Summer 2017

It is -3C outside, overcast and dark.  A day to snuggle up in front of a fire and watch Some Like It Hot. My daughter has either ideas and is slouched on the sofa watching endless episodes of Friends. Still, is there is no better time to look back on those heart-warning, hot summer days.
Days of cherry and almond pies, aubergine and honey tarts, BBQs and sparkly wines on the terrace. 
Days of pots full of flowering plants of bright pinks, reds and blue. Our roses bloomed, and the lilacs and buddleias exploded. We had  butterflies all summer which our guests, especially the younger ones, enjoyed very much. The fields in July burst out into sun flowers. So beautiful! 
Days of visiting friends and family. The children came and went, and happily for us, they all managed to be here at the same time. It is always special to have them here altogether. Family friends, with their 5 children and partners, arrived en masse and stayed in La Belle Vue. Many happy evenings were spent together, and of course a day together canoeing on the river. And of course it was a delight to have our rental holiday house guests here - some new ones and some returning for the second and even third time. We were delighted to meet everyone and were pleased that everyone left relaxed and happy. That is what we want! It makes us happy too!
Days of outdoor concerts and village fétes where we got together to celebrate another gorgeous summer evenings. Concerts advertised as Blues concerts were Jazz concerts and jazz concerts were rock and roll evenings and  rock and roll bands played Country Western. Always made for a big surprise! And the burgers and local wines were always good!
Days of exploring and discovering new restaurants, vineyards, little museums, galleries, and walks. We were delighted that a new restaurant opened in the area, serving great for a special occasion. The Moulin de Varen is definitely worth a visit. We found an interesting exhibition at Bruniquel tracing the architectural history of the castle. We discovered a few new vineyards which is always a good thing. There are some excellent red wines out there. And we always like a new walk. The countryside is so beautiful around here, especially in early summer with the fresh green leaves on the trees and the meadows smelling so sweet.
And it is the summer a kitten appeared on the doorstep. The younger guests loved the fluffy white bundle of joy and before we knew it, 3 lots of guests ended up feeding the little thing and we then ended up keeping it. We named it Louis, a nice French name. We found out that Louis is a girl so now she is Loulou. We will have to ask our lovely guests from refraining feeding kittens however, as with the number of feral cats around here we would soon end up with a lot more. Still, she is the sweetest cat and we are very happy that she is part of our lives.
It has been fun looking back at the lovely balmy summer days. What wonderful days they were. But now, we have Christmas to look forward to. The mincemeat is made, the christmas cake is being fed. And next week we are going out to get our tree. Not till after the New Years will I start thinking and wishing for summer again when we can open our doors to our guests, family and friends at La Belle Vue!