ANDUZE

A sunny morning in Anduze this sunday. A lot of people had been loured out by the warm rays. Many of them walked by the local puces where vendors, lots of non-professionals, had brought their treasures.

I will have to return and take lots of more photos in spring. After all, we live very near to Anduze. I hope the works on the main square will be finished by the tourist season.

Matin ensoleillé à Anduze. Beaucoup de monde au vide grenier local. Je repartirai faire des photos au printemps. Esperons que les travaux sur la place principale soient finis avant la saison touristique.

CREST

After the visit a pizza in the town of Crest. The old town looks pretty but so empty in this winter day. Have to go back later in the spring to a better visit.

I bought red and pink felted wool flowers in a handycraft shop. They will accessorise a hat or a scarf.

Après la visite une pizza dans la petite ville de Crest. La vieille ville est jolie mais vide en hiver.

COUNTRYSIDE IN DROME

Countryside near Crest. The extensive fields of the farm we visited.

Campagne crestoise. Les vastes champs de l'exploitation visitée.

A SCHOOL VISIT

On a visit to a farm near Crest. Observing enormous agricultural machines - not really a future for me...

En visit sur une exploitation près de Crest, dans la Drôme.

A TREE FOR FEBRUARY

This month's tree is inevitably the pretty mimosa. Since it comes fron Down Under it's flowers appear in winter, very early spring. It's beautiful yellow flowers herald spring and warm our hearts. Right now the markets and florists are full of them.

Pour le mois de février l'arbre du mois est inévitablement le mimosa. Ses fleurs jaune d'or nous annoncent le Printemps et rechauffent les coeurs.

A TREE FOR JANUARY

Jardin des Arômes, Nyons

For January I chose the cypress, one of the rare trees to  retain their green colour in winter or "sempervirens". It is of the Cupressaceae family and is a common sight in all the Mediterranean world. You find them very frequently in the cemeteries which is sometimes explained by them reaching to the sky, guiding the souls of the departed.

Pour figurer l'hiver j'ai choisi le cyprès qui reste vert tout l'hiver, "sempervirens", de la famille des Cupressacées.

Shoes

Le cloître des Visitandines, Romans sur Isère, Musée International de la Chaussure

For the shoe freaks!

PALAIS IDEAL DU FACTEUR CHEVAL

Last weekend we had a thing to do up Valence. So, we took the occasion to visit this wonder near by.

It is the Palais Idéal, Ideal Palace, constructed stone by stone by a postman named Joseph Ferdinand Cheval. He took 33 years to finish his work of art, "the only example of naive architecture", said André Malraux. You can find it a few steps from Romans, in the village of Hauterives in the departement of Drôme.

Si vous avez le temps en passant par Valence et Romans de vous arrêtez dans le village de Hauterives dans la Drôme, visitez le Palais Idéal du Facteur Cheval. "Le seul représentant de l'architecture naïf", disait André Malraux.

MEILLEURS VOEUX

I wish to present to you all my best wishes for the year 2011. My year has started well with the beginning of the medicinal plant studies I've been waiting for. Above you can see our first field day in the school's fields planted with olive trees, grape vine and other fruit trees. A glorious sunny day.

Je voudrais présenter mes meilleurs voeux à tous ceux qui lisent ces lignes. J'espère que votre année aura commencé aussi bien que la mienne, avec la formation sur les plantes médicinales que j'ai tellement attendue.  En haut une aperçue de notre première journée dans les champs de l'école, une journée magnifique au soleil. 

CALENDRIER DE L'AVENT XXIV

With these few photos from Nyons

My home street.

I send you Season's Greetings!

Last weekend we had a medieval Christmas in Nyons.

I will be away from Provence a few days. If you want to follow my peregrinations, look for me on Fleur de lavande.

A real troll?

Je vous souhaite des bonnes fêtes de fin d'année et à la nouvelle année! Je serai partie de Provence pour quelques jour: Si vous voulez suivre mes voyages, cherchez-moi sur Fleur de lavande.

And Santa was of course there, too, but instead of Rudolf the rednosed reindeer he had a horse.