two pairs of hands better than one

Today was the momentous day my red and blue quilt was backed ready for quilting. I have been waiting for a time when my friend Jean, who has experience of these things, could help. With her big table and roller the job was a piece of cake - thanks Jean.

 

Now I have no excuse and have to start on the quilting - it will probably take me all the next year - I just have to get it finished for the exhibition in the summer of 2016 . I'll be able to use my Christmas present ( a floor standing quilting frame) for the first time.  I have started on the next quilt too - there has to be a rest from quilting which makes your fingers sore!

c'est fini

It's always nice to complete a project so finishing off my Yuan panel at patchwork this afternoon was very satisfying.





The original idea came because the new window in the dining room was very ugly and needed something but somehow curtains wouldn't work because of the position of the window. So why not design something as different as the window itself.





My collection of very English blue and white china, mostly Wood's in a design called Yuan, is a focal point in the dining room so was the inspiration for the triptych of panels to frame the window. The yuan bird motif is an example of celtic appliqué - basically the same technique as I use for the stained glass panels.

One thing missing - the eye - forgot that. I had done one earlier in black but it needs to be dark blue - I suspect there will be a bit of stepladder embroidery tomorrow!

just like the old days

Just like the old days - and not in a good way!

Saturday night spent in on my own while Trevor went out to a gig. True I could have gone too but we weren't very clear on what sort of evening it was to be and I do hate sitting around like a spare part. Anyway he had fun and it's not likely to be a regular event. I got loads of sewing done, watched too much TV then lay awake waiting for him to arrive back. Not surprisingly with the change in hour we didn't have a very long morning today.

It's decidedly un spring like today. We went for a mooch around the brocante at Lalbenque, in previous years I can remember going there with the roof down, not so today and some stallholders were giving up and going home. We bought a pretty silver plated soup ladle, some tin spoons to make into plant labels and a big copper pot for my garden collection. Then back to our "dens" - Trevor to the shed where he is making doors and me to my attic to sew.

folk'n'jazz springs into action

February saw a break in folk'n'jazz because so many people were away seeking warmer climes, I had missed the  January evening while I was in England and we were away in December so it was nice to be back amongst friends for an evening of music and song after 4 months.

The musicians enjoy the opportunity to play together for some songs

Our friend Edwige has a lovely voice and is
a great performer. Last night she sang in Japanese

Folk'n'jazz is not a folk club (or a jazz club for that matter) as we knew in England but the music is all live and acoustic and we get to hear a huge range of different styles of songs in many languages - last night English, French Occitan, Yiddish and Japanese. There are some very talented performers amongst the regulars, some are less skilled of course but the evenings give an opportunity to build confidence in front of a friendly audience, that at least is like a proper folk club! During the month between evenings the musicians spend many convivial hours sharing ideas and practising, often an excuse for a sharing a meal or drink or two.  It is particularly nice for us that some of our French musician friends have become regular performers and there are always French people from the village where it is held in the audience.




The compere changes each month - usually Trevor or John take it in turns. I'm getting another chance in May when we have another ceilidh planned.

'tis the season

I do like to eat seasonal, locally grown produce and our weekly trip to the Thursday market at Villefranche is a perfect showcase for it. This week there was the first of this year's local asparagus - a bit pricey still but what the heck, it's a bonus that the asparagus season starts earlier and lasts longer here than in England. Of course I could buy it all year round shipped across the world from Peru but it's so much nicer when its a seasonal treat.

Thursday lunches usually feature goodies bought in the market that morning . Today some of that delicious asparagus topped with a poached egg. The was egg collected from the hen house this morning - can't get much more local and fresh!

garden tour

view from our bedroom window

The weather is being very changeable at the moment . We've had some lovely sunny warm days, yesterday the Autun nearly blew us away and today is dull and a bit chilly. Nothing dull about the garden though and a couple more days of sunshine will see lots more open.

greenhouse is filling up nicely

a few more days of sun needed

This camellia looks like being stunning this year

looking forward to this one

the new rose bed

will be unwrapping the banana plants soon and taking stock of what has survived in the" tropical" garden

Our new cypress will fill that gap nicely

the flower garden has a new path this year as the old wooden one has rotted

lots to do in the potager

those all important final stitches

Lately I've been making a special effort to get a few patchwork projects finished before starting anything new. As always I've got lots of ideas I want to get started on, new fabrics arriving and the next stained glass panel to do but so many loose ends ...............






First success is hanging the side panels of my blue and white window panels. I'm very pleased with the effect and the middle panel with the Yuan bird is at the quilting stage so nearly there.


I also finally finished the second cats in houses cushion.







Next week friends are going to help me with the backing of my big quilt so I can get started on quilting that - it could take me all year but I really want to see it in the exhibition next June.

bon appetit

It has been a week of lunches.

Our Canadian friends Maggie and Bill are staying in their house in nearby Promilhanes this month. Its always great to have them here and it's always  the excuse for some good meals - we are in France after all!



This week it was Tuesday at Monique's in Bach joined by Gill and Leon, Thursday at Art et Galets in Villeneuve with Jean Francois and Beatrice and today Sunday lunch chez nous. We've hardly had to eat in between. We'll definitely be going back to Villeneuve, the restaurant there was quite a discovery - it has gourmet standard food at menu de jour prices on Thursday and Friday lunchtimes - superbe.

Next week so far we have been invited to lunch at friends on Tuesday - does this mean I 'll have to get to work every other day? Oh - just remembered there's a meal on Friday evening - its such a hard life  ;-)

2 months

It has been two months since my last post ..........................sounds a bit like confession.

Back in January I was reflecting on the drawback of ex-pat life when a family crisis happens. My dear Dad, for whom the last year or so had been more of a challenge than a life, finally gave up the struggle and died in hospital after two weeks battling pneumonia followed by a massive heart attack. It being winter in England there was then a three week wait before the funeral could happen. So, to cut a long story short, we have been "frequent flyers" so far this year.

Following these events I succumbed to the nasty flu virus that was endemic in these parts and after that developed bronchitis which has left me coughing still.

All in all 2015 not really coming up to scratch!

Writing a daily blog was always a challenge and it really did rely on the momentum, once that was broken it has been difficult to get motivated to start again. But .... we have had some sunshine, the garden is waking up, the greenhouse is full of seedlings, there is music, there is dancing.................

                                                    aici sén pla