Propagation

A new sign appears on the town hall notice board. It wasn't there yesterday afternoon so it must have been put up overnight by our new mayor in a bout of nocturnal hyper-activity. The sign is something to do with beetroot propagation and the maintenance of pure varieties. The heavy chicken wire on the village notice board makes reading it rather difficult.  It seems that we live in a region that produces 85% of France's beetroots and is home to 3 of the top 4 global beetroot producers. More than 500 locals work in the beetroot industry. This is a surprise - in the decade we've been here we've never seen a beetroot farm or, come to that, a field of beetroot.

Down to the valley for a long walk. 

Then it's off to the parking lot in the shopping centre for a croissant and a coffee. We actually ask for two croissants and two coffees. Angus rationalizes this by noting that the coffees are very small,  we've come a long way and its all of three weeks since we were last there. Sophie thinks two croissants is a good idea and one that should be part of her daily schedule.  It says something about the lockdown lifestyle that a trip to an empty car park is the highlight of our social calendar. A few early rising shop assistants eye us up warily.

I won't say the shopping centre is quiet but there are two ducks standing enjoying the start of day sunshine.

Sophie soon puts paid to the ducks quiet reveries. The barking starts when she's still thirty yards  from them. This is not a good way to creep up on your prey.

By the time Sophie reaches where the ducks have been they're long gone. 

 Specially paired small plates with your book of choice :https://www.travelandleisure.com/hotels-resorts/ben-west-palm-hotel-book-butler