Monday 24 June 2013

Rousillon En Morvan was where we visited yesterday. It's up over the Haut Folin the high point of the park, the high forest. It's actually the highest point in the region of  Burgundy at 901m. There were very few cars around yesterday, just a few cyclists. The village is tiny, surrounded by forests, quite wild. 

There was tiny stall. The man was Spanish who had collected together his things to sell. He said he came to Rousillon en Morvan  in 1961. No telephone so after writing home was followed by his father and 4 brothers. One of his brother's was at the Brocante. They all came to find work in the forests here. Anyway I bought this door handle? from this guy. It must have come off a huge door. I 'm thinking it needs to be used for something, maybe a towel rail if it was mounted sideways. There was a little debate as to it's purpose someone turned it upside down and said it was for scraping the mud off shoes. It has a little loop on one side for a cord perhaps. A bell pull I think. I looked at some light fittings very heavy wrought iron and a place for 2 very small light bulbs. We had a long debate about these objects but then he was distracted and I didn't find out how much he would sell them for.

It has storks on both sides.

These were bought from a guy with a van load of things all items were 1 or 2 euros. I also bought an enamel basin.

The Spanish guy with the wonderful things.I also bought a hanging lantern below somewhere.


The building in the centre is the Auberge where people  often meet to go hiking from.
My favourite one so far.

St Hilaire on Saturday. I forgot my camera. The brocante was in a field this time and around the Mairie. Unfortunately the weather was a bit changeable but we were there when it was a bit brighter. I think that many people are staying away this year.
There was an artist with a stall selling some small paintings. I had a chat to him he said it was traditional especially further south for artists to sell alongside brocanteurs. His name is Claude André Laffaye. I normally see him at Moulin Engilbert where he lives. There he opens his house to sell like on the Arts Trails that are so good in the UK.

On Saturday we also went to a brocante nearby. I found this vinegar barrel or 'vinaigrier'. They were used to convert red wine or sour wine you sometimes find, corked to vinegar. A 'culture' or 'mother' living in the vessel transforms the wine to vinegar over time.  The spout is a bit worn but that can easily be changed. I have wanted one for sometime. This one originally came from the Alsace region from a village called Betschdorf. I asked the lady I bought it from if she knew where it was from but she said as far as she knew it had belonged to her grandmother who lived nearby. It still smells strongly of vinegar inside.


I am finding all kinds of these lantern lights for my cottage. I don't know why I didn't consider them before. They are everywhere. I imagine they were a replacement for the original oil lights in the 70s. Anyway I think they are quite sweet.


I like this red colour used for decorating simple tableware. This is a nice sized bowl for collecting my strawberries at the moment.

Monday 17 June 2013


We had a trip to a small Vide grenier local to here. Very sweet village close to Luzy.


I have been buying a few Raspberry coloured clothes to go it seems with my chairs and tables. The bedroom come to think of  it too. All these things were 2nd hand. The shoes are very comfortable Doctor Martins.


Most of the things I bought came from the stall here by the church.
I met a lady with a van who I often see. She has a huge dog and lots of things, all kinds. I bought the small print tray from her. I regretted not buying it before. She told me she was there at 6.00am. That's commitment. She said there was very little trade.She's so smiley you just want to find something to buy. It does seem to be on the decline. I'm sure it was busier even a few years ago. People like the big Brocantes where 100 people plus turn up to sell. It's a pity but I'm just pleased to be on the tail end even.


My tub, it's coming together with a strange medley of plants. It's interesting how a combination of planting creates an effect different from the individual plants. An enhancement.


Some of the things I bought. I look for traditional things, the kind of things so familiar. I saw some lovely stencilled plates , typical Digoin. I didn't buy them because they are very common. Although this is actually why, I realise now why I like these things. Actually also they had a lovely colour scheme and a rose design to have a theme I have going. I always regret not buying something. I also found a very nice, again Raspberry coloured bicycle. Hope I see it again. I will buy it if I do. 

The glass bocaux used for Cornichons. 

Enamel lunch boxes with little trays under the lid to keep something seperate. I saw a film with Depardieu over the weekend Afternoons with Margueritte. He was eating out of one in one of the scenes, whilst wearing dungarees.
Already for a spot of planting.


I have photographed this house before. How splendid to have a tower.

Today I had to go to Nevers. While George was at the Prefecture I did a spot of quick  camera work.


Oops! Back to Vide Greniers.






Geums and Rosemary near the carpark below ground.



Prefecture, didn't go in. 


Flower shop.


Wednesday 12 June 2013




 My favourite chats errants lazing in a stifling room. It'll be his 3rd year. We found him along a quiet road on his last good 3 legs.  Slugs had left trails on his tail so he'd been out at least one night. He has cat aids and if he doesn't get into scraps he seems quite spritely. If he's ill he has big cheeks. His lymph glands grow big. Tonight I watched a magpie jumping close by him. The swallows don't like him, they swoop down to peck him. He does try to chase them and he knocked over a big tool box this morning before breakfast just trying to get higher. He's a tiny cat but has a big voice.


The oil drum garden.






Gardener's hands.


Larochmillay wall and a beehive.

I was excited to see a tool museumish. It opens first weekend  in the summer months. 

I put a few more layers of paint on the café
 table, pink and orange.