Market day in France

I visit this market each time I'm in France

it's in the nearest big town

from the village where our daughter lives.

It's a very lively food market held on

Monday mornings until midday.
Packed with people from all the out-lying villages.
There's lots of noisy banter from stall holders
and the delicious combination of aromas
is memorable to this day.
There are live chickens, ducks and geese
but I didn't see one frogs leg
(apart from the people whom my husband
irreverantly refers to as 'froggies')! 

The fresh fruit and vegetables come from local growers

with cheeses from cheese makers all over France.

The bread is made by local artisans
and oh how I wish you could taste it.
People leaving the market
have 4 to 6 baguettes under their arms
and baskets full of produce!

Somehow I've picked up a nasty bug

which has developed into bronchitis.

Maybe it's the air conditioning at work,

 however I saw the weekend doctor today

and I'm on a course of anti-biotics.

 Only one more week of full time work - yea!

Today I'm joining Karen

for the last Sunlit Sunday party.

Thank you Karen for hosting

over the last few weeks - I will miss it!

I've really enjoyed taking part each week

and I'm sorry it's come to an end.

I'm also joining Mary for Mosaic Monday.

Hoping you all have a very happy week

 Take care and be kind to one another

   Merci à bientôt

♥ Shane ♥

Autumn morning sun casts soft shadows

Officially Autumn arrived here on the 1st March

however temperatures were still relatively

higher than usual, especially in the evenings

when only a sheet was needed while sleeping.

But as the month has progressed

we are all commenting that there is now

a certain freshness in the mornings

and a nip in the air in the evenings,

and a mohair blanket has been added to the bed.

Soft sunlight creeping into our living room

this morning made for much warmer tones

than the bright ones of Summer.

March, April and May are wonderful months

to holiday in New Zealand.

If we are on your 'travel bucket list'

I suggest you come at this time.

The South Island where the 

great Southern Alps mountain range is

can be a little cooler than in the north

during these months

but not freezing as it is in Winter!

I'm joining Karen for Sunlit Sunday

(sadly just one more after this

why don't you join us for the last two)

and

Mary for Mosaic Monday

It's Sunday already and I've had a relaxing weekend.

I even managed an hour in the garden

this morning, dead heading the roses

and cutting back the tired looking perennials.

I'm ready to face the new week ahead

and wish you all a happy week

doing whatever you enjoy doing most!

Meantime I will focus on my vision of a trip

to France later in the year

to play with my grandies again! 

 Take care and be kind to one another

   Merci à bientôt

love

♥ Shane ♥

Last rose of Summer...

Photo taken April 2013 Nancy Steen Rose Garden, Auckland, New Zealand

ROSES

You love the roses - so do I. I wish

The sky would rain down roses, as they rain

from off the shaken bush. Why will it not?

Then all the valley would be pink and white

and soft to tread on. They would fall as light

as feathers, smelling sweet; and it would be

like sleeping and like waking, all at once! 

                                                                            George Eliot

I'm joining

Floral Friday Fotos 

The days are flying by so fast now I'm a working girl!

My energy levels have reached a low  point

by the end of the week!

The weekend is all about relaxing

easing into the day and doing little bits

of everything....

from cleaning and cooking to

time in my garden

with phone calls to friends

and visiting you my bloggy buddies too!

 

My birthday was last Wednesday and my

husband's the week before

so last night we celebrated with dinner at our local

Italian cafe 'Bosco Verde'!

Thank you all for your visits and thoughtful messages.

Special thank yous to Patty and Suzi for your

sweet "on-line" cards

♥♥♥  you both made my day ♥♥♥

I will be visiting you all again
very soon!
Take care and be kind to each other

   Merci à bientôt

♥ Shane ♥

 

Note Card Party March

Great!

It's time for Vee's Note Card Party

for March 2014.

As you all know by now

I'm back working full time.

By the way that's great as it means

I have the opportunity to

save my pennies

to get back to France

to play with my darling grandies!!

It was this time last month that I started
back as a working gal!
I was so busy that I missed Vee's February party
so I decided to prepare my post
for the
March Note Card party
well in advance! 

Do you recognise these images?

I'm sure those of you who visit my blog

more regularly will 

as they've all been on my blog before 

apart from the photo below of the

purple bouganvillea flowers.

I photographed this when I was in the

Bay of Islands recently!

The softly coloured purple leaves
are paper thin - so delicate
and beautiful
perfect for writing a note to my daughter.

She knows Russell in the Bay of Islands
really well...
our wider family have a wonderful
beach house where we have all
stayed and shared some
lovely holidays together.

Thank you dear Vee for hosting
my favourite party....
I made it this month - phew!!!

Please visit Vee here
we would love you to join us.
Vee has inspired me to print off my photographs,
I make my own note cards now.
My family and friends appreciate
the personal touch!

 My note card box cover for March.


Thank you all for your visits and sweet messages
I will get around to visiting you all
very soon!


Take care and be kind to each other

   Merci à bientôt

♥ Shane ♥

 

 

Celebrating my Irish Roots

I'm celebrating my Irish heritage today!
My darling departed father
was born in Limerick, Ireland.
God bless his soul!

For sure he had the gift of the gab

which he used to good effect

when he got his law degree and

much later when he was made a Judge.

I still miss

his Irish smile

his wise counsel

keen wit

and riveting story telling.

He was a 

lover of books

tramping and the outdoors

flora and fauna

and

a generous advocate for

less fortunate souls. 

So today I tip my hat to the Irish
for their sense of fun
and love of the written word
to their wonderful writers.
I particularly enjoy stories by
 Colm Toibin.

I'm joining Mary for Mosaic Monday


Take care and be kind to each other

   Merci à bientôt

♥ Shane ♥

 

Bíodh lá iontach!