Around the world blog hop.

Last week I received an email from Daphne  inviting me to join the 'Around the world blog hop' 

Me ! who never links up with other bloggers, mainly because I don't know how !

I needed to think about it. It wasn't easy for me to say yes. This is going to be a big challenge, as me
and links are strangers, so please forgive me if the links don't work... here goes....







I met  Daphne in 2012 not long after we both started our blogs and that was through   I've been tagged  even then Daphne guided me through the technical bits, but I still didn't get the hang of links.
Daphnes blog has grown so much since then. She shares her delightful detailed recipes, and tells such humorous tales of her everyday happenings. I feel I know her although we've never met.
In April 2014 Daphnes blog   was featured in  'Woman's Weekly' an English magazine , I mentioned that I would love to see it, but wasn't able to get it here in France, so she sent me a copy, how thoughtful is that. She has continually  kept in contact with me through out my back problem, and I  still receive emails from her asking how I am.
I'm sure if you haven't already come across her lively blog you will be drawn in by her charm. She writes as if she is talking to you.
For those who already follow my blog, you will know that I'm not someone who posts on a regular
day, or has a certain theme for my posts. I just have to be in the right mood.

Now I'm meant to write something about me,
but if you take a look at my post I've been tagged
  you'll find out a lot about me.


I thought it was about time I introduced you to my husband who is usually in the background
and referred to as Mr France. This year in August we celebrated our 52yrs. wedding anniversary.

This year due to my back problem we haven't been out and about very much, but
  now I'm feeling much better, and last week my niece came to visit us and we
went to one of my favourite places Brantome in the Dordogne.
 

 Now I need to answer some questions.


1  ...   HOW DOES MY WRITING/CREATIVE PROCESS WORK.

Now this is easy for me to answer, as I don't have a writing process...
I just write what ever comes into my head, or make a post about something I might recently have seen or done. I never plan ahead, or have a special time or day to write my post.
I try to have my camera with me or in the glove compartment in the car.
That way, if I see something that might make an interesting post, I can take photos to work around.
However that doesn't always happen, my camera has often been left on the table in the kitchen.
 I could never class myself as a writer. When I was at school, in one end of year report my English teacher wrote 'Barbara seems to have a gift for writing, if only she would concentrate in class'
I still seem to lack concentration even now.


2  ...  WHY DO I WRITE/CREATE WHAT I DO.

I wrote about this in April 2012 in my first post.
Welcome to the 1st page of my new blog


I used to walk a lot, but that went on hold for a while.
But I'm back to walking along the lanes
near my house.

Picking wild flowers on a walk.

I find writing about the things I see and sharing the photos I take in my blog
 a good way to have a record of the area and see it in a different way.
Since I've started to paint much more frequently than I used to
I now have the courage to show my paintings,
which otherwise would only ever be seen by me & Mr France.
I know I'll never be a writer or an artist.
but blogging has given me the confidence to be much more adventurous.


3  ...  HOW DOES MY WORK DIFFER FROM OTHERS IN ITS GENRE.

I think we all have our own way of writing for our blogs.
Some write very little and show lots of photos.
I don't have a particular style, so maybe that's what makes my work different.
I think it's for the reader to be the judge of that question.

As I have said before, although I live in France,  Paris is not my favourite place,
I know lots of people have Paris on their wish list to visit and that's fine by me , but you won't find me writing about it. However I do love reading blogs about Paris.

4  ...  WHAT AM I WORKING ON NOW.

I'm working on a painting at the moment.
 Not just any painting, this is to be a gift for some friends.
It's the first time I've ever painted something for someone.
It's been very challenging, at one point I was ready to give up, and go out and buy a present.
But Mr France has encouraged me all the way through.
I always feel they are not good enough, but it's just come back from being framed
and I feel very pleased with myself.
I'm not able to show you yet, in case they read this post.



Now it's time to introduce you to three very talented ladies who I have invited to take part in the 'Around the world blog hop.'
They will be showing their post next Monday the 15th September
so don't forget to pop over and see what they write about.

First is Debbie from Ohio.
http://wwwviewfromharmonyhills.blogspot.com

I have been following Debbie
enjoying her lovely paintings here for quite a long time.

We both love spending our time outdoors pottering about in our gardens.
She is a fantastic Watercolour Artist, and shows some beautiful  sketches
 she  paints in her journal, in such a lovely delicate style of painting.
If like me you enjoy gardening and /or watercolour painting
you will really enjoy reading and seeing her blog.

 
 

Next is  Sharon Chapman from  Washington.

 







                                      Wildflowerhouse By Sharon Chapman

 

 

Sharon paints wonderful cards which she sells through her 'Wildflowerhouse Shoppe' 

She also shares her beautiful journals which she makes herself,

 full of such a varied array of subjects she sketches and paints.

Quite recently she became the proud owner of two adorable puppies, Max & Cooper.

She has shown a few lovely short video clips of the progress

they have made  since they first arrived at her home a few months ago.

Sharons love for the flowers she has in her beautiful garden

 can be seen here through her cards & journals.

 

 

My 3rd invitee is Shane who lives in New Zealand.

 

I met Shane early this year when we both joined Grow your blog party. 

and she was the winner of  my Give away gift.
 

Since then she has continued to correspond with me by email.

 

I'm sure you will really enjoy seeing her lovely blog & sharing her posts.

 

Shane is a self confessed Francophile and loves France, especially when she can get  to see her grandchildren, who live in France. I've yet to find out if its anywhere near where I live. She collects pretty china, loves embroidery & old lace and makes beautiful collage cards from antique lace and vintage photo cards. Shane shares the same interests in flowers and gardening as my  two other guests. Shane shows fantastic photos of flowers which she has taken herself.





 

 

So Thank you to Daphne for inviting me.

and also

Debbie Nolan 

 Sharon Chapman

and Shane

 

for being my guests.

I hope I've done my linking correctly ( you've no idea how long it took me ) !!!
if I got it right it's thanks to  Daphne for giving me the link to Karen  showing me what to do.
I'm a late developer and just like Daphne I need to see how to do things
especially in the world of internet jargon.


 

I do hope you enjoyed your 'Around the world blog hop'

from my little corner of France.

 

 

 

à bientôt

 

Barbara Lilian

 



 

Scavenger hunt

organised by

green thumb Made with love

 

Where did the month of April go ??

 

I thought I would have been  organised this time

and

have had all my photos taken

and

 stored ready to show you.

Have

you guessed ?

 I haven't.

Mainly due to still not being fully active after my spell in hospital

and awful weather hindering me to get to the places I wanted to visit,

for what I call my photo shoot days.

 

Well here is my effort for  APRIL

 

 A is for ?

 

 Apple
 as it takes me back to school days,
how we learnt the
A.B.C.

 

We had  been to a new restaurant  recently opened near to where we live.

In years gone by it was the railway station .

The table decoration caught my eye
on each table they had placed

a  RED APPLE in a glass.

 

 

 

 

11 a.m.

 

Coffee time in our household.

Always HOT and made by my Mr France for ME.

 

 

 

 

SMOOTH

 

This was taken on a still day last summer.

 

 

Scale

Out come the dratted scales.

 

It's that time of the year again, the weather is getting warmer we stop layering up to keep warm . Look through our wardrobe and find we can't squeeze into those favourite trousers we wore last year.



Tile

 

 

It's difficult to find just a tile.

As where I live all the roofs look like this.

But I loved the look of the many different shades of terracotta

on this roof as I peeped through the widow at my daughters house.

 

 

 

 



 

 

LOGO 

 

 

This was taken at a vintage car rally.

 

 



SCRAP 

It was a wood burner in the house before renovation.
Now it's used to warm us up outside on a chilly evening
that we never want to end.
I think it needs emptying !!
 

 

 

 

 

 

MATCH

A group of local boys playing rugby.

My grandson is in there somewhere.

 

 

 

 

 

PATH

 

My pathway to heaven.

 

Taken a few years ago on our visit to the PROVENCE.

 

 

Layers

 

We often see these layers  overhead .

I call it sky painting.

 

 

 

 

Carry

Boys always love to do this.

 

Truck



 

This is a Lego master piece

 which my grandson made a couple of years ago.

 

 



 

 

I hope you enjoyed seeing my choice for Aprils



Scavenger Hunt

  http://suzzie43.blogspot.co.uk/p/scaerngera.html

 

 

So until next time keep your camera handy at all times and join in.

Scavenger Hunt

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian

 

 

FRUGAL STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

FRUGAL STILL LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

It will soon be  NEW YEAR 2014

Every year I like to try to do something new.

So 

 I have just signed up to participate in an on line course 

of 8 weeks for still life photography.

you can join too.

But you will have to be quick it starts on 6th Jan -24th Feb 2014

If you're interested   Click Here  and check it out 

@ Cheryl McCain Photography

Last year Mr France bought himself a new camera a PANASONIC DMC- FZ 48

 I have been trying my hardest to learn how to use it, taking photos for my blog.

My camera is also a Lumix-Panasonic DMC-TZ4 which I call an aim and shoot.

No fiddly buttons and just a few menus.

I wasn't going to tell you, I was going to wait and see if I made any progress,

but I'm sure there's lots of you out there,

 just like me,

 who would like to be able to take better photos.

I hope the above link Click Here works I'm not very good at linky things.

 I'm also going to put Cheryl's button on my side bar.

I'm feeling very excited, I can't wait to try!

. 

Wishing  all my friends

A HAPPY NEW YEAR 

2014

I found this on a blog I read today, however I can't remember who's it was.

If it was yours, please let me know.

 I thank you and hope you don't mind me using it.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian