Postdated April - the catch up!

 The sun and warmth did indeed wait out until we started on the "Vacances de Pâques (thankfully!) Youngest daughter had the best week "ever" in Southern Ireland enjoying the culture of music and Guinness! Although this was shared between 4 of them but when in Ireland you just can't not can you? The host family she and her 2 friends stayed with were lovely and thoroughly looked after them. They met new friends in Ireland and made new bonds as a group - all that you can hope and ask for for your children! Our eldest also had a fantastic time in Sicily again embracing the culture, the music and yes the beer! Probably the cheapest item on the menu! But they were there to entertain and sing with a Sicilian Uni as well but had time to explore also! Again a wonderful experience that will last with her for many years!

We did get our "holioneday" as well which was lovely, we all voted on Royan as we haven't been there for a couple of years, we wanted the coast - the sea air and to spend a little more time exploring.

We ended up going to 3 different beaches along the coast line...and each one very different! I love this one purely for the houses, what an eclectic road this is!

Mixing it up architecturally!

view to the "modern" church in Royan town

 And for the first time since I was 18 went on a Ferris Wheel,

umm it's quite high up!

all the feelings of "no I don't want to" surfaced and the only reason I was scared was because during our "yoof" we used to go to Peter Pan's in Southend-on- Sea with our crowd, and the last time I was up the top of the Big Wheel our dear and truly beloved dare devil friend decided to spin the wheel making the tub go round and not stopping there started to rock it - by this time I was terrified and really not enjoying this experience! So all that time on and still not been up again - until my lovely family gently cajoled me into it!
The first round of going up was actually quite hilarious in as much as it was silent - all you could hear was the squeak, squeak of the rubber wheel and the wind, which at that point did start making it's presence felt (Great!!) but once at the top - fabUlous the view was so amazing sea on the one side going on for miles and endless sea miles and then to the other sand and rolling countryside - such a juxtaposition of life!

my view

a very rare capture of me it has to be said but I thought I should really record this act of  bravery!

looking at the "Front de Mer"

A well deserved treat!

to the Church

After more beachy pics and paddling in the oh so chilly waters we went to the Marennes d'Oleron for a picnic alongside the river - all very lovely indeed...... 

Hubby is the most patient man I know and he really does put up with my sitting in the car saying "oh how I wish we could just pull up and stop so I can take a photo of "this, that and the other thing" this is normally said whilst driving along the N10 or another motorway where all wildlife tends to hang out! On this occasion however he found a little lay-by so that we could finally see the Storks nesting - although we noticed, quite sadly that most of the pylons have had added extras in the way of spikes to stop this nesting process, which is all well and good IF they (the powers that be) put in place new nesting posts - there are a handful out in the marshes and certainly not enough for the amount of Storks that come to nest here every year! I won't get on my soapbox just yet about this as I haven't done my research into why they are stopping this but for the life of me I won't understand it!

Each pylon used to have a nest on it!

Just one of the nesting posts!

Yes....and......?

love these cottages!

Taken from the car whilst moving excuse the quality!

 

We had a lovely day and slept like logs!

I had the absolute pleasure of photographing baby Valentin and his big sister in April also ... these are just a few of our favourites! 

*Thank you Angelique and family!*


To show that the weather in April was also turbulent whilst out and about this wonderful rainbow caught my eye - now this is a view I could get used to on a daily basis!

And then the sun came back out one Sunday so we made the very best of it and went on (at that point) one of our longest bike rides, taking in the local Fôret and the wonder of the Bluebells - what is it about these beautiful, delicate flowers? I don't think we have ever had such a good year for flowers in the wild, the Cowslips have been nothing short of magnificent in the ditches and fields and now the Bluebells and Wood Anemones are shining in the sun (when it's out) like a real life fairy grotto!

Excitement came to pass in Lezay as well this month, with the Tour Auto Optic 2000. "The 22nd edition of the Tour Auto Optic 2ooo once again offers a brand new itinerary between Paris and La Rochelle via Orléans, Vichy, Albi and Limoges dotted with timed stages on closed roads and circuits. There were 250 competing cars. And I captured about 30! We stood for about an hour and half in the not so lovely sunny French weather but in a very nice area :)

I have also come to realise that I am really luck to have patient and understanding friends also - a picnic for me turns into "ooooh....a shot here, a shot there, can you pretend I am not here with my camera please".  You know the sort of person who pretends they are NOT taking a photo of you - but umm yes they are, sorry that's me! But this for me is fun....watching people, children in particular (and I don't mean that in a creepy way) but the innocence that we tend to forget as an adult, the taking in what you have around you - the dandelions and the daisies are there to be picked and made into that wonderful garland....that's the fun in being a child not the parent who thinks "oh dear what's been there before my child!" The tree becomes a hiding place - you can't catch me! The toy dog - well that's made to be taken for a "walk" around the car park isn't it? Brothers, Sisters, Friends - that's what childhood is about and hopefully by taking a few random and candid captures they will remember the fun times they had out - Making Memories - that's what it really is all about! 

Thank you Julie, Karen and Sara!

Well my April fun is coming to an end now....it's only when I look back at the photos I realise what a good month it was. Lots of nice things have happened, lots of projects have been formed and will be taking place over the next couple of months.

I would like to leave you with the sun setting on this month.....

If you would like to see further images taken over April then please do visit my Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/PamelaJaynePhotography or my website.

Hopefully I will be able to keep a little more up to date with this blog over the next few months, but I thank you to those that have taken the time to read and look at the month in photos. Thank you also to my lovely family and friends that just add that extra!

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 ...