A pumpkin patch

It's all gone now, but this plot of land down in the valley was planted mostly with pumpkins, potimarrons (red kuri squash), and sucrines (a winter squash similar to butternut) this year. There was also a row of tomatoes in the far corner. Next spring, whoever owns this plot will likely plow it up and replant, as they've done for as long as I've been walking by.

Looking across the valley toward the river. That big concrete building in the upper right is a grain elevator, even though in misty weather it could be mistaken for a cathedral. It sits next to the rail line that parallels the river.

Our holiday beast for roasting has been ordered! I went to the Saturday market in St.-Aignan yesterday as planned and asked our favorite poultry vendor what their holiday schedule is. They will be there on Wednesday the 23rd and in Montrichard (a nearby town) on Thursday the 24th. So I went ahead and placed an order for pickup on the 23rd. We will be enjoying a chapon de pintade (guinea fowl capon) this year. We don't follow the French tradition of having the big dinner on Christmas Eve -- neither one of us likes to eat a big meal at night. So we'll have our Christmas lunch on Christmas Day.