Monday, April 12, 2021

Light drizzle.


Midnight in Manhattan, six am here in deepest France profonde. Angus and the Manhattanites discuss Russian pressure on Ukraine, the 'fire' at Irans Nantaz nuclear power plant, and China's claims on Taiwan . Good news - 80% of US seniors have now had at least one dose.  We all agree there will be inflation in energy and food prices and deflation everywhere else.  One of the Manhattanites has been on a weekend trip to Palm Beach. The Manhattanite and his wife were unimpressed by a ' boorish and self absorbed ' after dinner speech  - which is an unexpected reaction.

Grey and drizzly this morning. Not wet enough to revitalize the garden but wet enough to make Angus put on a coat as we head off down the lane.


Sophie is oblivious to the drizzle. Damp weather brings to life all those dried out scents hidden in the long grass along the lane. Our rate of progress to the stream and the waterfall is magisterial.


Over the centuries the village has shifted its location. Two thousand years ago it was located on a steep sided hill four hundred yards from the front gate of The Rickety Old Farmhouse. Over time the village shifted to its present location and the old settlement fell into disuse. Neglect, weather, gravity and an encroaching road built in Napoleonic times have rounded off the contours of the mound and palisades.  From time to time enthusiastic men ( they're always men for some reason ) with metal detectors arrive in search of Roman remains. Anything of note was excavated and shipped off to the departmental museum a hundred and fifty years ago. The site is now home to a large colony of hares who peer down at us from its upper heights. Sophie is too much of a diva to attempt to chase them .


Esoteric link of the day. Hats off to any foreigner who can speak Hungarian which is a complicated but dignified language. And hats off to anyone who can recite Scotlands national poet Rabbie Burns in Hungarian :https://dailynewshungary.com/news_to_go/former-ambassador-to-hungary-celebrates-hungarian-national-poetry-day-video/

Getting the house ready for summer time. 'The Font' is greatly taken with this but Angus is less sure about the practicality and the price :https://eastlondonparasols.com/collections/all-our-lovely-parasols/products/gloria

This is not dish washer friendly breakfast ware. Just looking at this I know I'd break it taking it out of the box. 'The Font' agrees. It too fails the summer 'practicality' test:https://eu.bordallopinheiro.com/cloudy-butterflies-salad-bowl-4l


7 comments:

Lisa in France said...

I read this morning about several others who attended the Palm Beach gathering and were unexpectedly put off by the after-dinner speech. It is good to read your confirmatory report, although I would have thought most true Manhattanites had gotten over the former guy about thirty years ago. The parasol is very lovely, but I think they may have given themselves away with the indoor photo. We never have any luck with parasols, no matter how sturdy.

Poppy Q said...

Its a pricey parasol, although I do see its charm. I agree with the dish, although on a shelf it would work.

I do see the appeal of having a metal detector in a area of the world like yours. I guess I watch too many episodes of Antiques Roadshow.

Taste of France said...

Ah, the speech where we learn the problem wasn't illegals voting but a mysterious "lockbox" financed by Mark Zuckerberg. Will people finally catch on that it's n'importe quoi? He could say grass is orange and there are green men living on the moon and my brother would still believe every word.
Thank you for the Hungarian clip. Memories.
I don't know about where you are, but in this part of southern France the winds are so fierce that such a lovely parasol wouldn't survive. In fact, after having many "très costaud" parasols ripped apart, we gave up and built a couple of pergolas for shade.
Watched "The Dig" last night. Fabulous. Archaeology is a passion, the stuff involving humans even more so than the dinosaurs.

WFT Nobby said...

The fact that an outfit selling pricey garden parasols calls itself the East London Parasol Company speaks volumes about the image change that area of the capital has undergone in recent years!

sillygirl said...

I too can pass up the delicate bowl - and the price.

Coppa's girl said...

This afternoon Inca has enjoyed the intense aromas in the long grass along our local lanes too, after yesterday's torrential rains. This morning we walked along the promenade by the beach but no smells there - it's entire length is sprayed with a bleach and disinfectant "cocktail" every morning at around 9 a.m.
A definite no to the parasol, pretty though it is - with the ferocious gales we get up here on our hill, it would be ripped to shreds in hours. The bowl is charming, but not practical to use, though it would look stylish as an ornament - likely to be filled with odds and ends once the immediate delight had worn off. Sadly neither would go with anything in my house - it's strictly modern with a touch of vintage Ikea! Not for the discerning at all, and these days I'm trying to declutter.

rottrover said...

I love the parasol; and think of all the money you've saved not going out to eat (or buy croissants) and all the travel you've not done! However the wind is certainly a consideration. The beautiful bowl would not make it out of the box here either!