Holidays, tourism...

We have not stopped going from one end of the country side to the other. Last weekend little "virée" in the Loire county for a family visit and on the way back touristic stops in "Brioude" for a marvelous visit to the basilica.

Sarcophagous outside

Gorgeous entrance around the corner

The light inside the red stones was even stronger with the noonday sun through the stained glass windows.

Of course the prerequisite virgin with child, except that it is a "Black virgin" made of lava rock, quite rare, we are after all in volcano country.

The floor made with stones from the "Allier" river made me slightly homesick.

Moved on to the "Musée de la dentelle" famous in this region

And even got invited in the Lace school were the best 4 lace makers of France work and teach.

We heard then about a little village on the way home, "Blesdel" and decided to check it out...Around the corner from a very well preserved and renovated monastery we found this church.

Too many pictures to show, just a small sample of Roman art...

Kept driving home, escorted by etherial wind mills...

It is good to be here especially since the weather has been nothing but sunny and hot.

holidays, Aubrac...

Aubrac is where my family is from. It is a vast plateau somewhere in the south west center of France. It is ravaged by the weather, gorgeous, harduous, 1000 meters high, it is on the way to Santiago's pilgrimage, a rude shortcut through the mountains. In the summer you can hardly breathe through the heat, in the winter it is closed often due to the snow. Here you can see forever.

Pictures with my little camera can hardly describe it...

The pilgrims on their way in the summer can find shelter in this barn.

And the 12th century "Domerie" is still a refuge for the weary.

Our village is 20km from here, this is the top of the plateau, no trains, no buses, the only access is by road and walkways, somehow my Canadian home seem less remote when I stand here...

AHHH HOLIDAYS, MORE PICS?

So much has happened since I left Canada last Saturday... I left home at 7am, it is now 4pm Thursday and I am finally at destination...

Last night we left paris at 11pm on a speed train, sleepers very comfortable

lost of room to stretch


and fun travelling companion

arrival very early at Rodez

breakfast at a local french cafe

where some prefer other modes of transportation on the "Santiago trail" to StJacques de Compostelles.

and meandering slowly towards home, great scenery along the way, the river "Lot" at Espalion

and finnaly home!!!

A Suivre....

AHHH HOLIDAYS

Well I had this great big post planned with many pics and life is just like that, coudnt upload more than 1!!!

So travelling with new comp is a new adventure, I am sure i'll figure it out tomorrow.

Anyway it is great to be in the country aagain after 2 days in Paris, I love the calm and the sound of the cow bells in the back ground.

So we will try again....

Tour de Fleece 2009: Forfeit

Well I has the best intentions and then life kicked in....

So I did not finish my challenge, but I learned many other things, so all is well.

In fact I did half.

Pretty ironic that the colorway I finished are the cool ones, considering that the temperatures are so high right now, I cant even touch wool...

I am knitting cotton, does not matter if it gets wet from my constantly drenched body or the dips every ten minutes in the ocean, I am staying cool....Almost.

Tour de Fleece 2009: Days 5 & 6

Was too tired yesterday do do much after work, less take pictures or blog, but did manage 1/2 of a repeat on "Rainy Day Ocean"

Then today finished the other 1/2,

The colorway is definitely cooler,

and there it is drying in the shade.

"Sunny Day Ocean" is finally dry, with all the moisture around it took a couple of days, and I noticed that the Alpaca/Silk blend is denser. It did bloom in a lovely way in the end.

First challenge finished and met, on to the warm garden colors tomorrow.

Tour de Fleece 2009: Day 4

Got home fairly early from work and managed to put in 2 hours of spinning!!!

Started on "Cloudy Day Ocean" color pathway, very appropriate, it has been pouring all day.

Goal met for today, 1 entire repeat of the colorway. This time I decided to vary the length of certain colors, partly for interest, partly as I realized that I have less of some...

Meanwhile DH got his new toy yesterday,

Just a little hop as it is raining... But spent time fixing some shipping damage, anyway more fun to come!!!

Tour de Fleece 2009: Day 3

Finished the bobbin today, went pretty well as I spun kind of random amount of each color.

Ready to wash picture with flash...
and in natural light which is quite extraordinary today as a tremendous thunder storm hit us and woke me up at 4:30am.

The hank is now drying in the bathroom, tomorrow work, less time to spin, but intend to start on "Ocean rainy day"... Stay tuned!!!

Tour de Fleece 2009: Days 1 and 2

After a very slow start, as in couldn't go near the wool yesterday I was so exhausted, I made up for it today and put 2 days worth in...

Anyway my challenge is to spin "Noro" out of alpaca silk blend that I dyed a few weeks ago. After reading about the "Noro" philosophy of color blending and mixing I set my wool on my chair and stared...

These are the choices I made based on nature surrounding me.

Cloudy Day Ocean

Cloudy Day Summer Garden

Sunny Day Summer Garden

These are the 4 color pathways I will attempt for my challenge.

Today I started on "Sunny Day Ocean", the colorway is warm and rich.

I am spinning sock weight, can't be technical I am going on radar, I also want to be able to use it for my hats.

Anyway a good start, and more fun to come.