In which we finally begin and some introductions are made…..          

Given the million and one other people writing about their lives in France and jostling for position in the blogosphere, it may be a weird decision to decide to join the throng. Is anyone out there ever going to notice us we wonder? Will they enjoy our musings and rural adventures if they do?  There’s only one way to find out, ‘il faut se lancer’ as the French would say. So here we go, throwing ourselves, boldly and with gusto, at the keyboard to give it a try. We figure at least we’ll have some fun along the way. 

Where to begin? 

First things first – the introductions: we’ll keep them short and sweet. The cast of characters – Two cats, two dogs, three people, a large frog, a small frog, a family of kestrels, and a barn owl.

Next – The setting and further occasional participants: 
A hilltop in South Western France, a rambling garden, an almost ruined cottage, an orchard, a large barn, another barn, a boutique, a fine stone house showing quite a lot of shabby and just a little chic, a vintage tea-room,        195 greeting cards, some wild deer, a diverse bunch of customers, a rusty jeep, a motorbike and a camera.

There, now with all those ingredients a good chef should be able to serve up a variety of unusual and appetising dishes, so, if you’re sitting comfortably, we’ll get out the mixing bowls and we’ll begin………………….