An Open and Shut Case

"French shutters" have many purposes from aesthetics to "French" style air conditioning and for security.

There are many designs and styles...both the tried and true old ones and now the new reproductions.

The traditional ones are virtually all made of wood, with some more modern ones being the rollup metal style.

Colour, colour and more colour...there are varying shades of French blue (similar to Bugatti race car blue and the colour of Gitan cigarette packaging) and then many shades of green, red, yellow and the natural wood stained ones.

Everywhere I go, I notice these wonderful additions to the doors and windows of the homes and buildings in France.

Once in awhile, I will come across some shutters on an abandoned house or barn that seem to be calling my name and crying for attention ... ripe for restoration and just waiting to be loved again.

This time of the year, many of the shutters are being opened as the seasonal owners and visitors are returning to enjoy the French life in the Lot Valley.

So is it an open and shut case?

Open shutters to me say "Welcome"..... Bienvenue!

In God's House...

Ferreting at the Fleamarket

Our Sunday outing took us through the village of Catus and then south of Cahors to the lovely village of L'Hospitalet, where if you haven't yet guessed there was a "Brocante - Vide-greniers".

This was the eighteenth annual sale for this commune.

The Center of the village was roped off and the many local habitants and several other dealers had set up their stalls (90 in all).

We wandered through the village and spotted several items that would be wonderful to have back in Canada...however, the size and shipping of these items discourages these purchases.

Monsieur Honey's deal of the day was a silver handled cheese knife...see last photo in post.

I had my heart set longingly upon a hand painted Limoges enamelled portrait of a young boy, (it was very beautiful) a large copper cauldron and an old watering can!
We may see the Limoges portrait again at another sale because the seller was a dealer.

After our fill of the "Brocante", we strolled through the village before heading home via a different route where we discovered some lovely villages and an old wooden windmill.

Do you see the cat?

The copper cauldron....

Anyone know what this is?

The Limoges portrait of the boy on the right hand side.

"Monsieur Honey" ferreting through the bits.

Man in the mirror....

Non, non...Monsieur Honey that is not my dream house!

Lovely street view in Labastide Marnhac.

A wooden windmill (circa 1699) that was dismantled and reconstructed in the early 1800s in the commune of Saint-Alauzie.

Is this roadside mowing or rush hour in the French countryside?

The plane trees in Cahors just starting to be dressed by the unfurling leaves.

The deal of the day...Brie anyone?