Lautrec

Me too! I was very shocked when I read that he had died so young!. What perfect talent! No doubt he would have gone on to be recognised as one of the great international performers of his day, if he had been given a longer life! Very sad indeed!

[IMG]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/Philiplouis/Flute.jpg[/IMG] Taken many, many,years ago, when I was the toast of the cabaret circuit! Now I am almost burnt out. Her upstairs has forbidden me to send an up-to-date photo. The last time I published my Pic, we got too many cold callers from Undertakers!

This reminds me os a similar situation. My wife asks the waiter for an omlette as she says that she does not eat meat. "Ah Madame, then I will bring you chicken"! "No!" she replies, "I do not eat anything with legs or fins!" The waiter ponders,  "Would Madame like a sausage roll!" You couldn't make it up!

Now the weather is more Spring-like, is it time  to stop feeding our wild bird collection that we have aquired  through the Winter?  I understand that the seeds that  they collect to take away to their nests, could choke their chicks if they are too large for them! Would be pleased to get the facts!

[IMG]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/Philiplouis/buckfast4.jpg[/IMG] This picture I took of the South Devon Steam Railways train, standing at Buckfastliegh station brings back many memories of home! Anyone have any more steam pics?

We saw two separate fights of appox 2 or 300 passing over Nanteuil en Vallee this afternoon. Fantastic sight!. My wife, always the optimist said,"Here comes the bird flu!"

Thanks everybody for your info, with which I have been able to determine this insect. It is definitely not a Gendarme, as they never ask for my papers, but after checking with Google, I am now positive that they are Cardinals, who can fly!  They have entered into our house with the logs, which at this time of the year, we are using daily. Yesterday I easily caught eight of them in my hands and they were consigned back to the woodpile. So no doubt they will be brought back into the house when I refuel my log fire. Lets see who gets tired of it first!

 All of a sudden we seem to be seeing quite a few of these small flying beetles in the house. I have tried to get a photo without success. The body is about 1 cm long;dark red in colour with two long antennas. Six legs; and they fly. Are they harmful at all eg. eating the woodwwork etc? Would be pleased and relieved to know!

[IMG]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/Philiplouis/heds.jpg[/IMG] Here is one I did which has a much more humourous slant. ! This is much easier to do than it looks.  Go  on! Have a go!

[IMG]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/Philiplouis/buts.jpg[/IMG] The sunflowers were there when photographed them, (except the middle one!) but the butterflies were added later. Some very good examples from everybody. I'm glad I started this theme. Keep 'em coming!

Hi Gus, You cant have everything! So I have managed to bend the sun around 180 degrees! But it would really take an expert with photographic knowledge to spot it! (Um . . . .like your goodself!) Actually it can easily be done if you can aquire Adobe Photoshop 4. It is very versatile and you can hours of fun processing your photos and it does'nt take long to master it.  Watch this space and I will add another pic soon! PS. Nice web site and lovely property!

I do not approve of cheating generally, but you can have some fun and create quite good effects twiddling with your mouse.  This picture is a composite of three different photos, cunningly(?) superinposed to make a finished product. Has anyone any similar? to add to this thread? [IMG]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/Philiplouis/filfler.jpg[/IMG]

Here are some old ones![IMG]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/Philiplouis/shutters.jpg[/IMG] Pictured these  in Vertuil. Charente. It made my fingers itch for the paint brush.

Hi Graye, Do not despair! There are a lot of towns in France that have an 'English Shop' and they sell loads of veggie products. We shop in the 'Cockleshell' in Ruffec and Jane the proprietor is very obliging and if there is something special, which is not in stock, she will order a quantity of it for you! But normally they stock all Linda Mc. products and separate quorn products. We have been in Restaurants here which have Veggie meals on their menu. The word is going around that it is a growing trend in France and more outlets will stock the food we perculiar people need.  It has been said, 'that if everybody had to kill an animal to eat meat, there would be a lot more vegetarians!' Bon appetite. Lautrec.

Advise for Hellsbells! We had bats in the attic and although they never came into the house, they made quite a mess on our terrace. At the same time we were overun with 'wingless bats'!(Mice). So I purchased a sonic mouse repeller which I plugged into the power plug. It got rid of the mice and surprisingly, the bats went  as well!