Week 8 2021

Hello!

What beautiful weather we've been having.  Out and about on a walk we spotted this little creature out and about.  Can you see his little face?

I have seen much bigger ragondin/coypu or muskrats than this.  They are not well liked round these parts as they destabalise the aquatic ecosystem by their over-consumption of aquatic plants, they burrow into the river banks and they destroy waterfowl nests. In addition, this rather ugly animal can be a carrier of diseases such as leptospirosis or liver fluke. When we first arrived here, we would occasionally see rafts of poisoned vegetables out in the river put there to kill them.

I have heard that in the Charente there are ragondin farms, the meat is made into pate... tastes not unlike hare.

Whatever you do this week in the Gironde and Dordogne regions, take care, keep safe and enjoy they sunny weather.

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@ornage.fr

Week 8 and beyond...

 

https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-coronavirus/vaccins

 

And finally...

Here's a February pottery update.  The spoon workshop was good fun, plenty of imagination at work and conversation for the future use. Is it a spoon for the kitchen to put salt and pepper in, or a spoon to put earings in, or a spoon to put your teabag in after your cup of tea?  Here's a few of the finished items.

And just time for one last February workshop on Saturday with the theme of Penguins. I wasn't to know that it would be 20 degrees outside at the end of February when I did my planning!  There's still a few places left on Saturday - no limit to your age or experience.  It's all about getting your hands in the clay and letting your mind roam free.

Give me a call to secure a place - 06 30 89 85 36 - €8/pers for 1 hour

Week 7 2021

 Hello!

It has been a busy week at the holiday pottery workshop, piggy banks have touched people's imagination. A couple of hours with your hands and minds in clay do wonders for helping to forget about the stresses of the world outside.

 

The workshop has plenty of pigs in residence right now.  With the weather as it is, they'll take a couple of weeks to dry out before they head to the kiln for their first firing.

I still have some places available to make a pig on Saturday, €20/person for 2 hours.  No experience necessary, and no age limit!  I have everything you need... including homemade cookies! Give a call if you're interested - 0630898536

Whatever you do this week in the Gironde and Dordogne regions, keep well and safe.

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

 

Week 7 and onwards...

 

 

 

And finally...

For pancake day, a stack of fluffy pancakes.

Just before drowning in syrup!

Week 6 2021

 Hello,

Isn't nature amazing, it turned out that the large oak tree opposite our house was hiding a large hornet's nest. The rainy weather brought it crashing to the ground exposing the layers inside. The marvelous and intricate interior was laid bare.  

What a shame that it 's the same creatures that create this marvel who also cause havoc amongst our bee population.  Each summer there are always hornets hovering outside the entrance to our beehives, helping themselves to the bees.

 

Whatever you do this week in the Gironde and Dordogne regions, keep safe and well.

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

 

Week 6

 

Local  weekly Farmer's markets continue to run. There are plenty in the region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Holiday pottery continues and the piggy bank workshops are underway - it's not too late to have a go and make your own pottery pig.

And finally...

 

With regards to the opening article... now’s the time to set your hornet traps.  They are easy to build and amazingly successful, just don’t empty them out, top them up with more bait, it’s true, nothing seems to be more effective at attracting another hornet, than a trapped one!  Though the first traps should be laced with a mixture of beer, dry white wine and syrup (grenadine flavour is good, but any sweet syrup will work).  The beer and syrup attract the hornet and the white wine will repel the bees.

Week 5 2021

Hello!

Goodness, there's a lot of water out there...

It's the highest that I've ever seen whilst we've been living here.  Seems that it reached it's peak around midnight and will now start to go down. 🤞 At least it gives us something else to talk about...

If you want to find out more about the height of the water levels, there's a station at Pessac that records the levels, see it here

Whatever you do this week, keep safe, take care and keep dry!

Best wishes,

Helen

notjustfortheholidays@orange.fr

Week 5

Coming up...

Pottery workshops in February in Sauveterre.  There are 2 theme Saturdays - Spoons (they make great salt and pepper cruets for the table) and Penguins, as well as Holiday Pottery, longer sessions where you can make a piggy bank or a Keith Haring plaque/plate.

Contact me to sign up, or for more information. 06 30 89 85 36. Family pottery, or groups of friends are welcome year round. Group sizes are limited, and sanitary protocols are strictly adhered to.

 

And finally...

Welcome to Georgia’s Repair Shop

Hello All!

These days, people are buying more clothes than ever before, but keeping them for half as long. Did you know that by extending the life of your clothes by just 9 months, you can reduce their carbon, water, and landfill footprint by up to 30%. 

Which leads me to my next point, I would like to offer you all my (rather limited) sewing skills to extend the life of your most-loved and well-worn garments 💕

Ripped seams? Loose hemlines? Torn pockets? Holes? Don't despair...let me REPAIR!

I will be asking for €5 per item, to cover costs such as thread, materials and the various snacks I graze on whilst I work. My skills include (but are not limited to) machine sewing, hand stitching, seam & hem repairs, leatherwork and simple alterations. 

I will let you know straight away if I feel that any of your items are beyond my humble capabilities. 

So, what do you say?!

I say...go and dig out those jeans you’ve not been wearing because the belt loop is torn and...let me REPAIR!

Much love, 

Georgia 

Savvy Seamstress

Located at Chateau Rigaud, Mouliets et Villemartin. Please contact me via message or WhatsApp on +33 602 21 15 50