​ Notes from Montsoreau

​Sunday started with me visiting a brocante in, well to be honest I can't remember the name of the place but as in all places here in the Loire Valley it was stunning. I jumped ut of the car and came face to face with this Abbey.

Up the road was a brocante attended by professionals. Far too expensive for me and to be honest a load of tat.

It's Sunday lunch time and I am sitting in what has been designated one of the most beautiful villages in France on the banks of the Loire River. That in fact is an understatement. Opposite me is a market selling delicious local, fresh produce and quite good quality clothes. More hats than you can shake a stick at.

I am reluctant to move from this bar/restaurant but a few kilometres along the road is another designated beautiful village so I'm off. Enjoy the views I captured whilst here in Montsoreau.

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Well Candes Saint Martin is not as beautiful as Montsoreau but very friendly. The black cat at the bar/brasserie I stopped at was super friendly but thankfully I had nothing to eat so it left me alone.

It's not quite the same doing this sort of thing alone. I miss sharing the beauty of the place with Harvey but there's not a lot I can do about that other than know that he would be happy that I at least was doing it.

Back To Blogging. Why? Because I Miss It

Well after 6 months I'm back. My last post was March 2016. I foolishly thought I had had enough of blogging but all the time I was away I kept finding stuff but had no one to share it with. After all isn't that what blogging is all about? 

As I'm typing this I am in France, one of the most inspiring countries in the world and my intention is to get this show on the road French style so here goes. Tune in for more as I get back in the swing.

 An amazing find at a Depot Vente in Jeaux, Picardie. These sell at home for around £300 here this was had for 35 Euros. No competition then?

5 Bottles of perfectly good wine for 8.29 Euros that included the fizzy water and a carrier bag.

 Seeing my gorgeous French grandchildren on a daily basis, priceless.

And you don't just get an ice cream you get a rose ice cream. What more could I ask?
Today Tiana (above)  and I are are off to the local fete. Believe it or not it's in celebration of the haricot bean. The French will celebrate anything, however the fete is a huge 3 day celebration. Flags are everywhere, tents erected and a parade organised for tomrrow afternoon. Who knew a bean could be that important

The Brocante and the Park

Yesterday morning we left early to go to a big Brocante being held in Charlotte's home town. This is just a fraction of what I bought. I never cease to be amazed by the stuff the French don't want but we lust after.

My car is filling up fast with new pieces for Ghost Furniture. We went through Picardie to a Gastronomique Brocante in the afternoon. That's a brocante with tons of food for the uninitiated.

It's hard to believe that under this stunningly beautiful Picardie landscape there still lay the bones of young men from the two world wars. Graveyards full of identical crosses are numerous. So so sad.

Today we took Tiana to the park after school. It's not hard to find delicious picnic fayre here.

The French do a good park.

Tiana got so excited with this flower that it fell off its stem just after I took this picture. Well that's her story and she's sticking to it.

Some wonderful colour inspirations from nature.

I told Tiana to stand in front of the fountain so the water would come out of her head,

each time I said it she put her hand on her head to check.

Wall flowers through a stone arch.

Here's something I didn't know until today. You can't make daisy chains from French daisies as their stems are too thin to split. Wimps!
Link to image of Picardie landscape

This Is Why I Love France

Because you always get a great and super cheap lunch if you eat with the locals.

When you order a coffee they bring 4 desserts to go with it included in the price.

Little towns are full of privately owned stores selling amazing thimgs.

and not at exorbitant prices.

This is me in France and I love it.

Going It Alone To France

Tomorrow I leave for France and for the first time I wil be driving there on my own. A bit daunting I must admit but hey I am quite capable.

I am staying with Charlotte and family for 2 weeks. It's brocante season so I will be in my element.

I am re-vamping Ghost Furniture to accomodate more French antiques, the sort I usually pass by because they don't need to be brought back to life.

 

These items are just to good to overlook anymore.

I have my shopping list and can't wait to get started.

Charlotte has booked us a couple of days in Paris as she now lives in Picardie.

The Bastille Antiques Fair is on and just around the corner from oour hotel as is

Merci which is my favourite Parisian shop and it's holding an Urban Market during my stay.

Of course no visit to France should exclude a few trips to the food markets, they do them so well.

Stopping for coffee and people watching  is high on the agenda.

My car may look a little like this on my return. AU REVOIR
Click on images for links

Making It Mine Part 2 - My Table and Chairs Makeover

It's a long while since I originally painted my table and chairs.They are family heirloom from Harvey's parents so they not going anywhere. They weren't a good advert for Ghost Furniture.

I painted the side chairs and table base in a pale grey

and the 2 carvers in brilliant white. The seats I re-upholstered with a pearlised taupe faux leather. They look amazing when the sun hits them.

 All in all I am very pleased but most of all

they have brightened up my dining area no end. RESULT

My Mojo and I Are Back

Today it is exactly 9 months since Harvey passed away. Yesterday evening I suddenly had the urge, for the very first time, to take a walk along the gated road from our cottage. Every day Harvey took this walk and up until now I just haven't been able to bring myself to do the same thing. This was his favourite tree which he passed on his way to

these gates where he would stand and

take in this fabulous view, one of his favourites. I cried and cried as I stood in his place and as I turned to walk back alone to our cottage I noticed

a beautful little lamb with it's mother in the field next to me. It made me realise that new life does come along and that we are expecting our daughter to give birth to a baby boy in July and he will have Harvey as his middle name.

So Harvey continues just not in the same way he used to. His bench on the village green is surrounded by flowers and they are even growing inside it.

 

You may have noticed I keep saying ours or us, that's because he is still a big part of me and my life and always will be, I have given our initials and their setting a new coat of paint. As now is the time for me to move into a new phase and to accompany me I have my MOJO which has returned to me after a long absence and am I pleased to see it? Of course I am.

In a few weeks I am driving down to France to stay with our daughter Charlotte, visit the brocantes, bring back some Ghost Furniture pieces and on my return I shall do my magic again, add them to the website and do some Antique Fairs through summer. It seems an age since I did this, I am so excited and so is my MOJO. I shall be reporting back.