Category: France

France, The story

The great rivers of France, terrace furniture, and the story of a resident’s permit

One is never far from the great rivers of France. Today two of them featured in my adventures, the Garonne and the Dordogne, the Garonne because I crossed over it twice on my return journey to Bordeaux this morning, and the Dordogne because I drove alongside it on arrival in the centre of the city. The two rivers meet at Bordeaux and then flow out … Continue reading The great rivers of France, terrace furniture, and the story of a resident’s permit

The Renaissance Gardener3 Comments
First Monday of the month, France, Walk round the garden

First Monday in April 2021

I need hardly state the obvious: these are strange and difficult times. Everyone in their differing circumstances has a different set of challenges. However empathetic we try to be we can only really talk with any authority about our own challenges. Our own biggest challenge at the moment is the enforced separation caused by the “perfect storm” of Covid and Brexit. I’m here in France … Continue reading First Monday in April 2021

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Design, France

Kitchen Garden? Or Potager?

We didn’t think we were going to grow vegetables here. Certainly when we were only visiting every few weeks it would have been out of the question as without regular watering everything would quickly have died at worst, or failed to thrive at best. And with wonderful produce available seasonally in the markets around us what was the point … It is interesting how ideas … Continue reading Kitchen Garden? Or Potager?

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France

Wildlife. And a trip to market

I’ve recently noticed a few large wasps lurking in the downstairs bedroom, around the French windows. Apparently (so beekeeping friends tell me) they are likely to be fertilised queen wasps which have been over-wintering somewhere and are now coming out of hibernation to found a new nest. Last autumn we suddenly had an influx of dozens, actually probably hundreds, of dozy and dying wasps into … Continue reading Wildlife. And a trip to market

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First Monday of the month, France, Walk round the garden, Winter

First Monday in January 2021

A friend posted photos of all the plants in flower in her garden a couple of days ago. This inspired me to walk round yesterday taking photos of all the flowers I could find; very few! I had a real sense that the garden has now sunk into its brief period of winter dormancy. Winter is short in this part of south-west France, but it … Continue reading First Monday in January 2021

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France, Gardens to visit, Memories, Sussex, The story

My top 10 from 2020

This time last year I downloaded an app called Top 9 which selects the best (not sure by what criteria) nine photos posted on Instagram during the previous year. I’m seeing a few people posting their Top 9 so I decided I’d revisit it. Unfortunately the app doesn’t want to play ball, just hanging and displaying the message “Doing some housekeeping …”. Its been doing … Continue reading My top 10 from 2020

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Autumn, France, The story, Winter

A Christmas Letter – Part 2 “the garden”

As the first year when I wouldn’t be distracted from the garden by work, 2020 was intended to be a year of significant garden development. We know what happened; distractions far bigger than work conspired to put a stop to those plans. However gardens and plants never stand still and here we are just a few days before the end of the year; time to … Continue reading A Christmas Letter – Part 2 “the garden”

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France, Musings and observations, Sussex, The story

A Christmas Letter – Part 1 “us”

I was an early adopter of the idea of writing Christmas letters. Some people call them Round Robins. Many ridicule them. But general feedback on mine is that they are welcomed and received with interest. So I shall continue to write one even at the end of this very strange year of 2020, even though I don’t necessarily feel like it. Like so many of … Continue reading A Christmas Letter – Part 1 “us”

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France, Musings and observations, The story

Plus ça change plus ç’est la même chose

One of the few artefacts I have from my childhood is a composition (as they were called in those days) I wrote at primary school where I expressed the desire to live in a house in the country with roses growing over the door. I never lost that wish despite decades living in (albeit leafy) suburbia. Someone once accused me of having a romantic fantasy … Continue reading Plus ça change plus ç’est la même chose

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France, Six on Saturday, The story

Six on Saturday, life in lockdown, volunteers, and self seeders

Somehow, during lockdown, I’ve been completely unable to write a blog post. I don’t really know why. Perhaps one reason is that for me to retain my sanity in these strange days, these days when I should have been building my new non-working life, I’m focusing all my efforts on the here and now, counting the blessings I have, enjoying where I am. Perhaps writing … Continue reading Six on Saturday, life in lockdown, volunteers, and self seeders

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