French Shores Once More

 I find myself back in Cabrerets, sitting beside the Poule, which is only required to take the slight chill off the air, glass of red in hand and with a sense of calm I haven’t felt in a long while.

It’s a strange sensation returning to our French house, I am always sad to leave our Aussie home, but excited also at the prospect of six glorious weeks wandering aimlessly through the French countryside, one long lunch after another, one Vide Grenier (bric-a-brac market) after another. 

The countryside looks a little bleak, it certainly has been a long cold winter; the trees are heavy with moss, but not a leaf in sight.  A few trees scattered amongst them have the beginnings of spring blossom, promising that summer will soon be on its way.  The lush green fields are a welcome sight after a very long hot summer back home in Australia, where the ground is parched and dry.    As we wind our way through the small country lanes toward Limogne for our first of what I hope will be many trips to a local produce market, and Vide Grenier, we are struck by the beauty of the bare trees with twisted branches reaching up towards the sky, birds nests in full view, there will be no privacy for them for another month or so! 

The weather is actually very mild, and the locals are certainly out in force to celebrate, cafes are full to the brim, a café noir here a glass of white there.  The sound of conversation and laughter can be heard everywhere, we manage to find a spare table and quickly take up our spot amongst the crowd for a pleasant hour of people watching.  The market brings together a melting pot of people, city dwellers, artists, foodies, bohemians and then of course me.  I love the eclectic mix of fashion on display, young or old alike dress exactly as they please, no tragic followers of fashion here, it is if it feels right then it is right.

A slow meander amongst the stallholders helps to undercover a few hidden treasures, you need to be quick so many people now are on the prowl looking for a bargain, so my advice is don’t hesitate, if you want it then buy it as it will most certainly not be there on your way back up the street.   Today we find we cant live without another coffee cup set complete with milk jug, a beautiful tray decorated in a Moroccan Moorish style in muted blues and greens and a brass stand with bellows, poker, pan and brush, which actually we can’t live without!  Ian had turned quite red in the face yesterday trying to blow air in the fire, so todays lighting was a much easier affair.

Today is Palm Sunday, and is celebrated in style by the French.   Bunches of a green shrub with yellows flowers adorn the pews of churches and locals take home bunches from the market to obviously adorn their own homes.  So Ian was given a mission to forage in our local woodlands to find some for our home.  A beautiful walk soon uncovered plenty and Ian gallantly climb up a tree to retrieve some for me, the sky had clouded over and it wasn’t long before we were caught in a rather heavy shower, we took shelter under the eaves of an old fallen down shed and waited for it to pass.  Although our clothes were slightly damp, our spirit certainly wasn’t.