Author Archives: gailengel

Ems found this little chap setting up for winter in the barn….. he was summarily removed to the garden where I hope he has rolled himself in all those leaves from the hazelnut tree and found a sheltered hole instead.

Autumn 2009 hazelnuts and hydrangeas:       mists and autumn colour: Flowers for All Souls’ Day on Novembre 1:                Pontivy Chateau des Costas near Guémené-sur-Scorff Across the street, a potter is now … Continue reading →

I arrived in the evening, hungry and tired, but there was a bottle of côtes du rhône, a can of cassolet in the cupboard, and this view from the terrace… The next morning, after biscuits and vegemite for breakfast, it … Continue reading →

The garden was completely overgrown again but the drifts of forget-me-nots growing everywhere made it all seem part of a grand design. This year I was to see my first Carnaval Pourleth, a biennial event in Guémené when the town … Continue reading →

Email from les bons voisins, February 2007: We have been suffering from very high winds and torrential rain for the last 5 days.  As a consequence, Patrick came round last evening to unfortunately tell us that a fair section of … Continue reading →

Late summer. Warm days, long evenings, green and leafy countryside. long rides on Gypsy….. along the route of the Tour de France, which had zoomed through Guémené in July. Hydrangeas and lavender from the garden Geraniums on the windowsill The … Continue reading →

There was a strange intensity to the morning light filtering through the curtains…….. Guémené was blanketed in snow! Monahel was equally delighted and together with our cameras we roamed the town……. Luckily M.Blanchard the plombier, had done some work on … Continue reading →

 I was beginning to get cold feet at the idea of returning to Guémené alone, but old friends were there for the summer, working on the cottage they had bought in 2002. They picked me up from the nearest airport, … Continue reading →