Rain and Shine

  Weatherwise, this last week and the one that went before, couldn’t have been more different for the time of year. This week, we have had cloudless skies and temperatures above 25°C during the day but nicely cool at night. The preceding week was cold and wet – so chilly to necessitate the lighting of a fire in the evening.

The responsibility for this state of affairs lies squarely on the shoulders of our visitors from Wales, who were here the first of these two weeks. They brought the bad weather with them, and thankfully took it away again. Thanks Dave and Jo.

Instead on sunbathing in the dappled shade of the walnut trees and sipping a G & T they were obliged to huddle indoors with books or listen to the amusings of Peter Ustinov or Alan Bennet on tape if they could hear above the rain drumming on the roof of the serre. They made brave sorties into Conques, Rodez and Figeac but altogether I think they had a sad time of it.

We did have a pleasant evening out together when we dined at the auberge in Mourjou. Excellent meal and good company – thank you both.

Since then we have been getting on with chores despite the temptation to bask in the sun along with the lizards. I have finished decorating the main bedroom – although not yet finished the quilt. The theme is sunflowers and I have framed several pictures for the walls. Below - I am sewing outside on the terrace.  

Jim’s vegetables are growing well and we have been eating potatoes and a first picking of broadbeans. Delicious.  

We have made a couple of evening strolls up to Peter’s Place (still no bench) with bottles of beer and found it too hot to stay there long even as late as 8 o’clock. One evening as I sat down a snake slithered off a branch of a bush about a metre away. I was too concerned to prevent Rufus seeing it to notice what it was before it was out of sight. Pity, because I had my camera at the ready for just such an event.

We have been dancing around the garden trying to get decent pictures of butterflies. The air is full of different kinds – not rare, so far as we know, but just varieties we don’t see frequently, or at all, in the U.K. I have had to purchase another butterfly book, unfortunately it is in French – what did I expect!  

This is a Purple Emperor – only the males show the purple flash and only from certain angles. I had wondered why so many of these were fluttering together in the same place until I read up on them. I found out they were attracted to rotting or decaying material and saw that Rufus had left something aromatic underneath the Hortensia bush nearby!  

And this is a Knapweed Fritillary – there are a lot of butterflies that look like this in colouring but this one is perched on some Knapweed to make it easy for me.  

Firstly, our old friend bramble, or  blackberry, this one with pink flowers which are rather pretty and I expect we shall be glad of it during blackberry picking time but at the moment it impedes progress on walks and Jim has to keep strimming to clear the paths and poor old Rufus is ripped to shreds on his belly.

Secondly, a pretty little flower related to the snapdragon - Pale Toadflax

Another walk we take is along the river. Rufus likes this too as he can go swimming. Only a good idea if you want a wet dog for the rest of the evening. (See video clip at the beginning) (Still working on how to insert this in the blog) And finally a good view of the river from the walk.    

Corsets and Street Theatre

Thursday is market day in Maurs – well, market morning as they start to pack up at 12 – 12.30. We usually go, if only to enjoy the convivial atmosphere and to buy plants for the garden.
Apart from the usual kind of stall – vegetable produce, meat and cheese vans, kitchenware, clothing, handbags and shoes there is always one stall that I find fascinating.

We call her the corset lady and she really does have an incredible selection of old fashioned underwear. If she objected to my photographing the stall she made no comment as I had previously rescued a couple of oversized bras that the wind had blown astray. I haven’t bought anything here.

If we miss anything from our life in Cowbridge it is the drama so it was with enthusiasm that we travelled to Capdenac Gare last weekend for the 14th Festival of Derrière Hublot ‘Arts de la Rue’ . The events were taking place in a local park. We had bought two tickets for the only event requiring payment but that was for tomorrow. The Tourist Office told us everything else was booked. Unbelievable!

En route to the park we saw these decorated buildings:

 There were about 5 or 6 all in a different colour. We understood it was a competition for the best decorated house over the two days.

The proceedings in the park were still being set up – no beer tent, no music stand, no food stall and very few people. There was only one event and that seemed to be for children. It began to rain so we left.

On Sunday we arrived in good time for the 2.30 performance of 2Rien Merci by Moulinoscope.

This was the ticket office (behind it is the main auditorium):

At 2.30 the girl rang a bell and on presentation of our tickets (€10 each) we were each given a walnut. Half our number was ushered into a hessian covered caravan, the rest to hang around waiting.

Inside was dark (I struggled to contain my claustrophobia) then we were handed a small torch each. We stood around a contraption attached to a bicycle. The walls were decorated with cuttings and posters but it was too dark to read them. In slow motion and with a lot of fiddling about the ‘actor’ mounted the bicycle and started to pedal. This activated a large wheel behind him with film slides inserted. There was nothing interesting to see except a stuffed, headless duck whizzing round above his head. After a bit he stopped pedalling and let us out.
More hanging around (the other half of our group went into the caravan) when we were let into the theatre proper (relinquishing our walnuts at the door). There were no seats, and again we stood around some apparatus. Presently, (no sense of urgency) the ‘actor’ gave us a film show consisting of the four actors involved dressed in ‘funny’ clothing performing ‘funny’ actions and a lot of close-ups of snails. The whole event took about 50 minutes including all the waiting.

There appeared to be no other events on offer until the evening so after a beer (beer tent now working) and an icecream (ditto food stall) we went home. I thought wistfully of the account of the performance of The Importance of Being Ernest at Bryngarw by ‘Rain and Shine’.

After supper, whilst doing a jig-saw I listened to Bill Bryson reading his book At Home. Jim planted out some beans. We enjoy simple pleasures here in the Cantal.

Ruthie and Roofie

 

Ruth needed a break from her job in a Care Home where she works hard so she came to visit us in the Moulin for a week.

Bonding

She and Rufus took to each other straight away. It was love at first sight. Ruth bought Rufus a present of a stuffed, squeaky duck and he loves it. Ruth played ball with him, took him for unscheduled walks in the fields and cooched up on the sofa with him when we watched DVDS in the evening.

Roofie and the Duck

During her visit we went again to Conques where Ruth bought gifts for her friends and family. On a hot day we went to the beach. There was talk of swimming but the water was too cold but we did some sun bathing and had a picnic.

Beach on the Lake

This beach is not on the coast, of course, we are too far away for that.  The place is called  Lake Ribeyrie and is the largest artificial lake in the Auvergne. It is a reservoir created by EDF between 1935 and 1945 in the valley of the Cere at Saint-Etienne-Cantalès. It has many beaches and leisure facilities. It is about an hours drive away from the Moulin.

Map showing Lake

Our final outing was to the Foire à la Cerise (Cherry Fair) at St Constant – just 10 minutes down the road. It was a two-day affair but as Ruth was catching her plane in Toulouse on the Sunday we were only able to enjoy the festivities on the Saturday. When we arrived after lunch we found people playing boule on every available spot. Not a cherry or tombola stall in site. We looked at the schedule of events and decided to come back in time for the Soirée Danse Country (sous le chapiteau, entrée gratuite and initiation) and the Grand Feu d’Artifice.

This we did.

Line Dancing (no we didn't)

Feu d'Artifice

We returned Ruth to Toulouse on the Sunday and we, ourselves stayed overnight so that we could make a trip to IKEA on Monday morning to get some more flooring and other stuff for the house and gite. This enabled us to spend the evening wandering around part of the town and eating out.

 Love a duck!

I think Ruthie enjoyed her visit but Roofie is now bereft. He wanders around in a lacklustre manner pining for his lost love. I have bought him a new ball to cheer him up.

 Longhorn beetle

No. I don't like them either. Next time:'corsets at the market' and 'street theatre'.

Visitors

This was the week that Peter and Jennifer visited. They have been regular visitors over the years we have been coming here. We collect them from Rodez, a delightful, small airport about an hour away.

Our first outing was to a pottery market we had seen advertised and it proved to be good. The stalls were set out in a field adjacent to another mill. The standard of the pottery was excellent and we were tempted to buy several bits and pieces.

 

We were also attracted by the possibily of having the lunch provided - sausage and aligot. Aligot is a dish traditionally made in the south of the Auvergne and made of melted Tomme cheese blended into mashed potatoes, often with some garlic and cream. It is quite delicious and can be bought ready made in the markets and supermarkets.

Another trip was made to Conques. This is our local tourist attraction but well worth the visit. The tiny village of Conques occupies a spectacular position high on the steep, wooded gorge of the River Dourdou, a small tributary of the Lot. It is highly picturesque and peaceful — the Rough Guide to France calls it "one of the great villages of southwest France." Parts of the medieval walls still survive, along with three of its gates. The houses date from the late Middle Ages and are divided by cobbled lanes and stairways that are a pleasure to wander. There several shops selling good quality souveniers, craftwork and postcards and of course, the Abbey itself with the Romanesque carving of the Last Judgment in the tympanum over the main doors.

Tympanum detail: weighing of souls and the gates to heaven and hell

For the third time we had an excellent lunch in the hotel Saint Jacques seated on the terrace.

The bowl of strawberries below is not one of Jim's products although we have been having salad leaves from his vegetable garden and even a serving of small new potatoes, but wild strawberries that grow plentifully here and good served with a bowl of yogurt.

Finally some more flora and fauna - not necessarily to everyone's taste.

 Blossom on Medlar tree

A Wedding?

  We were told that there was to be a village wedding. Cyprien thought that it was at one o’clock, certainly ‘apres midi’, followed by that Gallic shrug to indicate he didn’t really know what time. The front of the Mairie was decorated the day before like this:

The Mairie - Fournoules

We decided to turn up at one to see the bride and then go on into Maurs. At one o’clock there was no one about the village. We peered through the windows of the Mairie which was set out inside for a function of some kind. We walked around the village – still no action. We sat in the car for twenty minutes then decided to kill a bit of time by calling on some Brits we had been told about who had converted a barn in a neighbouring village.

Our intention was to leave a note with our name and phone number inviting them to call us if they wanted the contact but we were caught in the act and invited in.

They proved to be a charming couple and I think we shall get on well with them. There was talk of playing bridge, but that means that Jim will have to learn . . .

The barn was beautiful and they now live here permanently.

We missed the wedding, of course, but shortly after our return home the bride and groom turned up at the Moulin and asked if they could have photographs taken. I think they had an image of a chocolate box mill wheel scene and were a bit disappointed but they had some pictures taken anyway. 

Bride and Groom

Peter and Jennifer arrive on Friday and will be staying in the gite. The French family have left – are they going to buy the Moulin? – we are carrying on as though they are not. I have nearly finished painting the little bedroom white, it looks good. I shall start on the kitchen ceiling afterwards when I have finished it.

'Grand Foire' Village Hall - Viazac

We went to another ‘Grande Foire’ - mostly plants and crafts this time. Looks familiar doesn’t it?

I continue to find new flora and fauna.

Peter's Place

 

This is ‘Peter’s Place that has been mentioned previously. It is a spot, discovered and utilised by Peter on earlier visits. It is on the verge of the rough road overlooking the valley. It has a view of the ruined chateau Merle and gets the late evening sun. A fine place to sip a glass of wine and contemplate nature.  Imagine, also the song of a bird in the trees – usually one we can’t put a name to.

You can just make out the ruin in the middle of the horizon.

 

Peter used to go here as he could pick up a signal on his dongle if he was lucky. We have dragged two old plastic chairs up here and we rest awhile when we are taking Rufus for an evening walk. Perhaps we can persuade Peter to construct a three or four seater bench out of some oak planks we have and we can all soak in the view and the sun while sharing a bottle or two.

The ‘rough road’ is so called because it is an unmade road continuing the loop from the Moulin up to the departmental road. We never use it with the car it as it has deep ruts and is very stony, but some local people coming down to fish in the river do, in their clapped out Renaults and Citroens.

Last Sunday we went to a ‘Grand Foire’ in a local town, Bagnac. It was little more that a boot fair but at greatly inflated prices.  

 

Peter and Jennifer know Bagnac as it is where, at Le Hôtel du Commerce, we have had lunch, consisting of five courses, for €11.00. Well, I am sorry to report Peter, that the price is now €14.00 – this includes a bottle of vin ordinaire I should mention.

The chest in the picture above is very similar to the one that Matthew repaired (post below). We thought that the label on it would give the price but it was something in code. We didn’t buy anything except some plants for the garden and a couple of beers.

The French family have arrived to spend four days in the gite. It has rained steadily since. They have three boys, 12, 11 and 8 – all cooped up in the one living room/kitchen. I pray for dry weather tomorrow especially as there is a wedding in the village we have been told. We shall wander up there if it is not raining and report back next time.

Back Again

Since my last posting we have been back to the UK for several reasons. Our planned balloon flight booked for 19th April was unfortunately cancelled due to weather conditions.
My 70th birthday came and went. Thank you for all the good wishes, presents and cakes.
We are now safely back at Moulin du Clout where we expect to remain until the end of October.
After a few hot days a cold front has arrived and it is raining steadily. This is sad because we have a Dutch family staying in the gite for a few days and they are not able to fully enjoy what we have to offer. They are prospective purchasers of the Moulin so we would like them to see it at it's best.

Everything is green now although the walnut trees are not yet fully out.

Jim continues with the vegetable planting and I am taking photographs of flora and fauna and cataloguing them. I haven't yet managed to get a picture of the large Green Lizard which scampers about in the vegetable garden.

Here is a spectacular plant. Does anyone know what it is? It's okay - I do - this is a quiz question.

Before we went home, our son, Matthew came for a few days and painted the living room white and restored an old chest he found in the loft of the barn.

It looks much better now and we plan to get other rooms done the same.

This will now make a useful toybox.

There are still a few more weeks available for rent in the gite - a couple in June and all of September and the beginning of October - see other blog (Gite for rent) for tariff and details.


Broadband and telephone now both working. Any of our email address will reach us and the phone number is: 0033471436173 although for those of you in the UK you can use the number:08442320531 which is 3p per minute including VAT day and night and is part of our broadband package. It reroutes to the other number and does not need the 0033 prefix.