A trip to market...

Our local market is very different at this time of year...

no tourist souvenirs, just local stalls nestling together

under the 15th century halle (covered market place) & around the square...

selling lots of lovely produce,

like this wonderful selection of cheese...

home-made tarts & preserves...

local wines & vegetables...

garlic from Toulouse...

juicy tomatoes from Marmande...

delicious clementines from just over the Spanish border...

look at this little fellow is sitting cosily, waiting patiently to go home...

 

This bush is wonderful at the moment, such a lovely splash of colour & buzzing with bees...

Water, water, everywhere...

What a wet winter we've been having! Water everywhere, but our area is not as bad as others in France & the U.K. While walking the dogs today, it was evident how much rain we've had; so many fields were water logged.

Despite all the wind & rain, spring is starting to emerge in the hedgerows...

Our walk takes us through an pretty little hamlet with a secret garden...

& old covered well...

hidden treasures...

& two ancient towers, one a ruin...

the other restored...

The light is wonderful at the moment - when the sun is shining! Colours seem to really be bright, like the turquoise blue of this old copper...

  

or the lichen on the walls...

this yellow was so bright, it looked like gold glinting in the sun...

Spring must be on it's way as les grues (cranes) flew over this week...

Rain, rain, go away...

source

I hope the weather has been better with you than it has been here. Lots of rain & high winds, not nice, & quite miserable! It's the sort of weather that makes you want to stay inside. Perhaps a good time to review & reorganise things but when it's so grey, it's hard to get motivated. However, looking through some of the stock cheered us up. Reminding us of warmer days to come, of spring flowers & lavender perfume filling the air.

wooden box, lavender heads, lavender bouquet, lavender field

enamel café pot, rose tablecloth, jar of roses, rose plate

main photo, small photos - all items from Petit Pica shop

Here's looking forward to seeing sunshine & spring blossom...

Heureuse année ~ a new year...

Isn't this a lovely postcard? Sent in 1902,perhaps the forget-me-not flowers are significant. Anyway, we just love the design & it's Petit Pica blue too. We love old postcards & spend hours looking through boxes at brocantes & vide greniers. This one is lovely too, we're not sure who it's from but the sentiment is very touching.

Translation:
My dear Little Dinette I am still waiting for your news & I think you have forgotten me.
I always think of you very often I send you my dear Dinette my wishes for the new year.
Health happiness this is what I desire with all my heart for you & your dear parents.

Once twelfth night has passed & the decorations have been put away until next year, it's a good time to have a bit of a spring-clean. I'm not only talking about the home but of life too. I gave up making New Year's resolutions a long time ago. I rarely keep them & usually end up stressing too much about them. The only resolution I do make & keep each year is that January is a "dry" month, i.e. I don't drink any alcohol. I've been doing this for several years so now I quite look forward to it after all the excesses of Christmas. This year, Kelly is keeping me company as she is not drinking during her pregnancy.

available on Etsy

Instead of resolutions, I like to write down my "to do" list for the year. Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a compulsive list writer! I also love notebooks & find any excuse to buy a new one. Kelly shares this passion too - the notebooks, not the compulsive list making! The New Year list will be compiled of things like, places to visit, list of W.I.P to be finished (work in progress & projects - this is on the list every year as there is always something lying about waiting to be finished!), work goals, finding a little "me" time each week, etc. Writing it down helps me focus on what is really important to me. I try not to make the list too long because then it seems unachievable & I'm less likely to follow it.

While looking for inspiration for this New Year, I came across this quote:-

source

Isn't it lovely? I think I might have to have it near my desk for those dark days...

The weather has been quite mild here & we've been enjoying lovely clear days with the sun shining, (always lifts the spirits). This was the sunrise the other morning when I took Harley for a walk, a lovely way to start the day...a sunrise to warm the heart...

We hope 2014 is a good year for you...