Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Mountains cannot be surmounted except by winding paths.






The Bastille Day holiday fast approaching. In order to get away on vacation the workmen have picked up the tempo of their work. Their movements not exactly frenetic but now at least proceeding at a more determined pace. The bathrooms, the floors, some joinery and the redecorating scheduled to be finished by the 17th. We'll settle for one and a half bathrooms and the doors in the snug. The rest can wait until after the summer visitors have gone.

The womens cooperative deliver the Indian silk cushions. They've been working on them for nearly six months. '' We had to wait for the piping " says the upholsteress by way of explanation or possibly apology. She's wearing a pair of very loose fitting blue and green striped linen pyjamas. On her head a lace bonnet of the type worn by newborn infants in the 1950's. The bonnets two straps dangle down on either side of her face. They sway while she talks.

Out early. Bob picks up the harness with his mouth and puts it on a chair by the front door. No mistaking what he's thinking. This morning the village green covered with mole hills .Bob is soon nose down, zigzagging too and fro in search of the elusive diggers. We've been in France for three summers and this is the first time I've stood under the lime trees and heard the bees at work. Thousands of them. A wall of sound. City dwellers would call it quiet.

17 comments:

Bella Roxy & Macdui said...

That is a VERY bright cushion. Bet the pups think it's highly digable!

XXXOOO Daisy Bella & Roxy

WFT Nobby said...

Yes I too would be nervous about the PON and silk cushion combination...

Anonymous said...

What a beautiful colour. The ladies have done a nice job. How wonderful to know that the bees appear to be having a good year, where you are.
I will be returning to my crumbly old pile at the end of this month and am hoping for some work to be done in August - I think (know) I am kidding myself. Oh well, who needs water.
Have a great day.
x

fleurlilian said...

Beautiful cushions - almost have the same... but green lining... don't let the babes near that, please!!!
Bacetti sul nasino per Bob and Sopherl... (austrian)... both cute and uberadorable - my puppy Kiri is getting many compliments but mutates from child adoring soft toy to aggressive wolf when male competition is in sight... some education to be done there... Love from Susanne, Daisy and Kirilirili

~Kim at Golden Pines~ said...

We all need goals, and I hope the workmen reach theirs!

It's good to read that you've got plenty of bees--It was reported that one-third of US honeybee colonies died here last winter.

Jean said...

That's a magnificent cushion !! I hope the two little angels don't "change its character".....well not before you have had a chance to use it properly anyway !!

Angus said...

Earlier in the year we were finding scores of dead bumble bees scattered around the garden. It must have been the cold wet weather. Now we have all types in abundance. This may be due to the whole region being declared an organic farming zone.

Tamms @ Amelie's Farmhouse said...

A see a sock monkey....my choc lab's favorite toy. At least, until he's ripped into shreds :)

Tamms

VirginiaC said...

Now we know what motivates the French workmen in deepest France profonde. At least you'll have some semblance of restored order before they leave on holiday.
Love the new silk cushions, I'm sure the two angels will "dig them" as well.
The bees humming in the trees is one of my favourite summer day sensory delights.
Watch out for Ms. Sophie, she seems to be eying the worker's van in the 3rd photo....just waiting for you to turn away so she can clamber aboard.

Sheila said...

Now if you could just get the pool cover
removed prior to the arrival of the summer
crowd..

Lucky you living in an organic farming
zone. Has to help the bees.

MLou said...

Bob is training efforts are beginning to pay off. He will have you fully trained soon.

Robin Larkspur said...

I love when dogs do something like put the halter outside on a chair. It shows complete understanding of the daily routine and what needs to be done.
Oh Mon Dieu!! Mole hills on the village green just before the garden judging???

Emm said...

I, too, wonder what will happen when PONs meet silk cushion. Or don't, preferably.
Reports of bee die-offs in the US and Canada seem to be traceable back to things like Monsanto and its toxic Roundup. I plant lavender and bee balm and hosta to encourage some buzzing. Lucky you, bees and lime trees, sounds lovely.

Anonymous said...

Lovely cushion good color.

Whispering Walls said...

La vie en miel

MrsDuncanMahogany said...

Love the cushion color! Glad to hear you have bees, and lots of them from the sounds of it. We do not have many bees here, apparently due to North America's love of toxic pesticides. I have seen a few in our gardens, but not enough in my opinion! Bob and Sophie are just adorable!

Julie said...

Yep, Bob nearly has you trained ! Do you ever wonder who's training who ?