Still Sunny but comfortably Cooler!..........

 Sunday morning saw us setting off in a different direction for a Change-north to Chateneuil du Poitou, the first time we have been to this particular place.And what a Beautiful place it was too! It is always dark when we start out on our journey but we take our torches,nothing is more exciting as the Vendors start to unload........!

As the sun comes up everything starts to become coated with a golden glow,and by the time we have trotted back to the van a few times with our bags heaving, it is good morning Village, basked in  wonderful warm sunlight!Then you can actually appreciate your surrounding!

this was a particularly beautiful place.......

Everywhere bedecked in Floral decoration.......a wonderful little twisting & turning Suspended Bridge over the gently flowing River.....

I couls spend all morning taking Photographs....but of course there's work to be done so I have to get my skates on when his master's voice is bellowing "Come ON" from infront.....

 My favourite saying as I scurry behind clicking away is "I could live here!"....to which the reply usually comes back-"you could live in every village in France you"..........

Well there would be nothing wrong with that now would there?!

 I wouldn't mind these gates...........!

I'd love to buy things like this for my customers but I predict a slight problem sending them overseas.........

This is a pictoral walk for you all from the van to the actual Brocante-oh, it's a hard life........!

I wouldn't mind a night in this hotel.....

I love the sightseeing bit of my work-we couldn't park any closer so it was quite a walk,so as you can imagine,by the end of the morning we'd done quite a bit of exercise!We went round the Brocante at least four times just to make sure we hadn't missed anything and took our bags back to the van three times to save our arms-so as you can imagine-plenty of finds for your perusal over the coming weeks......and this was only the FIRST one of the day!

We go back home after a few hours to see to the dogs,wake them up,let them out for a run around the gardwn etc and one of us stays with them for an hour or so whilst the other goes on to the next Brocante we have lined up in our Rota for the day-it's like a Military operation!

Of course-we have to stop for Breakfast. along the way

there's never a shortage of freshly baked delights.......

 and the pleasant walk back to the van, passing all the folk who are just arriving ....

 Hope you liked the tour folks!

Whew-this is HOT!...................

This past week has been SO HOT I havn't felt like doing ANYTHING.....Lazy I know but intense heat saps the energy levels and apart from roadwalking the dogs at 7am in the wonderful cool air,and riding my bike afterwards for half an hour-that has been me done and dusted for the rest of the day.

The house has been like a combination of a Greenhouse and Oven-The dogs have been doing their impressions of dying flies on the floor everywhere and puppy Esto has been following me everywhere panting his head off as if to say-"help me I can't stand it!"

Whilst part of the reason we came to live in France was to get away from the dreary and depressive English weather-a bit of rain would actually have been a welcomed sight-but no such luck. Here in the Poitou-Charentes it has been a constant 100 degrees for almost a week-unbearable!

I have loved my time going to the Brocantes very early morning though,because we have been able to buy comfortably in the cool breeze then come home bfore the sun has gotten silly!

I bought this delightful Garden set above for MYSELF on my travels last week-I have always wanted one but this is beautiful and I just HAD to have it-but as one smart-arse friend pointed out when he saw it-scorched bum!!-yes,he has a point I suppose but in the cool of the morning or evening it is divine to sit out and enjoy a Tasse de Cafe......

Back in England my beautiful Granddaughter Erin went to Sealife in Birmingham for the first time-thought I would share this photo with you.......I just love it! She is coming out on holiday soon with my son and daughter-in-Law-can't wait to spend some quality time with them........

Meanwhile we are starting to accumilate stock for the Winter months to put by while the weather and season comes to an end and Brocantes will become thin on the ground so I just love going into our stock and being able to pick and choose what to tempt you with....

Found a beautiful Art-Deco Limoges Coffee-set recently-I am addicted to Porcelaine and China having worked in the Industry most of my life.....love this shape..

This is so ultimately Shabby-Chic with its' delighful little flowerBuds.....don't you think?!

And then I found these....whilst not Vintage I just fell in love with them...sparkling diamante Eiffel Towers!...

wonderful for adding a bit of Shabby-Chic bling to any home!

Anyway-whilst it is still cool,I'm off to walk Esto and Dita before they give me a nervous breakdown with their pestering! So keep an eye on our site-still many more delights over the coming days.......Au Revoir!

Another Successful weekend with the "kids".....!

We travelled North for four hours early on Sunday morning  for the Dobermann Club de France's Regionale Show at Malestroit in Bretagne-WHAT a stunning venue!

It never ceases to amaze me the beautiful places we get to visit on our travels either to Brocantes with our work, or to Dog Show venues with the babies-not so much babies anymore,-Dita now coming up to 16 mths  and baby Esto coming up to 16 weeks!

Whilst stuck in a very tight corner trying to FIND this venue and John sweating doing a difficult three-point turn in the van and nearly ending up in the canal, I just HAD to get the camera out and take a picture of this house we were struggling infront of!...needless to say John was not amused......!!

The venue was set at the side of a Canal -inbetween it and  a Weir on the opposite side-surrounded by huge trees,-absolutely glorious! When we arrived,very early morning there were fishermen in full swing.....

Everywhere around was a profusion of colourful blooms.....

 The showground was just wonderful-peaceful and tranquil in the warm sunshine-occasionally disrupted by a little bit of expected barking but what the heck-we WERE at a Dogshow!

and in the midst of this wonderful place Dita did us proud by winning 1st & Graded Excellent-in the Jeune Femelle class. She later challenged the other Jeune class winners to become "Meilleur Jeune"-Best Junior in Show! Little Esto got his first taste of success by bringing home a "Baby Trophy" for winning 2nd in the Baby Class with a top grading of TP-Very Promising-and at just 16 weeks we were very pleased! So we are slowly running out of space and think we might have to invest in a Cabinet-Three trophies in one weekend is quite some feat!!

Meanwhile,the previous day at L'isle-Jourdain, I discovered these stunning and very Rare "Luneville" hand-decorated Storage Jars from the early 1900's-all Hand Enamelled and in the most Exquisite Turquoise colourway......unfortunately only two are undamaged but all four will be available on site. I literally felt myself becoming mobbed by dealers as soon as I spotted them being unwrapped from old newspaper and expressed my interest-hands were appearing from all directions to grab each of the others but I had my hand firmly on the first one and firmly stood my ground so they all had to back down!They were MINE!

I'm sure you'll agree-they are pretty special-even with some damage and are all fully useable despite this.....so I am busy photographing them and all the other new finds for your perusal...so until next time-Au Revoir!!

View from the office window.................

Not many folk can say that the view from the "office" window is this good.......

The "office" being the four-wheeled one we travel about in to go searching for treasure....the view above was actually on our way home at around 8.30am..

The view at 6.00 was more like this as we approached yet another stunning location for a Brocante in the Vienne Department on Saturday morning.....

as the sun comes up more Villagers arrive to set up the stalls..

and we had quite a productive morning for which we rewarded ourselves with yet another creation from the Patisserie-I will NEVER lose weight living here!

On the way home,along winding lanes we passed some lovely scenery..

Every bridge or "Pont" we drove over was decked with the most amazing floral basket displays-a profusion of glorious colour set against the backdrop of a beautiful River...

some dwellings actually looked like they were IN the river!....

Yes,we love this place of work.....!

We have had a very busy weekend all in all,taking in a Dog Show in Bretagne along the way,but this-afternoon we are off to do a house clearance which may or may not prove exciting, so time permitting-see you soon!