Sunday, August 28, 2011

Week of extremes - fauna of birds - some new French expressions



It was a week of summerly extremes:
on Sunday and Monday 38 to 40 °, sun burning, on Friday 20 °, rain pouring.

Even for cats the week-end was way too warm: Chiara was searching for shadow under the deck chairs at the swimming pool - me a little late there for the picture - and under the terrace table, whereas little Marcello preferred to stay inside.






I don't know why but this year we see a lot more birds (of prey) than other years.
Here is a short schematic survey of them (thx to Kwinten):




1. l'aigle royal (Aquila chrysaetos - Golden Eagle)
2. la buse variable (Buteo buteo - Common Buzzard)
3. le circaete Jean-le-blanc (Circaetus gallicus - Short-toed Snake-eagle)
4. l'épervier d'Europe (Accipiter nisus - Eurasian Sparrowhawk)
5. le faucon crécerelle (Falco tinnunculus - Common Kestrel)
6. le faucon pèlerin (Falco peregrinus - Peregrine Falcon)
7. le gypaète barbu (Gypaetus barbatus - Bearded Vulture)
8. le milan noir (Milvus migrans - Black Kite)
9. le vautour percnoptère (Neophron percnopterus - Egyptian Vulture)
10. le vautour fauve (Gyps fulvus - Griffon Vulture)

A lovely site to know more about them and see them in real: Les oiseaux du monde. Just click on the links above.


Also seen here for the first time in our garden two beautiful birds : the Eurasian Hoopoe (upupa epops, fr. huppet fascié) and the Eurasian Jay (garrulus glandarius, fr. geai des chênes).




To finish today: again two French expressions. Many thanks to Céline.



Ça ne casse pas trois pattes à un canard : to be more or less mediocre, having nothing extraordinary.

Il a le cul bordé de nouilles : he is very fortunate.



Two "philosphical" questions here : is it better with sause or without? And when yes to the former, which sause?

Don't think too long on these and have a nice week-end.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Figeac, the Prayssac monkey & varia



Up to now one of the best loved places by our visitors is Figeac, the city of Champollion, the decipherer of the Egyptian hieroglyphs, known for the Rosetta stone.

Some impressions :










The best loved dessert this summer so far: tarte aux pruneaux d'Agen, trempés dans du thé noir, à sa mousse.

As Ine seems to say: yami yami miam miam.




We all know the gnome mania in some gardens but as can be seen in Prayssac nowadays this phenomenon could be over: the gnomes are being taken over by the monkeys.



To be continued.


Some nice notes on buildings:
the first one excells in coherence (sic!) and the second is a good try to sell more.





And to finish with the best quote of the week, out of the mouth of a little girl, called Juliette:

Says she to her dad:

"Les vacances c'est pour se baigner, parce qu'il n'y a pas de piscine au travail."


Who could have said it better? Very logical indeed and wonderfully found if you want to stay at the bed & breakfast and swim all day whereas your parents want to take you away to visit some places you don't want to see.

Thx to Kwinten & Co and Dominique & Loic for the pictures.