25 August 2014

Two Monday morning photos

Yesterday Walt went out with Callie for the morning walk. He came back to report that a big organized hunt — called une battue because the hunters "beat" the brush and undergrowth to flush out the game — was under way out at the top of the vineyard, to tune of cors de chasse (hunting horns) and the barking and howling of a big pack of hounds. We assume that the animals being hunted were foxes, which are a pest in local eyes.


The hunting dogs ended up penned in around the pond right out back. In past years they have dived in for a swim to cool down after their run through the woods that surround the vineyard. Yesterday the weather was far from toasty, and I didn't see any dogs taking a dip. I also don't know if the hunters bagged any foxes.

It was a pretty day, however, or at least most of it was. Low-hanging gray clouds rolled in late, but the rain held off. This morning skies are still gray and rain threatens, at least according to Natalie Rihouet, who is Madame Météo on Télématin.


Mme Rihouet's expression is interesting. Is she apologetic? Sympathetic? Embarrassed? Impish? Whatever... She is definitely wearing the red dress that the weather women are famous for, as was mentioned in comments here a few days ago.

6 comments:

  1. It rained here last night...
    just a tad tho'...
    but it is grizzly this morning...
    that's grey and drizzly!!
    To us Britz...
    a totally typical Summer Bank Holiday Monday!!
    Actually...
    any damned Bank Holiday Monday!!!!
    Have a nice day...
    and look after that finger!!

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  2. she's pretty; she perked up my spouse's interests immediately (and not for her weather skills)! heh heh heh

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  3. 2 interesting photos :)
    I guess that I missed the red dress part of the weather lady discussions :)

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  4. wow what a fabulous pack of dogs! you may have heard that Napa had a pretty bad earthquake yesterday. the news is showing the footage of the damange - there is a lot of spilled wine from the downtown shops and also in the barrel rooms. i think we should take a moment of silence for all that fine wine now running down the streets and sewers..... :-(

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  5. OFG, I agree with you. From our Touraine wines to their Napa wines, condoléances. Earthquakes like that give me the heebie-jeebies. I'm glad I don't live in the Bay Area any more.

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  6. Foxes are not onlynuisibles, in continental Europe they carry a nasty parasite called echinococcus which they can pass on to dogs. In some départements there is no close season on hunting foxes. Round here it's mostly four or five guys with their dogs. Bigger groups are more likely to be after boar. And it's all closely regulated and licenced. Pauline.

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