Back in France at last - plus the latest folly

 We've been back in France now about ten days, and so far the weather has been kind for November. We've had rain, but not for long, and there was one very cold evening and night, but we've also had brisk breezes and bright sunshine, and the trees have been resplendent with colour. Here are some of ours, big and small, before the cold and the wind stripped them bare.

Liriodendron tulipifera - gloriously golden leaves bigger than my hand, with their odd geometric shape.

The copper beech

Magnolia 'Yellow River'

Sadly we were too late to see the resplendent autumn colour of the Claret Ash, but Rosie thought she would pose in the drift of leaves all around its trunk!

We thought it was too wet for much garden work, but I managed to cut back and weed and clear enough for two trips to the dump. And then the mower came out after all - but stopped in its tracks when the petrol ran out!

Here's a lovely drive up to a chateau where we walked the dog.

I took some photos of inside the house, since nearly everything I post is of the garden. Our lounge rarely looks this tidy, but we were expecting guests!

As if an ancient pile in France were not enough, we have recently acquired  a motorhome (that's the folly.) The thinking was, 'If we leave it till we no longer have our home in France, we'll be too doddery to go anywhere.' 

Here she is: a venerable lady 20 years old.

Our first (and so far only) night away, just to get acquainted.

Rosie thought it might be amusing to explore the bathroom.

It was very cold that night, and we weren't especially well-prepared, so we were awake for a cup of tea at 6 a.m.!

What next? We hope to explore other parts of France using our house here as a base. A friend has alerted us to a man-made lake, miles away to the east, where thousands of cranes flock in the autumn. Maybe that's something to aim for next year!