A while ago, longer than I dare to remember, I worked in a cheese factory. It was a yearlong contract to unfortunately close down a large specialized cheese importer – HT Webbs and transfer the most profitable cheese to the Danish dairy company Arla Foods. The job was fascinating mainly from the point that to… Continue reading Cheese please
I always love taking photos of flowers and yesterday I was sorting photos, realising so many were in my old computer and yet to be released. Here are a selection from spring and Summer, many in my local area of Creuse and some from London where I lived before arriving here in March. It is… Continue reading Summer floral and visitors
Back in 2013 I begun a business that would I hoped import fine Romanian honey – Acacia, mint, Linden, wildflower, fir to name a few. We were also making conifer syrups from the pine and fir forests near Transylvania [ our families area] and honey was a natural extension of this. I contacted German suppliers too,… Continue reading Honey Bee Suite
Well this week was eventful. On Wednesday morning after being woken suddenly with a pounding migraine and being sick on the hour every hour, at 3 o’clock the local emergency ambulance service was called, run in our area by volunteers and very fast to our door, to whisk me off to Montlucon Hospital. After a… Continue reading Baby Vache
In La Petite Maison, our temporary home whilst the barn is being renovated, we have a chimney and every morning the waking sparrows squabble and chase each other for an energetic couple of hours. Competition to make nests here is fierce and the clatter of pebbles often wakes us, as they tumble down the chimney.… Continue reading Trapped in the chimney
August was extremely hot and we hid behind shutters sipping cool spritzers. The cows too felt the heat and shuffled and wiggled themselves perfectly into the oak trees shadow and waited patiently till the sun cooled a little around four in the afternoon. How many cows can you get under a tree? In some cases… Continue reading In the shade
We have a very small community here at Auge and even smaller our side of the road, as the motorway cut the village in two. Our side kept the cows and the other side kept the church. Winding down a small lane between the pastures you come across a huge couple of barns belonging to… Continue reading Neighbours
Holing up in the depths of the countryside, nothing happens, too quiet, you will forget about civilization, are just a few comments were heard when we left England. After a few months here, France couldn’t be further from any of this. The countryside is noisy, from the early morning daily collection and delivery of thousands… Continue reading So noisy in the countryside
June and July have been solid work, pushing to get our home and gardens clear of overgrown woodland, brambles, piles of unwanted packaging from our moves and painting all our buildings and new fences from a huge array of pots left by my father from his garage. We are now left with an off assortment… Continue reading At the bottom of our garden
When it rains, as it did today, I hole up in my office and tackle all the outstanding letters, accounts and papers that I procrastinate about. An easy option when the sun is out, cool breezes and the garden calling for me to potter – any excuse not to stay inside. Now into our first… Continue reading Room with a view
Mr Bull -Bos Taurus [cattle], our docile neighbour. He is home alone at the moment, missing the girls and killing time snoozing and scratching amongst the buttercups. The bulls are hired in each year to work their romantic magic on the girls and whilst waiting, Mr Bull groans and moans – a rumbling, resonant sound… Continue reading Mr Bull – not camera shy
It was very breezy, icy cold winds from the Southern mountains, but the light was soft and perfect for pictures. Views from our land and the local livestock enjoying the sunshine. I love where I live.
Our home is slap bang in the middle of beef farming pastures and lush grassland and that means cows everywhere. All day these creamy cows frolic and chew the cud, follow us inquisitively if we come into view and provide many humorous moments of cow interactions. They are docile, full of character and one of… Continue reading Charolais Cattle
The rain hasn’t stopped over the last few weeks. Intermittent bursts of sunshine have pushed their way in between the clouds, but not enough to avoid carrying a jacket, hat and umbrella and often hiding in doorways whilst the heavens thunder and crash. My big plan had been to have a long day up in… Continue reading Dogs in a storm
A French Creative Life 