31 May 2008
30 May 2008
The Rose's Plea
'Friends of Flowers. Don't pull on my branches - you will injure me. Thankyou. signed...the Rose.'
Posted by
Jilly
at
13:47
8
comments
Labels: Gardens, Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
29 May 2008
Chemin de la Colle Supérieure
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.
Posted by
Jilly
at
09:11
10
comments
Labels: Miscellany
28 May 2008
Closed
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.
Posted by
Jilly
at
15:25
12
comments
Labels: Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
27 May 2008
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.
Posted by
Jilly
at
11:13
14
comments
Labels: Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
26 May 2008
Sit!
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.)
Posted by
Jilly
at
10:24
24
comments
Labels: Dogs
25 May 2008
A View from the Balcony
(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).
Posted by
Jilly
at
11:04
18
comments
Labels: Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
24 May 2008
Ladies' Man?
(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).
Posted by
Jilly
at
15:22
11
comments
Labels: Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
23 May 2008
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).
Posted by
Jilly
at
14:50
12
comments
Labels: Gardens, Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
22 May 2008
Admiration
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.
Posted by
Jilly
at
14:43
9
comments
Labels: Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
21 May 2008
Bird's eye view
Posted by
Jilly
at
12:51
21
comments
Labels: Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
20 May 2008
Donkey above Gorbio
- 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.
Posted by
Jilly
at
14:55
12
comments
Labels: Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
19 May 2008
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.
Posted by
Jilly
at
10:33
10
comments
Labels: Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
18 May 2008
Cloud over Gorbio
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.
Posted by
Jilly
at
13:09
17
comments
Labels: Villages near to Menton: Gorbio
17 May 2008
Love in the Piazza
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.
Posted by
Jilly
at
11:03
23
comments
Labels: Miscellany
16 May 2008
15 May 2008
14 May 2008
Brocante - The Scrapbook
(Thankyou so much for everyone who has visited. Apologies for not commenting over the last few days. I'm in Turin - which is fabulous! - home by the weekend)
Posted by
Jilly
at
10:16
12
comments
Labels: Fêtes
13 May 2008
Brocante - The Stolen Lick
Posted by
Jilly
at
10:18
18
comments
Labels: Fêtes
12 May 2008
Brocante - Slot machine
Posted by
Jilly
at
11:53
5
comments
Labels: Fêtes