Bargain hunting for Quimper and other treasures.............................

We're in the middle of a holiday weekend here in France, Monday is Bastille Day and many towns and villages in Calvados and Manche are holding antiques/brocante fairs, my local paper has pages and pages full of listings.

It's the summertime when everyone becomes a chineur (bargain hunter) enjoying the search for a vintage treasure or veritable antique piece.
On Friday we headed for one of the more upmarket antique fairs taking place over 4 days in the impossibly pretty village of Beuvron en Auge, in the heart of the Pays d'Auge and slap bang on the cider route of Normandy.

A longtime favourite with locals and tourists alike it has stunningly beautiful architecture, great restaurants and shopping.

statement chairs ?

I took masses of photographs around the village but this post is dedicated to chineurs everywhere, on y va!

I may have to go back for some of these as I've just spotted the embroidered SP in the bottom left.
These might just inspire the Senior Partner to help with the dishes!

Before we entered the chapiteau where the antique items were to be found I mooched around outside among the brocanteurs.

I'm on the lookout for a handmade wooden tuffet/stool (tabouret) after falling in love with the one in the sitting room of Button Cottage, our digs when visiting Derbyshire, UK in May.

Loved the look of this vintage enameled railway sign, a quirky display piece for any outdoor space such as a patio or hanging on the wall of your potting shed.

Great looking bench, table and chairs to place beside the potager, weary gardeners do need to rest from time to time.

Inside the tent I stopped to admire this beautiful display of Christofle and Lalique items.

Did you notice the sweet little pots au chocolat in the corner, bottom left? The vendor was willing to split the set which I thought was a shame, each pot was priced at 35 euro.

Beautiful serving platters, bowls, candlesticks, knife rests and so much flatware, what a feast for the eyes.
Turning a corner we were delighted to come across a longtime dealer acquaintance of ours, he once was our "go to" man when searching out exquisite Porquier Beau, HB and HR, Quimper faience.

The green on yellow acanthus/rinceaux border on this Porquier Beau jardiniere is a particular favourite of mine.

I'm quite partial to the green on white, too!

The detail on this large footed compote dish is exquisite, a classic Porquier Beau piece from the late 1800's.

Before heading back home the SP walked Mamselle Fleur down by the river whilst I went after one last shot, or three!

Beuvron en Auge, a picture postcard village with it's beautiful half timbered houses, one of Les Plus Beaux Villages de France.

à bientôt

A Portrait of Nicholas. Personal Photo Challenge, July.

When I visited one of my very favourite blogs earlier today - Mary's "A Breath of Fresh Air" I was blown away once again by her amazing photography.
In this case a set of three portraits which she had linked to the monthly challenge hosted by Donna @  "A Personal Photo Challenge".
On clicking through to Donna's blog I noticed several other bloggers whose blog's I follow had also linked to the challenge and I was inspired to join in with this portrait of my youngest nephew, Nicholas, which I took during a visit to Normandy in August 2011.

I'm not a very accomplished photographer.
I use a Panasonic DMC-ZS3 which was handed down to me by my husband and I have it set to IA mode (Intelligent Auto) ready for me to simply point and shoot.
To crop, enhance, resize and generally modify my photographs for blogging and scrap booking I always use Ashampoo Photo Commander 11, and Picasa and Photoscape for collages and mosaics.

What I Saw Today...............................

La vie quotidienne (daily life) has once again been diverting me from blogging and weeks have passed since I picked up my metaphoric pen to write.
I got to thinking, just what is it that is filling my days and keeping me away from blogland?

our daily bread, first stop before walking the dog!

Ever since the Senior Partner retired last year we certainly are doing more together "as a couple" and it was whilst I was sat in the car, waiting for him to finish an errand this morning, that the germ of an idea for a new blog post one that could possibly become a regular feature came to me.

the lambs belong to the Jacques, the shopkeeper and live in the field next to the shop

I'm calling it "What I Saw Today", (my take on something that many of the bloggers that I follow already do brilliantly) sharing our Normandy Life with my followers one photograph at a time.

On the agenda this morning was a visit to the Veterinary practice in Bayeux as M'selle Fleur has been suffering with a painful ear for a few days. Today's vet was new to us and according to the SP was a little afraid of Fleur, insisting that she be muzzled during the examination. I didn't attend but apparently Fleur took this in her stride and behaved impeccably.

the clinique equine with Bayeux Cathedral as a backdrop

85 Euro later they emerged with lotions & potions and strict dietary instructions, no more chicken for Fleur!

Back home we found our farmer neighbour had arrived to feed the cows, so I leant over the garden wall to have a chat with "les girls" as they munched away.

these girls know all the latest gossip

Whilst chatting I couldn't help but notice how well the plants and shrubs by the wall are looking after the recent rainfall.

hortensia

wisteria

old fashioned rose

even when the petals are gone the clematis flower head is fascinating to see

After a short potter around the garden we were off again.

This time for a walk along the riverbank before lunch in our favourite local restaurant.

On our way home I stopped to take a photograph of one of the village's WWII memorials, one that I thought my Canadian followers might enjoy seeing.

That's some of what I saw earlier today. I hope you've enjoyed seeing it as much as I've enjoyed sharing it with you and finally................ my next project - sitting on my desk - a scrap booking layout that's still a work in progress.

à bien·tôt

Lest we forget..............................

Last Friday, 6th June, the whole of Normandy celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the D Day landings.
You may have seen coverage of the celebrations on the TV news or in the newspapers.
Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles & the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, David Cameron, President Hollande and many other Heads of State from around the world attended the commemoration services.

Locally, celebrations were more low key with flowers being laid at several memorial sites such as this one in the village of Saint Clair sur Elle, the village next to ours.

The 29th Infantry Division Historical Society website tell us the story of these brave men.

The 29th Infantry Division trained in Scotland and England for the cross channel invasion, October 1942-June 1944. Teamed with the 1st Division, a regiment of the 29th Division (116th Infantry) was in the first assault wave to hit the beaches at Normandy on D-day, 6 June 1944. Landing on Omaha Beach on the same day in the face of intense enemy fire, the Division soon secured the bluff tops and occupied Isigny, 9 June.

The Division cut across the Elle River and advanced slowly toward St. Lo, fighting bitterly in the Normandy hedge rows. After taking St. Lo, 18 July 1944, the Division joined in the battle for Vire, capturing that strongly held city, 7 August.

Some personal tributes.....................

"This memorial is dedicated to the soldiers of the U.S. 29th Infantry Division.
It was constructed by personal initiative with the help of local volunteers who wished to express their gratitude to their liberators.
To those who pass, contribute to this work by never forgetting."

Mur du souvenir

Mother nature remembers them too as these bright red poppies,

 growing amongst the wheat,

in our neighbors field testifies.

Bringing the potager back to life

May was a funny old month weather wise, cold and wet for the most part and not conducive to working outdoors in my potager garden or even to sowing seeds in pots ready for warmer days to arrive.
However, the last day of May dawned warm and sunny and my thoughts turned to all things veggie, a trip to the garden centre was called for.

After a leisurely breakfast (it was a Saturday after all) and good long walk for M'selle Fleur we headed down to the Jardin 'Elle for some retail therapy of the plant variety.

As you'll already be aware, I'm sure, in a few short days from now here in Normandy we will be celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the D Day landings and everywhere one looks you can see preparations being made to welcome the veterans and their families at this special time.
Even the gardeners at Jardin d'Elle are not immune it seems!

The Senior Partner grabbed a trolley and we headed for the "potager" section of this vast place. Despite his "so called" aversion to anything that looks or sounds like a courgette Mr B was soon pointing out varieties of both zucchini and squash for us to try and very soon we had quite a collection of both.

We also stocked up with lettuce seedlings and pots of herbs: thyme, lemon thyme and wonderful basil.

I can't visit Jardin d'Elle without wandering around the outdoor spaces and I always linger amongst the roses.

Meanwhile Mr B was tired from all the decision making and decided to rest awhile in this very comfortable looking swing seat.

Happy Birthday, sweetie. 67 today!

Back home I couldn't wait to get started and began planting out whilst Mr B got on with cutting the grass.

These are the best gardening shoes ever, Mary Jane Crocs, they laugh in the face of unwieldy hosepipes!

After all the hard labour neither of us could face making dinner so there was only one solution, pizza!

A takeaway treat that recently became available to us when a couple of entrepreneurs opened up this "pizza hut" in their front garden just a 5 minute drive away from here.

Pizza Hut - Normandy style

bon dimanche a tous.....................................

Sharing this post with Cindy who hosts

Amaze Me Mondays 

on her delightful blog "Dwellings - the heart of your home" 

which I discovered through my lovely friend Sarah @ Hyacinths For The Soul