Wednesday 30 September 2015

Autumn colours at Marville.

Last day of September and although a brisk East wind is still blowing, the sun shines from a clear, blue sky and it’s a beautiful day.

We drive to Plan d’Eau at Marville to find Autumn’s colours really starting to show.  We view the man-made lake from different angles than on our usual visits.






















The dam at the far end is interesting and surrounded by such pretty scenes…























The lake side of the dam

Left sluice working

Middle sluice quiet

Right sluice working

The river on the other side of the dam bridge


Pretty countryside to the left of the river...

...which Ron investigates.


 The colourful trees from the top of this blog post from the other side of the lake.


A blaze of autumn colour glowing in sunshine.

Tuesday 29 September 2015

Autumn afternoon.

A few puffs of white cloud, bright blue sky and  warm sunshine - a perfect Autumn day in late September - Tuesday the 29th.

We drive to Reville-aux-Bois and climb the roads which twist and turn through the surrounding forests.  The view at the top, on the Meuse Heights, is wonderful.








Then down to Sivry-en-Meuse where we find a pretty spot by the water.







Out come the picnic chairs and our books which we read between drinking in the pretty surroundings.

My heel is less painful this afternoon and walking easier so I walk, without a stick, a short way to investigate a flurry of ducks.  Of course by the time I arrive most have disappeared but I get a photo of one…






  …the reeds…
...some cows in a meadow...


…and some of the flowers, bark and berries…









…and a distant shot of Ron, reading his book.





An hour or so later, the clouds join to partly hide the sun and the blustery east wind starts to become a nuisance so we leave, passing Sivry church en route.





We take a slight detour to Vilosnes where the Canal de l'Est and the river Meuse merge for a while.

























Then up to Haraumont where I take distance shots of the communication towers (as promised in a previous blog post)…





























…and again through forests and farmland to Ecurey-en-Verdunois and back home to Damvillers.

We were only out for two hours but it was a welcome change.

Under siege. Part 4.

Day 5. Monday, 28th September 2015.

Last evening the activity wound down and rides and stalls gradually closed. At 8.00.p.m. only the two slot-machine arcades (oops, sorry, “Casinos”) were open, the music muted but still attracting about 20 people.  By 10 o’clock all was quiet.  At 10.30. a little clattering as some prepared to dismantle and move out, a very few last night and early this morning. Many still remain.

How quiet it was this morning!

My heel is less painful  but still sore.  I managed to get my shoes on and we decide to go for a short walk.  We must have looked like “poor, old dears” - arms linked and a walking stick each side of us.  We managed 15 minutes around the block and limped back home. But it was good to be out in the sunshine if only briefly.

The funfair thinned considerably but the dodgem cars, two kiddies’ roundabouts, the two Casinos and a few stalls prepare to open for business at 4.00.-4.30.p.m. The music was gentle and quiet at first, then increased in pace and volume at 4.40 in time to attract the children getting ready to leave the nearby junior school ten minutes later, but with little result. The entrance and exit doors have been changed since the fair was here last, when children spilled from school straight into the funfair!

Work on both the juniors’ and babies’ schools took a year to complete.  Both were enlarged and the catchment area extended.  Both schools are now behind gates in a side turning, next to the Salle which building was - still is? - shared with the junior school.

 By 6.00.p.m. a few older children and a young couple were chancing their arm at the slot machines, but the little roundabouts were almost empty - just three excited little girls with mama nearby.  Gradually the funfair took on a neglected air and at 7.00. the packing up and closing started.  For the past couple of years we have wondered why they stayed open for the Monday evening with little attendance;  this year with even fewer people around they obviously decided to call it a day early.

At dusk the men work hard dismantling and packing and some of the lorries and trailers depart.

It’s not a life we envy.

As a glorious sunset slips behind rooftops, the rooks gather and head home.

The men continued to work quickly, efficiently and as quietly as possible but it is in the wee small hours before the last, big lorry is loaded but they do not disturb us.


 Day 6.  Tuesday, 29th September 2015.

The rest of the vehicles started to leave in the morning.

By 9.30. all the rubbish they had bagged up - about 20 large black bin bags! -  was collected by the town council workers using a tractor and trailer.  All that remained were two residential caravans, one lorry and two small trailers in the place at the front of our house. By 11.30. all had gone except for one small trailer for collection later.

We were impressed with the funfair people and the hard work they cheerfully do to provide surrounding villages and towns with life and colour.

It’s not their fault that their pitches surround our house!

Residents gradually bring back their cars but we only have a few days’ respite - it is the Autumn Fair on Sunday!  Cars will again have to be re-located but only from Saturday night until late Sunday to make way for the many stalls that will be set up in the centre and many of its surrounding streets.

Our siege has not quite finished yet…








Monday 28 September 2015

Blood-moon Eclipse

We saw the blood-moon eclipse in the early hours of Monday morning, 28th September 2015.

A haiku to mark the event...

even the moon
is sometimes in shadow
take heart

Sunday 27 September 2015

Under siege. Part 3.

Day 4. Saturday, 26th September 2015.

The music starts at 11.00.a.m.  The volume goes down at 11.30.  The music goes off at 12.00.  Sound check complete - and anyway it’s time for “the midi”.

We finish our lunch and head for the lake to help with the turn-round.  Work done, we leave our son-in-law there to meet and greet the arrivals.

Ron drives our car out and onto the road.  I go to close the gate and somehow pull the heavy metal frame onto the back of a heel.  It hurts and I bleed profusely.  I curse my clumsiness and stupidity - but it still hurts.  Indoors, a foot-bowl of warm, salt water then plasters and dressings but each time I move it bleeds a little more.  How can such a small area - the size of a little-finger nail - hurt and bleed so much! 

The music outside starts again late afternoon and attracts youngsters fresh out of school. 






















During the evening, the music continues (thank goodness we mostly have double-glazing) and a few people wander around.  The numbers increase after dark when the lights are twinkling.  Young girls scream as they are whisked high into the air and just a few little ones ride on the small roundabout under the watchful eyes of their families. 







It was good to see and hear the youngsters enjoying themselves in what must be a highlight for them in this usually-peaceful town.  I’m guessing tonight won’t quieten down until midnight. 

I think of putting my foot in a plastic bag overnight - just in case.


Day 5. Sunday, 27th September 2015.

My heel is still tender so no shoes today and no wandering around the funfair with my camera this afternoon when, no doubt, the families will be out in force after the midi.  But the plastic bag worked well, not that my foot bled overnight but it allowed me to shower and hair-wash this morning without getting the dressing wet. Result.

The funfair was closed at midnight and the quiet that descended continued until 3.00.p.m. this afternoon when the fun-fair re-opened.  Slowly, individuals and groups came to enjoy the fun.  By late afternoon, the place was buzzing! Although I could only record what I could see from the windows and open front door.









 Families and lots of happy children enjoyed La Fête.