Tag: nature

a sprung Spring, part 2… Purple reigns!

The vigneron's wife

It’s still Springing – so here’s some more Spring pics for you from around the Minervois… (I just wish I could put all the incredible smells on this page too)

Purple reigns!

Lilas and lilas
Lilas and lilas

glycine1

spring 4

bernard

L'Arbre de Judee (Judas Tree)
L’Arbre de Judee (Judas Tree)

spring 1

the plane (plataine) trees are budding
the plane (platane) trees are budding
and so are the vines (buds can be called 'bourgeons')
and so are the vines (buds can be called ‘bourgeons’)

glycine house

glycine house2

market man
Spring market day
market legs
market legs
market friends
market friends

lilas manon 2

and then a little evening promenade...
and then a little evening promenade…
almost a picnic at hanging rock!
almost a picnic at hanging rock

spring walk 1

spring walk 2

first blossom

The vigneron's wife
the first blossom seen in our village this year
the first blossom seen in our village this year

It’s girly wirly fleur time on the blog.  We were out on our morning walk and in the distance I spied the first blossom for the year…

our morning walk - blossom in the distance
our morning walk – blossom in the distance

Quelle belle surprise.  It’s cold and about to snow again, friends left right and centre are ‘aol’ with colds and flu, but the sight of that beautiful pink…  I go crazy in my head with excitement when I see the first trees in flower – and this was my first for 2013.

lilas and blossom
…Took Lilas out later for a look.
Carefully pruned vines in background.

blossom 6

lilas blossom 3

I know it’s only early Feb, but it gets me thinking of all the flowers to come – and Ding! goes my head with visions of colour and splendour from last year’s pickings.

So hell yeah, let’s have a cheesy insert to follow.

A ‘Collage de Fleurs’!…

a cheesy flower collage (from last year's pickings)
…a cheesy flower collage (from last year’s pickings)

this morning

The vigneron's wife

Brrrr, a chilly morning, below freezing, but beautiful here in the Minervois.  I went out to take some photos in my pyjamas and my hands were frozen in 5 minutes.

out the front looking over the vineyards
out the front looking over the vineyards

cal this am3

neighbours'

pink over the vines at the back
pink over the vines at the back

cal this am5

the neighbours through the kitchen window
the neighbours through the kitchen window

The views from the car on the way to school were spectacular…

the drive to school...
the drive to school…
the Pyrenees
the Pyrenees in the background
on the route to school, coming into the village
on the route to school, coming into the village
La Liviniere
La Liviniere

orange

The vigneron's wife
Autumn in La Liviniere
Autumn colour in La Liviniere

It’s here!?!!

I must admit I often feel flat at this time of year, well for the first few weeks anyway – no more bare legs and t-shirts, no more swimming outdoors, cold dashes out of the shower…  But finally I somehow get into the swing of it and embrace the warm fires inside, the hearty meals and walks in the brisk air.  And after so many years of braving the cold INDOORS when I rented in Australia, I am loving and embracing the central heating everywhere.

Autumn in the Minervois

orange plane trees
I must admit I took this shot a while back, but I still love it
Autumn plane trees
Plane trees along the Canal du Midi

Yes, Autumn has arrived but thankfully with all its magical colour.  It’s making me think ORANGE!

kids marvelling at the famous 'Baked Bean' parked on a village street...the lady owner steps in, la proprietaire de la voiture, ...Rrrowrrrr
kids marvelling at the famous ‘Baked Bean’ parked on a village street
…the lady owner steps in, la proprietaire de la voiture, …Rrrowrrrr!

I’m loving this colour right now and thought I’d put together a few of my favourite ‘orange’ pictures…  And f you’ve wandered around this blog already, you might have picked up on the fact that I do have a little thing for collages.  I’m pathetic, once I like something, I can’t stop! (my lovely girlfriends had diagnosed me at the age of 14 with O.C.D).

So hulahup, Barbatruc, here’s another one for you.

Orange collage
Or-ange Co-llage