July 07.

Welcome to my first foto-post.  All pictures taken during the last three weeks.

The most beautiful time at La Ribiere is undoubtably when there is a great sunset, here the tranquillity is emphasised by the full moon rising.

Bamboo:   it spreads and grows at an amazing rate, spring up 14 feet in as many days and then sending a "runner" underground for the next shoot. 

As the sun moves round it catches the trees and they become alive: teh main drive down to teh lake is full of specimen trees each given space so that they can be appreciated to the full.

This place is wild flower heaven, at the moment areas are blue with cornflowers.

Last week there was a mass hatching of mayflyies and dragonflies: this one took a fancy to my finger!

Cooking is an dwill form a great part o fmy time here. I am investigating regional foods (of which more later) but I knocked out a couple of apricot frangipane tarts for us and the anglers.

Cep mushroom spotted on my early morning walk.

Day 2, same mushroom cooked with garlic and shallots finished off with some creme fraiche a great start to the day. The pharmacists here will sort mushrooms and advice on which are or are not edible.

The cigar tree or Catalpa: one of the specimen trees here. A wonderful tree native to north america and one of teh many imported trees here in the aboretum.

WItches claw fungus:  definitely not one for breakfast!  Amazing nontheless.

The old butchers market place in Limoges and home to the shrine of Saint Aurelien, patron saint of butchers.

After a productive time making a path through the woods using a mower without  the grass box!  And trying to become the green man.

Yes, I really was coated in grass and fern cuttings: perfect for camoflage.

This place is also butterfly heaven.

This weeks selection was a bit random but life here is also a bit random, The weather can dictate eventsas, for instance, this week we had a storm, it lasted only about an hour but took out nearly a dozen trees and we were without power for 26 hours.

More soon.  Au revoir.