Outdoor Wednesday and Mistletoe

It’s time for Outdoor Wednesday once again hosted by Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer who last week announced “Starting next week…. and going through the end of December…. I am going to include/encourage everyone to share their outdoor AND indoor Christmas decorations for Outdoor Wednesdays. Greenery in the form of trees, wreaths and garland are from outside…… and they are inside for the holidays… yes, I am stretching the definition of Outdoor Wednesday…. but I can!!!”

On Monday I mentioned our ancient apple tree now totally overwhelmed by mistletoe, which despite looking so pretty and being steeped in tradition, is a parasite,

Click here for another OW post that mentions mistletoe.

From my V&A Christmas list book today: A Christmas greetings card and decorating tips from (Victorian) Cassell’s Family Magazine and a verse from Sir Walter Scott.

The damsel donned her kirtle sheen
The hall was dressed with holly green
Forth to the wood did merry-men go,
To gather in the mistletoe.
Sir Walter Scott.

There are more interesting facts (!) about mistletoe here.

"From the centre of the ceiling of this kitchen, old Wardle had just suspended with his own hands a huge branch of mistletoe, and this same branch of mistletoe instantaneously gave rise to a scene of general and most delightful struggling and confusion; in the midst of which, Mr. Pickwick, with a gallantry that would have done honour to a descendant of Lady Tollimglower herself, took the old lady by the hand, led her beneath the mystic branch, and saluted her in all courtesy and decorum."
--The Pickwick Papers

Outdoor Wednesday in the Forest de la Chenesse

Outdoor Wednesday seems to coming around even quicker than before now that the days are getting shorter.

Please visit our gracious hostess Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer for more delightful Outdoor scenes.

Even though there is a chill in the air in the early mornings the days are bright and sunny and so it was on Sunday.
After mooching around the Brocante in Le Molay Littry and before attending the Over 60's lunch at the village hall (more about that later this week!) the DH & I took Ben for a good long walk in the Forest de la Chenesse.

When we drove up to our, usually very quiet, parking spot we found lots of people milling around, they seemed to be getting ready to ramble through the woods or go picking mushrooms or both.

Too busy for us, so we drove off to find a quieter spot.

Have you got your comfortable walking shoes on? Is your dog on his lead?

Then "on y va".

The sun was shining through the leaf canopy and all we could hear was the sound of the occasional bird.

Enjoy.

A beach stroll for Outdoor Wednesday

Wednesday has rolled around again and that means that Susan @ A Southern Daydreamer is holding her Outdoor Wednesday party, here.

and.............we are also joining Gina @ The Shabby Chic Cottage for her Beach Party today.

Click here to join in the beachy delights.

These ladies do such a wonderful job hosting these great get togethers so please do pop over & say hello.

At the weekend we loaded up the car with Ben, the cocker spaniel, a snack & some books and headed for the beach at Colleville sur Mer.

I had hoped that the Parisiens, who holiday there during the month of August, would have headed home by then and we would have the beach to ourselves, the way we like it, but sadly no.

We parked the car a short distance from the sea, and after Ben & I had got our feet wet a little bit unloaded the canvas chairs, towels & books and settled down for a good read.

.

After a while I tore myself away from the goings on at Angelfield House and looking up I noticed that there was something going on over at the lifeguard station.

I picked up my camera and mooched over to take a look.

I met a group of people from the "Surfrider Foundation Europe" who were promoting "Initiatives Oceanes", their aim is simple: keep the seas clean.

This is also the base for "char à voile" (sand yachting) and I enjoyed walking around looking at the various yachts "parked" on the sea front.

This very colourful and strange looking yacht transporter caught my eye.

Then is was time to head back to the car and find a restaurant for lunch, but that's another story............................

I hope you have enjoyed our stroll along the beach today, I enjoyed sharing it with you.

A Teddy Bears Picnic, it must be Outdoor Wednesday

When the middle of the week comes around the place to be is at the Outdoor Wednesday party hosted by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer.

http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

Meanwhile, look what I found at the bottom of the garden today...............................

If you go down in the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go down in the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.

For ev'ry bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Lyrics by Henry Hall.

On the two tier Quimper cake stand are "Scones a la Florence", filled with raisins and topped with almond flakes, they make a perfect picinic treat.

Follow the link below to hear the 1932 recording of Henry Hall & his Orchestra and "The Teddy Bears Picnic".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZANKFxrcKU

Have a wonderful Outdoor Wednesday everyone......The Bear Family.

A room with a view or two.

Today Susan is hosting Outdoor Wednesday #31 over at http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

and so I would like to show you the views from one of our guest bedrooms in the 16th century part of our home, here in the middle of the French countryside.

This is the bedroom...................we call it the "Bishop's" because, so the story goes, when the Bishop of Bayeux visited the 12thc church across the way he would be given this bedroom to sleep in.

The views from the windows may have changed since the 1700's but not very much.

Looking over the walled garden into the field beyond, on the left you can just see a brown & white cow almost hidden by the blue hibiscus tree that I mentioned in my Blue Monday blog.


My potager at the back of the house where I grow organic vegetables. This year I planted green and yellow French haricot beans, English Scarlet Runner beans, old and new potatoes, courgettes, onions, beets, heirloom tomatoes and blueberries..

The field on the other the side of the house after hay making last week, see the big rolls of hay waiting for collection.

Hope you have enjoyed the view and thanks for visiting Le Presbytére.