Look What We Caught!

Look what daughter#2 caught when we were in France. Fast little things these lizards, and her Grandad was amazed she caught it saying he didn't think it could ever be done. She's quick too, when she wants to be, and has caught a few as has her sister. 

They are very cute and amusing to watch. Baby lizards as well as the adult ones. They are called Common Wall Lizards common to this part of France as well as Switzerland, Italy, parts of Germany and the Balkans, and also the Spanish Pyrenees which back onto this part of France. They seem to thrive in human living areas, scuttling away if anyone gets too close - usually anyway.

The lizard daughter#2 caught was a female, to be distinguished from a male due to it's brown colouring and stronger markings, males are green.

Daughter#2 holding said lizard, with the Chauffeur having a doze on a sunlounger in the shade.

                                              Peep o

           It would make a good tattoo don't you think?

                           Watch it doesn't fall off, now!

Do you want to see a close up on the kunquat tree which is in the background of the first photo? It's a lovely bright orange colour. Mother-in-Law made some marmalade out of the first batch which apparently tasted wonderful.

Photos From France

We had a lovely time in France, staying with the Chauffeurs parents in their place in the Pyrenees. Being August it was, of course, hot but dry with a couple of spectacular thunderstorms. The storms meant the wireless connection had to be shut down as they have had 3 modems blow up due to the electricity in the air!

The area has a lot to see and visit, some of it we saw and photographed, though I won't post them all up today. First to show is where we stayed and the rocky stream alongside the house which the girls loved going back regularly to make a dam, trying to divert the water a little, I think, is what they were doing. Naturally being so high up in the mountains there is a lot of water around, streams all around, going through villages, past peoples houses, some naturally others deliberately to avoid the flooding which happens occasionally.

 We were there for the 15th August, an important time in the Catholic calender, of course, and although we didn't go we could here the music from the nearby village where the villagers danced for hours late into the night.

Here's the house with it's large glass room, can't really call it just a conservatory.

Us sitting in the shade under a tree feeling cooler than in the house

The mountain view around, the first picture shows the peak of the Canigou.

The Chauffeur making us a barbecue in the specially built oven, the other side has a bread oven, too.

The girls and the Chauffeur playing in the stream, it was so cool there under all those leaves, and the water cold but so refreshing on our feet.

Going to France in the Morning

This is just a quickie today as I've a ton of stuff to do. We're travelling to France tomorrow to stay with the Chauffeur's parents where they are pretty much living these days.

We're up at silly o'clock so it's not great that I'm working till at least 10pm tonight, bad management on my part for not organising things properly.

Need to pack, get the girls to pack, though I believe daughter#1 has already begun and will no doubt be the first to finish and be able to relax, she's so organised, just like her Dad. The house needs cleaning and tidying so it's nice to return to. Animals need their cages cleaned, too. One of our friends will be coming in every day to feed and water them.

Right, I'm off to make a start. Will hopefully have photos to show you when we return. Byeee!