La Gacilly is always well dressed with flowers.
These roses have recently bloomed and were looking lovely in the early morning sun.
It made the little walk, after dropping the ThirteenYearOld off at school, a little bit of heaven.
I really appreciate living somewhere where the people take the time and trouble to make their houses look pretty.
As it’s Mothers Day in France today, I thought that I’d post two ever so cute photos of me when I was a little child – one of which even includes my mother.
The first photo shows me inspecting my (for probably the only time in her life) silent newly born sister.
The second shows me with the same sister who, by now, already has started planning a global takeover strategy! And don’t those sandals look groovy?
My little sister seen sat next to me went on to grow very long golden hair. One day (when she was about 3 years old), I chopped it all off for her (I think I was trying to help) – she hasn’t really spoken to me since!
And, to put a smile on your faces (as if those ever so cute photos of me didn’t do the trick), a funny joke (which probably is far too close to the truth to be funny for anyone in the teaching profession!)
One early morning, a lady went in to wake up her son. “Wake up, son. It’s time to go to school!”All the best
I suppose that the thing that has amazed me most about the chickies is the strength and variety of their individual characters.
It’s almost like they don’t know they’re not human….
…. or perhaps they think that the Girlie and I are just big (and possibly rather stupid) chickies?
Read more about… The Chickies – 04
Do you speak Breton?
Would you like to be able to answer the question by saying….
Ya, un tammig hepken (yes, a little bit?)
Would you like to learn some simple Breton?
I’ll be publishing some simple Breton words and phrases here every Sunday.
Prawns – Chifretez
Crabs – Kranked
Oysters – Istr
Mussels – Meskl
Winkles – Bigorned
Langoustine – Grilhed-traezh
Crayfish – Grilhed-mor
Lobster – Ul Legestr
I have decided that, every Saturday, I shall publish some old postcards of Brittany.
The postcards published today come from WikiMedia Commons and are all, due to their age, in the public domain.
To see any of the postcards full size, just click on them.
A little while ago, I talked about the Seesaw at Cournon.
Or, more specifically, I talked about the two dummies that are dressed according to the season.
The other day I was taking the ThirteenYearOld to school and thinking that it was way too hot for the poor chaps to be wearing their winter raincoats!
I took The Girlie out for lunch a few hours later and the dummies had changed into their summer clothes!
We had to stop and take a few photos!
I much prefer the summer attire although I do have to admit to having an overwhelming urge to sneak out one night with a Spurs scarf and bobble hat!
But, I’d be bound to get caught…….
…. after all, how many Spurs fans are there in France, let alone Brittany?
We’re a dying breed, I’m afraid.
It’s the stress that killing us off…..
… the stress of supporting the Worst Football team in the world!
Another day, another website!
Some friends of the Girlie’s who have stayed in her gite were looking for a website for their Stockport (Greater Manchester) based double glazing business.
So, where else did they come to but… me!
It’s still a bit of a work in progress but the main bulk of the text is there.
If you know of anyone in the Manchester area who might be interested in replacement double glazing, please point them at www.StockportWindows.com – I’m sure that John and Mark (the two brothers who run the business) will be very grateful!
All the best
Only one day after arriving, Letty did her duty and produced an egg!
I think Letty is short for Letitia, which is strange as the only Letitia I know of is the 80 year old nymphomaniac character in the first series of A Vicar of Dibley!
The Girlie named Letty and we both have been watching The Vicar of Dibley recently……
Being a typical female, Letty didn’t lay her egg in the custom built nesting boxes (possibly the poshest nesting boxes in Brittany, if not Europe) but decided to make a nest in the long grass and do it there.
Being a typical female, Letty made sure to make lots of noise about the whole egg laying process!
On Saturday we had some friends round for a few drinks.
Although I think a good time was had by all…..
… I do have to admit to slightly consuming a tad too much Pastis and, as a result, feeling a little bit queasy the next day!
Personally, I blame it on being dehydrated.
Or perhaps it was all the excitement of getting the chickies?
There’s something very nice about spending an evening with friends; all consuming slightly too much alcohol, talking a load of b*llocks and then being unable to remember the embarrassing bits, the next day!
The picture at the top shows the mess that the Girlie had to clear up , the next day.
I would have done it myself but I was a little bit….
…. dehydrated?
Read more about… I predict… a hangover!
It hasn’t taken long for the chickies to get settled in.
They’ll let us feed them by hand and seem to be quite happy exploring their new estate.
We’ve put an old garden table and some chairs by their coop and they like to shelter from the sun underneath that.
It’s quite a delight to sit amongst the chickies with a glass of wine and watch the sun setting over the valley. Even the Girlie is surprised how therapeutic it is.
Read more about… The Chickies – 03
Is this the biggest belly in Brittany?
Is this man holding his belly in?
Why is this man concentrating so hard on a piece of wood?
Or is he just constipated?
Why is this man building a Pergola upside down?
Doesn’t he realise he’ll never be able to turn it the right way up?
Why is this man shirtless in the mid-day sun?
Doesn’t he realise that he’ll be suffering later on?
All these questions, and more, will be answered soon.
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| Oh joy of joys; more fence panels have arrived! | You really do have to be quite stupid (and mad) to want to build your own trellis! |
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| Oh, how twee can you get? | The completed article! |
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| Of course, trellis just isn’t trellis….
… unless it comes with a green frog! |
All the best
I’m starting to bond with the chickies who, in turn, are starting to develop their diverse characters.
I’m not sure that they have ever been outside before as they seem to be a bit taken aback with all the greenery.
A little bit of encouragement though, and they were soon off to explore their new world.
Read more about… The Chickies – 02
La Gacilly has plenty of little alleyways running from one street to another.
They all seem a bit secret and special to me.
I wonder what history they could tell, if they could talk?
Built on a hill, some are steep….
… like this one.
If a few weeks time it will be exploding with flowers.
I’ll come back and take another photo of it then.
All the best
The chickies arrived on Saturday and there are bound to be loads of photos of the new members of the family.
We didn’t get these lovely little ducklings – maybe next week?
It didn’t take our 5 chickies long to get used to their new house.
They don’t really understand about the ladder to get up to their nesting boxes but….
… that’ll come.
The Girlie told me to pop in and take a look at the new cows at the Eco Hotel at La Gacilly.
She wouldn’t say any more than that….
… she can be quite enigmatic sometimes, the Girlie can!
After I dropped the ThirteenYearOld off at school, I took a minor detour to see what she was on about.
Yes – two cows in the field – bug deal! They didn’t seem to be moving very much so I went to get a closer look.
And, lo and behold……
…. the world’s first non-polluting cows!
No methane gas. No smelly poo!
Now sure what they’ll taste like though?
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All the best
This morning in La Gacilly.
Very few people about…
… The town slowly coming to life.
Empty tables waiting for customers….
… Potagers waiting for the sun.
The best time of the day,
Before the tourists arrive….
But a bustling La Gacilly is also a good place, too.
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All the best
Do you speak Breton?
Would you like to be able to answer the question by saying….
Ya, un tammig hepken (yes, a little bit?)
Would you like to learn some simple Breton?
I’ll be publishing some simple Breton words and phrases here every Sunday.
Cabbage – Kaol
Carrots – Karotez
French Beans – Fav glas
Peas – Piz bihan
Tomatoes – Tomatez
Lettuce – Saladenn, glazur
Onions – Ognon
Artichoke – Artichaod
Potatoes – Patatez, avaloù-douar
I popped into Redon Market on Monday to have a word with the chickie man.
He’s the man who sells chickens and ducks and similar things; he’s not called chickie and you shouldn’t really call him that (at least, not to his face!)
Then again….
I didn’t buy any chickies because the chicken compound (destined to be the poshest Chicken Compound in Europe) wasn’t quite finished.
I did take some photos though…..
I have decided that, every Saturday, I shall publish some old postcards of Brittany.
The postcards published today come from WikiMedia Commons and are all, due to their age, in the public domain.
To see any of the postcards full size, just click on them.
Hopefully, the chickies will be arriving tomorrow.
I thought I knew everything there is to know about chickies….
Stick half a Lemon and a head of Garlic up their bum, lightly season them and then it’s just into the oven for 20 minutes per pound and 20 minutes on top!
Simple really?
My sister, though, very kindly sent me this book and I have learned some other things about chickies – the things you need to know for the weeks and months before you get to do all that Garlic and Lemon up the bum stuff!
All the best
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