Folk'n'jazz for charity

Over the summer months our acoustic music "gathering" Folk ' n' jazz takes to the road and uses outdoor venues. This year, for the first time, we have used it as an opportunity to raise money for charitable causes (chosen by the venue hosts).

Last month was held in the beautiful Jardins de Quercy, we had a record breaking audience of 110 people and raised and grand total of 500 euros for Toutes A l'ecole ( schooling for girls in Cambodia). Last night it was a Music Hall themed night and we raised 300euros for médecins sans frontieres.

It was a really fun evening - everyone performing, French and English,  really entered into the spirit of the Music Hall and we had many memorable moments of merriment.

Let's all go mad

Brahn boots

Le tango Corse

Le cabaret de la dernier chance

La diva d l'empire

                        

Not forgetting a truly unforgettable rendering of the gladiator song 

By the way .............

Obviously my "daily blog" idea was always a non starter - too much living to do especially in the summer - and with the first real interruption earlier in the year it was all too easy to get out of the routine.




So much goes on there is never a shortage of things to record if time permitted, then there are visitors. We love having visitors and sharing our good luck at living here but again that leaves less time for blogging.

Tomatoes are sundrying in the greenhouse

Not to mention the garden - every day I harvest our produce, a hot back breaking half hour or more, and then have to work out ways of using/preserving. Even with visitors there is always more than I can use and the freezer is groaning - may have to consider buying a steriliser so I can bottle some.

jam cupboard is full and I haven't picked any blackberries yet!

Today is a "what needs using up / empty the fridge" day as one set of visitors leave and we prepare  for the next arriving tomorrow. 

Do need to think about reducing the veg mountain in the kitchen though!

The daily harvest continues  - tomatoes of all sizes,
courgettes, cucumbers, beans , aubergines, chillis, 

In the company of cheerful ladies

(borrowing the title of the Alexander McCall Smith book I'm reading)





Monday afternoon is patchwork time but the club does not meet during July and August. A few of us still meet up in one another's houses to chat and sew - It's a great time for practising my French conversation skills.

This afternoon I was hostess - a small number came as lots of people are away or doing Granny duties - but it was a lovely afternoon anyway.






The "gouter" ( ie cake break) is always very important to the French ladies . Today I introduced them to a west country speciality - scones with cream and strawberry jam - they went down very well thank goodness. ( I even got asked for the recipe)

making our own entertainment

There's no shortage of things going on around here at the moment - the height of summer and its fêtes, festivals, concerts, special markets and  and marchés gourmandes in villages large or small all around us. It's impossible to fit everything in but it didn't stop Trevor suggesting getting together with the other musicians at Salles to organise a "petit bal" during the summer break in the usual dance workshops.

So last night off to Salles we went and there was a great turnout and an enjoyable evening of traditional music and dance was had by all - bon idée TC

air conditioning

Some serious thunderstorms and a cooler day meant we could leave the doors and windows open - our house has been thoroughly "air conditioned".

The storm brought down trugloads of plums so had to make jam, but also managed to spend some time in my den making progress with my next "stained glass" patchwork panel.

Internet speed requiring dredging of reserves of patience at the moment.
Time to return to the good life!

life's a beach

I love our pool !
No doubt about it - worth every penny.
I have never really enjoyed public swimming pools, I am not a strong swimmer but here I am at ease in the water. It is effectively in the corner of a field and totally open to view but in fact is a very private space.

Most of all I love our pool at night. I love swimming when it is dark  and totally peaceful  in a pool of light- cooling down after a hot day before bedtime.

This year both of us have been using the late night swim to try and cool down very frequently.

Tonight it was just lovely. It has been hot today, very hot, but we seem to be past the extreme "canicule" (heatwave) conditions ( or is it we are getting used to it?). Tonight it's actually not too oppressive, rain is forecast  and the water at 28 degs was very inviting. Lots of cloud so no stars or moon but hey you can't have everything - well not always anyway.

Good night all - aici sén pla

summer is back

My tomato plants really needed some attention

 

Lovely day today - temperatures high 20s, very slight breeze, pool water temperature back to 26 - we have worked in the garden, got too hot, swum, sat about, had a lovely meal with a nice bottle of wine, enjoyed a nightcap under the stars and now going to bed in a cool(ish) bedroom. Just about perfect.



The sun came back after a couple of days rest whilst my brother and his partner were here - pity as they never got to use the pool but they are now soaking up the sun on the Med so it's not too tragic.






This week we were so lucky that the best evening weather happened on Thursday, the night that Folk'n'jazz was arranged in the Jardins de Quercy. It was a lovely evening - clear skies and a full moon, in a beautiful setting. The evening before and especially the one after were not conducive to enjoying an evening of music al fresco but all was well and folk'n'jazz had a record attendance of 110  raising £500 euros for toutes à l'ècole.