Well December came and went as quickly as the sun sets over Sauve in winter! The beautiful lights which span the passages in between buildings in the villages lit up the first of December and are still dancing across the Grand Rue tonight the 3rd of January. They were replaced last year and were apparently in continuous use since the end of WWII according to one villager with very few ampoules actually in working order.
At a vide grenier in St Hippolyte du Fort I found a sapin artificial for four euros and rehabilitated it with borrowed lights and lots of red ornaments left in the house by my friend Susie. Decorating was fun as I gathered all the greens on a walk in la Mer des Roches, mostly branches of bay leaves and chêne verte. My paintings from the autumn added their color as did a pair of red wool knee sox my mother had brought back as a gift from Scotland many years ago. Anticipating my son Robin’s arrival the 23rd from music conservatory in Boston was the most special gift I could receive.
The sun shone consistently throughout the season. La fête de Noel took place in le Place des Vabres along with a vide grenier and a rassemblement des Deux Chevaux, from a local auto club one sunny sunday. I bought a delicious wild mushroom called a cêpe at this market which made some fabulous omeletes we enjoyed. Gallery openings, a choral/orchestral concert entitled “Le Triomphe d’Amour”, a jazz concert, soirées, and festivals de Noel all added to the festive village Christmas.
Hiking along the Crespinaut river and up to the Chateau de Fressac and in la mer des roches gave Robin his “wilderness” retreat and my french cooking made up for several months of “real food” deprivation in the name of college dormitory cafeteria style.
For our reveillons we went to la Maison de Comtes to dance our way into the New Year at Soraya Touat’s annual Dance Floor party. Her son had rented a laser lamp and smoke machine adding to the great atmosphere in their 16th century house. Robin’s good french friend Jonathon Mutel came to visit us and celebrate with Robin. Bonne nouvelle année tout le monde!
alisoninfrance 