This is a new postcard of our village which our friend Finola found in the Tabac.

It does fairly conclusively prove that the village is a Circulade.

Ours is the house in the inner circle of the church, at about 5.o clock in this picture, with the tree in the back garden.

I love this BBC piece from two years ago, on this day.

From the terrace this morning and all along the line of the south eastern horizon came the Pyrenees, lit by the sun, snow covered and the nearest ones 150klm away.

This clear sighting of the mountains is, the locals tell us a sign of rain.

Nearly four years ago I bought this jug (for two euros) in a little Brocante in Limoux.

Today I found this cup and saucer (for 50 cent) in a Troc in Carcassonne.
A Match ?

Well the jug is from the Czech republic, the cup from France.
But
They look good together.

Yesterday at a Vide Grenier in Pouzolles I saw this little carved wooden horse.
He is quite crude but I thought very pretty.

When I asked the man at the stall how much he shrugged, and looked at me with raised eyebrows; thereby placing the ball firmly in my court.
I said €20 and he immediately agreed (that probably meant he would have accepted €10)

But then he told me a little of its story.

“It is a Bergère’s piece ” he said.

He then told me that traditionally the sheep were raised in the mountains during the summer and the shepherds used to have to leave their families in the valleys for long periods and go and mind their sheep.
While there they often used to carve pieces for their families.

Somehow my little horse seemed very precious, just by knowing a little of its history.
It is of course intended for the grandson to play on, but only while visiting us in France

Anyone who has been reading of my French venture will know about my devotion to the saint from Montpellier who is always pictured raising the hem of his skirt to show off his plague wound to the world,

Imagine then my delight when in a trocante in Villeneuve Les Beziers I find this bas relief .

There is no doubt who it is, the delicate raised skirt, the gory wound and the attendant dog with a piece or bread in his mouth.
Fortunately he was also affordable.

So at long last (even if he is only about six inches high) I own my very own St Roch.
Next problem is where to hang him.

Having had to date (our neighbours have assured us ) a most inclement spring, suddenly today it is summer .
The temperature rose to 21 C on the terrace this afternoon, I am way too overdressed in corduroy trousers, all the plants in the garden have started to bloom in fright and it appears that summer has come.
Boy is it welcome and long may it last.

Anyone who might be keep to have a sneak preview of the website for the
Chambre d’Hote check out on; www.lepresbytere.net where the daughter has done the first draft of the same.
I think it looks fairly beautiful myself but she thinks it needs some tweaking.
(I know the French translation is not done yet)

Ciarán Fletcher was born last Monday, March 23rd, to my niece Lib and her husband Dave.
He is their second child, their first child, a girl, is called Emma.

He is also my sister D’s eighth grandchild and the Forty Sixth great-grandchild of my late parents.

He makes their grand total of offspring ; children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren an impressive Eighty Three.

(I wonder how long it will take for them to reach the ton)

In Skerries last Sunday