March is blazing in!

What a wonderful end weatherwise to Winter,  we are enjoying it so much! March came in a bit like a Lion, with Têmpete Catherine on the 2nd March which was a bit of a surprise one minute it was still and calm, then came down the rain and huge gusts of wind! But the Monday following you wouldn't believe how calm it was and then the sun came out and it has been resting with us ever since! So many signs of Spring now showing, although we still have boggy areas flowers are blooming and the buzz of bees is in the air!

To start the month of March,  I was commissioned to work a Pop Up Studio/Photo booth for a Surprise Masquerade Party for a family that are departing for the States. George Archer who has been teaching Zumba locally https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zumba-with-George-Archer/146279872178955?fref=ts will be leaving during the next few weeks, I first met George when he was about 15 at line dancing, he then got involved in the Zumba world that was introduced to our region by the lovely Lynne Stephens who ran Slimmercise which involved slimming club followed by aerobics, she then moved to Zumba after becoming a qualified ZIN https://www.facebook.com/ZumbaPoitouLynneStephens?fref=ts and quite a few of us are now addicts and still including the Slimming club - fitter and slimmer ladies are now enjoying the music and fun that Zumba with Lynne has to offer!
 It was a pleasure being asked to be involved in the Surprise for George and his family, the photographer had far too much fun! Good luck to a lovely family....

A "Pop up Studio" is such a fun way of recording an event, all guests have their photographs taken in a professional setting, ensuring that everyone has a great memory of the time. It also means that the Event host has great memories to treasure and doesn't have to worry about out of focus snaps! The choice of  CD, Prints and PhotoCards (or all three!) can then be purchased.
I think my favourite way to capture certain moments is with a few props as well, I have been using a frame for photo shoots as well and it really is an ice-breaker,  everyone starts posing in various ways and then the relaxed atmosphere that is provided really helps to add more than just enjoyment, everyone finds their inner "star" quality and pose like never before!

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Not so good at this Blogging really!

Well there's me thinking I would blog at least once a month....seemingly I can't even manage that now! BUT still I do have great reasons - work, work and a bit more work! Yes this summer has been fast and furious when not selling the photocards and Photographic prints at the Foires and Markets I have been sharing some wonderful days with fantastic couples and lovely families taking photos of their special time!

I can't believe we are now in October - which means Toussaint in about 3 weeks time - 2 weeks half term holidays....I am pleased however as I am now getting bookings in for the pre-Christmas photos. As this year we are making calenders again and of course offering a "Family Calendar".

August was brilliant we had visitors - my cousins we had 3 days of fun and laughter and catching up - always a good thing and I had a "masterclass" from a wonderful photographer http://gdphotographer.co.uk what a talented and passionate young man - and I would not hesitate to use him for any special events we have here! You can see his passion through the lens and he even managed to get a decent photo of us lot!

We have been on some great bike rides - but we did plan on one around part of the Marais Poitevin - it's a must! if you love cycling and walking then the routes are fantastic. Clearly signposted and go on for miles of nature at it's best - yes you do have to cross the odd road every now and again but it's still easy to get around and see the area.

At this point we had just come up quite a steep hill and found we were a little lost! But we were soon on our merry way thanks to a very kindly gentleman that wanted to chat and guide us - we ended up following a pretty route and so glad we didn't find the shortcut - which we cycled past some 5 kms later!

Would be rude not to stop after 2 hours and have a sip of something cool!

Heron waiting for his catch of the day!

Ok So I walked up the first time and walked down again but faced my fears and stayed on the bike for this one - it's really steep I tells yer!

Second pit stop and a lovely snack lunch this café in Magné only opens for the month of August and is run by the Mairie of the town, it sells soft refreshments and pizza - and of course ice-cream :D never did 2 Perriers look so enticing!

Back to Coulon and after waiting the other side of the bridge we get to see what we have been waiting for! madness really!!

After 5 hours we are ready to go home - sort of!

For the rest of August it passed in a blur - 3 Weddings, "Making Memories" Family photoshoots, Music festival at The Mad Hatter's Kitchen and a "Making Memories Day" with my lovely friend over at Les Ceramiques de Linda!

From Baby feet to Fire to family what a great month!

Weddings galore!

So all in August was packed and we had a lovely time with everyone that was involved one way or another - I think I said it many times in the past but I do really love my job :D

May - our busy happy month!

I love May, not only is it the best Spring month for flowers and new life everywhere but we have our beautiful daughters Birthdays this month as well - have done since they were born obviously but this month is extra special - our Chloe is now 21 and our Naomi will be 18 in 2 days time! Planning was not on our minds quite obviously! BUT the good thing in France they don't really celebrate 21 as a big all out Birthday, it's just another birthday having already celebrated the 20th.

Happy 21st

These are the photos of the most important people in my life - it's very rare to get photos of us, the girls and parents - but sometimes the right time comes along! And yes there are a lot of "selfies" :)

Soon to be 18 year old!

my beloved hubby

My Mums and Girls!

my 21 year old !

My Dads and Hubby

The most wonderful lady in my life!

So basically we ate a lovely lunch and just had lots of fun and laughs and of course Missy got lots of lovely pressies!

We then had rain, rain and more rain and do you know what - rain on top of that - it really hasn't stopped since the 6th! And when it does we all run outside to celebrate! It is wet out there, but just to prove we have had a few dry days.....

These were taken on the 6th - I went outside and it was relatively warm and sunny evening and I happened to spy rather a lot of flying critters around the fruit trees, at first I assumed they were the weird Dangly legged  St. Mark's flies but no! These were different totally I have since found out they are  Green Longhorn Fairy Moth (Adela reaumurella) Male, I was astonished at the length of the antennae on this little moth! But oh so pretty and dancing in the dusk!

The butterfly on the next leaf was considerably giant like in comparison!

Just as I was going back inside I noticed this dandy was losing it's seed heads in the breeze!

We decided to paint the kitchen over the first of the Public holidays - there was us thinking ALL the shops would be closed but no the locals were all open and most of them packed with "holiday shoppers!" We had a good root through the paint selection and could not quite believe my eyes - the colour I have wanted since "forever" in the kitchen - it was fate so home we went and started the task of giving the kitchen a face lift  I admit it is not finished yet! 

The first market for me of the year was at one of my favourite places of Aigre although it is still a little quiet at this time of year - cards left the area! Also Naomi took the music on solo as Chloe was studying for the upcoming exams! She did very well even if I do say so!

Whilst there I couldn't resist taking photos of the lovely soap that Angie makes from her very own Goats Milk, well not hers you understand but that of her Nanny goats!

 If you are interested in the soap and candles that are made naturally without anything remotely bad in them, then why not pop over to Angie's Facebook page? https://www.facebook.com/AngelaVellaSavon?fref=ts

We my husband and I went on an EPIC (for us) bike ride on the Sunday covering in all 33.5kms which was actually at the end completely exhausting as we had a horrible headwind all the way home and we have a hill to climb before we can get home! BUT we did it and yes it took us most of the evening to recover but we had such a great day, we even stopped at our friends and they came along with us for 10kms (which we hadn't added into the route originally!)

Sainte Soline looking very green!

le Lavoir

Hawthorn (May!)

There they are!

Le Moulin at Lezay

We also paid a visit (Rob for work me for pleasure) to my friend who fosters Pedencos and Spanish Galgas! They were the most gorgeous dogs I have met - they are so docile, friendly and just want to be loved!  My lovely friend  fosters and finds homes for most of them but these lovelies have stayed with her. They all have such fantastic natures and you wonder how mankind can be so cruel to an animal that only has love to give! They have a new lease of life once saved and re-homed. I hope you enjoy the photos as much as I enjoyed taking them and capturing their personalities! For more information on re-homing you can contact Lévriers and Compagnie http://www.levriersetco.fr for more photos please do pop over to my Facebook page or Flickr.

not a Galga or Pedenco but just gawjus!

The 16th May - Naomi's 18th Birthday - the realisation your youngest is now an ADULT! gulp........but I hope she doesn't take that label too seriously! I don't think she will it's not in the genes!

Lunch was at Au Bureau http://www.aubureau-bpub-restaurant.fr/ a really lovely "Irish Pub" which had the best menu to suit all 4 of us that day, and Naomi's friend being a vegetarian also had a good choice! We of course only went for the Guinness (which I can't stand!)!

Mines a Guinness please!

How to embarrass you daughter - by asking the lovely waitress to stick a candle or sparkler in the dessert - only this was more like a firework! Still did the trick...

We had a concert to go to on the Friday which was Naomi's music class from the Lycée and 3 local Colléges. Singing songs from the Plantation days......a lovely story but the singing was fantastic, all the youngsters bar one (ours) were French but the sound the produced was so good. Amazing Grace brought the hairs on my arms right up!

After so much fun  over the last few days it hard to believe we still had Naomi's 18th to celebrate...but we did!!

The much loved JB Olives (named after my friend Julie B!)

 I didn't need to panic about the cake topper - another of my incredibly talented friends got me out of a spot and helped me out! I couldn't believe this when I saw it - we all think it's incredible!

 The look on her face says it all I think don't you?

Along with 3 Dr Who t.shirts and many other great pressies from family and friends I think we can safely say someone enjoyed their 18th celebrations a lot!

SO now onto another event - yes the 3rd Birthday of the month - I will be celebrating on the 26th (now those of you that have been looking at dates of the birthdays may have noticed a little theme running through the numbers  - and I promise you - not intentional, well not much anyway!) So my Nearly Birthday Twin (Julie is the day after me) decided to treat ourselves to something completely different for our treat and it was  different and a treat! 

We went on a Paint Techniques workshop with a very talented and local lady Danielle who loves shabby chic - so much she is making her dreams come true and working her passion on a daily basis - you must pop over to her page.... https://www.facebook.com/ShabbyChicFrenchFurnitureatChezDanielle?fref=ts she has some beautiful furniture and home accessories. Well we started with a boring old piece of furniture - mine has been in the family for years and recently been used in Naomi's room, I say nothing at this point! So I chose the cupboard because I wanted to show it off really it is such a pretty little thing, well I think Danni and Mr Toad (her husband) loved it as well! After spending many hours, and having lunch with Birthday cake AND a candle :D we were seeing our furniture emerging that was quite lovely! In between the painting we did a lot of talking and I mean a lot - well 2 Geminis from Essex in the same room - it was never going to be quiet or even sensible really! The best thing was hearing music from our era and it really took us back down memory lane - even managed to fit in a few dance moves to Saturday Night Fever....so much fun!!

Before!

This was our practice board which became a work of art! Here we are learning the skills to work on our furniture including "whispering" which we weren't so good at!

Tada! the finished article! Which now has a place in our lounge!

Well after the day we had, you would have thought we would be exhausted but Danni and I (poor JB had to leave to go home to reality!) got chatting about my photos and her skills, the creative juices had been working over time all day anyway, but the more we talked the more ideas started flowing.... and we have now joined forces - I am so thrilled! Danni will be transforming my photos into wonderful and unique gifts - our first one is this wonderful cushion which is "So French" this has to be my all time favourite but also my bestselling and competition winning photo so it means so much to me that Danni also sees the potential of making it into something so special! There are more unique ideas to follow but she is a very busy lady and she does do all the hard work of making and creating!

So far this month has been fantastically special despite the continuous rain but to be honest compared to Oklahoma we are incredibly lucky!

Today also the terrors of the Woolwich attack is on everyone's minds and being talked about everywhere, so I leave you with this photo which as someone pointed out is particularly fitting today! My heart goes out to his family and parents a young life stolen by mindless people!

I will be back soon - after all we still have a few days left to cram in more events this month - I wonder what we will end up doing?

I wish you all a good, safe weekend and once again thank you for reading my "Life through the Lens" from France.

PamelaJayne

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