Water and a lot of it...

Today has been dry and sunny but over the past few weeks have we had some rain...

This was the Aigronne valley on Sunday

Compare that with the normal view....

It was a similar picture at L'lle Bouchard this afternoon, where the Vienne was probably the highest we have ever seen it.

And now, a picture of steaming Chinon...

Only joking - it's the cooling from the nuclear power station (Centrale Nucléaire de Production d'Électricité deChinon) on the banks of the Loire at Avoine.

Plenty of water there then!!

A puzzle of the dirty kind.

Whilst out in the garden this afternoon the eagle eyed Elizabeth spotted this beauty. The 10 cents gives it some scale!

BUT who's it from?

The nearest find on the internet is this one...

Looks similar doesn't it... but I have never seen a Panda in Braye.

We bet Chris Packham would know, but can anyone else help us identify the culprit.

Follow up on Fungi Foray in the Foret de Preuilly

Having read Susan's post on Thursday, November 1st, we decided to take a trip over to the Foret de Preuilly yesterday to join a party from the Association de Botanique et de Mycologie in Sainte Maure de Touraine.

We were made to feel welcome from the start and, armed with our basket, we set out into the forest. The party of about 25 split into groups and we made sure we were with an expert, and my word... what an expert.. It was a delight to see Jean Bouton at work identifying the specimens we found..

The group collected and discussed, gathering together to listen and learn.

 This expression from the master of fungi says it all....

What we didn't know, we made up for in enthusiasm and soon had a basket full of colourful fungi..

I don't think we'd ever seen such a variety. They ranged from the tiniest to the huge. Here Colin is holding a langue de boeuf....

Whilst I was happier with the smaller specimens....

It was a wonderful way to spend the afternoon and I'm sure we learnt from it... if only the fact that if you found anything special, it was stashed away in Jean's red box and never seen again!!

Fungi Foray in the Foret de Preuilly...

A great way to spend an autumn afternoon...

More about this tomorrow when we've finished scrubbing our hands with soap and hot water. (Trust Elizabeth to pick a Death Cap!).....

Pollarded Willow update.

We had one of our three large willows well and truly pollarded back in March, See Here.  It looked like this when the job was completed

and we said at the time "We are expecting our tree to look something like this one,  photographed outside Richelieu camping site, in ?? years time."

Well its growth rate over the last six months has been formidable...

You would not think it was the same tree. We will be doing some selective pruning, once the leaves have fallen, to get it into a better shape. So we can now say " in one year" instead of "?? years"

Another one is scheduled for the same treatment once the leaves have gone.

Update on Les Halles 2 - Richelieu

Yesterday, when we were in Richelieu we took a walk around Les Halles where the work on the roof is, at a visual estimation, about half way through. We last updated about the works in May and the photographs below demonstrate how the renovation has progressed since then.

I have a tin of 'Brasso' if you fancy polishing the copper guttering.

If you look back at the last picture in May's blog you can see how these supports have been spliced with new oak.

The roof tilers gantry sweeps as it progresses!!! The access ladder at the side is also a lift for the new tiles up to working area.

The job is taking time but it is certainly a credit to the craftsmen who are doing it.

We will continue to follow the works with interest and post further updates as the project progresses...

Toussaint

The Catholic feast day of All Saints (Toussaint) is celebrated each year on the first of November and, as its name suggests, it honours all saints.

In France it is a national holiday and the custom has developed of also remembering on that day family and friends who have died. Traditionally they were commemorated on the second of November, All Souls' Day (Commémoration des Fidèles Défunts).

Time and convenience (and no doubt the national holiday)  have in some ways linked the two separate feast days. Nowadays on November 1st it is customary to visit the graves of friends and relations, taking pots of chrysanthemums, which symbolise a happy life after death.

As we walked through the village and past the cemetery today cars were coming and going with families bringing their chrysanthemums. These are on sale in all the supermarkets, nurseries, florists and stalls by the roadside prior to the feast.

L'Eclerc had a fine display yesterday...

Richelieu celebrated with a Brocante but unfortunately someone forgot to tell the weather. One optimistic stall holder had placed a deck chair centre stage but we didn't see any takers!

Nor would we have any use for these watering cans today... which is just as well, considering the asking price!

There were a couple of things to brighten the gloomy weather. One was this fine pair of urns, which we thought someone might like - though it wasn't going to be us.....

And then there were these two cheerful cherubs...

Were we tempted? Would you have been..?