I'm looking over

I don't remember where I took this photo. I could probably trace our route and come up with a few guesses, but I'm too lazy. We were at an overlook, apparently, and stopped to check out the view of some small town, somewhere in the Dordogne region.

Rooftops.

This morning I'm feeling a twinge of the approaching equinox. It's dark outside, probably just the overcast sky. And the bruine (drizzle). Sunrise is at 06h41. It's dark outside when I get up, unless I sleep late, and late for me is any time after 06h30. It's my turn to walk Tasha this morning. I just looked outside again and it looks quite wet out there.

La Dordogne

Back in the spring of 2006, Ken and I and our friend, Sue, spent a few days in the Dordogne region of southwestern France. I thought I'd recycle some of the photos from that trip and post them again. We'll see how far I get. If you really want to dive in, click on "dordogne" in the side bar.

A church not far from Souillac.

We're still having pleasant weather. Yay! I'll be cutting grass again soon.

And one more

Here's another in my mini-series of photos taken on or near the Roman road in Saint-Aignan. This one is a typical farmhouse called une longère. Houses in this style typically face south and are one-room deep. Windows on the north side, if there are any, are generally small. Sometimes, livestock occupied one end of the building. These days, many longères have been renovated with bigger window openings, finished attics, and other modern amenities.

A longère overlooking a vineyard.

If the weather gurus are correct, this week should be quite pleasant. I'll probably try to get the grass mowed again.

Another one

Here's another photo taken near where yesterday's picture was taken. I don't have much to say about it other than that. Oh, and it's from Spring 2006.

The dirt road is a vestige of an ancient Roman road.

I used the new weed eater to tame the wild patch out next to the driveway. I liked the wild patch, but it looks better trimmed up. I let it go wild years ago because it's difficult to mow; its rock border could easily destroy a lawnmower blade.

Throwback

I took this photo in the spring of 2006 just outside of Saint-Aignan, not far from the zoo. I'm pretty sure I posted the color version back then. Here it is again, this time in black and white.

Tree in a field.

This weekend, traffic on the roads is predicted to be very heavy. It's when the July vacationers, les juillettistes, head back home and the August vacationers, les aoûtiens head out. Traffic is thick in all directions. They call it le chassé-croisé d'été.

Wild chicory

This is, I believe, chicorée sauvage (wild chicory), a summertime favorite wildflower. It grows on the edges of the vineyard parcels out back, along with Queen Anne's lace and other perennial wildflowers.

The intense blue of wild chicory is a summer staple.

The temperature is going down (slightly) but the humidity is staying up. This is not the crushing humidity that I remember from places like Washington, DC, and other parts of the south and northeast. Still, we feel it and it's uncomfortable. It will pass before too long.

Curvature of the Earth

Ok, not really. More like the curvature of the vineyard. In France, most vineyards are planted on hillsides to take advantage of natural drainage. In this photo, you can see how the vineyard parcels out back drain into ravines on the left and right (where the trees are), then down into the river below. Our hamlet, visible in the center, is built on a high spot above the river.

The vineyards out back last Friday morning. Looking northeasterly.

Yesterday, while not as hot as the day before, was particularly uncomfortable because of high humidity. It felt like every movement was a chore. I did a little yard work in the morning, nothing strenuous I can assure you, after which I was drenched. There was more "heat lightning" over night (I didn't sleep much), but no storms where we are, and this morning we're at a cool 23ºC (about 73ºF). It's still lourd (humid), but we don't feel it as much. That will change once the sun comes up.