Spring Sunday stroll

Sunny Spring Sunday and this morning we took a stroll through  Les ballastières, Damvillers.

Bonjour!

The Mistletoe Tree 1.

The Mistletoe Tree 2 - from the other side.  More mistletoe than tree!

The horses are indifferent to Ron resting on a log...

...and to having their photograph taken too!

Bees, birdsong, butterflies and blossom…beautiful !

Colourful gathering.

15ème Chapitre de la Confrérie Jules Bastien-Lepage 

The members of the above society met in the Salles des Fetes, Damvillers and started their special day, as usual, at 10.30. with a parade to the Rodin statue to pay homage to the town’s famous painter…Jules Bastien-Lepage.  Afterwards they will return to the Salle for their celebration meal, wine, speeches and dancing.

Quick outing.

It was bright and sunny but, as we got ready to go out, the sun disappeared behind grey clouds. We realised rain wouldn’t be far behind so decided on a quick outing, heading up through the pretty countryside around Reville-aux-bois, up through forested hills and down to Sivry-sur-Meuse in the valley. We parked by the river, sat on a bench and just had time to throw a little bread into the water - although no sign of fish or fowl - take a couple of photos and the first, fat raindrops started to fall.

We took a different route home via the heights of Haraumont, where the valleys each side were filled with misty rain…

Raindrops on the windscreen on the way to Haraumont.

…then on to Ecuery-en-Verdunois where we were in the right place at the right time to do our good deed for the day by picking up a man walking  in the now steady rain and were able to give him a lift to his destination, 4.7km away at Damvillers - coincidentally the little town where we live.

Indoors, a reprise of my last post on my blog - rain sliding down the window panes and, soon after, a log fire burning brightly.

And still there is war…

Friday the 13th - November 2015 - a black day indeed for Paris with a massive co-ordinated attack by Islamic Terrorists. 

Three days of mourning have been announced and candles burn in windows in remembrance of those who died.

So many atrocities this year that I sometimes feel we are in a third world war.

On Sunday afternoon, the 15th, we were reminded of the First World War and how it affected this area in an exhibition in the Salle des Fêtes. 

It was an excellent display, detailed and thorough…