Tuesdays of Texture: Sheep-shearing
Posted on June 20, 2017
At last month’s Fête de la Laine, a local farmer gave a demonstration of the art of tonte – sheep-shearing. As the temeperature was over 30°C, I don’t suppose this ewe minded too much.
Tuesday Photo Challenge: Music
Posted on June 20, 2017
For Frank’s theme of ‘Music’ this week, here is a detail of the mightily impressive pipe-organ in the main church of the French city of Thiers:
…and for perspective, here’s the whole thing:
Chandelier
Posted on June 16, 2017
Answering this week’s theme of ‘Lights’ for Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge is this massive chandelier (note the scale of the human figures in the background) in Dubai Mall. I’m not sure it’s one of the fanciest I’ve ever seen, but it’s certainly one of the biggest.
Weekly Photo Challenge: Focus
Posted on June 15, 2017
This slightly blown rose was standing all alone in the nearby village of Lesterps and for some reason which I cannot now remember I was unable to get very close to it for a conventional sharp flower image.
However, by cropping as I have and retaining some of the blurred, out-of-focus background (reinforced by a little vignetting and dehazing in Lightroom) I think it stands out at least as well as it would have done if it filled the whole frame.
Thursday Doors: Saint-Martial-sur-Isop (1)
Posted on June 15, 2017
Moving on from Saint-Barbant, this is – depending on the direction of approach – either the first or last house in Saint-Martial-sur-Isop. Either way, it’s right on the border between the two communes:
It’s a shame that this little door, being set back from the surrounding buildings, rather hides its light under a bushel, because it’s a lovely colour:
However, this has always been my favourite door in Saint-Martial:
This smaller image may give a better idea of the scale:
And it looks like they may have shared a pot of paint with their neighbours:
Enough to do the side door and window too:
And finally for this week, another green door. This one is on the Mairie:
Thursday Doors 15 June 2017
Tuesday Photo Challenge: Unusual
Posted on June 14, 2017
There isn’t really a white horse looking out of an upper-floor window of the Auberge du Cheval Blanc (which you could translate as ‘White Horse Inn’) in the nearby town of Bellac. But it’s a really well-executed trompe l’oeil painting.
Tuesday Photo Challenge: Unusual
Tuesdays of Texture: Where clogs come from
Posted on June 13, 2017
Often to be seen at the vide-greniers and miscellaneous Fêtes around here is an artisan who makes wooden clogs in the traditional manner – hand-turned on a lathe. This is his raw material.
Macro Moments Challenge #39: Black & White
Posted on June 10, 2017
Macro Moments Challenge #39 looks for something in black & white; or something that is black and white. Either way, I think this fits the bill: a close-up of the characteristic top of one of my small collection (accumulated over a period of more than thirty years) of Mont Blanc Meisterstuck writing instruments.
Like most people, I imagine, my writing nowadays is usually done with a keyboard, but whenever the need or opportunity arises I still like to use an old-fashioned fountain pen. My absolute favourite is the big old Mont Blanc 149 that I bought in 1985. This is a smaller version, sitting in a mug on my desk.
Brooding
Posted on June 9, 2017
Monochrome helps to create a sense of brooding menace in this image of a medieval building in the French town of Chauvigny.
Thursday Doors: Saint-Barbant (2)
Posted on June 8, 2017
This week, some more of the doors on offer in the little village of Saint-Barbant.
Ever since I got bitten by the Doors bug (cheers Norm), I have looked at this stretch of wall as we drive through Saint-Barbant and thought that it needs to be explored in more detail:
Yes, a whole range of doors that aren’t doors any more:
This one in particular intrigues me. The brick surround is obviously comparatively modern, and while it’s common enough to see old doors blocked up, in this case it must have happened relatively recently:
Moving on to actual doors, but keeping the blocked-up theme, here’s a proper door and an ex-window:
I’ve always liked the ironwork on the doors of the church (that notice on the left is, sadly, a sign of the times: one has been placed on all public buildings in France as part of the continuing State of Emergency):
Just along from the church is the former tram station: Saint-Barbant was one of the main stations on the Limousin network (although you’d never guess that now), which is why this is more than twice as big as the typical tram stop:
And finally something a little different and definitely prosaic. I think it may once have been used for chickens:
Next week the caravan moves on fifty yards down the road to Saint-Martial-sur-Isop.
Thursday Doors 8 June 2017
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