I went out and took a lot of pictures yesterday morning to show what the Saint-Aignan area really looks like this winter. Here's one showing our house and the vineyard out back in black and white (slightly sepia).
It's less colorful most days than some of my recent pictures might have led you to believe. It's still picturesque, though — and atmospheric. There are bright days, and then there are a lot of gray days.
Yesterday afternoon we drove home from the village of Couffy, east of Saint-Aignan, after a long lunch with friends, passing through Châteauvieux and Beauval back to our house at La Renaudière. Most of the route took us through vineyards. A lot of cars (especially LWVs — "little white vans") were parked all along the roads, and a lot of men (des vignerons) were out pruning the vines (les vignes). The weather is damp but mild, and the work has to be done.
I like the second one the best... lovely and graphic.
ReplyDeleteShouldn't I see a wee bit of green somewhere from that beautiful green grass you have all winter?
ReplyDeleteOur daffodils are popping up now and the camillias are blooming still. Your signs of Spring should be coming along soon....hang in there.
Evelyn, I think it's daffodils that have popped through the soil in one spot in my front garden -- way too early! I'm thinking that it's because the soil got SO SO hot this summer, that it warmed up the bulbs. I imagine that the sprouts are going to die, and I'll have no daffodils.
ReplyDeleteEvelyn, there is some green but I just felt like taking some b&w photos. Judy, here it's lawn daisies (pâquerettes) that have come up and flowered all over the back yard. It's way too early -- they should come up at Pâques (or in March, anyway). Hope we don't have another big freeze like last February's.
ReplyDeleteI too have been thinking about that Siberian freeze you got last February. It was unusual and hopeful it will not happen again for a long time.
ReplyDeleteMe too, Nadege. That's the wintertime suspense here.
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