Our vegetable patch has lots of raspberries which I love, potatoes, runner beans, lettuces which we unfortunately share with the snails and slugs since the dog next door eliminated the hedgehogs, butternut pumpkins from Australia, strawberries, five types of heirloom tomatoes, chives, basil, rosemary, sorrel, gladioli, nasturtiums, roses, carnations and other unidentified flowers. Notre potager …
Monthly Archives: July 2018
Troglodytes along the Loire – Troglodytes au bord de la Loire
The tufa cliffs you can see on the other side of the Loire are actually troglodyte dwellings, dug directly in the soft stone. The town is called Rochecorbon between Amboise and Tours. Les falaises de tuffeau que l’on voit de l’autre côté de la Loire sont en réalité des maisons troglodytes creusées directement dans la pierre. Il …
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Picnic in the Sun – Pique-nique au soleil
I fail to understand why almost ALL the picnic tables in France (and there are not a lot of them I have to say) are in the sun at midday (not to mention most of the afternoon). Je n’arrive pas à comprendre pourquoi quasiment TOUTES les tables de pique-nique en France (et il n’y en …
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Picnic on the Bike Park – Pique-nique sur la piste à vélo
Why aren't my petunias like that? – Pourquoi mes pétunias ne sont-ils pas comme ça ?
As an aspiring gardener – and I say aspiring because gardening, like parenting, is very humbling – I am always on the lookout for magnificent planters such as this one that we rode past last night on our bikes. Below are my petunias this year, which I am quite proud of, but they are the result …
Capital Faces – Visage de chapiteaux
These are just some of the faces on the capitals lining the horse ramp in Amboise Castle. Any suggestions for naming them? Voici quelques-uns des visages sur les chapiteaux qui longent la rampe à cheval au château d’Amboise. Avez-vous des suggestions pour leur donner un nom ?
Hemp & Linen – Chanvre & lin
These un usual bed hangings in Château du Moulin use a special Sologne combination of hemp and linen and are hand-embroidered. Ces rideaux de lit originaux au château du Moulin sont fabriqués avec une combinaison solognote de chanvre et lin et sont brodés à la main.
Black and White Swirls – Tortillons noir et blanc
I’ve been trying to get a photo of the Denis Papin stairs in Blois since I got back from holiday but the light is never right when I’m there. I took this from the car today! J’essaie de prendre une photo de l’escalier Dénis Papin depuis notre retour de vacances mais ce n’est jamais la …
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Have you seen Leonardo? – avez-vous vu Léonard ?
Today I was walking towards the chapel at Amboise Castle where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last years when these two hove in sight. “Have you seen Leonardo” I asked. “Oh, not this afternoon.” A woman walking past said “Leonardo is dead.” Some people have absolutely no imagination. Cet après-midi je me dirigeais vers la …
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Château du Moulin
This delightful castle near Mur-en-Sologne was built at the turn of the 15th century for Philippe du Moulin. It combines the features of the feudal castle of the Middle Ages and the seigniorial abode of the Renaissance: moats, loopholes, machicolations and a keep with a footbridge (as opposed to a drawbridge) are enhanced with mullion windows …