Birthday surprises.

Well, the last 24 hours have been full of surprises!

Three I could have done without - very heavy rain showers, a severe attack of trigeminal neuralgia and no internet connection! Not much I could do for the first two but, merci beaucoup to Arlette we are on line again!

My lovely husband, Ron had secretly arranged many things which more than compensated...

I answered the door bell yesterday afternoon to find Jacky, Peter and Linda had come from England for a visit for my birthday!

This morning, a magnificent chocolate birthday cake was brought from Damvillers Boulangerie/Patisserie

Then all five of us to the Restaurant/Bar in Consenvoye where Emilie and Roger, Bill and Marie, Jackie and Arlette, Stephen and Juliet were waiting for us! Quelle surprise!!

We all enjoyed a lovely lunch with a specially-made raspberry gateau for desert.

After a buffet starter, there was a choice of ham, lamb, calamari and I had fish with a cheese sauce.

The candle played "Happy Birthday"!!

While, outside, the rain poured...

...but as I write this, the sky has cleared and the sun is shining - and my TN has, thankfully, gone back to sleep!


A HUGE THANK YOU to all for attending and an EVEN BIGGER THANKS to Ron for arranging it all...and I hadn't a clue!!

Also many thanks for all the lovely birthday greetings, the cards, presents, and flowers.

Love you all. :-) xxxx

Evening stroll.

It was sunny and we decided to go for a stroll “in the cool of the evening” - ha! - 31C . 

A short walk "around the block" - a quiet back street behind the houses opposite the side of our house, through the pharmacie car park to the main road then left on the chemin des jardins then back to place de Marechal Gerard and  the floral roundabout topped by his statue...snapping flowers and items of interest along the way.

Colourful flowers in a giant pot on a pavement - opposite our garage.

Flower pots and a shady bench opposite our garage door.

Butterflies on lavender in front of the bug hotel

Low sun through an orchard's tree

Anyone for mistletoe?

Some sheep are curious and hurry to the gate to greet us with loud baaaas!

Bon soir!

Au revoir!

Nature reclaiming a neglected house...

...a pretty, cared-for house with window boxes.

Centre ville.

Pale moon in a bright blue sky...

19.40.h

My shadow by one of the pretty roses in our little side-strip of garden!

Summer storm

mid afternoon
the storm moved into town
grey mists of rain
swished down the streets
fierce flashes of lightning lit the sky
thunder crashed
fat drops of rain lashed
hailstones rattled glass
left me pondering -
how come ice formed in the heat?
I searched, so now I know - and you can too!

(not my photo - I stayed indoors out of the way!)

 

in the night

it came in the night
fierce, flaming tongues licked the walls
no warning

Grenfell Tower
North Kensington
14th June 2017

Return to Longvilliers

Last week we returned to Longvilliers in Pas de Calais...to the delightful cottage here. 

Again the weather was mixed - very hot for the first two days, then wet, cold and very high winds for a couple of days, then, thankfully, a return to warm and dry days although the sea took a bit longer to calm down...

Bright and breezy at Sainte-Cécile.

 














We enjoyed the rest and relaxation - and, again, the fish and chips at Étaples!

Freedom

 A nice surprise in the garden this morning...

We took picnic chairs and books to our favourite lakeside corner for a while this afternoon.  In a  semi-shaded spot, it was good to be out in the fresh air, enjoy the scenery and listen to the birds.

An Egyptian goose not keen on being photographed!

The peace was a little shattered at times by six youngsters with three small motorbikes when the girl squealed or the bikes were ridden along the pathway across the other side of the lake, beyond which is a second lake.  But, mostly, they were just ‘hanging out’, quietly chatting, laughing, some taking a dip in the far lake and it was lovely to relish how wonderful it was that they had the freedom to do that without the fear of devastating disruption as experienced by the many youngsters out enjoying themselves in Manchester at the weekend.

We should cherish our freedom, be thankful for it and pray for those who do not have it.  So many have been destroyed by warped minds with such tragic results when all they wanted was to enjoy living life in peace and freedom.

Bright poppies cheer and bring hope for the freedom of all.