The last few days...

Scott and Helen and the family went back to the UK today.  It was good having them here for the week.

That stone is maga heavy and the scooters didn't work in transporting it to the front garden. We managed it in the end...dragging it onto the tipping trailer and pushing it.

Digging out all the clumps and filling the area with soil from the back garden mound which is now completely weeded.

Now, that looks a lot better.

Found in our bathroom.

Our roof timber arrives three days late, but he was a really nice chap.

Timber all stacked...thanks for your help Scott.

Bev's first strawberries from our vertical garden.

Today we met in Sene to help the mayor clean up part of the estuary.

These cages are just a few of what we collected.

Sene is on the opposite shore.

We filled a large trailer and stacked a pile of stuff next to it ready to fill the next one. That's the mayor in the white cap above Bev.

Sene's circular stained glass windows are pretty impressive.

Oh yes, we picked some more pallets up yesterday.

One of the cages from Sene. Bev will up-cycle it to make a clotch for her veg.

We fitted new blades on the mower and cut the grass this afternoon.

 Time for a rest before the FA cup final begins.

The past week

A lot has been happening this last week, but in the garden we've been building a retaining wall from all the stone that's been laying around. See how the weeds have grown on that bank over winter?

Finding the right stone is difficult.

The patio gets really filthy over winter. It's time for a facelift.

It's clean enough to eat off now.

My studio wall has had a facelift, too...along with the dormer. The kitchen wall is next. Scott relaxing in the afternoon sun.

Our newest plant pot. We picked the bike up for 5 euros. There is a birds nest entrance in the wall and the bird perches on the handlebars before entering.

The fence on the bank is starting to go up and the wall is finished for the time being...ran out of sand and cement.

I decided to have a little seating area. I'll need a little place to rest when this is done.

The bread oven ready for the delivery of  roof timbers on Wednesday. Can't wait! The frost got the top of the lime render, but it's nothing to worry about.

The acer and camellia ready for planting. We also have a white agapanthus waiting in the wings.

It's never too early to prepare for winter.

Getting towards 9pm and Harry almost scored.

Thursday...

1,200 boats invaded the Golfe du Morbihan and will be here for a week.  We went into Vannes with Dave and Annie as the harbour has been emptied of modern boats to make way for the visitors from around the world.

It was raining when we left home, but was nice when we arrived in Vannes, half an hour later.

The noise attracted us to this spot. The bagpipes were in rehearsal for the parade. There will be lots happening throughout the day, but we want to get a vantage point to see the sailboat racing.

No, this is a makeshift pool for the model sailboats.

Didn't have time to board her.

Unfortunately the road was jammed for the coast, so we didn't get to see the racing.  We went for a picnic at Tredion Chateau then for a game of 10's at Dave and Annies.

Lake Guerlédan

The lake was last emptied 35 years ago in order to carry out maintenance work on the dam and I will be positively dead the next time it's emptied, so it was worth the visit.

We went with Philip, Patricia, Dave and Sandra on Friday.

They flooded several locks and houses in this part of the lake.

Don't get too close, Philip! Don't push him, Dave!

They used to mine the slate here. 

The trees are preserved because they are starved of oxygen.

That's our group.

The tree line is where the surface of the lake will be again.

I'm at the bottom. 

ou can see the iron running through the place.

Our guide was a bit nervous as it was his first time, but he was a mine of information which enhanced  the actual visit...  the history is fascinating. 

We didn't time to visit the places with all the photos of the people and their gardens before the flooding, but we'll be back. The Abbaye de Bon Repos is also nearby.  Plenty to see in the area.

The cost of a guided tour is 2 euros 50 and the parking is free.  If you decide to go down without the guide or paying your couple of euros, you'll be removed by the gendarmes.

Your choice! 

Lazy Sunday afternoon.

After lunch today we went for a walk in the grounds of the Chateau de Kerguehennec.

I'm glad they didn't demolish their houses after cutting off their heads.

I love it in France where the parking is free, entrance to the gardens along with international sculptures is free, the exhibitions are free and entrance to the chateau is free. The booklets in English about the place is also free. What a place!

Does anyone know what these are? They smell of jasmine 

Look who we bumped into!

Les famille Bouaka, LeTendre et Vogel.

A beautiful afternoon.

Stick it on your list, Eileen...it's well worth the visit.