one needs to pay attention all the time...

 Has anyone ever seen a leaf turn black?

I'm sure I am not the only one who has ruined a mornings outting by getting engrossed in a photo subject only to loose her footing and tip ever so gently into a river of long snakey grass and ice cold water. All I could think of was the little lumix: its fore runners lost to sand, another to a 'choc' and this one's demise would be to water. I managed to keep the camera high and hubby saved camera while I gropped my way back to land, so if things do come in threes what do I have to look forward to next? Sunny like Florida here, youpi, have a lovely Pentecôte everyone, à demain.        

succession disputes

 Ebéne by virtue of his size could take over Tui-Tui's place but he is so timid and gentle without the tiniest interest in being the 'boss' that he isn't in this power struggle however he watches from a safe distance as the delicate situation unfolds.

 Henny is the youngest and shouldn't even be a candidate but being the only toughie male in the running he is doing his best, he thinks his rival is Kohlah and has begun running roughshod over her so she keeps a wily eye on him at all times, it must be exhausting for her.    

 Ah then we have the oldest little skunk who by all appearances has slipped into her role as leader of the pack without even having tried. This timid, scared of her shadow girl who we found under a geranium leaf in our garden 9 years ago when she was no more than a week old, by our Vets estimations, whom I fed every three hours for 3 weeks, 24/24 from a baby bottle is now the Queen Bee. Here she has claimed what is usually Kohlah's basket however more recently it has become Yola's basket and favourite resting place, and Kohlah who usually doesn't let anyone make her do anything, including us, will move on when she sees Yola lumber into the room.    

                                                 Yesterday

Today, a gorgeous blue sky, dotted with a few fluffy non menancing clouds-ours will be a sunshine filled day. Hope we are sharing this weather with everyone!   à demain

rain rain go away!

Actually it isn't so much the rain I'd like to stop it is the greyness that accompanies it, I enjoy the banging and clanging above our heads but not the result, no internet, no telephone that befell us last evening..glad to say all is up and running this morning thanks to the men and women that worked out in that mess. The collage is yesterday morning's walk, we were hit with a dandy deluge in the middle of it, and were all soaked to the skin. We'd arrived just in time to get the second installment of that weird leave growth much to my walking companion who didn't really see the point, (men!), as you can see in the photo below it appears all activity has ceased and this is what is left..

 Here is what our world looks like this morning and is meant to look like all day, perfect for indoor stuff.

   

Drier weekend to the rest of you, stay safe and sound...ciao for now

Random 5 Friday

'Random 5 Friday' is hosted at http://nancyclaeys.com which is having a bit of a new comer adjustment to a change of blogger site, however going here will redirected you easily and quickly back to her original site, 'a rural journal'.

1.      I fell off my bike rounding a corner too close to the edge of the village square, scrapping my knee, bruising my head and hip loosing all the groceries in my basket, but worst of all I ripped the only dress jeans I could do up! 

2.      Yesterday I received an unexpected phone call from a friend back home that I'd been thinking about all week, I just love when this happens.

3.      This morning I woke thinking of the time a friend and I were bumped from a flight from Guadalajara to Porta Vallarta, Mexico by Elizabeth Taylor and John Warner, her two dogs and 17 of their entourage but we didn't care. It was a small piece of theatre seeing them arrive, paparazzi, fans, plus the furor she created was extraordinaire as were her violet eyes. She was very gracious with everyone. 

4.      In 1986 my Mom and I had gone to see 'Les Miserables' in London, England only to have Prince Charles, Lady Di, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson arrive, sitting in the empty row in front of us. Sarah's place was one seat to the right of mine, the other three were to her right, so close enough that Mom and I saw more of Lady Di's profile than we did the show. They'd pass in front of us at intermission and at the end, Lady Di making direct eye contact with my Mom who was over the moon tickled pink.

5.      I was told that the 'sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me' idiom dates as far back as 1862. I don't agree, I think words can do serious damage.   

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend-I'm off to link :-)

how is it possible

garlic grown in China, packaged in Italy has a destination to the supermarkets in the France?

                                        disturbing

On the route to the supermarket where we bought the garlic we'd pass field after field of these Poppies, tucked in between the rows of wind breaker trees. 

A perfect place to park, a perfect place to set up tripods and get out cameras from the back of the car in ready wait of an opportunity such as this one was presenting until the sky opened and drenched us to through and through, a couple of photos and we were done.  

Back at home the doves were loving the post rain period as the ground easily gives up seeds that have fallen from the above feeders. Some of the seeds will grow so the dog and outside cat can feast on them for their medicinal purposes, the system works rather well. We've more rain, I love the rain, the dark mysterious skies, the coolness that requires a shawl or sweater over ones shoulders, the glistening surfaces, the puddles of water but not this morning I'd prefer the sun, a bright, luminous sky, dry roads, heat that has me complaining, however, this is not tobe as the weather gurus say more rain today and for a few more days, pfft. Hope you all have a drier, sunnier day. à demain     

stone dwellings called a 'borie' or 'cabano'

 This is so totally ingenious, imagine building either your home or country cabin without any mortar and have it stand for decades. This particular one stands on the plain above La Roque sur Pernes, a tiny kind of perched village, in the Vaucluse. The first building is 16 metres long, 6,60 metres wide, 4,25 metres high, there is a smaller building in the same shape smaller dimensions extends out from the back end.  

 These were reconstructed and do not appear to have been preserved for use, but as a reminder of the past. After the transhumance of a troupe of sheep or a herd of cows to the higher grazing ground, their caretakers would live in close proximty to their charges in these cabanos.       

 There is only one window where the light could come in, a cool place during the heat of the summer.

 The doorways appear to have been built for a shorter person.

This is the smaller piece behind the main one, we imagine it being used for their supplies, or maybe it was a guest room. There are 'bories' dotted all around the countryside, the more recent ones have been built to house farm equipment, cover water access or as decoration. You can see derelict ones once used by sheep herders but now abandoned. Near the village of Gordes, there is a complete reconstruction of a village of 'bories' or 'cabanos' it includes a small museum and is well worth the visit.   

 Here is another, this one has the signs of having been used by someone, probably used as a home base for hunters.

This wall is built in the same manner and runs as far as the eye can see in both directions, so much work. Below this opening is a hunter's blind, I am not sure but I think hunters sit here in wait of the wild boar. I had better get a move on, everyone have a good day, à demain.    

  

why do cats only scream at night?

 These little creatures are on a bush near a golf course and we've never seen them before, have any of you? Nothing even resembling them exists on weknowalmosteverythingGoogle...at first I thought they were little flowers but who has a flower grow out of the edge of their leaf?

 He who is up early gets the early worm, or basket as is the case here this morning..

Kohlah seems to think it doesn't matter who gets there first, it is her basket and no one elses...Yola wouldn't budge which has Missy here in a snit. Its been hours and she hasn't spoken to anyone since their quarrel nor has she eaten her breakfast.

However this isn't bothering me at all, I'm grumpy. Around 02H30 this morning we were abruptly pulled from a quality deep sleep by a two male debate over territory rights. I think some of you may know that I am worried these caterwauling debates will disturb our neighbours which could lead to independant extermination or culling by the municipality and I don't want either. Plus I need to defend our pup so out I go, take hose in hand and spray the offenders, knowing full well that one is our Sami who is only defending his holdings.  Good gracious me! All pleased with himself and with me, my wild man by day hops down from the roof, skips over the Sureau that hangs over the privacy wall, down the barbeque, stopping on my feet, then hops onto his bedroom windowsill, gives me a 'good work mate' look  and disappears inside, this is my clue to shut the window so he and I can sleep without worry of another harassment or a home invasion. I'm getting too old for this middle of the night business. More coffee is in order, the bird feeders need refilling and then it is onto another glorious day.  à demain