22nd May - Rallye de Vignes

On returning from the massive Ikea store in Dijon on Saturday, we set up the new bookcases and TV table immediately!

Its raining again, I can’t believe it. Yesterday was so beautiful…we had a long walk, sticking to the roads as the laneways were awash and very muddy. The peace was interrupted by next week’s Rallye drivers making a reconnaissance of the route. Goodness knows what it will be like if the weather continues to pour. After a week of awful weather, rain, thunder, rain and more rain, it started off well this morning, but rotten luck, down its coming again.
John’s just been into Cluny to get fresh bread, the local rag and a beautiful sack of prawns for lunch. Yum. And what are we going to have for dinner tonight you might ask? perhaps veal with some kind of nice mushroom sauce.
Despite the only occasional bursts of sunshine, the iris are out all over the countryside. Mine are just emerging and there will be a riot of colour in my rockery soon as the poppies open up – the first one is showing. Another photo for the web site! The iris really are magnificent, so tall and dignified in glorious mauve mostly, though some people have exotic colours ranging from pinks to yellows with coloured stripey tongues. Despite the rain I had time to plant two more lavender plants in the rockery. They should spread nicely hopefully leaving little room for weeds.
The little redstarts are getting too friendly and have begun taking sweeps in our front door and around the room before disappearing out again. I have foxed them by putting up a new fly curtain which is made out of tiny bamboo circles…. Much as I like them, they are not welcome inside.
Thursday is a holiday here, so most of France and surrounding countries take a long weekend and go on holidays.