Wisteria, Markets and listening to the dawn chorus.

escapetotheshedeau

May 11

In pale moonlight, the wisteria's scent comes from far away.

Yosa Buson

Selection of photos of the wisteria from different years.

We planted the Wisteria around the door of the house about ten years ago. Our friend who we share the house with, is frightened to prune it, so we are probably always cutting it back at the wrong time of year. This year we have been delighted to see it flowering, though I think the late frost did for some of the more exposed buds and it has started to push the guttering away from the wall. In the Summer we will have to be more ruthless than ever! The round windows are called 'Les yeux de Boeuf' and give the cottage it's immense charm.

A selection of photos from different markets

The first two photos are taken from two different French markets that we visited. The area around us is famous for walnuts so the local Marché Gourmand had an enormous stall dedicated to the nut and all it's different products. Who doesn't love a French basket in which to put your market purchases, we have a couple of much-loved ones at the house. The final picture is from a lovely local Artisan producers market I went to with my daughter, which happens every month in the summertime. We browsed crafts, jewellery, food, plants, all in the warm sunshine!

I have listened to the bird's greetings, when all around was calm and still. To me they were happy meetings, that still gives me a tremendous thrill.

Bernard Shaw

The first Sunday in May has been dedicated to the dawn chorus and people are encouraged to get up early to listen to the sound of the birds singing after their overnight quiet. Birds sing particularly energetically at this time of year, one to attract a mate and two to claim their territory. In the dark, with a few exceptions, they are quiet, not wanting to draw attention to their roosts, but with the passing of night, they start up as the dawn comes up. While we were in France, we heard the additional calls of the cuckoo and also the 'whoop, whoop, whoop' of that extraordinary bird, the Hoopoe

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