Antiques Road Show....

On the road again....
this Wednesday we headed to Prayssac where a two-day "Brocante" was being held.

This event was highlighted in yellow in Monsieur Honey's "Brocante" guide book.

I was indifferent about going after last Sunday's outing which was held outdoors in a large stony field.

This event was listed as a "Salon des antiquités - Brocante " but I did not read the book until after we returned.

As we arrived I was pleasantly surprised to discover that there was an outdoor section of vendors with their wares and inside a building similar to a Community Hall...there were several shops set up by quality antique dealers.

The Hall provided a great venue for this event with wonderful wall hangings for a back drop.

The "Salon" was inviting and the wares pleasingly displayed by the dealers with some added accessories, such as beautiful flower arrangements of fresh cut lilacs.

We wondered through the various stalls and saw several items that appealed to us...there was a "Christophe" silver soup ladle, a set of Hermès bottles from 1952, some beautiful linens (napkins and tablecloths) and I think I found my new kitchen table but getting it home would not be that easy.

To "Monsieur Honey's" surprise an addition to his French bronze collection was found.
A deal was made at an acceptable price and it "feels" like our luggage will about 8 pounds heavier.

We enjoyed the warmth of the sunshine as we checked out the other vendors set up outside.

Monsieur's new acquisition is a dog believed to be a Pointer on a black marble base.

Will the dog and bear live side by side?

Blooming Blossoms

Irises, tulips and now the wisteria are starting to flower.

The planters have been full with pansies since we arrived.

Soon the terracotta and stone planters will be filled with geraniums of every colour ...nothing says "French" like geraniums and lavender.

Some varieties of lavender will also soon have some blooms.

And in nature, there are the wild flowers such as the yellow cowslips and orchids growing in the most unexpected places in fields, on the roadsides and out of crevices in the stone walls.

This week I saw my first red poppy, but I was not able to take a photo; however today I photographed some yellow and orange Californian Poppies.

Many trees are also full of blossoms and it won't be long now before the leaves unfurl and dress the "naked" plane trees.

"All gardening is landscape painting said Alexander Pope"... Rebecca Solnit from Wanderlust, A History of Walking.

Pedometer Postcards

Sunday afternoon, my new friend "Madame M" invited me to join her on her daily walk.
I haven't done any walking of significance since last year's stay in Gourdon (when we did not have a vehicle and we walked practically everywhere.)

"Madame M" was a very knowledgeable tour guide of the village and surrounding areas.

I had purchased a pedometer a few months ago with intentions of starting an exercise regime of walking; but it only got it's first use yesterday.
By the time we got back home, I had made 14,760 steps and travelled 8.99 kilo-meters.

My new friend usually walks alone, it is her time....which I totally understand...so there was time for chatting and time for silence and contemplation.

We left our cottage on rue de la Gare, and followed the road to the train station, and came upon the home of a local Sculpter (Monsieur Honey's interest was peeked when he viewed the photos and we will have to make an appointment to visit the Sculpter.)

We wandered further afield and with my eyes wide open and my camera ready, many photographs were taken.

A Quercy region door.

A long view towards a local Chateau, attracting the attention of the neighbours in the field.

Busy and fulfilling day...tomorrow will there be pain?...many more photos to share.