Who're you looking at.....!!

Two pictures taken yesterday, above, the young Redstarts finally left their nest in the Walnut Store expelair, one of which spent the night on the terrace hand rail, below are the barn swallows, quite an unusual pic this as the young swallows had been out all morning with their parents practising their flying and feeding techniques and this was taken mid afternoon, almost as though they'd been told to get back in the nest for an afternoon siesta, it's great to see them all in flight, especially at dusk as they all swoop in file back to roost.

All the way from America.....

Just received today, this lovely picture taken by Sue from Minnesota USA who stayed with us for the last two weeks of May this year with her friends Kim & Scotty, which shows the face of La Roque St Christophe from a different angle, taken from our side of the river. Interestingly you get a really good idea of the scale of the rock face with 3 people just visible as specks on the terrace plus the clear signs of the original different levels of the settlement.

Many thanks for the picture Sue, we're pleased you're all back home safely, I'd be really interested to see any more pictures taken by our guests if you feel they would be of interest to people who follow this blog, please send them to us at our usual email address.

I believe I can fly...

Our boiler room swallows are getting bigger by the day, there's definitely three young ones in the nest (ie 2 tails and 1 head and shoulders showing in the picture), it can't be that long until they take the plunge!
Other bird activity in the area is that the Peregrine falcons on the Roque are very active at dusk, the redstarts nesting in the Walnut Store bathroom expelair outlet must be very nearly ready to leave the nest and the blue tits that were in the nest box on the tree next to the roque terrace gite have all left...a hectic time of year for all the bird life around here!

One of many beauty spots!

Taken on a journey the other day, one of my favourite sights on the D32 between Rouffignac and Bergerac is the lovely village of Mauzens-et-Miremont, a beautiful small village (in England would be called a Hamlet), which has a cluster of lovely old houses surrounding a square with an amazing large church as a centre piece. As usual we're on our way too and from Bergereac so one day I must make a detour for a better view.

Roses everywhere!

Well, I don't think it's something we've done, but the front of Les Granges is more colourful than we've ever seen it before, must be the rain in the last few weeks, all the roses are in full bloom which in the brilliant sunshine we've had over the last 2 days makes everything look so much better. Compliments from visitors is very much appreciated but we have to tell the truth it's all been a bit of luck the way it's turned out!

Dazed and confused.

Yesterday was not a very nice day weather wise, all a bit too much for this little visitor we found on our doorstep, this baby swallow was looking very exhausted and rather confused so we left it for a while to recover before picking him (or her) up and then placing him on a perch about 3 metres above ground level. a few minutes later he flew off, hopefully he's still flying around today as the weather is much improved thankfully for our present guests.

Shining example.

Our group of biker guests from England left this morning, here's an example of how well all the machines were looked after, or should I say loved, all their bikes were gleaming and part of the Harley trike is shown here. we hope they all have had a good first leg on their way home to Rouen, I'm sure it's not quite as hot as the day they arrived for their journey home.
Today we've welcomed 12 Australians into the house, plus a Danish & English couple into two of the gites, a busy change over day for us but everyone has arrived early and are happy.

For my mother!

Last year saw our Canadien guests flying the flag of their ice hockey team on the gates of Les Granges, then the German football fans who's club, Dortmund, had won the German football league (which they've done again this year), 2 days ago it was the turn of our current English guests to celebrate their Queens diamond jubilee, bunting, flags and balloons all adorned the front of Les Granges as a celebration and backdrop to their 'street party' here in the vezere valley, bbq followed by trifle, jelly AND scones with strawberry jam and cream, a great time had by all, something I'm sure my mum in England will like to see, I can hear her now asking "how are things in little England?" well mum, for the one and only day in 2012 (and for a long time to come), as you can see, it really was a little bit of England in France!

Hot bikers!

Yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far, it also saw the arrival of 14 motorcyclists who are staying in the house and 2 gites, a group of friends from Surrey in England, all travelling on some amazing motorbikes, Honda Gold Wings, Harley Davidson and Triumph to name but a few, so you can imagine on their arrival the temperature was mid 31 degrees so they were all very happy to take off their leathers and down some very cold thirst quenching beers that I had to hand in case of emergency!
They are planning on celebrating their Queens Diamond Jubilee with barbecues plus a few Union Jacks and St George's flags to be on display...they're definitely here to celebrate in style...more pictures to follow!

What a beauty!

Had to go to Bordeaux yesterday to go to a certain well known Scandinavian furniture store and spotted this lovely old Citroen Maserati in the car park, after a bit of internet research it looks as though it was made in the early 1970's, it was in immaculate condition for it's age....I want one!!