Coffee Time

This highly decorative coffee service can be found at the Chateua de la Mercerie, in the Charente region of central France. It’s probably totally impractical (and certainly not dishwasher safe), but it is at least replete with curves and circles for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge this week.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Circles and Curves

The Buddleia in Our Back Garden

A mere twenty steps from our back door is a by-now well-established Buddleia bush, normally irresistible to butterflies and bees – although apparently not at the precise moment I took this photo a couple of days ago.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Fifty Steps Away

Lambing Time

Out here in rural France, we’re surrounded by nature of course. That doesn’t mean it’s all idyllic, but it’s hard to take a walk during lambing time in spring and not feel, at least for a minute or two, that all’s well with the world.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Nature

Cut from the living rock

Cee’s theme for her Fun Foto Challenge this week is ‘man-made items’. Handily, this gives me an opportunity to post another image from the subterranean church at Aubeterre-sur-Dronne.

This edifice is a good fifteen feet high and it’s been created by cutting away the solid rock from all around it. If that’s not impressive then I don’t know what is.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Man-made items

The subterranean church

In the picturesque village of Aubeterre-sur-Dronne, in the Charente region, is to be found a subterranean church, carved out of solid rock. Originally, in what must have been a major feat of both architecture and engineering, it was dug out from beneath the local chateau, which no longer exists.

They call it a church, but in terms of sheer scale it could easily pass for a cathedral.

Cee’s Fun foto Challenge: Basically Two Colours

Hydrangea

The theme for the Fun Foto Challenge this week is something that reminds us of nature’s beauty.

I seem to recall from my distant days as a Philosophy undergraduate that there is quite some debate as to whether ‘beauty’ exists anywhere other than the eye of the beholder. However, it’s hard to argue against the view that this hydrangea – a recent addition to our garden- fits the bill on this occasion.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge

Raising a smile

For her Fun Foto Challenge this week, Cee is looking for an image that will bring a smile to your face. So how about this photo of our grand-daughter crawling on the grass for the first time ever?

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Brings a smile to your face

The Thames, Near Barnes Bridge

Hard to believe, but this is the River Thames at Barnes. As the crow flies, it’s only a few miles to the very heart of the city, but it could be a different world. You don’t want to know how much the houses cost around here.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Landscapes or Waterscapes

One (?) Careful Owner

Detail of the bodywork of an immaculately maintained vintage car, from a display at nearby Chateau Fraisse.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Vehicle Details

Past Its sell-By Date

This abandoned building in the centre of the city of Cahors isn’t old enough to benefit from the preservation efforts that go into maintaining the medieval part, but is no longer modern enough to have any practical use.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge: Abandoned Buildings