Carving out a name for themselves...

There are some quite creative municipal workers around our town.

I'm not sure if it was planned or if they just got a bit chain-saw-happy last time they were sent down to the Coulée Verte to sort out the fallen trees,

,

but our walks with Raja around the local stream are now enlivened by a trunk-bench

and a chair.

Or model toilet, if you prefer! Whatever it is the lizard likes it...

Thanks for all your crazy comments on my Flossgate post! I am still kind of wishing I never followed Ang's link...

Blue skies and blossoms

With my bike out of action, I have taken to drastic measures such as going for a morning walk with Son 1's beloved Cocker Spaniel, Raja... This is no hardship, as the morning skies are blue and the blossom is everywhere: on the Coulée Verte (our local wildlife trail)....

in the garden... and on the streets.

Here are a selection of beautiful scenes from the last few days.

Down in a dark and damp part of the Coulée Verte, lichen surrounds the blossoms.

On the streets, in full sunshine, everything is completely out. Even against the fencing of the rugby 'stade' the blossom struggles through the Leylandii hedge.

White, pink and yellow are the dominant colours.

Although blue can creep in, as at the foot of our garden magnolia.

Little blue stars amongst the stellar explosion of pink and white...

Someone else has a much bigger magnolia than us!

Having put crystalised mimosa seeds on my cupcakes this weekend, I was interested to study the real plant. It really is made up of little yellow balls!

There are relatively few leaves out. In southern France, many oaks keep their old leaves until the new green ones come. It's a sight we've got used to, but it surprised us at first.

Just more beautiful blossom - it's everywhere!

Like a Japanese painting...

Enjoy your day - sunny or not!