Sunday 30 August 2009

Les Vieux Metiers


Each year in a village not far from here a one day fete is put together to help the modern world understand how things were done in days gone by.

It was fascinating!

Watching logs being cut without modern machinery

Butter being churned in a box

Wool being spun on wheels

Cider being made through the old pressing system. Delicious free tasters!

Mattress fillings being.. well not sure what he was doing really.

Breton Cob horses showing their strength.

Numerous items of machinery being used for numerous tasks.
Oxen pulling carts and so much more.
The weather was perfect. So much effort for just one day. It was great so see so many children there too seeing that life existed quite efficiently without all the gizmos of today and it certainly made me appreciate modern facilities too!

Monday 24 August 2009

Sunflowers - Tournesol

Planted in April and this is the result. Yes the sun does shine in Brittany so hence these cheery flowers are almost double my height and I am 5ft 3"!

Monday 10 August 2009

Abbaye de Bon Repos


As night fell on the borders of Morbihan and Cotes d'Amor, a scene was set, an audience waited patiently for an annual performance for which I believe they were not to be disappointed with.

Each year there is an open air illuminated production in the wonderful Abbey grounds. This year told of how the Abbey came to be built and the historical events surrounding its life from 4000 BC and how it fell into ruin.
What a fabulous production and the moon just happened to rise moon above the setting which added to the ambience. Some of us even thought this was too much of a coincidence and in light of the fact the technical side of things was so spot on, we thought it may have been a projection!


400 cast/1200 costumes/40 horses/30 or so hunting hounds

Light projections onto the Abbaye were perfectly positioned to fit the Abbaye outline

Fire eaters - rather them than me.

I was quite amazed at how this produced. So much so it really is hard to explain. I suggest you look at the website to get a better idea of what it entails. The producer must be one of the best as how to co ordinate adults, children and animals with safety issues of fire and rehearse this slick production bearing in mind it is all done in the dark with only limited floodlight and natural fire light for the cast to see their way. The music was wonderful and I am looking to see where I can get a disc of the eerie, calming, inspiring, emotive and stimulating sounds.

I was fascinated how it all came together. Hats off to the team, it was truly brilliant and my husband felt it one of the best pieces of theatre he has ever seen. I tend to agree and I have seen plenty.

If you are ever this way in August, and this appeals to all ages, I recommend this as a total MUST SEE but take a blanket. It starts at 1030 at night or thereabouts and at 1 a.m it can get a bit chilly on the extremities!
The proceeds of this production go into the funds for restoration. And very rightly so!

Thursday 6 August 2009

Brittany Birthday



Some dear friends and ex neighbours from the village where we lived in the Minervois came to visit to see the 'project' and happened to be here for my birthday. A great present indeed.


They decided to camp in the hangar. Offers to stay indoors were kindly refused incase visits to the salle de bain were required in the night via the ladder and after much vino this may have proved a little dangerous!


We whizzed them around Lorient, Larmor Plage, Auray, Carnac and Vannes. The weather stayed dry thankfully and we had a couple of bbqs, attempted hula hooping and swing ball, volleyball over the washing line and attempted to catch fish in the Blavet with wine in hand of course and, played 'their version' of rummy into the early hours. A full on couple of days.


My birthday gift was this 5 litre vrac of wine from Pouzols cave, the neighouring village to where we were. They thought I maybe missing the local hooch. 95 cents a litre.!! The white disc you can see was a gift from the bar owner of the village. Alka Seltzer!

I did make sure they tasted wine from this region but realise we did not even have a drop of cider!

It was too short a visit really and was so sorry to see them leave but they will be back for longer next time. Maybe more than 5 litres will be required!!

Leave of absence



Life has been mad mad busy so le blog has gone by the wayside for a while.....

Roof repairs

I had a ??? birthday with visitors from the South camping in the hangar

Family visits - installed in gites near Pontivy.

Back repairs... too much work on the garden!
Sun deprivation,, the weather has been just dire. This rainbow was a welcomed colourful sight though one day! Somewhere over it there maybe sun?????!!!!!