Under occupation (Part 2)
Posted on July 5, 2023
Last week we saw the front of the World War II coin that we dug up in our fields. Now, in line with Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge, here is the reverse side.
Dated 1943, this two franc coin actually wasn’t worth much at all. During the war, the franc was a satellite currency of the German Reichsmark, so this was the equivalent of 10 pfennigs, or 25 US cents at the time.
The legend (reads – in English- ‘Work. Family, Fatherland’. Although this dated from the Nazi occupation of France, don’t read too much into the word ‘Fatherland’: it also appears in the first line of the French national anthem ‘La Marseillaise’.
Festival time
Posted on July 2, 2023
Summer is definitely here, which means that it’s festival time in France – including our nearest town, Bellac.
Under occupation
Posted on June 27, 2023
As you will undoubtedly be aware, France was occupied by Nazi Germany for much of the Second World War.
We discovered this coin, struck from cheap base metal, while digging over some ground to establish a potager (vegetable patch). It dates from that period and displays the symbols of fascism – the fasces (bundles of sticks) and the double-headed axe.
Posted for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge, which calls for an image of the front of any one item. Next week Cee will be looking for images of the back of any item. Any guesses?
Approaching menace
Posted on June 22, 2023
There have been quite a few thunderstorms here over the past few days, with plenty of dramatic cloud formations. This was one was made all the more striking by the contrast with the golden hour sunlight.
Swinging…
Posted on June 21, 2023
This Bonobo monkey seemed to be having fun swinging on a rope at the Vallee des Singes park, not far from here.
Half A Blogger
Posted on June 18, 2023
Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this week looks for an image of half of something. Here’s a blogger then.
Fortunately, as regards this challenge I don’t consider myself to be a wit…
Bacon In The Making
Posted on June 16, 2023
Not far from our place, a Scottish couple run a farm supplying their own butcher’s shop with free range products.
Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: All Things Farm-Related
Testing the waters
Posted on June 10, 2023
Fieldbriar
Posted on June 9, 2023
We have this white rose growing in one of our raised beds. Until now, I had believed it was an eglantine – a very ancient variety. However, I now understand that this is actually a fieldbriar because it’s white. Eglantines (also known as sweet briar) tend to be pink. Either way, it’s lovely.
Once upon a time, this was red
Posted on June 7, 2023
This well weathered wooden door is to be found at the back of the charity shop where Madame volunteers. To judge from the framework, it was once a bright red, rather than a dusky pink.
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