The Circus has come to our town.

Knowing I live in rural France and seeing the title of this post

 I expect you were wondering what this post was going to be about ?

I'd just popped into the nearby village to post a letter

and where I usually park the car there was a Camel grazing on the grass.

Not an everyday scene. I wondered what was going on.

But then I remembered I'd seen some posters 

advertising the Circus, but as my grandsons are now young men

I hadn't really taken much notice of when or where it would be.

Usually it's during the summer months that 

'The Circus Comes to Town ' but as it's a festive time

the circus must have been touring the smaller towns .

I'm so glad  I had my camera in the car.

I was able to wander about and take photos. 

I'm sorry there aren't any clowns or acrobats practicing

their acts, for you to see. This circus is more like a zoo. 

But it's not everyday you get to see Camels in the car park. Is It ?

I'll be back in my garden again soon.

 I need to get the climbing roses planted.

 à bientôt

Barbara Lilian

Rustic houses in rural France.

I frequently pass through this hamlet, how it's changed from the way it looked 25 yrs ago.

Most of the houses were ruins, the roofs had fallen in and very few people still lived here.

Then we began to see scaffolding being erected and the sound of cement mixers whirring.

some years later it was alive again. We met an English couple who had bought a ruin and 

 renovated it for their holiday home, but they helped to bring life back into the hamlet.

25 years ago, I have memories of a little old man sitting on a stool 

outside the front door of this little cottage making baskets.

Mr France was driving and I had remembered to put my camera in the car

so I was able to capture the roof tops with my pocket Panasonic DMC TZ 4

How different the roofs looked today, as if they had been painted white.

The houses are surrounded by forest of mainly Pine, Chestnut. and Oak.

Here the famous Bolets de Cèpes - Champignons grow

These mushrooms grow in abundance in this region. 

However I still find it hard to find them.

 The hamlet now has street lighting.which is still rare in most rural places. 

This is France of bygone years brought back to life.

I hope you enjoyed seeing the rural region of France where I live.

 I can show you lots more.

Let me know.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian