colour 

Broom bringing hopeful signs of Spring!

We didn't out run the rain!

Today 17th has been a beautiful day (I know everyone is thinking the same - are we really going to be this lucky and not get the white stuff!?) So out into the garden to see what damage had been caused by the high winds of the last 2 weeks and we seem to be ok!

More Crocuses are flowering!

First Blossoms of the Mirabelle

Elephant ears so pink this year!

Love these purple beauties

Forsythia really coming out now!

Playing with focus and this is the daisy of today!

Chinese Lanterns always look good!

Something about dried out seeds I think!

So we end another weekend on a happy note, and start the week on dry footing - although the garden is very soggy, so we won't be getting the lawnmower out just yet!

Have a great week!

PamelaJayne
17th February '14

https://www.facebook.com/PamelaJaynePhotography

February so wet!

Well we have lived here in the South West of France for 10 years this year BUT I have never known such a wet month and yes I know we are only 10 days in but if feels like it has not stopped raining for days and days! When in fact just 2 weeks ago I was walking around our garden (soggy garden!) in the warmth of the sunshine with the dog and Lilly Kitty running here, there and everywhere!

I spotted my first Crocuses in the garden which brought a smile straight to my face - there is something about the "first flowers" isn't there?

and then of course there's the bird song accompanying me around whilst we are out there, the Blackbird seemingly has his heart set on the fact Spring is coming, and a  Bumble Bee was buzzing around, albeit he was a tad on the wet side and he was huge and quite clearly trying to move!

Cross and wet - Bumble Bee of February!

Bumble Bee of February trying to find somewhere dry!

And then the rain came back - and then that rain turned to hailstones! But not just once over the last week or so but twice - in fact it was so windy on Saturday the door blew open - scaring the life out of us whilst we were re-organising the office - ok, so were were deep cleaning! And then the biggest hailstones I have seen made an entrance through the cat flap! And it didn't end there 1am and we had thunder...!

Still it was lovely on Friday to hand over a Photo on Wood to a lovely family who are sadly (for me) relocating to the UK - their daughter is so incredible through the lens, she worked so well with me it was fantastic.

Photo on Wood "Making Memories" session

And then my own personal surprise  to start the weekend - a fabulous sale on the Redbubble http://www.redbubble.com/people/papillonbleu   I sell a lot of my images through! and have enjoyed many sales over this years, but this sale was quite possibly one of the best, they will be getting a little bit of my "Life through the Lens"! and to be honest I think my photos will travel further than I will!  I just wish I knew who the purchaser was so I could thank them :D
French Wheels and Onions is one of the Select Colour images sold.

http://www.redbubble.com/people/papillonbleu/works/2323399-french-wheels-and-onions?c=8994-select-colour

So we are into another week - and lots happening in the half term holidays when hopefully the weather improves and we can maybe just maybe take a little trip to the coast!

I do realise whilst I am talking about this awful weather that there are so many really suffering with floods and losing their homes,  at the moment the Somerset plains are in dire straights - you only have to read this to realise how lucky we are here in our little corner of France! http://www.westerndailypress.co.uk/Daily-Press-backs-Levels-floods-appeal/story-20561461-detail/story.html

Here is to a good week!

A Beautiful week in February '13

Another beautiful week - I know it's not going to last though, ever since the sun has been out and shining everyone has been promising it will be -5 at the weekend!! Although saying that there is a real bite to the wind today sooo........!?

Well anyway after I wrote and published last week, we had some really brilliant and fabulous news - our eldest passed her first year Uni exams with an "Assez Bien" we are really thrilled for her, as she and her friend spent 3 days swotting in the Christmas holidays, they are both very happy and seem to have taken in all in their stride and now working hard for next lot of exams! That same day Chloe also found out she and her friend have been selected to go to Italy with the musico class, how fab! Somewhere she has really wanted to go and now the lucky girl is going!

So what with the youngest of to Ireland and the eldest of to Italy, both in April and just before their 21st and 18th Birthdays in May, presents - sorted!  And what a fantastic way of celebrating. I remember celebrating (or should I say re-celebrating) my 18th with my best friend, who did turn 18 whilst we were in the States! We had a wonderful 2 weeks stay in Florida, Jacksonville and Orlando and the Keys - which is where Tina turned 18, the only problem - yes we had to be 21 to go out and have a drink and that is another story!

I have had a few chances to go outside with the camera over the weekend which was great, not only did I manage to capture some more Robin shots we had a lovely bonfire and a turn out in our sous sol all thanks to gaining a new (to us) Fridge Freezer! 

On the 15th after another warm and sunny day we went out for a lovely long walk - the first chance in a few weeks to do so without any rain! We went out just in time to enjoy the close of a lovely day and week!

Sun going down

Silhouettes

Fence Posts in Silhouette

Saturday more blue skies and although a tad frosty we had warmth in that sun by mid-morning, so warm in fact I actually broke my own rule and "cast a clout" although I did still have a jumper on so only last a light layer really ;) Two Robins seemed to be having a "sing off" in the garden so I couldn't resist becoming stalker and for the next 15 minutes these beautiful birds sang whilst I took their photos - perfect!

Robin One

Robin Two

Robin One singing

Robin Two being inquisitive 

Robin Two now posing!

I can sing louder than you.....

Yes! I can.....

After taking these (and many more) I read just the next day, "When a robin red breast constantly visits you or crosses your path, a loved one in heaven is trying to say 'hello! I'm with you!" Well I suppose it's a myth, superstition but it's also maybe what you want to believe and for me - actually I would like to think it true as my lovely Nana passed away 21 years ago in February and it was also a beautiful week and she truly loved good weather (she hated rain and the cold!)  I also read this.....

"The robin features prominently in British folklore, and that of northwestern France, but much less so in other parts of Europe. It was held to be a storm-cloud bird and sacred to Thor, the god of thunder, in Norse mythology. Robins also feature in the traditional children's tale, Babes in the Wood; the birds cover the dead bodies of the children. More recently, the robin has become strongly associated with Christmas, taking a starring role on many Christmas cards since the mid 19th century. The Robin has also appeared on many Christmas postage stamps. An old British folk tale seeks to explain the Robin's distinctive breast. Legend has it that when Jesus was dying on the cross, the Robin, then simply brown in colour, flew to his side and sang into his ear in order to comfort him in his pain. The blood from his wounds stained the Robin's breast, and thereafter all Robins got the mark of Christ's blood upon them.  An alternative legend has it that its breast was scorched fetching water for souls in Purgatory. The association with Christmas, however, more probably arises from the fact that postmen in Victorian Britain wore red uniforms and were nicknamed "Robin"; the Robin featured on the Christmas card is an emblem of the postman delivering the card. In the 1960s, in a vote publicised by The Times newspaper, the Robin was adopted as the unofficial national bird of the UK.^[34] The Robin was then used as a symbol of a Bird Protection Society." (Thank you Wiki)

But whatever myths and stories go with Robins they still have a special place in my heart along with Seagulls!

On Sunday we finally got to see Chloe and took our lunch up to her Appartement and had a long awaited catch up, after lunch we joined many other families and went for a 2 hour walk around the historic and lovely city of Poitiers..

Hôtel Fumé - one of the Fac's in the town - what a lovely place to study!

The Tower where Eleanor d'Aquaitaine lived

La Palais de Justice from the side view

l'Eglise Saint Pierre de Poitiers

l'Eglise de Sainte Radagonde

Interior of Sainte Radgonde

Nearly home!

This week I have helped an Artist Friend bring her work to Facebook with her own dedicated page to her fantastic Pencil Drawings, you can find Gill's page here; https://www.facebook.com/pages/Gill-Latham-Artist/250106948458967 why not pop over and see what she does? She also sells at the Lemon Tree in Sauzé Vaussais!

Now I have to get my head into gear as I have realised that we are now nearer to the end of February and I have cards to make, which means selecting photos for the new season to choose for cards and Limited edition prints! It's the choosing which is always hard but so far I seem to be doing ok!

So what's next? who knows? Another weekend is soon to be upon us and we then have Chloe home for a week, so with any luck in between their social life and our working life we might get a chance to spend a day together out and about! 

So for now I bid you au revoir ...