House in the Hills - 3

Here's another house in the hills above Menton - you can see how the garden is terraced with retaining walls to prevent the soil falling. Essential on slopes like this.

House in the Hills - 2

Here you see the same house as shown yesterday, plus another one in front of it. I can't work out if it's built into the rock or there has been a rock fall at the side of the house?

House in the Hills - 1

A house in the hills way above the Old Town of Menton.

Theme Day: My Local Shop

The little shop in Gorbio, a Medieval perched village a few kilometres above Menton. As you see, it's not just a shop but a meeting place for the locals. When I took this photo, the old couple giggled, with the wife covering her face. Later, she posed but this was the best photo of the owner, Madame Filippi, who stands at the door. Her husband owns the bar/restaurant in the village.

Do click here to view thumbnails of all 174 participants to see their take on today's theme

I'm working at a dog show in Spain all day today (150 Old English Sheepdogs from around the world) but will spend tomorrow catching up and commenting. Meanwhile have a lovely Theme Day everyone!

On the prowl

Gorbio, like all the perched Medieval villages, has many cats. Here's one beauty prowling the old streets.

The Rose's Plea

This beautiful rose is on a bend a couple of kilometres below the village of Gorbio, en route from Menton. The sign says:

'Friends of Flowers. Don't pull on my branches - you will injure me. Thankyou. signed...the Rose.'

Chemin de la Colle Supérieure

This road ends right here and not far from the entrance to the cemetery of Trabuquet, which is to be found way above the old cemetery, which is located above the Old Town.

The blobs of concrete are typical, enabling small cars, bikes, small trucks - to get their owners home. The other end of this road is properly accessible tho and runs high and way over the hauteurs of Menton.

France Telecom paid another visit and it seems there are big-time problems - they will come back and install new cable from road to house. No matter, at the moment, I'm in Spain for a dog show and the hotel has internet access, so I've left my connection problems behind - for the moment.

Closed

Do you get the feeling this window is never opened?! (A house in Gorbio)

Internet & phone still down. Thanks so much for comments. My ability to comment is limited but am using neighbour's WiFi when poss. Will catch up with everyone eventually.

Trompe l'oeil

This is the same house we saw two days ago. You can just see the old boy's balcony on the front of the house - behind the tree - above the lamp.

Note the four windows - how many are real?!

Internet & phone still down. Thanks so much for comments. My ability to comment is limited but am using neighbour's WiFi when poss. Will catch up with everyone eventually.

Sit!

It wasn't till I saw it on the screen that I noticed the shadow of this Shar-pei puppy's owner telling the dog to 'sit' for me. He's four months old and just look at those wrinkles. As they grow and fill out their skin, the wrinkles diminish but I believe they are considered a better dog (show-wise) with more wrinkles. The folds need to be kept clean else they can get infected. The photo was taken at a Bring and Buy sale in Garavan, Menton.

You can see several more photos of this puppy by clicking on the link at Riviera Dogs.

(Still no Internet but posting from my neighbour's house now. Thankyou Agnès. Hopefully my connection will be back on by Wednesday.)

A View from the Balcony

Here's the old man we met yesterday - he lives on the top floor of this house. He doesn't walk easily and it always surprised me he can get up the stairs. I don't for one moment expect he has a lift. Perhaps he tends the balcony's flowers? Perhaps his wife?

(Internet & phone still down. Hopefully up by Wednesday. Am posting from a cyber cafe - very sorry but can't comment for the moment but thank you so much for your comments. Will catch up as soon as poss).

Ladies' Man?

He doesn't look too happy but in fact this old boy fancies himself a bit as a ladies' man. He can be charming. He's sitting at the base of the old Elm in Gorbio village. Written on the base - far left - words to show it was planted in 1713. Tomorrow, I'll show you where this gentleman lives. You might be suprised.

(Internet & phone still down. Hopefully up by Wednesday. Am posting from a cyber cafe - very sorry but can't comment for the moment but thank you so much for your comments. Will catch up as soon as poss).

Echium - Pride of Madeira

June is garden month in Menton. Menton has many famous gardens and I hope to feature some of them in the future. However, here we are in May and probably because we've had so much rain, many gardens are looking good.

Here is a plant that does well in this climate and on the poor, free draining soil we have here. It's called Echium candicans (sometimes called Echium fastuosum) - 'Pride of Madeira.' It loves our long dry summers and needs no watering. The bees and butterflies just love it. Apparently it's a member of the borage family (remember borage in Pimm's? - a long delicious drink decorated with young leaves of borage - mint was an alternative) My mother always used to serve Pimm's No 1 Cup before lunch on Sundays - in the summer.

The green plant you see in the foreground with the sprays of tiny flowers about to bloom is a young avocado. If you click on the smaller photo to the left you can see that an echium can fill quite a space. I love how it tumbles over the walls, don't you?

Note: care is needed when cutting back an echium - or even brushing past its hairy leaves. It can set up a skin irritation. I always forget...

(I've had no telephone or internet connection for two days - France Telecom tell me it'll not be up for a few days. Some problem between my house and the road. Grrrrrrr. Am posting from a cyber cafe - very sorry but can't comment for the moment but thank you so much for your comments. Will catch up as soon as poss).

Admiration

An old lady admiring a baby - it's universal, isn't it? Village, town, city - anywhere in the world. It happens to be in the Medieval village of Gorbio. I did crop the village noticeboard but thought it better left in - gives a feel of the village.

If you'd like to see the three German Short-haired Pointers who live at one of the olive mills in the village, please click on the link.

Bird's eye view

Gorbio village taken from above. I live two and a half kilometres below the village (by road) or a ten minute walk up the donkey track when I'm feeling energetic!

Donkey above Gorbio

THE DONKEY by G.K.Chesterton

When fishes flew and forests walked

And figs grew upon thorn,

Some moment when the moon was blood

Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry

And ears like errant wings,

The devil's walking parody

On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,

Of ancient crooked will;

Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,

I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;

One far fierce hour and sweet:

There was a shout about my ears,

And palms before my feet.

You've Got Mail

When houses are remote (see yesterday's post) - then mail gets delivered to a central grouping of mail boxes.

The wooden signs are for walkers - Gorbio is great walking territory. The red sign on the right says the road is a dead end and is only open to locals whose houses are reached via this road.

Cloud over Gorbio

We've had rain for days - and it's forecast for several more. However, this morning, suddenly the sun appeared so my dog, Beau, took me for a walk above the village of Gorbio. The village is roughly 370 metres above sea level and is 7 .5 kilometres from Menton. It's easy to think of the French Riviera as being beach, sea and a hedonistic lifestyle, but drive 10 minutes into the hinterland and this is what you find.

Here you see one or two houses built into the hills - they overlook the perched village. Clouds hang low over the hills - it was these clouds that made me want to take the photograph.

Love in the Piazza

No, it's not Menton - it's Turin - (just for one day) - but as it's Spring and love is everywhere, it could be Menton! Not sure what it is about those Italians tho - you can hardly turn a corner in Turin without young love manifesting itself.

This photo is for Fabrizio. He has been showing several 'love in the Spring' photos recently and I couldn't resist this one. It was taken in Piazza Vittorio Veneto, the largest piazza in Europe. If you click on the link you can see the whole square on Torino Daily Photo.

I spent four wonderful days in the beautiful city of Turin and on one evening Fabrizio was my guide - and what a guide! He so adores his city, his enthusiasm is infectious, his knowledge is phenomenal. A fabulous evening - thank you so much, dear Fabrizio.

Cave a Vin

Rue des Marins

Pale shutters, a niche, a sign - just around the corner from Place aux Herbes.