An assortment for your pleasure

Lots of visitors due in the next couple of weeks, some at Château C and some in the area, so looking forward to fun times......

In the meantime I'll bring you up to date on various developments!

We recently bicycled to Le Rocher on the extended cycle track, spotting this curious shoe-tree along the way...

...and red poppies beginning to bloom...

...along with our own Californian poppies, of course!

The sense of relief shows on Matt's face...

...as Bradford City manage to win promotion to the next division

These weren't the unknown lads in the Starfish chanting 'Bradford, Bradford'!!

Back home and my domestic goddess does Lorraine (and herself) proud with this pineapple upside down cake!

Puzzle of the week: which is the jellyfish and which is the new lampshade in the living room?

Spring wedding

We were recently invited to the wedding of Julie & Sylvain (Julie's the daughter of friends Dominique & Michel) and what a lovely time we had.

The happy couple...

...with happy parents!

Don't worry, the confetti was biodegradable...

...and in the colour scheme!

Tine with La Tranche friend, Françoise...

...and dancing with a gentleman named Freddie

A macaroon wedding cake, anyone?

Now can you guess who these two are?

Sorry for making you wait for this post:  the photo upload facility was playing up for me!

New growth in the garden

We finally got our act together and planted this year's produce in the garden. We're still waiting for those hot temperatures but at least the rain has eased off.

The latest addition to the family: a fig tree, now planted in Tine's present from her L'Aiguillon classes...

...with small figs to prove it!

Most of the fruit blossom has now finished. This is apple blossom.

Four courgette plants, a reduction from previous years. See, I'm learning!

The tomato corner, with three varieties

Front to back: artichokes, two varieties of potatoes, shallots, radishes, beetroot, tomatoes. And round the corner: green beans, Swiss chard and strawberries (now flowering).

Same patch in reverse on 2nd April after a hail storm! Our 5th recent flooding.

Couldn't resist an extra Elliot photo. That's Matt he's pointing too as he knows he shouldn't be behind the bar!

Developments (1)

Regular visitors will see a few changes when they arrive in the area this year. The Moutiers les Mauxfaits bypass is now open (quite a long way round, I have to say) which will make the journey easier from La Roche.

The water table is still very high so expect full canals and green fields, for once. At least there shouldn't be a hosepipe ban this year!

In La Tranche there seem to be building works everywhere. This development is just by the new Mr. Bricolage.

The first three photos were taken on a very grey day in March

A month later and not only are they inserting wooden structures between each building but the sun has come out too!

But this heron was quite oblivious, watching for fish in the still full waterway

Any changes in our house? Well you'll have to come and see!