Life Through the Lens - Melle partie deux - March '14

I had the opportunity to go back to my exploring of Melle last week, I spent far too much time dallying however as only ended up with twenty minutes to cram in all the places I wanted to get to! No chance.....Melle is actually a little bigger than I anticipated and I still haven't made it to the Market Place as yet! Just reaching the church my place of destination when DD rang to say her rdv had finished and now ready and waiting for me...ahhhh I was now in "rush mode" which meant I wasn't going to get nearer l'eglise Saint Hilaire.

L’eglise Saint Savinien with the Blue skies making a wonderful backdrop!	Managed to miss this last time!
Loving the daffodils, so many more out this week…	looking through….
Shuttered this week and loving the afternoon light on the shutters.
That’s what I call a clean window! took me a moment to realise I was seeing the blue skies through the roof!	Lovely area to sit and contemplate!

I started off from the Old hospital gardens again as I knew I would be able to get to the Eglise Saint Hilaire via the winding roads down. Of course on the way there was so many more things to see this week. Flowers coming out, buzzing Bees and many Butterflies flitting around me, part of me things there was just one and I was being accompanied on my walk!

Honey Bee enjoying the flora!	Another gateway to explore – another day!
The ramparts continue round the back – I have walked down from the gardens.
Flowering Current bush I believe!	Love the colour of the Japonica against the sky.
My destination for this walk – Eglise Sainte Hilare…
Back to our meeting place via yet another route through the old hospital I discovered this really “happy” building! Dating back to the XIXeme ciecle stands the Dêpot Lapidiare which would have been the store room for the Pompiers hand pumps	Another part of the Old hospital -  would have loved to have seen this before it became so dilapidated.
And back full circle!	Last flower photo of the day as well!

So as you can see Melle is really a very pretty town, with many places to discover, I am still quite ashamed that it has taken me this long to take the time to explore but now I have and know that I have a few more places to re-visit which does excite me, back to the church Saint Hilaire at some stage for internal photos!
For more photos please visit https://www.facebook.com/PamelaJaynePhotography

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 ...