Meilleurs voeux 2019

 

We live in a very small village in the beautiful Parc naturel régional du Morvan in Burgundy. The Cérémonie des voeux, drinks with Monsieur le Maire, took place on Saturday. Everyone in the commune was invited to  share le verre de l’amitie (glass of friendship) and toast the New Year.

It’s one of the few occasions during the year when we all get together.  Neighbours who are busy working, either on their farms or they live in the more remote parts of the commune so we don’t get to see them. There are well under 200 people in the commune and it was good to see some young families I hadn’t seen before. We were warmly welcomed and it was great to see that so many of neighbours are now our good friends too.

We were offered a glass of Cremant (delicious local champagne) and Cassis (blackcurrant) which is known as a Kir Royale and a big slice of Galette de Roi. The cake is traditionally served at New Year and whoever finds the favour hidden inside is King for the evening and has to wear the crown.

Before the toast the mayor made a speech explaining how 2018 went, what the budget was spent on and thanked everyone for their help with events and activities that had taken place. The mayor went on to talk about this year’s projects including building works, a census, new activities and plans.  When he reported that the commune had bought an extra chainsaw, and can now boast three chainsaws, you get an idea of our priorities and how rural we are.  

The mayor ended by saying that France is currently in a “delicate” situation.   All I know is that in a world full of uncertainty, hate and violence, I am more grateful than ever to live in this quiet and beautiful corner surrounded by people who work together and care for each other.

Bonne année!  Happy New Year!  Frohes neues Jahr!  Gelukkig Nieuwjaar!

Where There’s A Will…

The rubbish Charlotte “inherited” in her garden has kept the scrap metal men very happy but after countless trips to the dechetterie we still kept finding more and more.
Forty years plus of fridges, old bikes, sofas, even animal bones and carcasses..it was disgusting. Luckily several friends recommended Will Weeks, who does all kinds of quality landscape work across the Nivernais.  http://www.entrepriseweekswilliam.fr/

Will is much in demand and works long hours.  He arrived in the dark one evening with the mini pelle on a trailer and parked up ready to come back to start the next day.

He managed to do more in six hours than we could have done in six years.  Will ripped up the brambles and overgrown hedges and found even more junk and dumped building materials.  He stayed in his cab, in the torrential rain, and got the job done. 

The garden is finally clear and a blank canvas.  The next stage of the project will be revealing the beautiful view behind the overgrown trees.  And then next spring the fosse septique,  a big expense which needs saving up for.  But we know a man who can install it and we are on his job list already!!

 

Renovating in France

Our daughter has bought a very old, run down house which needs lots of work. The good news is that it is next door but one to where we live.  It is a huge project made complicated because there is no budget. C is on benefits as she has severe epilepsy and is unfortunately unable to work. 

Buying the house has given her a new interest and focus. Trying to make her understand that all the work needed is going to take time and lots of saving up is another thing!  

Last week we visited the Maire with our plans to replace the old windows and put new wooden windows in the back of the house. The house is on a corner and doesn’t over-look anyone. We took the plans and photos to show the old wreck,sorry house, as it is now and what it will look like with the new windows.  It’s always a good idea to get to know your Maire and to keep him updated with building plans. From what I can see it’s who you know that counts living in rural France. 

 The secretary started a dossier, helped us fill in the Declaration,and advised us about taking the photos, then the Maire signed it saying that there should be no problems in granting permission. He is happy that we are improving the village eyesore. 

  
The Secretary stamped several pages. Stamping documents is a “thing” here. I love seeing the satisfaction of the pharmacist, the garagists, the tax officers, etc as they decisively plunge the stamper onto the paper! 

We just have to wait until 15 June and then providing we haven’t received any correspondence from the Bureau, the work begins.

My Bluebell Bliss

 The Morvan, Nievre in Burgundy. Unknown and unspoilt except for a few pioneering adventurers and nature lovers. Le Morvan in May is spectacular! Cherry blossom thickly covers the trees with pink fluffy Pom poms. The Hawthorn blossom drapes the hedgerows like white lace. Road sides and woodland are sprinkled with the confetti of wildflowers. The air is filled with the sweet smell of bluebells or Jacinthes Sauvages and the sound of birds singing! A feeling of joy is burgeoning all around and heralding a long, hot summer. 

Pissenlit

  

Bluebell Chemin

  

Bluebell Chemin

  

Sun dappled woodland

 

Time to Shine

No-one told me that recuperating after an operation takes so much time and patience. The lack of energy has been a big shock and just getting up and showered is an achievement!   I am on the mend now and realise that as frustrating as it is I have to pace myself.

Due to the heatwave, la canicule, we have found ourselves living in one of the hottest places in France…hotter than the south of France!  Temperatures in le Morvan, Nievre are 37 degrees and rising as hot as Casablanca and Algeria.  Searching for a cool spot I have swopped resting on my bed for the hammock.

The hammock hangs in the garden between two old nut trees and has been lowered so that it makes it a bit easier for me to get in and out!

Encore une journee de soleil et de chaleur. Another day of sun and heat. The trees envelope me in their cool, green shade and an occasional gentle breeze makes the hammock gently sway.  I look up and focus on my breathing taking slow and deep breaths in and out.  The heat descends like a heavy blanket and even the crickets are quiet.  The only sounds are the repetitive thunk, thunk, thunk of someone in the village adding to their wood pile and the occasional distant burst of chatter from an excited child.

The warmth of the sun, the fragrant leaves, the muffled sounds lull my senses.  I feel calm….my jumbled thoughts drift away….I have found my perfect spot.

Soon my body will be recharged and I will rejoin the world brighter than before!

 

 

Allez hop, au boulot!

Let’s get to work!

We’ve only got to get through this 4 day week and we get ANOTHER day off.

Monday 08 May commemorates V E Day and then there is another Bank Holiday on Thursday 25 May for Ascension Day.

Not to mention 05 June Pentecost Monday!

Pas mal!

Bon 1er mai!

Happy May Day!

May Day started with a friend wishing me a Bon 1er mai and sending a Lily of the Valley posy.

The tradition started on May 1st 1561 when King Charles IX of France offered the ladies of the court a sprig of Lily of the Valley or Muguet as a lucky charm.  Over the years it has evolved into a way of showing friendship.  The florists and markets are full of Lily of the Valley in the lead up to the 01 May.  The local Prefrecture had to issue a warning this year not to pick too many from the woods.

The sunshine, bird song and wild flowers mean that spring is finally here.  The dark nights are over and there is a feeling of celebration in the air.  The long holiday weekend also celebrates the Fete du Travail.

We spent a sunny afternoon with friends showing us how to spin and weave.  Spinning has been used for thousands of years as a way of producing yarn.  Charlotte enjoyed using a Spinning Wheel using wool from local sheep, a method in use for centuries since the Middle Ages.  She might be taking up spinning as a new hobby and wants to make a rug using wool she has spun herself.  A good start to the month.

 

 

 

Blue Monday

Blue Monday?  Today is supposed to be the most depressing day of the year.

It’s all white here!!!

Verre de L’amitié

 

Last night, the Mayor invited everyone in our commune to toast the New Year with a verre de l’amitié, a glass of friendship.  We made it through the snow thanks to a lift from friends with winter tyres on their car.  The snow was so pretty and the Christmas lights in the centre of the village made it look very festive.

It was nice to see so many people there from our small community.  The Mayor welcomed and thanked everyone who had managed to get there.  He then thanked everyone who works or volunteers for the village, the school, the library and various associations.   He outlined what work had been done around the commune and plans for the coming year.  There was a poignant moment when he asked us to remember everyone who had been touched by terrorism and for those that had passed away.

The champagne was flowing but as we are having a dry January we politely declined.  A first for both of us!  Despite lots of attempts to fill my glass I managed to stick to orange juice until the Mayor handed me a glass of champagne – it would have been rude to say no!  I discreetly passed it to a neighbour who was more than happy to drink it for me.

For a small commune of around 200 people we are an international and friendly bunch made up of mostly French, a couple of Dutch (the numbers of Dutch increases in the summer!!), an English family (us), a German couple, a Texan and a South African.

We thanked the Mayor and asked if he could organise more evenings like this!