Wet and windy Christmas

Hope you all enjoyed Christmas!  We had a lovely day, but the weather took a turn for the worst so we didn't get a walk with the dog in time.  The heavens opened for literally one minute, resulting in hailstones - here is a piccie showing the stones after a few seconds of rain so it isn't really as impressive as it was at first.

Charlie has really got the hang of opening his presents (usually just a chew) and here he is doing just that.  Trouble is, sometimes he buries them under the cushions on the sofa.

 And here is the Christmas cake our daughter made - the first Royal iced cake she has done.  I think she made a great job of it, but we still don't know what it tastes like as we never seem to have any room to eat it.  It weighs nearly 4 kilos...should keep us going in cake well into spring!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my friends, family and blog pals -  and best wishes for 2014 - may all your dreams come true!

Our little wood

We're very lucky to have a little piece of wooded France - about a couple of acres of mixed woodland, deep in the larger Perigord-Limousin forest.

Our wood is crescent shaped, running by the side of a neighbour's lake, with a little lane running between - perfect for walking the dog and getting some fresh air -  and gives us plenty of opportunity to hunt for mushrooms, collect a bit of firewood and gather holly and ivy.

Having a bad hip for some months I'd stopped long walks, but now the hip is much better, we have started walking again - about an hour a day if we can find the time.  Winter is actually my prefered season - in the summer, there are always far too many other things needing attention - and, it's too hot!

Our little poodle, Charlie, loves it here - but he won't sit still long for a piccie, so this is just a black blur as he jumps up to investigate a large hole in a tree - there was obviously something living in there but Charlie couldn't reach it!

 

Our neighbour has put up a scarecrow to keep away the heron from his precious fish - you can just see it

We don't take any prisioners either - the kids are dragged out with us, plus their respective boy/girl friends

and I get them to look for edible goodies

But all too soon, the sun goes down, time for home

Toys from mid 20thc

 I have been having a rummage through the loft, and came across a box of old toys most of which were in OH's family.  I showed them to my kids, who are not really interested in keeping them - yawn - and OH doesn't want them so I've put them up for sale.

A great money box - put the coin in the slot at the back, and he sticks out his tongue!
Money box now sold

He is called 'Happy' as his title says, but my daughter thinks he should be called 'Spooky'

And here is another version, with a blue and red colourway.
money box now sold

 She's right though - what is it about clowns that is ever-so-slightly creepy?

A great friction sports car, made in Germany.  Very smart - wish I had the grown up version!
 

A fox in hunting pink!  A great joke - I wonder what he is hunting?
foxey now sold
 

This was actually my brother's, and if I remember rightly, he was always known as 'Basil Brush' even though he doesn't have the laughing mouth and huge white teeth.  He is from the late '60s and I do think he was an early Basil.

This golly was loved, dearly, and hugged so much.  Not very PC I know, but do kids care - they just love their toys.
golly now sold
 

Can't see it from the photo, but he is wearing spats on his feet.

Three little 1950s plastic egg cups - making breakfast a fun time.
egg cups now sold

A pink Scottie...

A green Scottie...

And a pink rabbit!

This is a lovely little toy washing mangle - just perfect for a dolly

Another savings tin - this one is King George V1 and the Queen Mum (gawd bless 'er)
 

And this one is from their daughter's reign, obviously our current Queen Elizabeth

This plastic penguin has an Australian registration mark - does he actually come from down under?  OH says he doesn't have any Australian connections
penguin now sold

Wind him up and he still waggles his bottom - we always wondered if he was supposed to swim, but he is too old now to put him in the bath.
 

Remember these?  A gyroscope - I think everyone had one of these - they made a great stocking filler

And finally, a little sewing machine, made in Britain.  How many girls learn to sew these days?  Sewing was an essential lesson taught at school when I was a girl.  Still can't sew a button on straight...

All these items are for sale, some are already listed (see right hand side bar for my shops above) but if any difficulties, or you would like any info, just comment or send me an email.

Have a great week!

As at 24.6.14, if it isn't marked as sold, it is still available:  I haven't listed them anywhere - a fit of nostalgia stopped me putting them on Ebay!  If you would like any details, just message/email me. 

Look after yer roof!

This is what happens when you don't look after your roof.

This little barn is attached to a cottage, just up at the other end of the village to us. 

This was taken in December 2012.  The roof has sagged and left the cement skirt around the chimney standing proud, and there are missing tiles on the ridge.

This is a photo taken today - we certainly didn't hear the crash, but it has happened in the last week or so as we passed there in the car only a week ago at the latest.

To be fair, the house (the building next door with the good roof) hasn't been occupied for many years - at least nine years or so I think, and these days, the barn is often the last to be repaired.

A shame, it's a lovely old building.

Little French Froggie

We went blackberrying today whilst walking the dog, and saw this little tiny fella, sitting on a bramble leaf. I had forgotten my camera but OH managed to snap him.

Do frogs eat blackberries?  

Extra adorable...

I don't normally pass on 'cute' animal pictures or videos, but this is an exception.

 http://youtu.be/vQ98WnYfduQ

Wish it wasn't such a barren environment, but if the Taiwanese are trying to save the panda from extinction, then I guess it's OK.

Summer 2013

 Started off with new kitten - she's just been neutered, hence this charming neck acessory

 And here she is taking liberties on the kitchen table - she is Minnie

 It's been all about our daughter really - she has given up her course in ceramics and is now considering gardening for a living.  This is early on in the spring - tidying up for a bonfire

 Here she is with her very first crop - fine bunch of radishes - and a huge grin!

 We turned our blackcurrants into creme cassis ie blackcurrant liqueur, for Christmas

 Here she is with her lovely fella, making a cake for OH's birthday

 No guessing how old he is!

And here is the barbecue with our special friends

 Here is Bleat, my oldest sheep.  Not a lot of grass left for her and her family - it has only rained twice since the end of June

 

 A town nearby - in full carnival plumage

 Fabulous moth - never seen one like this before

 The chateau at Rochechouart - the site of one of the largest and most ancient meteor sites

 A little etang - or lake near us, a peaceful place to walk the dog

 And finally, just to show that the other two moggies have accepted Minnie quite well - at least sharing food.