La vie est faite de petits bonheurs…

25 May 2013

Où est le soliel...?

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Where is the sun, that's what I'd like to know. One minute it shows it's face, the next it's gone. It's been terrible this year, so changeable. Shouldn't moan though after what the poor people in Moore, Oklahoma have suffered. Our thoughts are with all those who lost love ones and their homes. It's frightening what Mother Nature can do. There have been some harrowing stories told of when the tornado hit and a few miracles, like the little dog that was found alive by her owner as she was interview in the ruins of her home.
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 While walking the pups this week, we visited a lovely local village with narrow winding streets set on a hillside with amazing views. It's known as the "Hazelnut capital of France" because it produces vast quantities to companies for products like Nutella and praline. From the top of the village you can see rows of hazelnut trees spreading far into the distance.
 

Most people don't see how lovely this village is as there is a route nationale running through the middle of it. That part of the village is not particularly exciting like a lot of villages that have a major road running through. However, if you take a few steps away from this road, the scene is very different. Amazing architecture built on the hillside. You can see why houses often have balconies at the top of the house, the view is great from that height.



I wish the weather had been better as it looks so lovely in the sunshine. It has been so unseasonal cold and wet that, although everywhere is very green and lush, the flowers are late this year. The roses seem to be thriving though. Many of the houses have planters outside which look so pretty when in bloom. I'm afraid you will have to use a bit of imagination!


Halfway up the village is the Place des Marronnier (Chestnut Square) with a lovely stone spring water fountain. It should really be called Hazelnut Square!


As you walk up towards the summit, you pass houses hugging the hillside and the crumbling walls of the ancient chateau (fort).


It's quite a climb but the view from the top is worth it.

Once we finally get some decent sunshine, we'll come back and take some more photos of the village in bloom.

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This Sunday is Mother's Day in France...

Bonne Fête à toutes les mamans!



12 May 2013

And they call it puppy love...

April showers bring May flowers...source
 Well, let's hope May is full of sunshine and flowers. We've had some lovely warm weather, really uplifting. Everywhere you look there is blossom on the trees & wonderful scent in the air.
Finally Spring is here...YAY!

Peanut (Del-Boy) & Harley (Ned) as they were advertised on the Phoenix site
 As you will know, Kelly & I have adopted a couple of puppies. Would you like to know more about them? Well, I'm going to tell you anyway! After such an awful start in life, they have both settled very well in to their new homes. Both are a delight and sometimes very mischievous!

The  first puppy was Peanut...
He's growing up fast...

Peanut was born in the middle of December. He was abandoned with his brother in a bag near a gypsy camp. They were very under nourished and had to be fed four times a day to begin with. It was love at first site when Kelly saw him on the Phoenix website, & even named him Peanut as his head looked like a peanut! But when they enquired, they were told he had already been adopted. However, a week later fate dealt a lucky card as they received a call to say he had been returned to the centre & was available for adoption again. They collected him the same day & introduced him to his new home. He bounced around like a lamb with his big gangly legs, so adorable. He has big floppy ears which sometimes flop together in the middle and big black eyes which completely define the saying "puppy dog eyes".
 
He LOVES sunbathing in the garden!

Next came Harley...


He's changed so much the few weeks we've had him...
Harley was dumped in a dustbin at a village déchetterie (waste dump) with his two brothers & three sisters. It was the end of January and very cold. They were estimated to be just two weeks old, riddled with worms & very poorly. With careful nurturing by the wonderful people at Phoenix, they all survived. We called our pup, Harley; after the UK rugby union team, Harlequins. It was the only name we could all agree on! Although we liked the full name, it was decided it was just little too long, so Harley it was. We had a little wait before we could bring him home but when he finally arrived, he was a little bundle of joy, so playful and with a sweet nature. He's fitting in so well with the family, it feels like we've had him more than just a few weeks.

 Harley has taken a liking to my new walking wellies - paws off, they're mine!

For more information about the Phoenix Association, visit their website or facebook page.
  
Beautiful wild flowers picked on our walk this morning, aren't they lovely?


3 May 2013

Hot under the collar....

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Have you noticed that although collar styles change according to fashion, they are always in fashion in one form or another...
Vintage
Adding a vintage collar to an outfit can transform it into something unique & so feminine...

Modern
We have added some vintage collars to our shop too...

...& a collar and cuff set which would make any outfit stunning....


 Did you watch The Great British Sewing Bee on BBC 2 (UK t.v.)?
We loved it although each week we've had a different contender for first prize. Each had their own specialities but in the end, Ann was crowned the winner & extremely well-deserved. She was obviously a very experienced sewer (over 75 years!) & worked so methodically through her patterns & challenges. Our only critcism....it ended too soon! Looking forward to the second series.

Ann (far right) was crowned the winner                           source