One of the things I love about working with silver is that it is so versatile. You can use thick wire to create solid, chunky rings, or you can roll out silver sheet until it is incredibly thin and flexible, and form it into flowing, delicate shapes. I took the latter approach with these long, … Continue reading Latest Designs: Oarweed Earrings
Despite the very best efforts of the French weather, we managed to move as planned last week. It was touch and go for a while with the removal van in the snow, but all ended well, and we are now safely settled in our new home in Northumberland. We left with a lovely reminder of … Continue reading A Farewell to France
We're due to move house on Tuesday, so you can imagine how thrilled we were to wake up to this. The first proper snow fall of the winter. Great timing...
We're due to move in just over a fortnight, and I'm trying to take a break from the packing to get around some of my favourite walks for one last time. Partly to say goodbye to the landscapes, partly because I'm thinking of joining a walking group in Northumberland, and I don't want to be left … Continue reading A Winter Walk
We've been having an unusually misty spell of weather for the past few days, with very little sign of the sun. It's been keeping the temperatures down, and to be honest it can be a little dismal. On the plus side, it does make for some unusual and dramatic photographic opportunities. This is the castle … Continue reading auvergne landscapes: misty morning, domeyrat
Some thoughts about, and pictures from, 2011, our first full year of owning our French house.
2011 was the first full year we owned our french house. We had arranged for a local builder to install a fosse septique, a bathroom and other improvements. Which he did during a very cold January through to March. So cold in fact that in February our neighbours contacted us to say the temperature was -18C at midday.
We came over for our first visit after the work had been completed in early April. For a very sunny week of gardening and cleaning.
This was also the visit of the giant hailstones.
On our next visit in September we tackled the overgrown terrace with its grindstone “table”.
Finally in 2011 we had our first Christmas at Grahy with a heavily improvised christmas tree.
Some photographs from 2010, when we first bought our house here in Grahy.
This is the house as we first saw it in July 2010. It was all very overgrown!
The interior of the main house was used as a studio by the past owner and their many artworks.
We finally signed the Act de Vente just before Christmas and this time the area looked a bit different…
The interior looks a bit bare and featured the original open plan and open to the lounge bathroom and toilet. But we managed to get a good fire going.
We closed the house up and returned to the UK. Little knowing that the worst winter in many years was about to hit France.
You may have noticed that I've been a little quiet on here for the past few weeks. The reason is that we unexpectedly sold our house last month. I say unexpectedly, it had been on the market since spring, but houses around here do not usually sell quickly. It can take several years to find … Continue reading change is coming
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