The Rendezvous Photo Journal

The Green Grasshopper.

2011-10-28T08:39:00.000+02:00

This photo is from last Summer. A huge green grasshopper flew into my study and sat for a while watching me working. He was at least two inches (5cm) long. What a creature!

Photo ©A.Anichkin 2011.

A Perfect Porcino (Penny Bun).

2011-10-21T08:19:00.000+02:00

Ceps, or porcinos, or penny buns, are the most delicious variety of edible mushrooms in our parts (Boletus edulis). Maggots and slugs appreciate them too, but here in Norman Bocage it is not rare to find a perfectly clean cep. Here is one I've just sliced for a quick fry (they don't need cooking at all, certainly not overcooking).

Read about ceps on Wikipedia here.

Photo by ©A.Anichkin.

Higher Power (Jurques)

2011-10-14T08:05:00.000+02:00

Here is another 'HP' photo in my 'higher power' series. A well looked after roadside crucifix in Montamy, near Jurques, Calvados, has a mobile phone mast and an elelctricity line towering over it.

Photo ©A.Anichkin2011

Autumn Dew

2011-10-07T09:25:00.000+02:00

Photo by ©A.Anichkin 2011.

More Bluebells

2011-09-19T09:59:00.000+02:00

It is September, but there are still plenty of bluebells (harebells) around.

Just noticed that they have a perfect five-point star shape if you look from underneath.

Photos: ©A.Anichkin

Odd One Out

2011-09-14T00:00:00.000+02:00

I am not sure what happened here. A wall of maize comes right up to the road and if you are driving past you just see a strange spectacle of bright red flowers on the maize stalks.

They look like a variety of gladioli, but are large, three, maybe four foot tall and have purple stems.

It's not that it doesn't look nice, it does. But what will happen to the flower border when those huge monsters – combine harvesters come to mow down the maize? Will the gladioli survive?

And even more interesting: is it a territorial dispute between the farmer and the council, or the other way round a creative co-operation, say, the farmer plants maize and his wife does the flowers to make an industrial agricultural landscape look prettier?

Photos: ©A.Anichkin

Harvest Sculpture

2011-09-10T11:48:00.000+02:00

I can swear they are doing a third hay harvest this summer! Incredible.

Late summer gives rise to bale sculpture all over the region. Farmers put up elaborate compositions made of square and round bales. They first use them to promote local agricultural fetes, but then leave the sculptures by the road until it's time to use the hay for its direct purpose.

This one is near La Chapelle Urée in the Manche.

Photo: ©A.Anichkin

The World is Round

2011-08-02T05:57:00.000+02:00

Sometimes you look at the field of rye and see that the Earth is really round.
They plant the crops, the crops grow and then it's time for harvest. The full circle, it's round.

They started harvesting yesterday here in Normandy.

Photo by ©A.Anichkin

Scottish Bluebells

2011-07-29T12:13:00.001+02:00

They are suddenly eveywhere – Scottish bluebells. English bluebells flower in Spring and are from a different plant family, closer to hiacynths. While Scottish bluebells come out later in summer and belong to the campanula family. The English call them harebells.

To the French they are la campanule, and the English ones are la jacinthe des bois.

Photo by ©A.Anichkin

See Norman blubells here and here.

Mushroom Season Open!

2011-07-27T09:38:00.001+02:00

Recent rains and warm weather created perfect conditions for mushrooms. Look out for the most delicious ceps and birch boletes. Here's me sorting out yesterday's haul of nearly three pounds of perfect brown birch boletes. They stand out among edible mushrooms in that there are no inedible or poisonous look-alikes. Good for stirfries, casseroles and soups.

Masha the cat was curious, but unimpressed.

The mushrooms:

Photo: ©A.Anichkin

Normandy Celebrates 911

2011-07-19T09:20:00.001+02:00

My companion and I were both startled when we drove up to the the central roundabout in Vire, Calvados, and saw 911 put out on the floral display, traditionally marking memorable events in French or world history.

This year it is 1,100 years since the founding of Normandy. In year 911 the king of Franks granted the lands that were to become Normandy to the 'Northern people' – the vikings. For several centuries after that the Normans dominated European landscape, from England to Russia and from Sicily to Norway.

Read 'Normans, Vikings and the English Language' on The Norman Review of Books.

Photo by ©A.Anichkin

Land of Plenty

2011-07-12T07:02:00.001+02:00

The land of plenty - a fieldfull of wheat almost ready for harvest.

Sent by Francesca Bostock, South Manche.

Louis XIV the Roman Emperor

2011-07-03T10:51:00.000+02:00

The statue of the Sun King – Louis XIV presented as a Roman Emperor in Caen, the capital of Lower Normandy.

Chips on the pedestal are probably from the fighting in the second world war when the city was heavily bombed by the Allies.

Photo by ©Alexander Anichkin

Natural Artist. A French Meadow.

2011-07-02T07:08:00.001+02:00

A wonderful photo of a meadow in full bloom by Francesca Bostock.

What is attractive about this photograph is that it has a natural colour sequence: look how deep green, light green, speckled yellow, scarlet red, orange-red, deep blue and light blue is spread throughout the expanse of the meadow. Nature is the best artist.

Read how to use photos as background images on I Work in Pages.

Photo ©Francesca Bostock, 2011

Summer Caterpillar

2011-06-27T13:15:00.001+02:00

A beautiful image of Summer by Francesca Bostock: 'A very hungry caterpillar'.

Deauville. Empty Beach.

2011-05-26T09:19:00.000+02:00

G-8 is meeting today in Deauville on Normandy's Côte Fleurie. The town and the coastal area around it is a popular destination for parisians and is sometimes referred to as the 21st arrondissement of the French capital. A venue for big international cultural events including American and Russian film festivals, it has also become a preferred place for important political meetings away from the congested Paris. Last year 'G-3' met there, with France's Sarkozy, Germany's Merkel and Russia's Medvedev. Earlier a lower-level G-8 meeting was held there.

This time the situation in Libya and other Arab countries is high on the agenda with Barack Obama and Dmitri Medvedev bringing new ideas on how to settle the ongoing crisis. Leaders of several North African countries are coming too. Follow the Deauville news on the BBC or France 24.

Photos courtesy of CRT Normandie, © G.Wait.

Apple Blossom 2011: Before the Showers

2011-05-08T11:35:00.001+02:00

More close-ups of this year's beautiful apple blossom – before it's washed away in the recent thunderstorm.

Hairstyling for Cows

2011-05-06T07:17:00.000+02:00

Did anyone notice how lovely cows' hairstyles look? What a nice blond fringe this one has! I wonder if they blow-dry them too.

Photo ©A.Anichkin

More Apple Blossom, 2011

2011-05-05T07:52:00.000+02:00

Tender pink blossoms just opening -

Normandy Bluebells, 2011

2011-05-03T11:34:00.002+02:00

Bluebells are everywhere, filling the banks along country roads with patches of shiny happy colour. Wonderful!

Photo ©A.Anichkin

The Satyr of Caen, With Apples

2011-05-01T13:16:00.000+02:00

Photo: ©A.Anichkin

At first I thought it was an imp, but having examined the carving closer, I decided it's probably a satyr. It has goat's horns, traditional for satyrs, and his beard rests on a bunch of fruit, as satyrs often accompanied the god of grape harvest, wine and wine-making Dionysus who is also the god of theatre.

The wood carving hangs on an outside wall of a house in a narrow alley in Caen simply as a decoration. The dark brown of the wood looks stunning against the background of the honey-coloured wall of Caen stone.

What struck me as unusual in this image is that the fruit are definitely not grape shaped. They look more like apples – fittingly for the region of Normandy, famous for its old tradition of making cidre, pommeau and calvados, drinks based on apple juice.

Caen is a fantastic city to explore. The old capital of William the Conqueror was heavily bombed during the Battle of Normandy in 1944. Many medieval buildings were destroyed and never rebuilt, but architectural fragments can be found here and there and everywhere, inside and outside, incorporated into houses still standing today.

The flat top of the carving suggests it could have been a capital, the ornamental top of a column. It may have been inside an important house, or part of the facade decoration. There are a few surviving examples of such elaborately carved facades in Caen.

Let me know if you can further identify the image or the fruit.

Below is the ancient theatre mask of satyr to compare. (Roman artwork, 2 Century AD, photo by Jastrow)

Apple Blossom, 2011

2011-04-28T16:26:00.000+02:00

Enjoy apple blossom while it lasts!

©A.Anichkin

A Sunny Day in Caen

2011-04-22T08:11:00.000+02:00

The Abbaye aux hommes (Men's Abbey) shines in the glorious spring sun. The original squat Romanesque church on the right was built in the 11th Century. Gothic elements were added in the 12th Century. The flying buttresses can be seen supporting the narrow tall structures in the centre. The classicist building on the left is the Caen town hall (hôtel de ville).

During the Battle of Normandy in 1944 Caen citizens were hiding inside the church. A hospital was set up there and a large red cross painted in blood on the roof to show Allied aircraft that it was not to be bombed.

Photo ©A.Anichkin

Sunny Normandy: Playing on Water

2011-04-12T16:04:00.000+02:00

Normandy enjoys a sunny warm Spring. Everybody heads for the nearest spot of water...

'...we went today, for the first time', writes Francesca Bostock who sent these pictures, 'and thought it rather tranquil. At least it would have been if it weren't for the hundreds of other people who obviously hoped for the same thing!'

Lake Dathée is the heart of the Bocage, near Vire and Sourdeval.

Photos by Francesca Bostock

A Misty Sunrise

2011-03-28T08:40:00.000+02:00

Lovely floats of morning mist today and a bright red sun rising.

Dathée Padlocked

2011-03-25T21:09:00.000+01:00

Sunny warm weather throughout Calvados, Normandy. Golfers are out in force (see them on the other side?), but Summer recreations like the sailing centre at lake Dathée are still padlocked.

Horloge in bloom

2011-03-21T16:42:00.000+01:00

The landmark Horloge tower in Vire, Calvados, has a lovely cherry tree in full bloom by its side.

The Norman Lights

2011-03-17T09:05:00.000+01:00

'I took this last Wednesday when we went for a walk around the assault course and chapel in Mortain. It was a beautiful day... very moody with the light through the trees on the walkway up to the chapel.' - writes Francesca Bostock, who sent this picture.

Thanks!

Mimosas for Women

2011-03-08T10:24:00.012+01:00

Mimosas are the symbol of the International Women's Day in some countries. This bouqet I bought in Tinchebray, the Orne, and explained it was for journeé des femmes. The man wasn't surprised at all, wrapped it and put a 'felicitations' sticker on the wrapping.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the day, inspired by the March of the Empty Pans by the New York women textile workers in 1857.

Wind Turbines in South Manche

2011-03-02T13:17:00.000+01:00

New giant wind turbines tower over the ridge between Le Fresne-Poret and Ger in the South Manche.

Photos: Alexander Anichkin

HP Revisited And Removed

2011-02-15T11:44:00.000+01:00

I was passing this stone cross near lake Dathée – and nearly crashed. It used to have an electrcity pylon behind it and a bundle of cables above. Now they are removed. There is still a cable there, but further behind and lower than the cross.

Has someone heard my call and started to fight back against the ubiquitous signs of Higher Power – man-made objects towering over Jesuses, crucifixes, madonnas and churches?

Here is a snapshot of the cross from a few days ago (sorry for the quality, it was a very grey day):

And here is the same cross I photographed in 2006 (published on Fighting Windmills blog):

Check out other photos of HP Jesus and send yours for my collection.

The Black Swan of Bellefontaine

2011-02-12T11:51:00.001+01:00

A beautiful black swan was spotted in the Enchanted Village of Bellefontaine.

Photo by Francesca Bostock

A Flaming Sunset

2011-01-30T11:18:00.000+01:00

A flaming sunset in the Orne. Sky fighting Earth.

Utah Beach in Winter

2011-01-15T10:24:00.000+01:00

This spot on Utah Beach in Normandy is about 6 kilometres to the West of the Museum and the cluster of monuments, including a Higgins boat and a Sherman tank. Visitors often don't have time to appreciate the vastness of the area and how difficult the terrain was for fighting – flat, open, criss-crossed with ditches and irrigation canals, streams and large boggy marais.

That is, roughly, the area where Dick Winters and his Band of Brothers began their war in Europe. Richard 'Dick' Winters died on 2 January 2011.

The first photo shows what looks like remains of a concrete caisson from the second Mulberry harbour, which was destined for the American sector on D-Day, but destroyed in the violent storm about a week after the Allied landings in France. Shells in the foreground reminded me of soldiers' helmets.

The second photo shows the 'crocodile' bunker pockmarked with artillery fire.

Photos ©Alexander Anichkin

Frosty Morning

2011-01-12T11:58:00.001+01:00

Going for a brisk walk in the cold could be the best way to avoid catching a flu.

Photo by Francesca Bostock

Joan of Arc and the Chocolate Factory

2011-01-11T15:05:00.000+01:00

This nice if somewhat rusted statue of Jeanne d'Arc stands in front of l'église Ste Marie in Tinchebray, the Orne, in the grounds of the old abbey converted into a factory Chocolate Suisse Normande. Note war-time bombs at corners of the flower-bed.

Happy New Year 2011: a Dazzling Sunset

2011-01-02T16:12:00.000+01:00

A dazzling snowy sunset on one of the last days of 2010.

The Sun was low and I was shooting straight against the light.

Photo ©A.Anichkin

Snowswept Normandy: Pointless Signs

2010-12-31T10:37:00.000+01:00

An empty footpath covered in snow. Signs says no motor vehicles, but they can't drive through anyway, in the snow. It's hard even to walk.

Photo: Francesca Bostock

Do They Know It's Christmas Time?

2010-12-29T09:48:00.003+01:00

Cows in winter look puzzled and sad: nothing to graze on.

Photo above: Francesca Bostock
Photo below: Alice MacAlistair

The Christmas Cat

2010-12-28T11:58:00.000+01:00

Cats of all people do know how to enjoy Christmas.

Licking off turkey delights:

And then cuddling Santa while having a catnap:

Mother Mary Weeps Blood in Jurques

2010-12-27T09:13:00.003+01:00

The statue of Mother Mary appears to be weeping blood at the church in Jurques, Calvados.

Photo by ©Elsie Macphie

White Christmas in Normandy: Jesus Snowed in

2010-12-25T08:27:00.002+01:00

A crown of snow for the King of Kings on a road-side crucifix in the Orne. Happy Christmas everyone!

White Christmas in Normandy

2010-12-24T08:54:00.000+01:00

A white Christmas in Normandy.

Photo by Francesca Bostock. See another photo by Francesca in 'the Reader's picture of the month' in the January issue of theFrenchPaper.

Send your photos to photos@thefrenchpaper.com or via this blog.

Holly in Snow

2010-12-03T08:48:00.000+01:00

Snow in Normandy and Britain – and bright red holly beries.

1015 or LOIS?

2010-11-06T19:54:00.001+01:00

This stone carving has long puzzled me: is it 1015 or IOIS?

It lies abandoned in a Norman churchyard, but if it is genuine period stone carving it could be the first instance of the use of Arabic numerals in Europe. The church was founded in 1014, it sits on the famous pilgrimage route to Santiago-de-Compostela and was a favourite of the Plantagenets when the Angeivin empire flourished. Let me know what you make of it.

The Normandy Creation

2010-09-30T10:35:00.011+02:00

Beautiful evening sky. Enough to make you think of the Creation.

Here is a clip made to Haydn's oratorio, 'The Creation'.

The Montgolfier Floral Celebration

2010-09-21T09:08:00.000+02:00

The central round-about in Vire, Calvados, is famous for floral sculptures celebrating famous events in French history. This summer the dedication is to Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (1740-1810), one of the two Montgolfier brothers who invented the hot-air balloon.

Alfred de Musset

Joseph Montgolfier

But why commemorate the year of death? Have we run out of memorable dates? For example, Alfred Musset, the French classic writer was born in 1810.

Harvest in Normandy

2010-08-20T13:16:00.011+02:00

A field just after harvest. Near Chénedolle, Calvados.

The Incredible Hummingbird Evolutions

2010-08-19T09:54:00.000+02:00

The Hummingbird Hawk-moths are common visitors to a Norman garden when it is warm, sunny and dry. They love to hover around buddleja butterfly-bushes (summer lilacs), feeding without actually landing on the flowers.

The Hummingbird moth's hovering behavior, accompanied by an audible humming noise, makes it look remarkably like a hummingbird while feeding on flowers.

They are an evolutionist's delight, a living proof that similar natural tasks result in similar developmental solutions in species as far removed from each other as birds and insects.

It is just over 150 years ago that Darwin published 'On the Origin of Species' in 1859, but debate about the meaning of his findings still goes on.

Early Christian symbol adopted for modern debate

Photos by A.Anichkin

Sourdeval Fetes Liberation

2010-08-16T13:03:00.000+02:00

Sourdeval, a small town in South Manche, celebrated the anniversary of liberation and the Assumption last Sunday.

'It was very wet and grey, but it was nice and the boys to see all the old army vehicles and the effort that people had gone to to dress in 1940s clothes... they looked fantastic', writes Francesca Bostock.

Assumption of Mary (Assomption) is one of France's public holidays.

Elvis Presley's Town in France

2010-08-11T14:48:00.000+02:00

I was cycling and stopped to look at the beautiful fields of harvested wheat. Then I suddenly realised I was in Elvistown. The spelling is slightly wrong, but never mind...

Masha and Bacon (Animal Abuse)

2010-08-02T09:51:00.000+02:00

'Sheer torture, animal abuse, practically! But what if the telephone rings? Can I be quick enough?'

Very Green Energy

2010-08-01T12:34:00.000+02:00

Wind turbines (eoliennes) seem to drown in the green field near Falaise, Calvados.

Cherries Galore

2010-07-20T09:30:00.013+02:00

This summer the cherries crop is absolutely extraordinary. Let's stuff ourselves while it lasts.

... and here are the three famous mentions of 'sweet [Mary, lips like] cherry' in 'The Green Green Grass of Home'.

First by the indefatigable Tom Jones, the pride of Wales:

and the second by Joan Baez:

and, of course, the classic rendition by Johnny Cash:

A Post-Modernist Crucifix

2010-07-19T11:45:00.000+02:00

And another pagan (or post-modernist) stone crucifix (note the omnipresent Higher Power electric cable behind):

Sent by Francesca Bostock,

South Manche

And here is the musical accompanement. Agnetha Fältskog of ABBA fame sings Mary Magdalene's aria from 'Jesus Christ Superstar':

The Pink Cow

2010-07-17T11:56:00.001+02:00

I have realised that there aren't enough cows on this blog even though Normandy is famous for its
dairy and beef. So, here's a friendly bullock trying to figure out what I'm up to.

And after a visitor remarked that all cows here have a shade of pink, I started checking: it's amazing, but they do.

Images of Normandy

2010-07-11T13:09:00.000+02:00

Three of the most striking images of Normandy built inside her name:

Read how to make one like this here and if you want a logo or artwork for you website contact me.

Weather Beaten Crucifix ('He was despised')

2010-07-04T14:32:00.000+02:00

Here is another road-side crucifix. A weather beaten wooden cross with a figure of Jesus really nailed to the cross. You can see streaks of rust on his body which look like blood.

The crucifix stands by the side of the road near Le Grand-Celland looking sorry. Just the right image for 'He was despised and rejected'.

Race for Life

2010-07-02T20:03:00.000+02:00

Our regular contributor Francesca Bostock from the Manche writes:

'On Sunday (27th June), I, and 166 other women, men and children, ran the Cancer Research Race for Life 5k race. Some walked, some cycled (!) and some jogged as well as those who ran.

We did it to raise money for Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research France. It was held, and hosted by Chateau du Bois Guy near Parigné 35133 (not Basse-Normandie I know, but that was just the venue).

The Chateau is open to the public and is in fact an Hotel as well as boasting two restaurants and is a venue for occasions such as weddings.'

Well done, Francesca and all the others!

HP Jesus

2010-06-24T07:22:00.001+02:00

Crucifixes are everywhere in France, some are tacky, some are gory,
some are well looked after, others are weather beaten and neglected. Many have quirky representations of Jesus which look more like a pagan idol than Our Lord.

What amazes me most is how behind most crucifixes there is an electricity post with a bundle of cables or a mobile phone mast, or a water tower as in this snapshot from Forges-les-Eaux in Seine-Maritime (Haute-Normandie) sent by Elsie Macphie. I just ask myself what the symbol is: God blessing the power generated by humanity or humanity boasting that their power is higher than God's?

And here's another unforgettable use of crucifixes, Monty Python's 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Things':

Photo sent by Elsie Macphie

HP: higher power

Sounds of Summer: Hungry Chicks

2010-06-19T09:48:00.001+02:00

'Our babies (see this previous post) are doing well in the nest... here is an update, writes Francesca Bostock from the Manche. Also, I went on a bike ride today, from Sourdeval to Le Neufbourg, and I came across this little chap in the middle of the Chemin de Fer. He just sat there looking at me, then hopped across the Chemin into the ditch. I think he must have been recently out of his nest and not quite got to grips with using his wings yet. He didn't seem injured, so I just left him to it.'

With all the predatory bastards lurking around, the little one has little chance of survival, unlike the Giant Bustard (in photo on the right, taken in the Beijing Zoo). There is a lot of excitement in Britain as Bustards in Salisbury Plain this year hatched their first chicks in nearly 150 years. The Great Bustard reintroduction programme began to release these magnificent birds back into the wild in 2004 with birds that had been reared in Russia. The Great Bustard is the heaviest flying bird in the world with males reaching 20kg and a wingspan of over 6 feet. They were hunted to extinction in England in the early 19th century.

Read more on the reintroduction project here.

And this is a famous Vaughn Williams piece about another summer bird much loved in France and in England, the skylark or alouette.

First Mushrooms of the Season

2010-06-15T08:58:00.001+02:00

A lot of sunshine and a few hot days, then some rain - and it's time to check out my secret places for ceps. Here is the first pick of the season. Ceps are already there! They are easy to indentify and there aren't really any inedible or poisonous look-alikes in the cep family of funghi.

Wonderful scent, incomparable flavour and so easy to cook. Just dice, lightly fry in melted butter, sprinkle with chopped coriander or parsley and that's it. Or ad some boiled new potatoes to the plate.

These three mushrooms provided a nice al fresco lunch for two.

Eggs and A Worried Parent

2010-06-11T11:20:00.001+02:00

Here is a nest full of eggs found hidden in a bush...

And soon the worried parent was spotted.

Sent by Francesca Bostock, the Manche.

D-Day 66th Anniversary

2010-06-07T09:18:00.000+02:00

D-Day anniversary. 66 years since the Allied landings in Normandy and the liberation of France.

A German gun position at Utah-Beach.

Higgins Boat, an Allied light landing craft, near Utah-Beach Museum, La Manche.

And the Moissy Ford in the Orne - the Corridor of Death, the last narrow escape route of German forces trying to avoid encirclement by the Allies.

I Hear Thunder

2010-06-06T08:55:00.000+02:00

When you see towering clouds like in this photo, it means a thunderstorm is coming.

Thunder woke me up early today. If your children are scared of thunder, remember this nursery rhyme sung to the tune of "Frère Jacques," or "Are You Sleeping?":

I hear thunder, I hear thunder, (stomp feet on the floor)
Hark, don't you, hark, don't you? (put hands to your ears)
Pitter-patter raindrops, (wiggle your fingers for raindrops)
Pitter-patter raindrops,
I'm wet through, (shake your body like a wet dog)
So are you! (point at each other, tickle)

Here are the words for 'Are You Sleeping?':

Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John, Brother John,
Morning bells are ringing, Morning bells are ringing.
Ding, dang, dong, Ding, dang, dong.

And here is the French rhyme:

Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous?
Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!
Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong.

And a video:

It is said that in the background of the Beatles' song Paperback Writer one can hear George Harrison and John Lennon singing Frère Jacques. I can't, but let me know if you've seen or heard a version where it can be heard. Anyway, I put hear the Fab Four singing Rain.

Friendly Pikachu Vole

2010-06-04T09:36:00.001+02:00

A friendly vole found on a family cycling outing. We don't see them that close often, but this photo made me think: did they take the vole as a prototype for Pikachu, a creature in Nintendo's Pokemon game?

Sent by Francesca Bostock, the Manche

Pikachu and Ash Ketchum

Pikachu image from Wikipedia.

Copyright note: This Pikachu image falls under 'Fair Use Rationale':

It is low resolution.
It does not limit the copyright owners rights to sell the game.
Depicts subject discussed in article.
The photo is only being used for informational purposes.

Delicious Chives Blossom

2010-06-01T11:17:00.000+02:00

Chives blossom attracts bees, butterflies and other pollinating insects to our garden. They are nice looking and, like many other culinary herb blossoms, are also edible!

Read Linda Gilbert's ode to chives here and see a list of other edible flowers on this blog by Jacqueline Church.

'Chives should be deadheaded when their blooms fade. But, why waste those blooms? They're edible (and look really pretty sprinkled on a salad) and have a very light onion flavor,' writes Colleen Vanderlinden from Detroit area in the USA.

By the way, 'detroit' in French is 'a strait, a passage' and there are towns and villages in France named just that: Detroit. American Detroit was part of la nouvelle France before most of the French colonies there were ceded to Britain.

Photo by A.Anichkin

Flight of the Bumblebee

2010-05-31T08:00:00.003+02:00

A bumblebee busy pollinating flowers.

And check Damian Grounds' web-site 'Help Save Bees' to learn what bees give us - and what we can do in return.

Photos sent by Francesca Bostock, South Manche

And below is a comic jazz version of the famous Rimsky-Korsakov melody 'Flight of the Bumblebee . Tommy Pederson on trombone.

Pretty Houses of Houlgate

2010-05-27T08:32:00.000+02:00

Villa Madeleine in Houlgate.

Old seaside resorts of Calvados are full of beautiful houses from the belle epoque. Scary even to think how much their upkeep may cost.

Contributed by Elsie Macphie,

Calvados

Bluebells

2010-05-24T07:34:00.000+02:00

Splashes of blue everywhere - the bluebell season.

Iris, the Root of Normandy

2010-05-23T09:25:00.000+02:00

Iris, a beautiful flower for which Normans found a very practical use. Plants develop strong root systems that hold together the ridge of traditional Norman thatched houses (chaumière). That's why irises often can be seen on top of cottages (see in the photo below).

Sent by Francesca Bostock, the Manche

Chaumière normande (St Sulpice de Graimbouville) - a Norman cottage.

Photo from Wikipedia.

An Apple Orchard

2010-05-21T13:01:00.000+02:00

Apple blossom, Normandie en rose. This commercial orchard near Le Mesnil-Ozenne is in full bloom.

Avranches Castle

2010-05-21T11:52:00.001+02:00

Avranches castle on a sunny day.

The Scriptorial in Avranches houses the collection of manuscripts of Mont Saint Michel, deposited in the municipal archives during the French Revolution. It is one of the largest collections of medieval illuminated manuscripts in France, outside national and university libraries.

Lilacs in Bloom

2010-05-18T10:52:00.001+02:00

Lilacs in full bloom everywhere, nice scent. Most flowerettes have four petals, but, rarely, there is a five petal one. Old folks belief: make a wish and eat the five petal flowerette to make it happen. See if you can find one in the photo above.

Double Rainbow and Apple Blossom

2010-05-17T21:44:00.002+02:00

Rain and sunshine mean rainbows. I saw a full double rainbow near Tinchebray in the Orne, beautiful.

Beach at Houlgate

2010-05-17T11:30:00.000+02:00

May Bank holiday, it is still too cold for a swim, but the beaches are full of holidaymakers. This is a scene at the popular Calvados seaside town of Houlgate last Sunday.

Contributed by Elsie Macphie,

Calvados

Cherence le Roussel May Fair & Vide Grenier

2010-05-13T08:17:00.000+02:00

Fairs and car boots sales season is on!

Sent by Francesca Bostock, South Manche

A Nest of Blondes

2010-05-10T14:35:00.000+02:00

Found this bird's nest in the garden. Look: it's mostly made with the blond hair off my Golden Retrievers.

See also this post on Running With Dogs blog.

The Victory Day (VE)

2010-05-07T23:19:00.003+02:00

8-9 May 2010

marks the 65th anniversary of the end of the second world war in Europe,

the VE Day

I have long thought that war memorials you find in every village in France are typecast - they all look the same. But are they? This young soldier's face looks so original it might well have been a portrait.

Francesca Bostock, who sent this photo, writes:

'Whilst in Marcey les Gréves, I took these photos of a memorial for both world wars. I know there are lots of memorials around, but I found this one quite moving, with the soldier atop it and the shells at the corners.'

... and bullet pockmarks on the granite pedestal, probably left during the fighting for Normandy in World War II in 1994.

Please read 'German Humour and American Shooting' on 'The Normandy Review of Books'

Cherry Blossom

2010-05-04T20:00:00.001+02:00

Cherry trees in full bloom.

Dandelion Galore

2010-05-02T11:54:00.000+02:00

As Normandy turns yellow with dandelions and rape seed, this young man tries to make sure we'll have more of it later.

Sent by Francesca Bostock, South Manche

May Day Flower - Muguet

2010-04-30T10:34:00.000+02:00

A sprig of lily of the valley (muguet in French). The May Day flower seen all around France.

This one is from the last year. This year's haven't opened yet after a long and cold winter.

The Valley of Life

2010-04-26T10:16:00.000+02:00

The Valley of Life: Cheese, Cidre and Apples. La vie, of course, is the name of the river in the heart of Normandy's cheese country.

The Bayeux Gargoyles

2010-04-18T17:46:00.000+02:00

The Bayeux Cathedral on a sunny day. The curves are incredible.

Magpie Buck Riding Event

2010-04-15T11:39:00.000+02:00

Ever seen those African birds riding on the back of the buffalo? Or Texas cowboys competing in bull riding?

Here is the Normandy version: magpies riding on bullocks. Whatever it was there the birds seemed to find lots.

Sent by Peter Drearey in Orne

A Bird of Prey (Common Buzzard)

2010-03-13T10:15:00.000+01:00

Normandy is a birdwatcher's paradise, so many birds, so close. Here is a buzzard who comes to harry the chickens - or, more likely, the mice in the chicken run.

Sent by Francesca Bostock, the Manche

Sourdeval Carnival. The Elephant Parade.

2010-03-09T16:48:00.000+01:00

Elephant parade at the annual carnival in Sourdeval. Why elephants?

Sent by Francesca Bostock,

Lower Normandy

More Snowdrops 2010

2010-02-27T13:09:00.000+01:00

And more of the first snowdrops of the year:

Sent by Francesca Bostock, South Manche

First Snowdrops of the Year

2010-02-24T17:28:00.000+01:00

Snow, wind and rain - and a little sunshine in between: first snowdrops of the year sprouting.

More snow, snowdrifts and sun

2010-02-12T10:37:00.000+01:00

Another cold wave and a snowstorm! Here you can see layer after layer as snow piled in front of a door.

Sent by Francesca Bostock, Manche

Snow: protected species

2010-02-01T13:02:00.000+01:00

February started with another snowfall. Not much, but some species, like sowmen, need protection.

Sent by Francesca Bostock,

South Manche

Canadian Cemetery: Holocaust Memorial Day

2010-01-28T14:01:00.001+01:00

International Holocaust Remembrance Day is marked on 27th of January. On that day in 1945 the Red Army liberated Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland.

Following the ancient hebrew tradition, relatives and friends put remembrance stones on Jewish graves at war memorials in Normandy. Here, a few photos from the Canadian war cemetery near Courseulles-sur-Mer.

Waiting for a picnic

2010-01-15T12:56:00.001+01:00

As snows covers Normandy this road-side table has to wait picnickers.

The Manche, near Reffuveille.

Sent by Peter Drearey

The Big Freeze Continues

2010-01-12T13:11:00.002+01:00

Sourdeval and Val de Sées covered in snow.
Normandy is still in the grip of cold, but there is a lot of sun too, though.

Sent by Francesca Bostock,

South Manche

A Sunny Day in Winter

2009-12-30T12:59:00.001+01:00

Sent by Francesca Bostock,

South Manche

White Christmas in Normandy. Sunset

2009-12-26T10:18:00.002+01:00

Sent by Francesca Bostock, South Manche

White Christmas in Normandy: a holly twig

2009-12-25T18:16:00.002+01:00

A happy Christmas to everybody!

To see how to work this holly twig into a Christmas card with Apple Macintosh iWork/Pages programme read this blog.

A Memory of the Glorious Summer

2009-10-21T12:42:00.000+02:00

As days gets colder it's good to remember the glorious summer we had this year.
Wind-surfing on lake Dathée.

Sent by Peter Drearey, Villedieu

Norman Ceps

2009-10-16T23:08:00.001+02:00

A lovely cep I found recently on a mushroom hunt in St Sever forest - and consumed with gusto. Take advantage of the mild damp weather, perfect for mushrooms and mushroomers.

Sent by Peter Drearey,

Calvados

Rowan Berries Mean Harsh Winter

2009-10-04T20:22:00.000+02:00

Our young rowan tree produced lots of fruit this year. Old folks say that when rowans produce lots of red berries, the winter is going to be harsh. Did you know?

Sent by Alice MacAlistair,

Vire Valley